Have you ever found yourself watching a movie and cottoned on to something that just keeps coming up? All of a sudden, these magical films that have taken us to an entirely new land come crashing down thanks to their obvious product placements. In fact, so much so they can often be distracting. Just how much did they get paid for all that advertising? These films sure aren’t ashamed of their extra income with these most obvious product placements in movies ever.
Twinkies in Zombieland
When trying to survive a zombie apocalypse, you might think there’s more to life than your favorite food. Not when you’re Tallahassee, there’s not. The character is obsessed with finding his beloved snack throughout the entire movie and wastes no time in telling the characters about his love. Thankfully, it was all worth it as Tallahassee earns his long-awaited Twinkie in the final scenes of the film.
Nike in Back to the Future II
Back to the Future II gave us plenty of inventions we wished were real. Need we mention the hoverboard? However, it was Nike and their self-lacing Mags that got everyone talking at the time. It wasn’t just the fans either. Characters in the film couldn’t wait to show off their new Nike shoes. Did we mention it was Nike that made them? Amazingly, 27 years after the film was first released, Nike made the shoes a reality. That’s one heck of a build-up.
Wilson Sporting Goods in Castaway
Tom Hanks might have played the lead in this movie, but there was someone else there to steal the spotlight: Wilson. Who could forget that precious volleyball floating off into the ocean? We’re not crying, you are. Anyway, Wilson Sporting Goods made a huge name for themselves after landing the product placement, and have since gone on to probably be the most famous sports ball in the world. We like your style.
Converse in I, Robot
Sure, Will Smith might hate robots in this movie, but he certainly doesn’t hate some of the most obvious product placement in a film. Remember his shoes? Chances are after a rewatch you’ll notice how many times we get to see Converse sneakers on our screen. Perhaps the movie should be renamed I, Converse instead?
Reese’s Pieces in E.T.
What’s the best bit about Reese’s Pieces featuring in one of the most unforgettable films in Hollywood history? The fact the company paid absolutely nothing for the deal, of course. To make it even better, M&Ms rejected the offer which lead to a 65% increase in profits for Reese’s. That’s not all. Reese’s also forked out $1 million to advertise E.T. before its release. You really can’t make this up.
IHOP in Man of Steel
Sure, we love pancakes. But does that mean we have to have them smooshed in our face while enjoying a film about one of our favorite superheroes? Probably not. The chain pops up during one of the fight scenes in the movie, but it looks as though Man of Steel has some thank you cards to send. The film raked in more than $160 million before it even hit cinemas thanks to all the product placement throughout it all. Wowzas.
Love them or hate them, these products will sometimes do anything to be at the front of our minds, even if that does mean forking over millions of dollars to get a place in a movie. Hollywood is a tough place, and you have to fight to the front if you want to make it as one of the most obvious product placements in movies ever. Gotcha talking though, didn’t it?
