Sex And The City 2 showcases almost 90 brand names, including a Cuisinart espresso maker and Trojan condoms. But I think the film has just invented the negative product placement. And I’m wondering what the political and legal implications might be.
In SATC2 (see my review here), the fab four head to Abu Dhabi and stay at an outrageously luxe hotel for free, thanks to the sheik who owns it hopes Samantha will become his publicist.
At the airport the visitors discover that they’ve each been given their own limo and driver and arrive to a knockout suite – the going rate is $22,000 a night – complete with full bar (and I mean bar as in something you can sit at where you’ll be served drinks from your own personal attendant), spectacular food spreads (that personal attendant will even warm your milk in the middle of the night and sprinkle it with cinnamon,of course), massages, four 5-star restaurants. You get the picture.
I won’t tell you why and how, but the quartet do eventually lose their privileges and are forced to take lowly cabs back to the airport. These are heaps of junk, almost falling apart and absolutely horrifying to our now spoiled heroines.
But here’s the thing: the camera clearly zooms in on one of the car’s hood. And there on the big screen is the logo for Toyota.
We all know that Toyota has not had a good year. The recalls have been devastating, first of the Lexus GX 640 there were concerns it might roll over on tight turns. Then, over 600,000 Sienna minivans were recalled because there were concerns over the cable securing the spare tire. By the way, some of us think that the American auto industry’s miraculous recovery can be traced to Toyota’s woes.
But back to negative product placement.
It can’t be a coincidence that SATC2 flashed that Toyota logo. Is it a joke on Toyota, who is advertising before the movie in some markets, or actually a promotion for GM? Is this the beginning of negative product placements? Coke paying for a character to choke on a Pepsi? Tylenol paying so someone will take Advil and not get rid of the pain? Firestone paying for a Michelin tire to blow on a hero’s car?
If I’m right, the libel lawyers are going to have a field day.[rssbreak]
