You won’t find a Mac sitting on the desk of 30 percent of Americans, or an iPhone in the pockets of 30 percent of movie-goers, but in the world of Hollywoodland, Apple products rule the roost, appearing in almost thirty percent of all top movies at the YU.S. box office in 2010.
Apple products popped up in a surprising number of movies last year, including Iron Man 2,Toy Story 3, The Other Guys and the utterly execrable Kick Ass. All together, Apple soundly managed to beat out Chevrolet, Ford and Nike on the list of top product-placing companies.
I know some really get annoyed by product placement, but while I have to laugh that such a disproportionate number of film’s protagonists and television’s quirky characters use Apple products, I think it’s fascinating that Apple products are seen by set-designers, writers and producers as a shorthand for showing that a character is cool and with it. Want to make sure everyone knows this guy’s not supposed to be a loser? Give him a Mac.
It might not be realistic, but as an Apple user, I’m also glad to see Apple product placement on the rise… if only because it stops television or film producers from having a character use a MacBook Pro on-screen, but slapping some stupid sticker over the logo so they don’t have to pay out. Petty, I know, but that pet peeve, once triggered, always has me wanting to rip off limbs.