Movie product placements are big money

The odd thing about seeing a movie is that, in a way, you’re paying to see a bunch of ads.

Entertainment research firm Concave Brand Tracking recently identified every brand appearance and mention in the 50 most-watched movies of 2021. (Side note: that sounds like a fantastic job. Anyway…)

Across these films, 1.2k+ brands were highlighted, generating $2.7B in ad value, with the top 10 films accounting for ~55% of all value. More stats:

• Ford was in 39 of these movies, but Dell saw the most screen time.
• Nike had $94m worth of airtime, just from Space Jam: A New Legacy.

In some cases, brands pay for product placements. For example, Heineken reportedly dropped $45m on this 7-second swig in Skyfall.

In most, they’re mutual relationships: Films save money on props, and companies get exposure. Think, Reese’s in E.T.

Learn more: Our own Zachary Crockett previously reported on the economics of movie product placements.