17 December, 2013

Did ‘Anchorman 2’ Invent a Prototype for Reverse Product Placement?

Did ‘Anchorman 2’ Invent a Prototype for Reverse Product Placement?: What’s striking about the exceeding cross-promotion for Anchorman 2 (in both conventional and viral ads) is that it seems to have entirely replaced direct advertising for the film itself. Having not yet seen it, I have no way of knowing whether the movie actually incorporates any of these products besides Paul Rudd’s “retro-briefs” (a moment that potentially verges more on Wayne’s World territory than, say, The Island). But if the film utilizes relatively little product placement, and presents its few niche products solely in a winking, self-reflexive manner, then Anchorman 2 will have achieved something altogether different in the evolving conflict between advertising and filmmaking: reverse product placement.

And as annoying as those Durango ads can be, this might be good for moviegoing.