Quote:
Originally Posted by frank.g
While I was still running the SD Registry, sometime in the mid-late 90's, I had the opportunity to interview Jim Wangers. One of the topics was his involvement in placing Pontiac's in movies, such as "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" and McQ. He confirmed to me that all these vehicles were non-SD's (Why would the studios spend $500 on a feature that would never be seen?). We also discussed the missing decals. At that time, the car companies were very concerned about government and insurance company intervention in their business, and they were regularly making business decisions to keep a low profile, such as the self imposed bans in racing. One of the other ways they lowered their profile in movies where "spirited driving" was likely to occur, was to require that identifying markings, such as the decals, be removed. If you view other movies from this era, you will see similar deletions. You gotta love the lawyers!
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Thank you Frank for the Wangers input and history...although an AD-Man might have slapped on a set of cheap-o SD455 decals on a base engine model for same $ saving reasons...show vs go for Marketing to movie audiences?
but, as you said, the insurance AND let's no forget the '73 / '74 "Gas Crisis" where major concerns @ the time. Cool.
On
the de-branding of vehicles I've noticed this occurring on many network and movie programming in recent yrs continuing now into 2014.
Ex: On some of my Mrs fave TV series, such as "Bones", initially had scenes with actors driving in and drive by in Chevy Suburbans...then for a couple of seasons they were sponsored by Toyota, and then the actors were in all Toyota vehicles, with one none-to-subtle episode w the Emily Descenile "Bones" character describing features of her Prius to her partner as they rode to a murder scene. For what ever reasons, Toyota sponsorship ended for this specific show. Contract end?
Now they are back to older Suburbans in drive by scenes and it is obvious when "black tape" is used to cover the Chevy, Toyota, etc. grill and body badges.
Same "black-out" vehicle debranding noted more often on many other programmings.