Product Place Me - a new, free service for product placement

[RexR]

Hey Indietalk! (Indietalkers?)

I'm launching a new service called Product Place Me, for free product placement. Link here: http://productplaceme.com

Here's how it works: You send me spots in your script that could be product placements. I collect those in a list and then send them out to a bunch of advertisers.

Those advertisers see your place (ie your hero loves potato chips, you need a brand of potato chip) and decide if it matches up with their product (think of how many chip makers there are out there). If it's a good match, they get in touch with you and hopefully offer up some freebies for your shoot, or even a paid deal.

It's free to use, and you don't even have to sign up for an account. Just go here: http://productplaceme.com/submit

Part of the reason I'm doing this is because I feel like product placement sucks right now. Scripts are getting written around products, which is a terrible way to do it. We can get better fit product placements without sacrificing scripts.

But wait, there's more!

So this is a new venture, and I desperately need two things: Places (spots in your script) and feedback.

If you can give me both, I'll Paypal you ten bucks. I only have 100 bucks budgeted for this (This is a bootstrapped startup), so it's only good for the first ten people who submit. Please *post* here saying you've submitted, so folks after the first ten know the budget is gone.

Some requirements:

-It's gotta be a real project! Link me to a project page, or to your respective web presence. Or even to a film you've done before.
-One payout per person. You can submit multiple Places, though, even for a single project.
-PM me with feedback on the process after you submit, and also your Paypal info. Once I verify you, I'll send the payment. I might ask you to redo the submission if something's wrong with it. I might also ask for follow-up feedback.
-No pornographic films, sorry!
-Since I'm basically in beta, I might use your Place in more than one e-mail (it's weekly). This shakes out as you potentially getting more offers.

If ten people have already posted, please help me out anyway! I'm trying to make product placement better, while benefiting filmmakers like you. It'll always be free for filmmakers (and advertisers too!).

 

[indietalk]

Cool site! Let's see how many indie filmmakers you can get to sell out

 

[RexR]

Cool site! Let's see how many indie filmmakers you can get to sell out

Haha, thanks!

I hope that letting the filmmaker set the initial terms will take some of the stigma out of product placement. By putting scripts first, we can avoid some of the awkward dialogue that's associated with product placement.

At least, I hope that nobody has characters in their script already talking about vehicle crash safety ratings.

ALSO: If anyone wants to just talk about product placement in general, I'd love to hear the indie filmmaker perspective on it.

 

[jeremy]

I've actually pitched that idea at a few people I'm glad someone is running with it. Could work for books, blogs, or video games as well.

ALSO: If anyone wants to just talk about product placement in general, I'd love to hear the indie filmmaker perspective on it.

It's a fantastic revenue stream. Covering costs and bringing a production closer to profitability should loosen the reigns of creative control on larger projects, and the revenue/assistance can make smaller independant films possible where they may not possibly have been.

I don't think placement hurts artistic integrity at all unless it is forced. Take The Road for example, they had to drink a soda anyway, if you are predisposed to the concept that all soda is similar or serves the same purpose in the story, why not make it a can of whatever pays the bills?

 

[RexR]

Jeremy: There are a couple startups out there who are trying to be a marketplace for product placement. I think they're too complicated, though, usually trying the eBay approach. And thanks for the example-- I might use that!

Nobody's taken me up on this yet? I'll make it twenty bucks for the first person to do it. I can't go higher than that, though... this is cutting into my ramen budget.

 

[Cracker Funk]

Cool site! Let's see how many indie filmmakers you can get to sell out

Lol! Actually, I think this is a good idea, in theory. For me, product placement is simply a matter of ease and convenience. Why would I want to go to all the effort to create a whole bunch of fake beer cans, when I can just email PBR and ask for permission to use theirs?

