QOS features less endorsments

Dan Same · October 2008

I've never liked watching a film and being distracted by what was obviously a paid endorsment. Most Bond films have done a pretty good job of comfortably inserting paid endorsments into the story, however there have been exceptions; the car chase in DAD, which was essentially a car advertisment, and one of my least favourite moments in CR which was when Bond corrected Vesper about the brand of his watch. Anyway, it appears that QOS will not feature the blatent, and frequent, endorsments that some other Bond films have had.

James Bond reins in his licence to sell

Advertisers aren't guaranteed screen time despite paying millions.

With all that selling, it's a wonder James Bond has any time left for what he does best; kill and shag.

But after years of Bond movies being used as vehicles to market watches, cars, clothes and phones, product placement in the latest movie is relatively restrained. Aston Martin, Smirnoff vodka, Sony and Virgin Atlantic may have paid millions but there is no guarantee their brand will be in the movie.

The makers of the Bond franchise have made a decision to rein in the number of products appearing in Quantum Of Solace, bucking a global trend that will see more brands than ever appear on the big screen.

Researcher the Nielsen Company reports that in the six months to the end of June 2008, the product placement market rose 11.7 per cent in the United States on the corresponding period in 2007.

Danjaq, the holding company responsible for the copyright and trademarks to James Bond, says we will see fewer products on screen after a decision was made for the previous film, Casino Royale. Keith Snelgrove, senior vice president of global business strategy, says a new artistic director on the film was not used to working "in that particular environment". "There was a decision to take a more strategic approach with our partners and to develop a program that was smaller, but stronger and higher in quality.

"That's not a global trend, far from it. We are quite unique in our approach," says Snelgrove.

The new Bond film is out next month, and Danjaq is keeping tight-lipped about which brands make it on screen, though Snelgrove says Virgin Atlantic "made the cut' - which is news to Virgin. "The agreement that we have is that we don't guarantee placement. They [partners] are all aware of that," says Snelgrove.

Smirnoff, which has the longest history with Bond, going back to 1962's Dr No, was unable to say in which bar scene Bond requests his trademark vodka martini, shaken not stirred and christened Vesper, in honour of his late lover in Casino, Vesper Lynd, nor even if the trademark will make an appearance. That lack of surety has not stopped some "partner companies" from exploiting the opportunity. Sony Ericsson is launching its C902 Cyber-shot mobile phone - which is used by Bond in the film - to coincide with the launch. Bus ads and in-store marketing will ensure consumers know about the connection. The most high-profile of Bond brands, Aston Martin, is putting on exclusive screenings around Australia.

The Bond effect is palpable: such was the reaction to the Aston Martin DBS when it appeared in Casino Royale that the company pushed what was then a concept car into production, says Marcel Fabris, Aston Martin's country manager. "Once again we've been voted the coolest brand in the world (according to CoolBrand) and undoubtedly the association with Bond helps." Aston Martin sells 150 cars a year in Australia.

The distributor of the film, Sony Pictures Entertainment, has cut local promotional deals with Visa and Flight Centre, but Sony's marketing director, Libby Rhys-Jones, says even those are bound by strict guidelines. "Anyone can burn out a product with crazy marketing," she says.

That has not stopped Coca-Cola, which is not even in the film, from cashing in. In Britain it rebranded Coke Zero as "Zero Zero 7". Avon, another partner, has signed up Bond girl Gemma Arterton to market its new fragrance, Bond Girl 007. Her choice of car in the film, a Ford Ka, also appears, the result of a deal Ford struck with Danjaq.

It appears everyone has learnt from the nadir of product placement - 2002's Die Another Day - which had 25 brands, leading it to be dubbed Buy Another Day.

Sony Ericsson has pushed harder for a better deal. The advertising around the Bond movie Casino, which was used to promote its phones, was so restrictive that it did not work as well as it could, says the company's managing director in Australia, Steve Wilson. "The danger is that sometimes you end up promoting the film rather than the product," he says.

This time the ads will show the product's features and benefits more clearly. Wilson hopes to double the 20 per cent rise in sales that came after Casino Royale. "You have four weeks [as a window] and then it's all over."

(Mods, upon posting this topic, I initially thought that it belonged to the General Chat forum, but in retrospect, maybe it's more suited to the QOS forum. If so, please don't hesitate in moving it. -{)

Asp9mm · October 2008

It seems that many people are kicking back against blatant product placement. Omega is certainly seeing a more negative attitude, and Rolex is coming out on top. The famous line in CR when Vesper comments on Bonds watch came out in favour of Rolex. Celebrity endorsement used to be a good form of advertising. People are now starting to see it as a bit of a hussle by the big companies.

Loeffelholz · October 2008

I've never minded the product placement in Bond films---Fleming himself was something of a pioneer in the realm of product placement in his novels B-) ---but I think there simply isn't time in QoS for more than a glimpse of anything!

Mark_Hazard · October 2008

It is generally accepted that Fleming brought the spy novel genre into the modern era, (even though it's rumoured that his wife's famous literary friends gathered to ridicule his works).

