Product Placement in "Space Jam: A New Legacy"
We chose to dig deeper into the media skill where Baran (2022) specified, “A knowledge of the internal language of various media and the ability to understand its effects, no matter how complex” (p. 25). Each medium has its own language that is expressed through its production values, and the better we understand this language, “the more we can be equal partners with media professionals in meaning making” (Baran, 2022, p. 25). Put more simply, this means that in order to understand the ideas in a certain media production, one must understand what type of aspects they are placing in the media itself. In order to make a piece of media more easily understood, a producer can use its own unique production aspects to ensure their point is made. The creation of the media itself has to work side by side with how the media is expressed, no matter which form the media takes and the expression of media takes.
Space Jam - A New Legacy was released on July 16, 2021. It was directed by Malcom D. Lee, and produced by LeBron James, Ryan Coogler, Maverick Carter, Duncan Henderson. In this movie, LeBron James and his son Dom are trapped in a virtual reality by AL-G Rhythm. LeBron James has to navigate their way home, while leading the Looney Tunes squad to victory against AL-G’s champions on the basketball court. Looney Tunes alone had been its own successful franchise years before Space Jam. The show began in 1930, serving to tie together animated characters with catchy music for kids and adults (Ray, 2019).. Looney Tunes expansion into movies, such as Space Jam, just helps to widen its grasp on the film industry. Space Jam is also well known for its strong product placement of Nike. Nike is one of the biggest companies on the planet, with a market cap of over $160 billion (Csiszar, 2022). Lebron James has been one of Nike’s biggest market draws since entering the NBA in 2003, and has since signed a lifelong contract to stay with the brand (Zucker, 2017). This connection allowed the audience to consume Nike’s very obvious use of product placement in the newest Space Jam.
It is beneficial to examine the product placement of Nike in Space Jam from a lens of media literacy because the audience can get a better understanding of its effectiveness. It also provides a deeper, “awareness of the impact of media on the individual and society” (Baran, 2022, p. 25). Examining through a media literacy lens and learning the internal media language is also beneficial when understanding why D. Lee did what he did. For example, the creation of the LeBron 19 sneakers.“Blending the black upper and white midsole from the black/red XIs with the clear translucent outsole from the white/black/concord edition, the shoe took on a monochrome look reminiscent of how Jordan would often wear black sneakers with white uniforms during his NBA playoff runs” (DePaula, 2021, Behind the brand power of the 'space jam' franchise). Other than the symbolism of the sneakers, Maverick Carter believes that Nike was brought into the movie to help the story, “The biggest moment in this movie is the game that culminates at the end and is a real game that matters. … Having the Tune Squad and Goon Squad in Nike helps the story, and helps validate the game of basketball, because that’s what NBA players wear” (DePaula, 2021, Behind the brand power of the 'space jam' franchise). Nike’s product placement carries both symbolic meaning but also helps with the narrative of the story.
Space Jam 2’s introduction of product placement was a huge risk when comparing it to the original 1990’s film. The first Space Jam had no Nike influence or endorsement, and did not use its platform to advertise. In 2015, LeBron James signed a “lifetime endorsement deal with Nike… which was the first of its kind for the shoe and apparel company” (Marusic, para 4). Space Jam: A New Legacy took advantage of this, and succeeded. It is beneficial to realize this when examining from a media lens because it is proof that high risk results in high reward, especially with things most people tend not to give a second thought about.
Space Jam: A New Legacy is widely considered as the strongest case of product placement the movie theater has ever seen (Concave, 2022). No other movie has had an advertiser take up as much screen time as Nike did during this film. This drastic change from little to no product placement to the most product placement in movie industry history was a massive leap for the producers to make. This leap will be the model for movies to come. Other movie producers and large companies will see the success Space Jam and Nike were able to produce and try to imitate it. When referring to Media Skill 7, Nike and Space Jam were able to understand their audience by making advertisements a direct part of media. The audience will now make the connection of Nike and Space Jam in all forms of media, not just movies.
References
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