The film "Mission Impossible 4" opened in US theatre in recent weeks, starring BMW, Apple and Tom Cruise. A two-hour-long commercial on steroids.
If you are unfamiliar with it, Paid Product Placement (PPP) is a big thing in the movie industry.
This is how it works: Hollywood places in its movies certain watches, cars, or a laptop brands; preferably worn by George Clooney, driven by Angelina Jolie, or placed in front of Meg Ryan. In "The Transformers", for example, GM’s Cameros lead with Megan Fox.
PPP is indirect marketing that targets oblivious movie viewers, gender notwithstanding, Catherine Banning or Will Smith could be drinking Pepsi.
The spirit and soul of a movie are sometimes compromised when its script and shooting are shaped by commercial, rather than artistic, considerations.
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