Before Ian Lancaster Fleming we had American pulp fiction characters like Peter Cheyney's 'Lemmy Caution', who starred in titles like 'Dames Don't Care' et al, with very little material realism. Fleming showed how brands could become powerful tools in fiction. It's also worth remembering here that sophisticated marketing was still in its infancy in 1953. In fact Advertising only began in earnest during late Victorian times.

The Gangster novels of the early thirties were popular for their take on Blonde or red headed Bombshells who loved rough diamonds and suffered the harsh consequences. Millions of dime stories were sold and the detective genre was proven beyond doubt. Chandler's film noir inspirations carried the same themes. When Charteris had his chance, although 'The Saint' is a wonderful character, he failed to truly modernise and scientifically elevate the genre. While Dame Agatha Christie simply chose to dress her sleuths well while dastardly plotting her way into the British fifedom of - 'Whodunnit?'

Fleming took stock of the American dame slapping characters, like Caution and Sam Spade and Philip Marlow, but gave a bigger nodd to Charteris and his fountain of locations. However he cleverly added the little luxuries becoming more available after the war, like 'Frank Cooper's Oxford Marmalade', and placed them to steer Bond toward a new breed of characterisation. A man who has passions not just for women, but for places and things. A man who chooses to furnish his life carefully, who eats and drinks his fill of rustic and high class foods, who uses the right sort of Razor, appreciating the quality of its finish and its novel invention. The crisp feel of Sea Island cotton on the skin, the silky coolness in Chesterfield's tobacco, all serve to settle his nerve. To elevate his senses and cut a swathe through a cruel world Bond equips himself with these material mantras. Bond like earlier characters still seduces on a whim, but the difference is that he can see the real beauty in woman – even through facial disfigurement. Recall Honeychile Rider; a strong woman who fends for herself. In Dr No she is saving for an operation on her smashed nose, one that Bond eventually pays for. The girl thrills him, scars and all . . . James Bond forgets her broken nose as it slips behind his memory of her beautiful eyes and mouth.

Fleming's credible use of entropy and revolt heightens his prose. If an establishment building looks good, he cannot resist the thought that it will one day be smashed or burned to the ground. Revolt will come, if not war. Purple passages describe the things in life, inanimate and animate. A duality exists and is drawn between them. Originality abounds in the details and also the lies. Unless a reader is furnished with the internet Fleming is thoroughly believable. Both the fine arts and people await destruction. Rockets and madmen - slimly disguised from their Nazi origins – break the fastidious moulds of Christie and surge beyond Sax Rohmer and Dorothy Sayer.

When people ask who Bond really is, or slate his misogonistic traits - they admit blindness to the subtle ironies of his creator. Before people bang on about this stuff it would be better if they read the genre thoroughly - especially Fleming's originals and maybe some post Fleming bestsellers, in order to broach more awareness of the socio-cultural effigy that Bond is. A certain depth of imagination is required here too because Bond is a fictional man. So whatever censorship we make of him, in attitude or image, even if properly informed, will always be peculiarly futile.

I cannot for the life of me remember if there is a reference in the books to Bolinger Champagne - can anyone else?

(sico) I Searched for 'Product placement' in the forums - but move this if you/others feel inclined.

Dan Same · October 2008

Thanks guys for responding to this topic. {[] However, Mark, although your post is interesting, it is not actually related to the topic, which is about the endorsements (or lack thereof) in QOS and future Bond films.

Loeffelholz · October 2008

Mark_Hazard wrote:

...Fleming showed how brands could become powerful tools in fiction. It's also worth remembering here that sophisticated marketing was still in its infancy in 1953. In fact Advertising only began in earnest during late Victorian times...Fleming took stock of the American dame slapping characters, like Caution and Sam Spade and Philip Marlow, but gave a bigger nodd to Charteris and his fountain of locations. However he cleverly added the little luxuries becoming more available after the war, like 'Frank Cooper's Oxford Marmalade', and placed them to steer Bond toward a new breed of characterisation. A man who has passions not just for women, but for places and things. A man who chooses to furnish his life carefully, who eats and drinks his fill of rustic and high class foods, who uses the right sort of Razor, appreciating the quality of its finish and its novel invention. The crisp feel of Sea Island cotton on the skin, the silky coolness in Chesterfield's tobacco, all serve to settle his nerve. To elevate his senses and cut a swathe through a cruel world Bond equips himself with these material mantras.

Very good points on Fleming's use of brand names and specific products, Mr. Hazard {[] As the Bond films are the offshoot of Fleming's fabulous novels, it's only logical to note whence the notion of product placement, re: James Bond originates

For this reason, I've always felt that product placement---even direct, 'in your face'-type product placement, such as the Ford Mondeo* in CR---is perfectly appropriate in Bond films.

Interestingly, although QoS is rumoured to have less than other Bonds, some online articles are stating that there's about 50 million pounds' worth...not too shabby! B-)

* Fleming would probably have approved of the Ford brand appearing on film; he was quite a great fan of the late-'50s Thunderbird :007)

QOS features less endorsments

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