Movie Placement Creates Demand For Fictional Shoe

"The unpaid inclusion of a nonexistent Adidas shoe, Zissou, in the movie The Life Aquatic has sparked a brisk consumer demand for the product. Adidas didn't pay distributor Buena Vista to appear in the film. Neither did it co-promote the project. It also had no plans to even produce the shoes for the public. The company may be starting to reconsider that idea, however. Moviegoers have inundated Adidas with requests on where to buy the shoes, with customers showing up at the company's retail stores ready to purchase a pair. The company's consumer relations department has been receiving hundreds of phone calls and e-mails from desperate Team Zissou sneaker seekers. Online petitions have also hit the Internet and collected over 600 signatures. Homemade versions have been listed on eBay."
--AdAge (free registration required)

In related news, Adidas's new shoe in-game placement affects gameplay.

posted by Ilya Vedrashko on Monday, January 31, 2005
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NY Times: Best Product in Leading Role

In the wake of Oscar nominations, the New York Times looks back at a few brands prominently featured in the last year's flicks. "Last year provided a bumper crop of nominees for the make-believe category, reflecting the increasing interconnectedness of Madison Avenue and Hollywood. As with the actual categories, the candidates for the fanciful best-product award have been winnowed to five nominees, all from Oscar-nominated films." (You can get a NY Times account name and password at BugMeNot.)

posted by Ilya Vedrashko on Monday, January 31, 2005
permalink: NY Times: Best Product in Leading Role  

iPod Tissues

Packs of iPod-styled and shaped tissues are given out in Japan to promote a (porn?) website.
--iPod Lounge

posted by Ilya Vedrashko on Monday, January 31, 2005
permalink: iPod Tissues