Either way, the placement of these brands and products in your favorite flick is no accident. This is called product marketing or embedded marketing and it is the process of a company partnering with an entertainment producer or creator to promote or “place” a product or brand within that medium to reach a certain target audience.

These paid product placements are appealing for entertainment producers and creators because it helps fund their work. However, many are cautious of how they place products in their work, as well as the quantity of products placed. Consumers are very aware when products are being stuffed in their face and can quickly turn against a piece of entertainment if they feel the product placements are intrusive.

The best product placements are strategic and often subtle enough that they catch the consumer’s eye without distracting them from the movie or television show that they are watching. Product placement is an exceptional marketing technique that, when done correctly, can make a huge impact among target audiences and cultivate exceptional brand awareness.

Take a look at some of these product placements in popular movies and television shows:

Dick’s Sporting Goods in Iron Man 2

Coca-Cola in American Idol

Apple in Twilight

FedEx in Cast Away

What product placements have you noticed in movies and television shows?