Art of Product Placements

It is very common in movies these days. Broadly, Product placement is classified as

1. That provides only clear visibility (product/brand name shown)
2. That is used in scene
3. That has spoken reference
4. That provides hands-on use and mentioned by a main star

Most Indian films make mistake of going for the last type of product placement and spoil everything (Read my last post Advertisements within movie). There is art of product placement which is perfected by very few Indian films. One such good example is ‘Hum Tum’ directed by ‘Kunal Kohli’. The film placed within products like Times of India, Kodak, Fanta and Lays.

Saif Ali khan was shown as Times of India cartoonist. ‘Hum Tum’ cartoons were published in TOI even before film was released and continued to appear till the movie was running. These cartoons were successful in creating curiosity about movie. Movie was hit on box-office. And cartoon strips were smash-hit and are forwarded over e-mails till the date. Recent news is that Yash Raj films are making cartoon series of Hum Tum over television. Film has 2-3 highest points, film freezes at those points. Photo-clicking sound along with ‘Kodak’ moment appears on these screens.

I liked the films over its Hollywood inspiration ‘When Harry met Sally’. Film didn’t do foolishness of placing newspaper now-and-then neither hero explained the efficiency of Kodak cameras. Everything seemed real and nobody was making any conscious efforts of popping up products. Movie also had Saif eating Lays and Rani drinking Fanta. Both the brands are completely match to their personality and didn’t look odd to eyes. All the brands were blended so well with the films story that it becomes the part of the movie. Product placements of such type benefit both the parties’ brands as well as the movie. I am of the personal opinion that product placement should not play with film’s aesthetics.

But now comes the main question, will the advertisers be agree to spend lot of money for glimpses of their product in some corner of film-frame which may or may not catch viewer’s attention.

This lead to the fundamental question, ‘Does subliminal advertising work?’