Join The Community
Lost In Translation (2003)
"For relaxing times, make it Suntory time."
The Product Placement: Suntory whiskey.
Why It's Great: It's all part of the story, with Bill Murray's miserable jobbing actor sent to Japan to shoot an ad for the whiskey.
The ad director's comments are hilarious.
Impact On Sales: Unknown, though Suntory credit the film for giving the whiskey an international name.
“It was a great boost for us,” said Masaki Morimoto, general manager for Suntory’s premium-spirits marketing department.
The Italian Job (1969)
"Are they big? I like 'em big!"
The Product Placement: Mini.
Why It's Great: The Minis are central to numerous awesome car chases in this classic flick.
Can you imagine those car chases without the Mini? Us either.
Impact On Sales: A boom in sales as BMW reported an increase of 22% in the year of the film's release.
Pulp Fiction (1995)
"Hamburgers! The cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast."
The Product Placement: McDonald's.
Why It's Great: This segment may revolve around a conversation about fast food, but it's a conversation scripted by Tarantino and delivered by John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson.
You don't get much cooler than that.
Impact On Sales: McDonald's had a boom in the '90s, but it's unclear if Tarantino had anything to do with it. We'd like to think he did.
Roman Holiday (1952)
"The best thing I know is to do exactly what you wish for a while."
The Product Placement: Vespa.
Why It's Great: It perfectly captures the manic zippiness of life in Rome - plus it's impossible not to smile when you're watching a mad-grinning Audrey Hepburn scooting through the Italian streets.
Impact On Sales: Over 100,000 Vespas were sold in the year that Roman Holiday landed.
Cast Away (2000)
"WILSON!"
The Product Placement: FedEx, Wilson.
Why It's Great: Well, the advert for FedEx isn't great (it's their plane that crashes and leaves Tom Hanks stranded), but the placement of a Wilson volleyball is genius - he's turned into an entire (imagined) character.
Impact On Sales: Undetermined, though it did result in the creation of a new Wilson volleyball, Cast Away-style.
Wayne's World (1992)
"I will not bow to any sponsor."
The Product Placement: Pizza Hut, Doritos, Pepsi, Reebok.
Why It's Great: It's audacious, knowing and really funny, as Wayne (Mike Myers) endorses numerous products in a devious dig at movie sponsors.
All while holding a Pizza Hut box and munching on Doritos.
Impact On Sales: Undetermined, though impact on laughs was pretty high.
E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
"Is he a pig? He sure eats like one."
The Product Placement: Reese's Pieces.
Why It's Great: When the Mars Company denied the filmmakers' request to use M&Ms in the film, Reese's Pieces swooped in to save the day, no doubt realising that having an adorable alien eat their chocolate would make kids the world over want to eat it too.
Impact On Sales: Profits rocketed by 65% in the year following the release of the film.
Back To The Future Part II (1989)
"The future…"
The Product Placement: Nike Hyperdunk trainers.
Why It's Great: Even if the Nike logo is shoved right down our throats, there's no denying that these futuristic trainers are awesome.
Self-lacing, too…
Impact On Sales: Only 1,000 pairs of Hyperdunks were released by Nike in co-ordination with the film, meaning sales didn't exactly boom.
Top Gun (1986)
"That's right, Iceman! I am dangerous."
The Product Placement: Ray-Ban Wayfarers.
Why It's Great: Not only did Tom Cruise look hellacool rocking these '80s shades, he also caused a Ray-Ban buying fever…
Impact On Sales: After Cruise wore them, Ray-Ban reported a 40% increase in sales.
Hot stuff.
Horse Feathers (1932)
"Throw me the life saver!"
The Product Placement: Life Savers candy.
Why It's Great: It's product placement as a hilarious gag, as Thelma Todd falls off a boat and asks for a life saver.
In response, Groucho Marx throws her some Life Savers candy. Oh how we laughed.
Impact On Sales: Undetermined.
