ThisIsLivin

+1 on the Lawyer

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Ha, I did not even notice that until you said something. Tight budget I am guessing

4bus

iTrader: (4)

Funny how the TV world has changed. Today, you would have to provide the boat and PAY for the exposure of a trademark.

The blow up doesn't bother me, and I agree the exposure prob doesn't do much today.

Miami vice was prob the best TV exposure for performance boats, however at that time boat's were relatively affordable.

If Joe blow saw this show, and said to himself "wow, I should get something like that" It would be short lived when he finds out it would cost him about $400k to own one

grads2112

Actually Joe Blow could go to Eliminator and buy the boat as seen on tv for $159,000

http://eliminatorboat.com/pre-owned/2005--380-eagle-icc

Matt Trulio

The world has changed for sure, but Hollywood—television and movies has not, at least in terms of how it deals with the boating world.

Years ago, Lee Kimmell, the former chief executive officer of Donzi, complained to me frequently about how "Hollywood" (I have deleted the colorful string of expletives that Lee, a man who knew how to use them. used to describe the town) called him all the time for "free" boats to use on TV and in the movies. Let's just say the prospect didn't thrill him.

I heard the same story, "Give us a free boat to blow up on film and we'll give you invaluable exposure" from several boat builders.

Now, if you're talking about product placement (i.e. you will show a BMW so many times in the new Mission Impossible movie) and cross-branding, especially with major brands, that's a different story.

The ironic thing is: I'm not sure the exposure does that much for the boat builder. In Hangover II, a few people probably noticed that the boat that ran up the beach was a Baja (I think), but most just saw ... a boat running up the beach.

Go way back to the Bond movie, "Live and Let Die," and you see an incredible canal to canal boat jump. I know it was a Carlson-designed Glastron and some of you probably did do, too. But does anyone care and did it sell boats? I don't think so.

4bus

iTrader: (4)

I thought companies looked for exposure to sell new products? Did GM pay to have cars in the Transformer movies to sell used 2005 vehicles?

bajaholic

I think it depends on the placement and how the item is used in the movie/show.

Miami Vise in my opinion gave most of us the bug many years ago to get the boats we have. The old Scarabs were a center of attention in the story line, thus better exposure, more goals for people to reach. The cost back then was outside many of ours reach, but over time we fulfilled our goals and now have the boats to show for it.

Think how many Trans Ams were sold after the Smokey and the Bandit movies, "Raised" 4x4's after the Fall Guy, Chopper motorcycles in the builder bike shows and many more over the years. Granted every show has a cycle and over time it fades and changes, but placement definitely does make a difference in sales.

If a couple of the manufacturers worked with Hollywood or TV to again get proper placement for the boats, I feel it could get people excited again.

Maybe.... Some of us should get together and come up with a pilot, and pitch it to the execs? Any takers?

salesmanship

Did everyone rush out to buy Donzi's after Charlies Angels or Nash Bridges etc?
We get those calls asking for boats all of the time including the Hangover II. They pay you nothing to use the boats. It'd be cool if you had a lot of boats to loan out but for us it's not worth it.
The exposure does seem to work for cars but everybody needs a car.
BTW I saw the show last night and I didn't know what the boat was. Unless I slept through that part of Marketing class, I'm not sure a brief glimpse of a boat and then it blows up promotes anything that would lead to a sale...
But if you had fun with it then ok.

bajaholic

I agree a split second placement is nothing for sales other than "cool factor".

But a product that becomes a "regular" in the show could lead to better knowledge of the product and thus an increase in sales.

I think it also depends on how they use the boat/car etc, if they show it in a more positive way (looking cool, cruising, having fun) it would promote better sales. On the reverse, blowing one up makes no sense at all in the way of promotion, in fact it actually digresses that "oh ****, I could be in that and die!"

Keytime

D*mmit, how many times do I have to pitch this idea???: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_161p0rbXk

On a serious note, as mentioned here, the success of product exposure certainly refers to the screen time of a product, how much specific exposure it's given, and the spin on it, ie, positive or negative. Some good examples of both have been given.