Product placements are everywhere as automakers try to leverage the popularity of TV shows and movies to hawk new models.
Sometimes these placements are logical and well-thought out, but other times they’re nonsensical and downright cringey.
I was reminded of one of the more bizarre product placements last weekend, when watching Quantum of Solace. One of the least liked James Bond films from the Daniel Craig era, Quantum of Solace features an explosive ending as an eco-friendly hotel goes up in flames thanks to its reliance on hydrogen.
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After roughly 20 minutes of hydrogen-related explosions, Bond drives off in a Ford Edge “dressed up” to look like a hydrogen-powered model. Needless to say, this is a bit perplexing as the film shows the dangers of hydrogen at the same time the automaker was working on the Edge HySeries.
Of course, there are far worse examples and TV shows generally take the cake. USA Network was notable for some truly egregious efforts as cringeworthy product placements were featured in shows such as Burn Notice and White Collar. While the Saab 9-3 Convertible placements were somewhat acceptable in Burn Notice, some of the ones for the Hyundai Genesis Coupe were downright awful.
However, White Collar was even worse as they explained features for Ford products in the middle of the show. As the series progressed, things got even more nonsensical as FBI agent Peter Burke traded his Ford for a BMW.
Those are just a few examples, but let us know what you think are the worst automotive product placements in the comments below.