Take a Pass on Product Placement in “Hall Pass”
January 28th, 2013

Why did this movie suck? Well, in addition to a talented cast including Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis and Christina Applegate, one of the main stars of the movie was the HONDA ODYSSEY.
Yep, you read that right. A minivan. Here’s just one example of the dialogue from a scene featuring Wilson, Sudeikis, and his beloved Odyssey:
I admit that working at Truth in Advertising has made me more aware of the different ways companies market to me. I now know that most of the time, if you see a branded product (meaning you can recognize a can of Coke versus a generic can of cola) featured in a movie or a TV show, there is some compensation involved.
However, I was astonished at the level of blatant and ridiculous product placement featured in Hall Pass. Was I watching a movie or a string of commercials for the popular minivan as well as a host of other brands, such as Applebee’s, Coca-Cola, Doritos, Gap, Heineken and more?
And no, Honda, at the end, I didn’t want to rush out and buy the Odyssey.