4 Best Practice Measures To Leverage Brand Exposure in Movies
Posted by Ron Amodio on Fri, Jun 24, 2011 @ 12:59 PM
In addition to using professional golfers as a means of increasing brand exposure and point of difference, sponsors should also consider product placement in movies and television shows. A case in point is the brand exposure Callaway Golf will receive in the new movie, “Seven Days In Utopia,” when it’s released in movie theaters on September 2.
The movie stars Lucas Black and Academy Award-Winner Robert Duvall. It's based on the best-selling performance novel, "Golf's Sacred Journey," by sports psychologist to PGA Tour Pros, Dr. David Cook. And professional golfer K.J. Choi, who was influenced by Dr. Cook's book, plays chief rival to the Lucas Black character in the movie.
Quoting from a press release issued by the book publisher, Zondervan, "Golf’s Sacred Journey" tells the story of a "chance" meeting between a fictitious aspiring professional golfer and a Texas rancher. As the story unfolds, readers learn lessons about golf and life they never expected to learn in places they never expected to learn them."
On the cover of the movie tie-in edition of the book (image top left), you'll note that Lucas Black is looking down the fairway and wearing a Callaway Golf cap - that's bonus exposure for their brand!
In watching the movie trailer below, you'll see that Callaway Golf does well on four branded entertainment (includes product placement, branded integration, branded content) best practices that could work to their advantage . They are:
1. Screen Time
The Callaway brand is on the screen in key scenes with their logo and identifying marks clearly visible to viewers.
2. Character Building
The Callaway brand is integrated into the script as their identifying marks and logo appear on the central characters’ clothing and hats. Moreover, Lucas Black is using Callaway Golf clubs in certain of his scenes playing golf. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s also a scratch golfer!
3. Awareness and Recall
Callaway Golf ranks high on this best practice measure because their product appears during an important plot point. That is, when the rancher portrayed by Robert Duvall writes the letters SFT (See It, Feel It, Trust It) on a Callaway golf ball and gives it to the "down on his luck" character portrayed by Lucas Black to reinforce the lessons in life and golf he learned while in Utopia.
4. Business Function
Callaway’s product appearance in the movie is likely to generate buzz and publicity for their brand. But what's even more important: When the central character finally finds significance in his life at the end of the movie, it may also rub off on the Callaway brand and its key tagline: “Winners Play Callaway.”
To purchase Dr. Cook's book, click here.
To view the movie trailer (courtesy of Zondervan) for "Seven Days In Utopia, Golf's Sacred Journey," click on the video below.
To access our new report, "Six Sure Ways Business Golf Can Improve Your ROI," click here.
If you liked this blog post, then you may also want to read:
How To Use Published Research In Measuring Marketing Effectiveness
Pro Golfer Endorsement Deal Pricing - 9 Brand Exposure Options
4 Ways Pro Golfer Endorsement Deals Can Deliver Halo Benefits
Slide Presentation - "The Impact of Branded Entertainment on Today's Television Viewer, Frank Dudley, VP, Marketing, FIND/SVP, 2005
Book Cover Photo: Courtesy of Zondervan
