Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Is Marvel Selling Ads *Inside* Their Stories?

In this week's Amazing Spider-Man #666:

Well, the Captain America movie poster is cool...the JJJ sign is funny.

But an Orbit gum logo, right in the middle of nowhere, for no reason??

Later in the same issue:

Stuck in the middle of an alley, the Harley-Davidson logo. Just sitting there.

Meanwhile, in Secret Avengers #15, pinned to a cubicle wall in a newspaper office:

Really, Marvel?

I didn't notice anything in any of the other Marvels I bought this week, although I didn't get that many. There may have been more in other titles.

So, is this new policy--paid product placements inside the stories themselves? How much money are you making from this, Marvel/Disney? And why are you still charging us $3.99 for these comics if you have these new revenue streams?

I'll be keeping on eye on this issue...

4 comments:

Siskoid said...

Outrageous. I'll keep an eye out as well!

Matt said...

Didn't they start doing this a few years back? I seem to remember there being some random Army ads sprinkled in the backgrounds the exact same way. Or am I crazy?

I need to go read some back issues, methinks.

Eyz said...

Ads inside the stories?? I'm used to fake/parodic real live products inside comics...but actual ads? Geez...

Stephen said...

Back around issue 600 and a little before, Spider-Man would swing by ads for Sleepy's Mattresses on billboards and cabs. I thought it was a goof until I went to NYC and saw it was a real store. I think we need to worry when they start chomping Hostess cakes and Subway while fighting the Beyonder. "Quick Ben, hand me that Twinkie so it can power the Ultimate Nullifier!"