If this Ad Age report is correct, supermarkets across the land can expect a run on bologna, mustard, peanut butter and jelly.
When Interstate Bakeries Corp. agreed to a product-placement deal with Sony Pictures to have its Wonder Bread brand incorporated into a Will Ferrell movie, it did so with a handshake and a prayer.
No money was exchanged, and the company — currently in bankruptcy — was hoping for some good exposure. It got that and more on the opening weekend of Mr. Ferrell’s Nascar comedy, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.”
Not only did the film earn an estimated $47 million at the box office, but sponsorship measurement firm Joyce Julius & Associates, Ann Arbor, Mich., estimates that Wonder Bread received $4.3 million in exposure.
The Wonder Bread logo appeared clear and in-focus for 11 minutes, 32 seconds during the film. The brand was also mentioned by the actors on two occasions.
In real life, Wonder Bread is not a Nascar partner, nor does it endorse any driver, which is more than a missed opportunity, it’s a cryin’ shame and quite possibly unAmerican.
