My intentions to see the SA premiere of New Moon - the second segment in The Twilight Saga – has gone terribly wrong and I only got to see it this weekend. A fascinating escape!

However what stunned my communications orientated mind the most during the movie was a leisurely shot of the last-minute plane that two of the characters (Bella and Alice) had to take to Italy in the tensest part of the movie - VIRGIN AMERICA.

BIG, bold, red and unmistakeable it drifted in the air.

My first reaction was…WOW, clever (and expensive) ad move! I only read afterwards that Virgin America airlines doesn’t even offer flights to Italy at all and that the “virgin” part fits in humorously well with the overarching theme of abstinence in the vampire/human love story. But still, I find this form of marketing striking and witty. As in the first part of Twilight, where the VOLVO C30 takes the spotlight in the 4 minute slot where the silver car is featured from all possible angles.

I don’t find these examples of product placements intrusive or pollute. They portray the “real” world and the real world is branded all over, whether we like it or not. I mean Bella can’t drink a no-name juice on a no-name aeroplane and take pictures with a no-name camera? That would be just weird.

(I only know of the VOLVO brand that is portrayed in the book by author Meyer, so that’s justified in the movie, but are Minute-Maid, Virgin and Nikon mentioned in her books as well? If not, they might have taken the “yearbook” and picture-taking with the slim Nikon a bit far.)

Either way, I do agree that product placement/marketing embedding can very easily interrupt and stain a clean and unbiased channel. So it has to be handled very carefully and with skill to ensure and maintain the strong emotional connection this channel has to offer its audience.

What do you think? Did you find the product placements intrusive Twilighters?

Well, I think I have to go and see it for a second and third time to finally make up my mind. Perhaps I’ll even book my next flight with Virgin and go test drive that sexy VOLVO that I haven’t won in their clever competition following the movie.