Product Placement - Bay Vs Tarantino

Nowadays most films are just like one giant advert trying to sell car brands, food brands, computer brands or anything else they have been paid to include in their film. Yes E.T did have his Reeses Pieces and Chuck Noland had FedEx but  Director Michael Bay takes it to the next level...  You cant watch one of his movies without branded products being shoved in your face in every scene, plus he does not even attempt to make them remotely subtle! Take a look at "Transformers" (2007), it was just like a giant car advertisement for "Porsche", "Cadillac" and of course "Chevy Camaro" and "The Island" (2005) well what product WASNT advertised. 

However Quentin Tarantino has explained in many interviews how much he HATES product placement in films. Instead of using branded props he creates fictional brands to use, these add to the surreal factor of his films.

Because Tarantino uses fictional brands you are less aware of them so here are 5 fictional products to look out for in his films... 

1. Red Apple Cigarettes 

These are featured in seven of Tarantino's films that he has either directed, written or had some involvement in. The films are: Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Four Rooms, From Dusk Till Dawn, Kill Bill Volume 1 & 2 and Planet Terror. 

As cigarettes feature very frequently in most of his films it was important to have an original brand associated with Tarantino's films. 



2. Big Kahuna Burger 

The Hawaiian burger joint's burgers and soda cups have been featured in Reservoir Dogs, Four Rooms, From Dusk Till Dawn and probably most famously in Pulp Fiction. 

Im sure that everyone who have seen a Big Kahuna Burger has fancied one and wished that they could walk down the high street and pick one up for themselves ! 






3. Fruit Brute 

This is slightly different as Fruit Brute was actually sold in the 70s as part of the General Mills "Monster Brands" but was discontinued, other flavours include - Count Chocula, Yummy Mummy and Franken Berry.  

As the cereal was discontinued Tarantino decided to feature it in Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. 






4. Teriyaki Donut 

A much lesser known brand Tarantino has created is Teriyaki Donut which is a fast food restaurant that serves a mixture of Japanese food and donuts. 

The restaurant is only seen in Jackie Brown and Pulp Fiction briefly  (Just before Marsellus Wallace is hit by Butch's car)






5. Jack Rabbit Slims 

50/60s pop culture style restaurant inspired by other themed restaurants in LA. 

Jack Rabbit Slims biggest appearance is in Pulp Fiction when Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega go for shakes, bloody as hell steaks and a twist dancing competition. The restaurant is also mentioned in a radio advertisement in Reservoir Dogs.