Well, we knew from the start that a film like The Smurfs - i.e., a CGI/live-action re-imagining of a beloved classic cartoon – would follow in the footsteps of Scooby-Doo, Alvin and the Chipmunks and Yogi Bear as being the type of silly film only kids would enjoy. We also knew that the ‘adult humor’ – primarily the suggestive use of the word “Smurf” – was something likely to give a lot of parents headaches, if and when their toddlers begin spouting those borderline phrases.
However, it wasn’t until the arrival of The Smurfs‘ second trailer that we discovered something else about this film – that it’s one big advertisement disguised as a movie, designed to enslave the minds of the youth.
Ok, so maybe that last statement was a bit on the hyperbolic side – but then again, maybe not. Take a look at the second theatrical trailer for The Smurfs below and see just how many products are getting subtly (and not so subtly) shoved into your face in just this two-and-a-half-minute trailer. It’s pretty (impressive?) (shocking?) (horrifying?):
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Here’s a quick rundown of the products we were able to spot at a casual glance:
- Sabarro
- Rock Band
- Blu-ray
- Cuisinart
- Blue Man Group
And that’s just scratching the surface (there was more in the trailer, if you look closely). Clearly, the suits over at Columbia Pictures and Sony Animation sat down and said to themselves “Hey, we’ve got little CGI people who are going to be running around – how about we create some synergy between that film format and brand advertisers? If we film from ‘Smurf perspective’ every product we place in the film will look that much bigger and prominent! GENIUS!”
Of course, it’s no new thing to have products placed in movies, but (and maybe this is just some lasting effect of Morgan Spurlock’s Greatest Movie Ever Sold on our part) I don’t think product placement has jumped out in a movie TRAILER that blatantly in a long time, if ever. It’s only more scary when you consider that this is just a small snippet of a larger picture – one whose frame will likely be crammed with dozens of other reconizable brands, if the trailer is any indication. The toy store scene? You get my drift….
So: more cheesy live-action/CGI mixing, more cheesy juvenile humor, and now more advertising being shoved in your face (literally, since the film is in 3D). If all that is what you’re looking for in a summer movie experience for the whole family, then be sure to check out The Smurfs in 3D on July 29th.
Better yet: see it near a mall and then you can walk around afterward discovering what all the subliminal advertising makes you want to buy!
Source: Yahoo Movies
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If does well can we look forward to a Snorks movie with them floating dead in the polluted Hudson River ?
Can Hollywood just go financially bankrupt please? This ^$#^ is getting stupid.
Advertisement/product placement is part of funding movies — it’s not like this is a new thing. I mean, is Transformers not just a big GM advertisement of sorts? How about the older movie You’ve Got Mail? TV is no different… can’t watch NCIS without noticing the only new vehicles they drive are Dodges. In fact, in most movies, you’ll see the same brand vehicle, computer, cell phone, soft drink, etc., over and ove again. The Smurfs movie still looks terrible which is enough of a reason to not see it.
@Greg – as stated in the article we acknowledge that product placement isn’t new, but when (even in those movies you mentioned) do you remember seeing that much product placement (meaning that many different brands) in one MOVIE TRAILER???
Probably not that often with so many different products in a trailor, but I’d say that in very recent memory Zookeper’s TGIF references is the most blatant for a single product I’ve seen.
I’d add that perhaps they’re really plugging the Blue Ray thing because they know any sequels will probably go directly to Blue Ray… perhaps the deal’s already been made LOL.
Blu-ray, Blue Man Group…
It’s an interesting color-coded advertisement going on there…
Kill me. Somebody please kill me now.
Reminds me of Wayne’s World…and Austin Powers, oddly enough…except not intentionally funny.
Aw, it’s a kids’ movie. How hard can you be on it?
Vic
Well, they ARE in it to make money, but yah, it does get annoying sometimes. Anyone else notice that Apple sponsors pretty much every movie ever made?? lol
But you know what, if movies stop being profitable, movies will stop being made, and as a movie buff, that simply cannot happen. I’ll gladly sift through the garbage movies, like this one, and 80% of movies made, to wait for those occassional gems to come out. And by sift through, I don’t mean watch, no way I’m watching all of these dumb movies…
Eeeeeyah, pass.
This looks like the same formula they used for the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies (which I have not seen and will NEVER see)
Neil Patrick Harris may be the only redeeming quality of this film. His scenes look decently funny. Hopefully my daughter will pass on this one.
The Smurfs themselves are a product. This is more like one big product placement with some movie floating around somewhere in it.
hey be fair Kofi, maybe they’re just taking a cue from The greatest movie ever sold??? and that was a fantastic flick
I personally think it looks terrible but I imagine it will still be profitable.