List of products portrayed in Skyfall:
Heineken Beer
Walther PPK pistol
Aston Martin DBS (vintage sports car)
Omega watches
Tom Ford (clothing)
Crocket & Jones (shoes)
Land Rover (SUV)
Sony (smart phones, microphones)
The Macallan Whiskey
Jaguar XJL (luxury sedan)
2012 saw the release of one of the most highly anticipated James Bond films released to date. The series of films based on the fictional MI: 6 character created by author Sir Ian Fleming, first graced the silver screen in 1962 with Dr. No. The iconic Sean Connery was the first ever Bond. Skyfall stars Daniel Craig, and was also the most expensive film to shoot in the series history. Per IMDB.com the film cost a staggering 200 million dollars. The source of that budget, mostly advertiser dollars spending big bucks to bring their products in to Ian Fleming’s spy world.
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In the world of James Bond, the irresistible protagonist is known as a playboy, prancing about with seemingly endless amounts of money. He is also a drinker, and is famous for ordering a martini that is, “shaken; not stirred.” In Skyfall that tradition becomes broken due to a blatant involvement through advertiser dollars. In a scene where Bond would have most certainly have ordered his martini, he instead elects to order a Heineken. It is documented that the beer company paid 45 million dollars to be the choice beer of Bond’s liking.
In a world of piracy and expensive movie tickets, it appears that film companies will stoop to anything in order to cover their budgets. The real question should be: “Why should ANY film every cost 200 million dollars?” In the U.S. alone, the film garnished over 300 million in gross, so why should it have been so dependent on product placements?
In general it is my opinion that products placed in films breaks the immersion factor. Yes, it does create a pseudo connection between reality and what is being portrayed on the screen. However in today’s economy, it seems all too often that I am paying money to watch a 90 minute commercial for products that I should want and need.
All popular movies are doing it. The Dark Knight, Iron Man, The Avengers, the list can continue on and on. The problem is that these would be wonderful movies in their own right, and by shoving products in the faces of movie goers only detracts from any artistic credibility that a director is trying to show the viewers.
With Skyfall, we know Bond dresses sharp, and drives expensive cars. This has been true to the series since he was first written. Any bond lover knows what pistol he chooses, and what kind of liquor he prefers. However when an advertiser elects to offer exorbitant amounts of money (and succeeds) in changing the traditions of such beloved franchises, that it becomes a sickening display of greed and pure consumerism. I doubt it evens works. I certainly did not want or desire a Heineken after watching Skyfall.
- Radford, Benjamin, Branding James Bond: Do Product Placements Ads Work Live Science, WEB 11.21.2012, retrieved online: 9.13.13
- Lodge, Guy, The Skyfall’s the limit on James Bond marketing, The Guardian, 10.23.12, retrieved online: 9.13.13
