The Help, one of the most successful movies of 2011 is set in 1963, so I hadn’t had high expectations regarding product placement. However I was pleasantly surprised with the number of brands involved and also with the execution. As we could’ve seen in Mad Men, producers can include brands in movies and TV shows that take place some 50 years ago to provide a better historical landscape and also without making fools of themselves.

Let’s check brands from The Help:

Cadillac

The heroine, Skeeter Phelan, drives a Cadillac, which is a natural fit, since she’s from a wealthy Mississippi state family.

Cadillac in The Help (2011, DreamWorks, screen capture)


Coca Cola

One of the world’s and America’s most iconic brands has a prominent role when a young southern girl has a conversation with a future maid. They both drink Coke and the bottle can be spotted in several scenes.

Coca Cola in The Help (2011, DreamWorks, screen capture)


Life magazine

Life magazine is briefly seen in a scene which shows Medgar Evers’ widow and her son, after the assassination of her husband. Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi. He was assassinated in June 1963 by a member of the White Citizens’ Council.

Life magazine in The Help (2011, DreamWorks, screen capture)


Shinolator

Shinalator (in the movie it is called shinolator) is a hair product from the 60s that was used to treat frizzy hair. Skeeter got it from New York and her mother used it to prepare her for a date with Stuart.

Shinolator in The Help (2011, DreamWorks, screen capture)


Crisco

Movie’s most interesting product placement was for Crisco. Crisco is a classic American brand of shortening (any fat that is solid at room temperature and used to make crumbly pastry) that was used for frying, baking and everything else in the kitchen

Crisco in The Help (2011, DreamWorks, screen capture)


One of the main characters in the movie told us:

Well … I reckon if there’s anything you ought to know about cooking, it’s this.

The most important invention since they put mayonnaise in a jar.

You got gum in your hair, you got a squeaky door hinge…

Crisco.

You got bags under your eyes.

Want to soften your husband’s scaly feet.

Mm-hm. Crisco.

But it’s best for frying chicken.

Great stuff!


You can find more pictures of product placement from the movie at Brands & Films’ Facebook page


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Other movies from the ‘Product placement in pictures’ series:

Drive

Crazy Stupid Love

Horrible Bosses

Friends With Benefits

The Smurfs

Fast Five

The Taking of Pelham 123

Morning Glory

Hall Pass

Due Date

Drive Angry

Limitless

No Strings Attached

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3 Comments
  1. Placing a product in a “golden years” picture should be a winner for the brand since such films usually connect to very positive emotions. Plus the brand can be seen as trustworthy, solid etc.
    (Obviously not too cool if a brand nowadays suffers a negative reputation for being dull and out-of-date).

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