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This morning I came across this article on advertising in books.
Ford advertises the literary way
By Martin Plaut
BBC News
We have got used to seeing consumer products promoted in films and television programmes.
But Ford is claiming a first with a deal that puts its cars into the pages of a book.
The company has paid British novelist Carole Matthews to mention their cars prominently in her work.
Ms Matthews is what's called a "chick lit" writer, producing romantic fiction that appeals specifically to young women.
She has been paid to include a Ford in her latest book - The Sweetest Taboo.
The car giant also commissioned her to write short stories for women's magazines and its own website.
Read all about it
One snippet from a story on the Ford website entitled A Racy Little Number reads:
"I look out of the window of the shop and eye my lovely Ford Fiesta Roxanne with something approaching misery.
"Last year was a different story. Business was booming and I splashed out on my first-ever new car. Brand spanking new - complete with enough gadgets to keep even Alex amused.
"She's red, raunchy and drives like a dream and now, she's got to go. Believe me, it will be like cutting off one of my own arms."
So is this a devaluation of literature? Carole Matthews says she had no problems accepting the Ford commission.
No sell-out
Wherever my heroine is driving a car, it will now be a Ford Fiesta," she told the BBC's World Business Report.
"That's the only thing they've asked me to do, they've placed no other constraints on my writing at all."
She added that the deal showed that Ford had "woken up to the fact that young women have money, and we like cars, and we don't rely on our husbands to buy them for us."
While this is believed to be the first time that cars have been promoted through popular novels, the ploy of literary product placement is not a new one.
Three years ago, celebrated British novelist Faye Weldon brokered a deal with Italian jewellery maker Bulgari to plug their products in a novel appropriately entitled 'The Bulgari Collection.'
Which, of course, squicks me out. Then again, if some big company contacted me today and wanted to give me boatloads of money to write a story prominently featuring their product, I can't say I wouldn't be tempted. Maybe that's what pseudonyms are for. Except, I'm guessing the reason they would approach me in the first place is name recognition. Perhaps I should start establishing my whoring nom de plume now.
Last night I went to see "Dawn of the Dead" with
vimandvigor, starring the Canadian Uma Thurman and the poor man's Hugh Jackman, which was a pretty horrible movie. I don't mean "horrible" because of it's gore and horror factor, I mean it was crappily made and acted. But you know, I can still have lots of fun in a bad movie if I have the right attitude and right company, which I did. Especially since it was in the realm of so bad it was good. In addition to zombies-on-fire! there was also zombie-baby! Unfortunately or fortunately there wasn't a zombie-dog. I was hoping it would happen even though it would creep me out more and I'd probably make Sophie sleep in a crate for several nights.
I had dreams based on the movie, but they weren't nightmares. I was just packing up food and supplies for a long trip in an RV where I would be isolated from civiliation for an undetermined amount of time. But I don't know why I was doing it -- there didn't seem to be any zombies present.
Perhaps I should have just rented the original. Except I doubt that one has such highly amusing montage sequences. I'm mildly obsessed with them. I want to make a montage movie of montages.
Ford advertises the literary way
By Martin Plaut
BBC News
We have got used to seeing consumer products promoted in films and television programmes.
But Ford is claiming a first with a deal that puts its cars into the pages of a book.
The company has paid British novelist Carole Matthews to mention their cars prominently in her work.
Ms Matthews is what's called a "chick lit" writer, producing romantic fiction that appeals specifically to young women.
She has been paid to include a Ford in her latest book - The Sweetest Taboo.
The car giant also commissioned her to write short stories for women's magazines and its own website.
Read all about it
One snippet from a story on the Ford website entitled A Racy Little Number reads:
"I look out of the window of the shop and eye my lovely Ford Fiesta Roxanne with something approaching misery.
"Last year was a different story. Business was booming and I splashed out on my first-ever new car. Brand spanking new - complete with enough gadgets to keep even Alex amused.
"She's red, raunchy and drives like a dream and now, she's got to go. Believe me, it will be like cutting off one of my own arms."
So is this a devaluation of literature? Carole Matthews says she had no problems accepting the Ford commission.
No sell-out
Wherever my heroine is driving a car, it will now be a Ford Fiesta," she told the BBC's World Business Report.
"That's the only thing they've asked me to do, they've placed no other constraints on my writing at all."
She added that the deal showed that Ford had "woken up to the fact that young women have money, and we like cars, and we don't rely on our husbands to buy them for us."
While this is believed to be the first time that cars have been promoted through popular novels, the ploy of literary product placement is not a new one.
Three years ago, celebrated British novelist Faye Weldon brokered a deal with Italian jewellery maker Bulgari to plug their products in a novel appropriately entitled 'The Bulgari Collection.'
Which, of course, squicks me out. Then again, if some big company contacted me today and wanted to give me boatloads of money to write a story prominently featuring their product, I can't say I wouldn't be tempted. Maybe that's what pseudonyms are for. Except, I'm guessing the reason they would approach me in the first place is name recognition. Perhaps I should start establishing my whoring nom de plume now.
Last night I went to see "Dawn of the Dead" with
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I had dreams based on the movie, but they weren't nightmares. I was just packing up food and supplies for a long trip in an RV where I would be isolated from civiliation for an undetermined amount of time. But I don't know why I was doing it -- there didn't seem to be any zombies present.
Perhaps I should have just rented the original. Except I doubt that one has such highly amusing montage sequences. I'm mildly obsessed with them. I want to make a montage movie of montages.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 08:09 am (UTC)I'd do it. I'd balk at writing an entire book about a talking Ford Fiesta that espoused its virtues at regular intervals, but if having a heroine drive a Ford Fiesta that was mentioned only a few times kept me writing for another year, hell yeah.
no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 08:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 08:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-24 10:17 am (UTC)It probably didn't help that they showed the trailer for Kill Bill Vol. 2
Date: 2004-03-24 10:21 am (UTC)Re: It probably didn't help that they showed the trailer for Kill Bill Vol. 2
Date: 2004-03-24 01:55 pm (UTC)Re: It probably didn't help that they showed the trailer for Kill Bill Vol. 2
Date: 2004-03-24 01:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-03-25 06:26 pm (UTC)