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Ever since Sean Connery stepped into Ian Fleming’s world of secret missions and intrigue as 007 agent James Bond in Dr. No (1962), product placement in Bond films has been a mainstay in the franchise. Of course, it didn’t start there. The James Bond novels themselves were bursting at the seams with brands: Gordon’s Gin, Bentley, and Moreland Cigarettes, just to name a few.
One thing is true though - James Bond would not exist as he does today without product placement. In this blog, Hollywood Branded takes a look at James Bond product placement over the years and each product featured in the 25 Bond films.
Brands and Bond are inseparable - the brands Agent 007 uses define him, they establish his style, his character, his taste. But as the franchise got bigger and better, the brands also helped cover the production and marketing budget. These brands have a symbiotic relationship with the suave spy. Audiences associate Bond with the latest gadgets, the nicest cars, and the most impeccable style. Brands help to achieve this - Bond makes the Aston Martin look oh so desirable, and the Aston Martin makes Bond look classy and rich.
Some brands like Bollinger have been Bond brands for years - every single Bond actor (minus Sean Connery), has sipped Bollinger champagne in the one of the films. Other brands have been displaced by dollars or co-media partnerships as years went by - Rolex was replaced by Seiko, which was then replaced by Omega as Bond’s watch of choice, and Sony was just recently nixed from the franchise over creative issues having to do with Bond using “only the best” after years of partnership with the Bond films.
Bond: Sean Connery
Sean Connery was the first, and arguably most iconic, actor to step into the role of Mr. Bond. While product placement in Bond films hadn’t quite exploded yet, there were certainly some blatant brand exposures here in Dr. No.
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: George Lazenby
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: Roger Moore
This was the first of Roger Moore’s run as 007, but many people remember it mostly for the incredibly catchy song Paul McCartney penned for it.
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Sean Connery
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Roger Moore
Bond: Timothy Dalton
Bond: Timothy Dalton
Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Bond: Pierce Brosnan
Bond: Daniel Craig
This one is one of the most memorable product placements for us. When asked by Bond woman of the hour if his watch is a Rolex, Bond replies, “Omega.” That’s a pretty big deal for a brand, if you ask us.
Bond: Daniel Craig
Bond: Daniel Craig
Bond: Daniel Craig
Spectre and all the product placement surrounding it made our heads spin, but also very excited. The biggest gossip regarding this was the decision of Daniel Craig and the movie’s team not to use the Android-powered Sony smartphone- ending a many many year partnership between Bond and Sony. In the leaked Sony emails, Craig makes it clear that Bond would only use the best and in his opinion, the Sony wasn’t “the best.”
Some brands have stayed with Bond since the very beginning (think Bollinger champagne) and have become a staple for the secret agent. Other details, like his car, change from movie to movie, depending on what deals and integrations are in place for that particular film. Both James Bond and the brands featured in his films have each other to thank - they would not be where they are without the other.
While you're at it, check out some of our other blogs we have written on product placement and branded partnerships!
Are you interested in integrating product placement into your entertainment marketing mix, but simply don’t know where to start? Our short video helps give you a broad overview and next steps to make it happen for your brand!
Topics: Strategic Partnerships, Product Placement & Branded Content
Stacy Jones, Hollywood Branded's founder and CEO, has over twenty six years of leadership experience building global entertainment branding campaigns for top Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of brands. Her career started after receiving her BFA in Theater Production & Scenic Design from the University of Arizona. Acknowledged as an expert in the field, she has appeared on CNN and MSNBC; spoken at conferences around the globe from Germany to Beijing; and has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, The Economist, Brandweek, Advertising Age, Variety, B&C and Mediaweek amongst others. Originally from Texas, you will still hear her ya’ll as she gathers the team for strategy planning sessions. Like all true entrepreneurs, Stacy is an adventurer at her core – having sky dived, hang glided off bi-planes, swam with crocs while rafting the Zambezi in Africa, photographed grizzly bears in Alaska, trekked Mayan ruins in Belize, explored the ocean as an avid scuba diver, and who loves owning an advertising agency where she swims with a different type of Hollywood shark on a daily basis.
