Several manufacturers are building some serious brand awareness among the general public by getting exposure on the big screen. Rancho RS9000X™ shock absorbers made their movie debut in Walt Disney’s “Herbie: Fully Loaded,” a remake of the 1968 original, “The Love Bug.”
Richard Alameddine, VP of marketing for Tenneco, the maker of Rancho products, says, “The movie’s production team approached us more than a year ago to discuss the availability of extended-length shocks for the demolition derby scene. Our contact was particularly interested in Rancho because he knew of the brand’s heritage as a leader in off-road technology and felt our products would be recognizable and believable for many truck enthusiasts.”
It seems as if we’ll see more exposure like this among aftermarket companies. Leading brand names have been popping up in all kinds of movies and on television shows, creating awareness, garnering visibility and sometimes, showcasing product performance for the audience’s viewing pleasure.
The Monroe and Walker brands (also part of Tenneco) have signage on a service station that gets blown to smithereens in the recently released “War of the Worlds,” featuring Tom Cruise. Skyjacker suspensions were used in the Jeep driven in “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life.” Honeywell’s FRAM oil filters also appeared in “Herbie,” as well as in “Kojak,” along with sister company Prestone.
Brian Holliday, VP of FRAM, says, “Product placement is a brilliant form of advertising. It provides a significant increase in brand awareness with limited expense. Since your audience is already integrated into the show, there is no commercial skipping. And hopefully, if the products are being used by the characters, they will be associated with the stars and receive a higher perceived value.”
Recon Automotive Remanufacturers, Inc. announced that five of their engines were used to power the Pontiac GTOs featured in the action thriller: “XXX: State of the Union.” Ted Moser, owner of Picture Car Warehouse, the company that designed the vehicles for Revolution Studios, said in a press statement that Recon’s reputation for quality was the reason he chose them.
As a parts distributor, don’t just sit back eating popcorn. Your buyers might be impressed that you carry products that are getting national exposure, so tell them about it. Also, look for ways to get in on the action.
One distributor, Performance Depot, markets licensed “The Fast And The Furious” products on their website in an attempt to tap into the tuner subculture that the movie helped propel into mainstream America.
For popular movie titles that fit with your customers’ lifestyles, it makes sense to cash in if you can.
