Pierce Brosnan’s inimitable style as James Bond is enhanced by his well-tailored Reid and Taylor outfits and a luxurious Omega watch.
Product placement is not new in the entertainment field but product misrepresentation is sure to ruffle feathers. The producers of the film Hangover II are facing a lawsuit — fashion giant Louis Vuitton claims their brand label has been wrongly portrayed. They are now seeking film profits.
The character Alan, played by Zach Galifianakis, carries a Louis Vuitton bag patterned LVM as opposed to the signature LV. He also mispronounces the brand name, which reportedly upset the high–end fashion label. Designer Anand Kabra feels there is frivolity surrounding fashion, “When brands are wrongly portrayed in a film, it reflects badly on the production team. They obviously have not done their research.”
Sometimes, a brand name could be shown in negative — wittingly or otherwise. For instance, in Delhi Belly, Imran Khan refers to a Santro car with much disgust as a “phatichar gaadi”. While such comments are made in jest, it may not be perceived as humourous.
Designer Rohit Gandhi says, “Some brands are just too big for such gimmicks to affect them. If a particular script requires it, you may as well run it past a brand before getting into trouble.”
Using visual media to promote brands has given fillip to several upcoming brands. Ranbir Kapoor’s camera–toting tactics worked marvellously for digital SLRs. Similarly, a new mobile company got ample screen brand mileage in Deepika–Imran starrer Break Ke Baad. The industry insiders claim that the turnover is so big that stakes are also high.
Producer Victor Mukherjee of Coke Studio fame says, “When it comes to FMCG products, we need to be extra careful. For our shows, we have a team which looks into spelling and diction specifically. Title sponsors can really make your life miserable if you get facts wrong.”
Better safe than sorry, feel most film makers. What is popularly referred to as in–film advertising, involves a lot of money.
Producer Rockline Venkatesh says, “Such brands show good faith in us and we get our funds from them. It’s very unfair to show them in poor light. If there is bound to be some negative portrayal, it’s best to run it past them.”
