technology allows flexibility

In a Wall Street Journal article titled "Dubbing in Product Plugs" (found on ProQuest) the author discusses the technology that allows movie and television producers to remove or change product placements. For example, in Spider Man 2 Dr. Pepper is featured on a soda machine where Peter Parker works. Through digital technology the brand name was changed to Mirinda, a soda brand sold outside of the US. The version with Mirinda would be distributed overseas.

Movie makers are able to improve their profit making ability because they can easily tailor a product placement to different markets. Advertisers benefit because they can tailor their messages to different target audiences. For now, dubbed products as they are called are only capable with still shots. It is still too complicated for products to be moved around in the scene- to be used by characters for example. However, technology is constantly improving and this technology will most likely be upon us soon.

Dubbing product placements is just one more way that technology is making it easier for advertisers to market their brands.