As the curtains rise on the nuances of film production and brand management, an intriguing policy from Apple’s playbook has come into the spotlight—villains are apparently forbidden from using iPhones on screen. A subtle cue to audiences worldwide, Apple’s control over product placement is a strategic move aimed at maintaining its pristine brand image.
Director Rian Johnson revealed the peculiar stipulation during an anatomy of a scene for his film “Knives Out,” noting for Vanity Fair that “Apple, they let you use iPhones in movies, but – and this is very pivotal – if you’re ever watching a mystery movie, bad guys cannot have iPhones on camera.” This revelation has sent ripples through the entertainment industry, prompting filmmakers to rethink the implications of their character’s choice in technology.
Apple’s policy, while not explicitly stated, becomes a storytelling element in itself, a fact that Johnson quipped about, “every single film-maker who has a bad guy in their movie that’s supposed to be a secret wants to murder me right now.”
The strategic positioning of Apple products is not just about who gets to hold an iPhone. It’s a practice deeply rooted in Apple’s desire to cast their products in a favorable light. Their official guidelines advocate for the depiction of their devices in contexts that “in the best light, in a manner or context that reflects favourably on the Apple products and on Apple Inc.” This principle has even led to product placements where Apple devices are provided as free props to studios, bypassing the more traditional route of financial exchanges for brand visibility.
Apple’s presence in the world of entertainment is undeniably robust. The brand tracker Concave named it the top-ranking brand in films in 2018. With over 13 minutes of airtime in HBO’s high-end drama “Big Little Lies” second season, the brand has managed to weave its products into the modern storytelling fabric, albeit with a specific narrative alignment.
The avoidance of villainous associations is not a quirk exclusive to Apple. Darryl Collis, director of product placement specialists Seesaw Media, pointed out, “All brands have stipulations for how they want to be used and seen on screen. It is common for some brands not to want to be associated with a bad guy, or for an alcohol or car brand not to want be linked with characters being drunk or involving crashes.”
It’s not just a matter of screen time, but of strategic alignment. Even blockbusters like “Slumdog Millionaire” have been shunned by companies like Coca-Cola and Mercedes for portraying their brands in undesirable contexts.
Relevant articles:
– Apple does not ‘let bad guys use iPhones on screen’,Wed 26 Feb 2020