If you’ve been to the movies recently, you might have noticed an unlikely co-star: Volkswagen.
They’ve been clumsily, ham-fistedly cramming their vehicles into all kinds of movies*. It's so blatant that I can't imagine it makes anyone think positively about the brand or want to buy a Volkswagen.
Take Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. Admittedly, it’s a popcorn blockbuster and by no means a “Good Film of Important Cultural Value” (the clumsy name alone might have given that away).
That said, there’s absolutely no reason for the above shot to exist. It doesn’t end the scene. It doesn’t advance the plot. It’s not important for the audience to see the characters leave in a car.
This shot exists for one reason and one reason only: product placement. It’s an ad, sitting right there in the middle of the movie. The car is perfectly lit, perfectly angled, and dead centre in the frame. It's a glamour shot straight out of the last seconds of a bog-standard car commercial. And it’s there because the studio and Volkswagen think you’re too stupid to notice, or too inured to care.
I don’t mind subtle product placement or even overt product placement, especially when it’s done well. But the example above shows a sheer lack of respect for the audience.
*: I won’t even get into Volkswagen’s partnership with Miraculous Ladybug & Cat Noir: The Movie because the movie is poor at best, and the placement extends even beyond the film into concept cars and ads with the characters.