my frustration with this might seem a little over the top but the extreme and creative lengths that companies are willing to go to in order to get their message in front of us sometimes can feel like an assault to the senses.
a last summer I noticed this gem in o’hare on the escalator heading up to concourse C.
yes, it is fair game like the giant stickers on the ground, but I feel like somethings should just be sacred. i dread the day i encounter toilet paper containing an advertising message or having the automatic paper towel, soap, and water dispensers talk to me. the technology is very much there now we just have to pray that these sorts of limits are respected….
while certainly there are some not so bueno product placements like what is listed above or when you are watching one of your favorite tv shows and they pause in a dramatic moment to acknowledge and appreciate the specific features of the car they are driving or how much they love the crunch of particular snack, BUT some just fit or are more believable because they are so well integrated. some examples include…..
– james bond and his aston martin (but not his shift to the heineken in my humble option…)
– reese’s pieces in E.T. (brilliant!)
– junior mints in seinfeld (gotta love some kramer…)
what makes some work and others feel less successful? seamless integration and being audience appropriate.