‘Talladega Nights’ Breaks Brand Integration Records

The new film Talladega Nights from Sony Pictures seems to have set records for brand integration at a time when product placement is already rampant.

The comic look at the world of NASCAR and its corporate sponsors has given Wonder Bread, Old Spice and Perrier the opportunity to appear as “sponsors” on Will Ferrell’s character’s uniform, not only throughout the film, but also on movie trailers, posters, print and web ads and TV commercials from both Sony and Sony’s promotional partners, writes Brandweek.

Ferrell has also appeared in uniform on late-night talk shows and the MTV Movie Awards.

The three sponsors are also featured on most licensed product for the movie, including die-cast cars, apparel and accessories in a merchandising campaign. According to entertainment marketing firm Set Resources Inc., the level of integration both on- and off-screen is unprecedented.

Mike Mallone, vp of branded entertainment firm Alliance, who handled Old Spice’s role in the film, says that the level of integration is incredibly rare. He, too, called it unprecedented, adding that in almost 10 years working in branded entertainment, “I’ve never seen a brand this fully integrated into a film with this much screen time. From a brand integration standpoint, it was out of this world.”

Better yet, the brands didn’t have to pay integration fees for their placements, which the article notes is an increasingly common occurrence. Ferrell and co-writer/director Adam McKay wrote Wonder Bread, Perrier and others into the script to point out the rampant sponsorships in NASCAR races. Sony Pictures did, however, ask the brands for backend promotions, with Wonder Bread, for example, committing to in-store and on-pack promotion ties in tens of thousands of supermarkets.

Branded entertainment has generated controversy as some express concern over the blurred lines between content and marketing. A book for young adults being launched in September is one of the most recent examples of the argument. Cathy’s Book contains references to Cover Girl that were added after the book was first written, based on a partnership with P&G’s Cover Girl division. Book review editors have been asked by Commercial Alert not to review the book.