And that's where I think you'll probably find difficulty in making this work, RexR, though I wish you the best of luck. These big companies get TONS of requests for product placement. They give it away for free, cuz it's mutually beneficial. Unless you're talking about a Hollywood production (which is assured of being seen by many people), I can't imagine many companies will pay money for product placement, when they get it for free all the time.

I hope you prove me wrong, though. This could be a good service, if you can find a way to make it work.

 

[NickClapper]

I think this is a really interesting concept, especially if you apply it to indie film.

I'd really like to see more in depth figures about how well this is working, although you probably wouldn't want to give them out. I have to say that I think it's a difficult sell, but if it did work then it's a neat old idea.

 

[RexR]

Lol! Actually, I think this is a good idea, in theory. For me, product placement is simply a matter of ease and convenience. Why would I want to go to all the effort to create a whole bunch of fake beer cans, when I can just email PBR and ask for permission to use theirs?

And that's where I think you'll probably find difficulty in making this work, RexR, though I wish you the best of luck. These big companies get TONS of requests for product placement. They give it away for free, cuz it's mutually beneficial. Unless you're talking about a Hollywood production (which is assured of being seen by many people), I can't imagine many companies will pay money for product placement, when they get it for free all the time.

I hope you prove me wrong, though. This could be a good service, if you can find a way to make it work.

Thanks for the kind words. And for your take on it-- it's hard in a startup to describe exactly how helpful that is.

As for freebies: Those are really our focus! People using PPM to get freebies are just as useful to us as people using it to get paid deals. Remember that we just connect people, we don't broker the deals or anything (and we certainly don't make a percentage!)

You could contact PBR for your beer placement. They'd probably say yes, but they might not, or your e-mail might get lost, etc. If you post the beer placement on PPM, you'll get e-mails from beer people who you know are already interested. And there are a few ways that can work to your benefit:

-They'll send you the beer. I know in the case of beer it's not a huge production expense, but what if it wasn't beer, but a jetski?
-You can choose from brands that fit the character.
-You can choose whichever company offers to send you the most beer. Maybe some extra for the launch party?
-You can choose from smaller beers who you never would have thought to contact. Maybe one of them is from where your movie is set-- now you have a product placement which makes your film a tiny bit more accurate for the setting.
-You can choose one that offers you a bunch of money. Maybe said local beer *really* wants to be in the film, so your freebie request turns into a paid deal.

Like I said, freebies are huge. I considered launching the site to be "freebies only" but I don't want to rule out the possibility of those deals morphing into paid deals.

If you want free stuff for your shoot, use PPM! Just check the "Freebies" box when you submit.

 

[RexR]

I think this is a really interesting concept, especially if you apply it to indie film.

I'd really like to see more in depth figures about how well this is working, although you probably wouldn't want to give them out. I have to say that I think it's a difficult sell, but if it did work then it's a neat old idea.

We just started up, which is why I'm paying for Places. Every website starts at the same size, which is about where we are right now

There's no risk in submitting a Place. Worst case scenario: Nobody replies. It's a quick process that doesn't require any signup, so you won't have wasted much time. Submitting a place doesn't even sign you up for the PPM e-mail (although everyone who has submitted so far has, anyway)

Best case scenario: You get free stuff for your movie. Or you get a paid deal which is even better.

And, in this case, you'll also have made 10 bucks.

 

[NickClapper]

I would sign up because I think this could be a really interesting and positive project. The problem is that I don't make films

But you have my full endorsement to other IndieTalk filmmakers....

DISCLAIMER: My endorsement means somewhere between 'very little' and 'nothing.

 

[RexR]

I would sign up because I think this could be a really interesting and positive project. The problem is that I don't make films

But you have my full endorsement to other IndieTalk filmmakers....

DISCLAIMER: My endorsement means somewhere between 'very little' and 'nothing.

Thanks. I think people go "Eww, product placement" at first, but once they hear the whole pitch, they're more supportive.

If you have any friends who are making films, tell 'em. I've gotten a few Places so far, but none from indie filmmakers.

