A fairly successful film reaches about 50 million viewers on its theatrical run in the US alone. The most successful films have been known to reach over 200 million people worldwide. And that is just the first-run theatrical release! A major motion picture soon turns up on every airline play list, every hotel selection, every on demand service and digital delivery system all over the world for years to come.

It is simple math to work out that much paid-for-media impact is beyond the wildest budget dreams of even the biggest of global brands. Yet even small brands can have access to product placement and brand integrations when smart.

It is a fact that most people watch their favorite films two or three times in the year after their releases, either through DVD or some other 2nd run channel. And it is a truism that both favorite films and television shows become a near permanent part of our popular culture.

Scenes that include brands, whether they were famous at the time the film was made or became famous as a result, are always remembered for their roles. Two conclusions automatically arise:

1. Product placement and brand integration are marketing value that can't be ignored.
2. Such a powerful marketing tool is far too great to be left without focused strategic control.

While so much of our marketing focus, and the dollars for it, are absorbed by the need to create contact that is increasingly narrowly targeted towards the individual, we forget that true power of brand is as a shared cultural experience.