"What's up, people? We're going full auto on this new Kriss Vector gun."

That's actress Milla Jovovich speaking to the camera in a behind-the-scenes video promoting the current box office-topping film Resident Evil: Retribution. The fifth iteration of the hit franchise offers little new material. But what is new is the Kriss Vector submachine gun toted throughout the movie by Jovovich, who is quickly becoming the firearm industry's most reliable spokesperson.

With additional roles in 2012 hit films The Avengers and Total Recall, Kriss is the latest brand of unique looking firearm to make a splash in Hollywood.Continue reading...

The hottest video in rotation is currently Lady Gaga's Judas. With as much style as it lacks sense — it's a muddled religious metaphor; all you need to know is she's a Harley-loving Mary Magdalene, as her new album cover tipped off fans — it's characteristically Gaga.

Plus, unlike recent videos of fellow pop divas Britney Spears and J.Lo, it appears Gaga has eschewed the overt product placement of last year's Telephone — apart from the Harley Davidson bikes that open the video, and the Schott Perfecto leather motorcycle jackets — for brand cameos that would be more recognizable to fashion cognoscenti.

As the Haus of Gaga's creative director/stylist Nicola Formichetti notes on his Tumblr, the video's fashion credits include Thierry Mugler, vintage Christian Lacroix, Alexander McQueen shoes and a Versace bracelet that was a gift from her Japanese fans.

Judas also contains one prominent product placement that might surprise fans of the songbird who sports a peace sign tattoo on her wrist. Continue reading...

For decades, when Hollywood wanted to arm its characters with a distinctive brand of gun, it went with the Desert Eagle. As we've noted, the triangular-barreled hand cannon has appeared in hundreds of film roles and reaped the benefits at the sales counter.

Now, this weekend's release of Predators, a sequel to 1987's Arnold Schwartznegger sci-fi action film Predator, is introducing an all-new brand of exotic weapon: the AA-12.Continue reading...

A brewing showdown over product placement could set a precedent for the growing marketing practice and raise questions about who controls how brands benefit from onscreen roles.

The studio behind the Twilight saga of films has filed suit to stop the Dakota Collective's BB Dakota brand from selling its Twilight jacket. The twist: turns out it's the retailer's exclusive design, which the filmmakers used without Dakota's knowledge or permission. Now that the brand is trying to capitalize on its garment's cameo in the film, it's being hit with a lawsuit.

As befits being bitten by a vampire franchise, as far as Dakota is concerned it all, well, sucks.Continue reading...

Brandchannel's product placement tracker Brandcameo fails to see any new blood this week as Shrek Forever After maintains its stranglehold on the U.S. box office, and entertainment-exasperated parents' pocketbooks. This reality does not mean however that the week provided no product placement news of note.

Finishing third at the U.S. box office for its opening weekend, Killers proved that Ashton Kutcher may now have more Twitter followers than God, but, it appears, he is no longer a guaranteed superstar onscreen.

Another performer from the film Killers that does remain an onscreen staple? The Desert Eagle. Magnum Research's pistol is probably the most distinctive-looking gun of its kind.Continue reading...