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Product Placement at the Oscars? Really?

This year was the 80th Anniversary of the Oscars. Among all the personalities that went on Stage at the Academy Awards, two were noteworthy - The beloved Nintendo Wii and the Apple iPhone. Although this was the first time iPhone and Wii went to the Oscars, they graced the stage and played a part of the proceedings at the prestigious awards ceremony.

On stage, Jon Stewart pulls out his iPhone to watch Lawrence of Arabia, then turns it sideways and comments “it looks even better in wide screen”!!

Jon Stewart showing off the iPhone at the Oscars. Feb 25, 2008.

Later on, Stewart played tennis on stage, on the Nintendo Wii with Jamia Simone Nash who starred in August Rush. Although you could hear people laughing in the background, this was a pitiful placement concept that was hardly funny. One could at best smile at the antic. Nintendo should have bargained for a better concept.!. Jon and Jamia jump around like two kids in what looks like a completely “put up” effort. Good job Nintendo, you got associated with two people who look completely stupid on stage. They probably got you looking stupid as well!

Remember my previous post - Product Placement for the sake of product placement will kill your brand! Its got to be smooth and slick.

Jon Stewart and Jamia Simone Nash play the Nintendo Wii on stage at the Oscars. Feb 25, 2008.

Product Placement has to flow with the show, otherwise you are putting your brand at risk. Here is an idea of how the Nintendo Placement could have been done well. For the “Best Special Effects” category, or something like that, you could have had the presenter use a Wii to present a virtual Oscar to the winner and have the winner receive it using another Wii handset!! Ofcourse , after the fun, you would give the winner the real Oscar and invite him to make his speech. Now, that would have been a really cool placement concept for the Nintendo Wii.

Watch the Stupid Video Clip here :