Top 10 Times Product Placement Ruined a Scene

Product Placements That Stole the Scene

The countdown highlights movie scenes where brand deals were so conspicuous they distracted from the story—or became the story.

• IHOP in Man of Steel: Clark’s old bully, Pete Ross, grows up to manage a Smallville IHOP. During Superman’s battle with Faora, the restaurant gets wrecked, leaving viewers to wonder how much the chain paid for its destruction.
• Hershey’s in Wings: The silent film pauses the training-camp action for an unmistakable close-up of a Hershey’s Almond chocolate bar—even showing its branded wrapper.
• Krispy Kreme in Power Rangers: The brand turns up repeatedly, and Rita Repulsa even breaks off from her attack on Angel Grove to visit a doughnut shop. The Rangers’ plan also involves securing the Krispy Kreme.
• Nike and Converse: In White House Down, President Sawyer is more concerned about protecting his Air Jordans than escaping danger. I, Robot is also called out for repeatedly having Will Smith’s character name-drop his vintage Converse.
• Popeyes in Little Nicky: Nicky summons a huge box of fried chicken to tempt demons. After tasting it, they deliver an enthusiastic endorsement—and switch sides.
• Apple in Captain America: The Winter Soldier: Captain America and Black Widow visit an Apple Store to inspect a USB drive. The helpful staff and prominent products make the tense spy scene feel like an ad.
• Marlboro in Superman II: Lois’s smoking is emphasized, and a Marlboro van is prominently featured when Zod throws Superman into it. The segment jokes that the brand got its money’s worth.
• Pepsi in World War Z: Gerry Lane stops to drink a Pepsi during a dangerous escape. He uses the can’s noise to distract the zombies, prompting the joke that they seem more interested in the soda than the humans.
• Heineken in Skyfall: Bond trades his usual martini for a beer, a change the video calls out as an especially jarring placement. It also recalls Casino Royale, where Vesper compliments his watch before Bond corrects her: it’s an Omega.
• Beats in Transformers: Age of Extinction: The top pick is a scene where Joshua Joyce turns alien metal into a Beats Pill speaker and announces, “You like music? The Pill.” The film’s many brand appearances also lead into a story about a tourism company suing Paramount over a placement that wasn’t included.

Personalities and Characters Featured

The unidentified WatchMojo narrator; Clark Kent/Superman, Pete Ross, Rita Repulsa, President Sawyer, Del Spooner, Nicky, Captain America, Black Widow, Lois Lane, General Zod, Gerry Lane, James Bond, and Joshua Joyce.