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Head crushing comes standard on Ford SUV Is it good publicity or bad publicity when your product crushes somebody’s skull? That’s the question Ford executives must be mulling in the aftermath of the final Sopranos episode. As brand-conscious viewers surely noticed, the camera lingered over Ford’s “Blue Oval” badge on the grille of the Expedition SUV in which Tony Soprano nemesis Phil Leotardo was sitting right before he got shot (and before the SUV administered a coup de grace by rolling over his head). It looked for all the world like a paid product placement. The article linked above, from The Detroit News, quotes a Ford spokesman as saying it wasn’t. Nonetheless, it also says the chief of Ford’s Hollywood product-placement office was “pleasantly surprised” when he saw the scene. Ford workers in Dearborn were said to be engaged in much water-cooler debate about the matter. The article further notes that Ford fared better than Nissan, at least, whose Xterra SUV incinerated itself after parking atop a pile of dry leaves. Good point. —Posted by Mark Dolliver

June 12, 2007 | Permalink

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Comments

Well the episode was called "Made in America." What'd you expect them to run Phil over with, an Audi?

Posted by: Terry | Jun 12, 2007 2:50:27 PM

Yes, I realize "Made" has a double meaning, too.

Posted by: Terry | Jun 12, 2007 2:51:22 PM

Is there any research concerning these kinds of brand appearances?

Posted by: Sonya | Jun 12, 2007 8:12:07 PM

Well, actually Ford has placed its products in some pretty, um, unpleasant situations before. About three seasons ago on "24", one of the suspected terrorists drove a Ford Thunderbird, and Ford paid for the privilege since it has (or at least had) a product placement deal with the show. Of course, it was revealed several episodes later, that the alleged terrorist, a young guy from the Middle East who was marrying a blonde WASP-type, wasn't a terrorist at all--his wife was a terrorist, but still ...

Posted by: Catharine P. Taylor | Jun 13, 2007 12:35:33 PM

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