Automakers dominated movie product placement last year

After Apple snagged the top spot in Concave Brand Tracking’s 2023 movie product placement report, automakers rule the list, with Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, and Jeep rounding out the top five. Concave tracks every recognizable branded product in the 50 most-watched films of the year, measuring metrics such as total screen and quality time, media value and brand mentions. Apple led with $47 million media value in “Your Place or Mine,” according to the report. Nearly one-third of the top 100 brands featured in 2023 films were automakers, with six of the top 10 spots dominated by the auto industry. “It is good for all members of the [auto] industry to know what brands are being shown most to viewers in films to better understand their brand perceptions and awareness,” said Dominic Artzrouni, founder and director of Concave Brand Tracking. Check out the latest Ad Age events and award programs General Motors’ Chevrolet appeared in 30 films in 2023, with 64% of its annual value coming from prominent placements in “Barbie” and “Fast X.” More: How Mattel worked with Warner Bros. to market ‘Barbie’ “Barbie” featured Chevrolet for 10 minutes, while “Fast X” included the brand for 8 minutes and 32 seconds. Top 10 product placements in 2023 movies Concave Brand Tracking breaks down the total and quality of screen time for the top product placements in 2023 movies. Brand Movie Screen time Quality Views* Media value Mattel“Barbie”7:4044%268M$71MDodge“Fast X”16:2034%156M$69MChevrolet“Barbie”10:0029%268M$64MYutime“Hidden Strike”30:1927%73M$50MApple“Your Place or Mine”28:5021%97M$47MJeep“Leave the World Behind”10:2534%137M$39MChevrolet“Fast X”8:3232%156M$34MOff-White“Fast X”7:1535%156M$31MFerrari“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”7:0848%116M$31MGrant Boxing“Creed III”18:0327%77M$30M*Viewership valid as of April 29, 2024Source: Concave Brand Tracking “Fast X” gave most of its product placement screen time to Dodge, a Stellantis-owned brand, featuring it for 16 minutes and 20 seconds with 34% quality time. Concave’s quality scores are based on the product’s discernibility, whether the vehicle is in the background or foreground and whether the logo is visible. “Fast X” had 156 million views worldwide as of April 29 and a media value of $69 million. A product placement worth $50 million in a film’s first year will be worth hundreds of millions by year 10, Artzrouni said. This is partly because of the low cost of product placements. “Car manufacturers rarely pay for placements, they mostly give or even just lend cars to productions. So the ROI, especially long-term, can be astronomical,” Artzrouni said. Top 10 brands in 2023 moviesConcave Brand Tracking found that automakers made up 6 of the top 10 brands featured in the 50 most-watched movies of 2023. AppleWith placements in 32 of the top 50 movies of 2023, Apple is once again the top brand, much as it was in 2022, 2020, 2018 and 2017. Its best placements were “Your Place or Mine,” “Leave the World Behind” and “We Have a Ghost.” More than half of Apple’s value came from its iPhones, while laptops, tablets, smartwatches and other products made up the rest.ChevroletThe GM brand appeared in 30 films but got 64% of its annual value from “Barbie” and “Fast X,” 2 of the top placements of 2023. FordFord was in 37 of the top 50 movies of 2023, more than any other brand. But no placement made up more than 19% of its yearly value.DodgeDodge got 91% of its value from “Fast X,” which was the 2nd-best placement of the year. It appeared in 19 other films, too.JeepWhile Jeep has been in the top 50 brands every year, this is its 1st time in the top 10 thanks to appearances in 23 films.BMWAfter dropping to No. 57 in 2022, BMW reenters the top 10 for the 1st time since 2018. Its best 2023 placement was “MI7.”MattelThanks to getting the best placement of the year in “Barbie,” Mattel got the 7th most value of any brand in 2023 movies.DellDell is 1 of only 4 brands to always make this top 10 since we started it. Its best 2023 film was “Murder Mystery 2.”NikeAlthough Nike got over 1/3 of its 2023 value from “Air,” it also got over a million dollars in exposure from 8 other movies.PorscheThis is Porsche’s 1st time in the top 10. Its best placements were “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “Your Place or Mine.”Source: Concave Brand Tracking Ford appeared in 37 of the top 50 movies of 2023, with its most notable placement in “Mother,” which had 133 million global views as of April 29, 2024. BMW broke into the top 10 brands for the first time since 2018, climbing to sixth place from 57th in 2022. “Mission Impossible 7,” which had a total product placement value of $131 million, featured BMW prominently, helping to boost its rank. More: ‘Cars to Work’ campaign wins a Cannes Lions Grand Prix Porsche made its debut at No. 10 thanks to significant placements in “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” and “Your Place or Mine.” Concave also tracks brand mentions, which are rarer than sightings and accentuate a brand’s presence. Ford and Lamborghini tied for fifth place among lead automaker mentions, with five mentions across four movies. “Product placement is the gift that keeps on giving because unlike every other form of marketing, people will keep consuming films in perpetuity,” Artzrouni said. Georgia Hall is an intern at Automotive News. 40 under 40 entries are open The final deadline for nominations is Aug. 2 Enter here

Automakers dominated movie product placement last year

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