Marketing Strategies Case Study

Smirnoff’s Reunion With Bond

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Abstract:
After a short hiatus, Smirnoff reappears in the 2006 Bond movie, ‘Casino Royale’. Since the first movie ‘Dr. No’ in 1962, Smirnoff had consistently placed itself in all the Bond films, except ‘Die Another Day’ in 2002. The reason which analysts cited for Smirnoff’s return to Bond movies was that it was intimidated by Finlandia, a rival Vodka maker, which placed its Vodka as Bond’s favorite in the movie, ‘Die Another Day’. Bond movies had been a perfect advertising medium for marketers to boost their product’s image, and more than 20 products were placed in ‘Die Another Day’. However, some consumer activists were opposed to the practice of stealth advertisement in movies and they termed it dubious and deceptive in nature. But the marketing fraternity seemed to have a high inclination towards movie placements, and companies like Ford and BMW reportedly have paid millions to feature in Bond movies. Unlike movies, product placements never had any kind of censorship. Hazardous products like alcohol and cigarettes were advertised indirectly in almost every movie. Consumer rights activists loudly protested against this practice, since they said it would influence children. Underage drinking became an increasing concern among the Americans and Europeans and alcohol consumption scenes in movies that too by popular actors, further influenced children to use alcohol. This case details the comeback of Smirnoff in Bond movies, product placements in Bond movies, product placement industry in the US, and the effects of alcohol placements on under-aged children

Pedagogical Objectives:

• To understand the Product Placement Industry in the US
• To analyse the association between beverage advertising and film industry
• To provide an overview of the branding strategies of Smirnoff
• To understand the impact of alcohol placements in movies.

Keywords : Smirnoff, The James Bond, film industry, movie advantage, movie characters, advertising strategy, over-advertising, beverage advertising, alcohol placements, Bond’s choice, Casino Royale, media campaign, underage children, legal drinking age, Marketing Strategies Case Study, white spirits market

Contents:

• Product Placement Industry in the US
• Bond and Brands
• Smirnoff- Its History
• Alcohol Placements in Movies: Effects on Underage Children
• Smirnoff and Bond Reunion: Shaken But Not Stirred