'Up in the Air' product placement pays off for American Airlines, Paramount
By ANDREA AHLES
When Paramount Pictures decided to make the movie Up in the Air, the studio had its usual pre-production checklist.
Hire an award-winning director. (Jason Reitman. Check.)
Get a handsome Hollywood movie star. (George Clooney. Check.)
Find an airline. (Huh?)
The story of corporate layoff consultant Ryan Bingham involved his attempt to hit 10 million frequent-flier miles, and that intrigued American Airlines, which has over 20 million members in its AAdvantage frequent-flier program.
So in the fall of 2008, when Paramount approached American about using its airplanes, terminals and Admirals Clubs, the Fort Worth-based carrier said yes to one of the more comprehensive movie product-placement deals done in Hollywood.
And with the movie raking in $71 million and a Golden Globe so far, it looks like the deal has paid off.
"American Airlines didn’t pay a penny, and they got enormous favorable publicity, and in return, Paramount saved a lot of money to make their movie," said Daniel Howard, a marketing professor at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.
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