Spielberg's sci-fi noir featured more than 15 major brands, including Gap, Guinness, Lexus, Nokia, Pepsi and Amex, with their logos appearing on video billboards throughout the movie - reminiscent of Blade Runner 20 years ago. Ad placements by major brands knocked roughly $25 million from DreamWorks' and 20th Century Fox's $102 million production costs for the film.
2. DIE ANOTHER DAY
A branding field-day where 007 sports an Omega watch, drives an Aston Martin, makes calls on a Philips mobile, flies with BA while carrying Samsonite luggage, reading High Life and listening to a Sony stereo. He drinks Finlandia vodka, Bollinger and 7 Up while Halle Berry wears Revlon makeup. Twenty companies signed deals worth up to £30 million.
3. AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDMEMBER
Capitalising on the car's starring role and playing to the Americans' love of all things British, placing Austin Powers in a "Shaguar" Jaguar XK8 got results: sales almost doubled. Michael Caine drove BMW's new Mini Cooper. Pepsi, Heineken and Starbucks featured prominently, with appearances from Nokia, Taco Bell, Doritos, Subway, Applemac and AOL, totalling $70 million in promotion.
4. THE BOURNE IDENTITY
Action-packed Hollywood blockbuster featuring fugitive Matt Damon wearing a Tag Heuer watch and bad guy Clive Owen driving a BMW. Ironically, the escape car is a vintage Mini Cooper - not a glaring product placement - and they drive it in places such as stairways that they couldn't take a bigger car, thus maximising its potential.
5. MEN IN BLACK 2
Aiming to change its brand image to target a younger audience, Mercedes-Benz placed its E-Class model for free as "an adventurous and cool" opportunity for its launch in a marketing collaboration between Mercedes and Tristar Columbia. The telecoms company Sprint's wireless applications were featured being used by the agents. Burger King, Ray-Ban and Hamilton watches also appeared.
6. SPIDERMAN
New York's Times Square was digitally reconfigured to incorporate visuals for most of the film's key promotional partners into one of the world's leading ad spaces. A real-life NBC billboard became an ad for Cingular, the movie's mobile phone partner. Other partners included Hershey and Kellogg, as well as United Airlines, Suntory Liquor, Marriott Hotels and Jansport.
7. SCOOBY DOO
The infamous animated canine is seen being fed Heinz's Snausages Scooby Snacks (dog biscuits) several times within the movie through a licensing agreement between Heinz Pet Products and Warner Bros. Scooby Doo was used as the launching ground for the product. This affiliation led to record sales. According to Nielsen, the snacks achieved top-ten status within the category after just a few months on shelf.
8. KAANTE
Kaante, a Hindi-language remake of Reservoir Dogs, features Coca-Cola India's popular drink, Thums Up; a clever collaboration, given that Hindi films are huge in that market. The partnership saw a scene written into the script in which a character who has sworn off alcohol orders a Thums Up at the bar. Kaante is the first project by Leo Entertainment, Leo Burnett Chicago's new subsidiary. Thums Up, with its slogan "Taste the thunder", was looking for a film that would fit its macho image.
9. BLUE CRUSH
Billabong USA collaborated with Universal Pictures for the launch of Blue Crush, a movie about female surfers - who are seen sporting its apparel. With record branding throughout, Blue Crush is the biggest budget surf movie to date and the first branding deal of its type within the industry. Other brands making a splash were L'Oreal, Drakkar Noir, Gordon and Smith Surfboards.
10. EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS
Sony has led the way with brand placement in this no-holds-barred animated musical comedy set largely in a shopping mall. Out on Thanksgiving weekend, it gives prominent space to chains including Foot Locker, Ben & Jerry's, Taco Bell, Spencer Gifts, Victoria's Secret, Sbarro, Dunkin Donuts, The Sharper Image, Body Shop, Panda Express - which even has its logo animated - 7-11 and Tie Rack. Phew.
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