What is product placement?

“Film is better than any commercial that has been run on television or in any magazine because the audience is totally unaware of any sponsor involvement”
Richards RP. RJ Reynolds – internal document, 1972

Product placement occurs when money or other inducements are underhandedly provided in return for exposure of a particular product in the media (films, magazines etc). It might seem like a coincidence that a particular brand is featured but it is big business. Of course, not all brand appearances are a result of product placement – but you can never be sure. The product placement co-ordinator even features in the credits of the films “Lost in Translation”.

We know from previously secret tobacco industry documents that:

• Tobacco companies have paid for product placement in Crocodile Dundee, Superman II, Die Hard, Grease, The Muppet Movie, Supergirl, Beverly Hills Cop and License to Kill.
• Sylvester Stallone signed an agreement to use Brown and Williamson tobacco products in at least 5 feature films for a fee of US$500,000.
• Tobacco Industry Executives estimated the value of Martin Sheens use of Marlboro cigarettes in Apocalypse Now to be worth US$100 million.

In 1998 the major tobacco companies in the US signed the Master Settlement Agreement and agreed not to target youth in advertising, promotions or marketing and included a ban on products in movies. Yet smoking in movies is still a problem. We have no proof that tobacco companies are paying to have their product featured but what good luck for Philip Morris that their brand Marlboro featured on screen for 30 seconds in the 2006 film Bobby. Hey – isn’t that the same length as a traditional advertisement?

MYTH: Smoking in movies is just a reflection of reality Movie characters who smoke are likely to be more affluent,  educated and powerful than typical smokers.

What can be done about smoking in movies?