 

[RexR]

(Sorry for double post!)
Edit: Offer expired! Sorry guys, I got a BUNCH of Places... please still submit, though. I'll put them in, but I can't offer any money.

 

[directorik]

Also, I got my first indie movie Place! Just not from here... (Don't tell them about the 10 dollar thing!)

Are you sure? I placed one.

 

[RexR]

Are you sure? I placed one.

If you actually did place it, e-mail me with feedback and the project you submitted. rexriepe (at) gmail.com

 

[directorik]

Well, if you only have one; I placed one so by process
of elimination....

Right now I don't see the advantage of using your
service. I like the idea of it, but you are going to need
to do a whole lot of marketing and advertising to get
promoters to offer product. I was confused by the
"Placement summary". I wasn't sure what the difference
was between that and " Placement details." I know
what a summary is, I just wasn't sure what to put in
the first one.

I can see the advantage to independent filmmakers - if
they can get something for free that's always a good
thing - but I can't see the advantage for promoters. Why
would Coors (for example) go to your site to look for
filmmakers wanting free beer? They know the advantage
of placing a Coors can in a movie that will see wide release;
why offer this to a movie being made independently that
may never see even a festival showing?

I can see this being a place for independent filmmakers who
know nothing about product placement or even the freebies
available to them. But if there are few promoters offering
product or services then they will still need to contact the
specific product owner or service provider.

Once you have hundreds (thousands) of promoters then I
can see this working. How are you notifying companies that
they can sign up on you page to purchase placement in
movies or give away what they have to filmmakers?

Don't misunderstand. I love the idea. I would love to be able
to get paid to place a product in my independently produced
movie and I would love to get products and services for free.

 

[RexR]

Well, if you only have one; I placed one so by process
of elimination....

Right now I don't see the advantage of using your
service. I like the idea of it, but you are going to need
to do a whole lot of marketing and advertising to get
promoters to offer product. I was confused by the
"Placement summary". I wasn't sure what the difference
was between that and " Placement details." I know
what a summary is, I just wasn't sure what to put in
the first one.

I can see the advantage to independent filmmakers - if
they can get something for free that's always a good
thing - but I can't see the advantage for promoters. Why
would Coors (for example) go to your site to look for
filmmakers wanting free beer? They know the advantage
of placing a Coors can in a movie that will see wide release;
why offer this to a movie being made independently that
may never see even a festival showing?

I can see this being a place for independent filmmakers who
know nothing about product placement or even the freebies
available to them. But if there are few promoters offering
product or services then they will still need to contact the
specific product owner or service provider.

Once you have hundreds (thousands) of promoters then I
can see this working. How are you notifying companies that
they can sign up on you page to purchase placement in
movies or give away what they have to filmmakers?

Don't misunderstand. I love the idea. I would love to be able
to get paid to place a product in my independently produced
movie and I would love to get products and services for free.

Thanks for the feedback. You still need to e-mail me with a paypal address so I can get you the 20 bucks. I wanted the details to verify, but since you've been around here a while, I'll take your word for it.

I know PPM will get more useful as it grows. And don't worry-- it IS growing. If you don't get a hit at first, you can always submit later when the list is going out to more folks. It's free, and usually takes less time than calling up a corporate office somewhere. The situation you're talking about is called the "chicken and egg" problem in startups-- but even the biggest sites started with a handful of users.

Also, advertisers aren't going to the site for Places, they're going to their inboxes. The Places are e-mailed to them on a weekly basis.

Overall, great feedback! It's really helping to highlight where I need to better communicate on the site. This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm going to tackle this weekend.

EDIT: Sorry guys, I have to pull this offer TODAY! I've gotten over 20 Places in the last hour alone-- now it's a matter of fitting 'em into the e-mail!

If one of the submissions was yours, I will of course honor it. Anything after this edit (Friday at 5:30pm pacific time) I can't.