Friday, February 10th, 2012
American Airlines recently teamed up with Paramount Pictures for a comprehensive product placement deal in the movie ?Up in the Air.?
So far, the movie has raked in more than $70 million and a Golden Globe award. And experts say that the deal paid off for both parties involved.
?American Airlines didn?t pay a penny, and they got enormous favorable publicity, and in return, Paramount saved a lot of money to make their movie,? explained Daniel Howard, a marketing professor at Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.
Jason Reitman, the director of the project, said that he was not going to settle for a fictional airline. Scouts quickly recommended American Airlines for the role.
Initially, the airline was a bit reluctant to join the project.
?It was a little difficult, I?m not going to lie,? said Billy Sanez, director of advertising, promotions, and corporate communications for American Airlines. ?But I think the benefits really outweighed the small risk on the marketing side.?
What secured the deal was that the production company did not want any money for the deal. All the company wanted was access to airports, planes, and a little help in marketing. In the end, the deal became beneficial for American Airlines.
?Not only did they help us with the TSA and the planes and the employees and the uniforms, but also with the correct referencing of AAdvantage miles and other intricacies of traveling,? attested Lee Anne Stables, executive VP of worldwide marketing partnerships at Paramount.
Source: Star-Telegram
