This year, don't be surprised to see product placement and cross-promotions infiltrating most kids and teen flicks. But while the tactic is a benefit to both movie-makers and advertisers, placing brands in kids films to target kid consumers has always been a touchy, if not taboo, issue. There is no television product placement for kids at all. And we are trying to be sensitive to it on the theatrical side by not placing actual toy items in features. Marketing execs maintain, though, that the goals are a little different in films skewed toward the younger demographics.
Product placement is about servicing the filmmakers with actual product to set a scene.
Toymakers try to establish their brands with children very early, and children have very specific tastes. So if a child sees a vehicle in a movie, in a situation that's cool, then perhaps, later on in life, they may consider buying one. There are also a number of product placement firms that act as middle people. But a lot of times, those fees can be huge. Sometimes your exposure ends up on the cutting room floor for one reason or another, in which case they might not charge you or they might try to get you in the next production.