After dispatching yet another villain intent on world domination, James Bond wants nothing more than to sit back and relax with a nice, cold Heineken. At least that’s what Heineken would like moviegoers to believe.
The Dutch beer company spent a reported 45 million dollars securing a spot for their lager in the upcoming Bond movie, Skyfall. In addition to the money they spent, Heineken is also paying for placement by promoting Skyfall. The company’s current television campaign has a distinct Bond theme, featuring spots that are accompanied with footage from the film and a plug for its release date. By taking this ambitious step into the action-packed world of Bond, Heineken hopes to promote its lager to the franchise’s numerous and passionate fans. And they’re hardly alone in their strategy.
With consumers exposed to thousands of marketing messages each day, companies continue to look for the best ways to break through the clutter, and some are doing it very well with product placement. Whether it’s in movies, television or even live sporting events, product placement is everywhere.
At the London Olympics, Nike made a bold statement with its fluorescent green Volt model running shoes. Although the 2012 Games were officially sponsored by Adidas, the presence of Nike’s bright green shoes on the feet of 400 Olympic athletes was impossible to ignore. Social media was abuzz with talk of the flashy footwear, and experts heralded it as a marketing coup.
It stands to reason that marketers will continue to seek untapped venues for product placement. Whether it’s a beer in the hand of Bond or dressing an athlete in eye-catching apparel, companies will continue to look for new and better ways to boost their brand appeal.