Tomb of the Unknown got the product placement portion right. As far as why it's covered up sometimes, that's an advertising issue...and is almost entirely in regard to television productions.
If NBC shoots an episode of Friends that features Rachel drinking Coca-Cola straight from the bottle, what happens when it turns out that Pepsi has purchased a block of advertising to coincide with that episode? Do they blur the bottle and hope that America thinks it needs to have its eyes checked? Do they reshoot the scene? Do they air it and hope that nobody who works for Pepsi hears that they show that they bought advertising time around has actually featured a built-in commercial for Coca-Cola?
No.
The network simply avoids all logos, trademarks, insignias and imprints. This is an accepted part of film production. Sometimes you're faced with something that has a logo on it and you have to cover over it. We call that "greeking" it, or "greeking it out". This term is no doubt borrowed from the world of print when they run boilerplate ("greek") text to fit where ad copy will eventually be placed.
The reason you don't see this "cover-it-up" phenomenon on most theatrical-release movies is that Legal (usually a hired specialty legal research firm) will actually help the film's production company get the approval of the manufacturer to feature the product on-screen, and in some cases get product for promo. There are now companies which specialize in promotional goods, relieving the manufacturers from creating a special department or position to deal with film companies on a one-to-one basis. Some companies, like Sony, have had their own promo departments at times (Sony may have changed their policy). If the product is used in a manner that is considered "unsuitable" then it is usual for the manufacturer to refuse to allow their product to be used in the scene. Don't ask me what happens in court if there's a dispute...
Apple does have a department that deals with its computers, and there is often an option for employees to purchase the computers that were used as set-dressing/props at a reduced rate at the end of the show. Usually the Producers/Director and above-the-line people get first shot at buying these toys at a reduced rate. Not exactly fair that the highly-paid big-shots get first dibs at a deal....but that's life. I know several people who got great deals on machines from the big fruit company.
Comments
If NBC shoots an episode of Friends that features Rachel drinking Coca-Cola straight from the bottle, what happens when it turns out that Pepsi has purchased a block of advertising to coincide with that episode? Do they blur the bottle and hope that America thinks it needs to have its eyes checked? Do they reshoot the scene? Do they air it and hope that nobody who works for Pepsi hears that they show that they bought advertising time around has actually featured a built-in commercial for Coca-Cola?
No.
The network simply avoids all logos, trademarks, insignias and imprints. This is an accepted part of film production. Sometimes you're faced with something that has a logo on it and you have to cover over it. We call that "greeking" it, or "greeking it out". This term is no doubt borrowed from the world of print when they run boilerplate ("greek") text to fit where ad copy will eventually be placed.
The reason you don't see this "cover-it-up" phenomenon on most theatrical-release movies is that Legal (usually a hired specialty legal research firm) will actually help the film's production company get the approval of the manufacturer to feature the product on-screen, and in some cases get product for promo. There are now companies which specialize in promotional goods, relieving the manufacturers from creating a special department or position to deal with film companies on a one-to-one basis. Some companies, like Sony, have had their own promo departments at times (Sony may have changed their policy). If the product is used in a manner that is considered "unsuitable" then it is usual for the manufacturer to refuse to allow their product to be used in the scene. Don't ask me what happens in court if there's a dispute...
Apple does have a department that deals with its computers, and there is often an option for employees to purchase the computers that were used as set-dressing/props at a reduced rate at the end of the show. Usually the Producers/Director and above-the-line people get first shot at buying these toys at a reduced rate. Not exactly fair that the highly-paid big-shots get first dibs at a deal....but that's life. I know several people who got great deals on machines from the big fruit company.
Now THATS product placement 8)