Car firms shifting focus

A survey by marketing research firm Ipsos found that 69 percent of the 1,000 people interviewed in cinemas across the country said they were attracted to products seen in films. Among the 1,000 respondents, 47 percent said that seeing a product in a movie helps give them a favorable impression.

Ipsos said that product placement actually works better than traditional TV commercials or print ads, as the public is weary of being bombarded by direct marketing.

Further, target demographic groups can be reached more accurately through different movie categories.

Audi China's product placement in American Dreams in China was a smart and praiseworthy choice, as the four generations of the flagship model A6 appeared in different periods in history in the film.

That tactic perfectly matched the theme of the movie - dreams - as owning an Audi A6 was the symbol of success to many Chinese entrepreneurs over the past 20 years.

"I was touched when Cheng Dongqing showed off his Audi and giant mobile phone after achieving initial success in the early 1990s," said a 49-year-old Beijing-based law firm founder surnamed Ma.

"The realistic scene reminded me of my early career days, when owning an Audi was a major motivation," said Ma.

Another notable case of product placement is Mercedes-Benz's positioning in a favorite Chinese lunar new year comedy directed by Feng Xiaogang, If You Are the One 2.

"When the leading performers Shu Qi and Ge You drove the Mercedes through the beautiful natural scenery in Sanya, nobody could ignore the nice SUV," said 28-year-old secretary Yang Yile in Beijing. "I finally got to know what the GLK-Class car my boyfriend kept talking about is, and I fully understand why he loves it."

"Product placement in movies is a common marketing tactic. But just putting brand logos and products into inappropriate scenes may bring negative results. A successful product placement reflects the similar values of the brand and the movie," said Yu Bailiang, dean of WOM Communications New Media Research Academy.

"Automakers should better communicate with movie producers and directors, to see if the brand and product could really be part of the film, naturally," agreed Zhong Shi, an independent auto analyst based in Beijing.