Why brands still love James Bond

Coca-Cola's multi-million pound deal with the upcoming James Bond film shows that the spy continues to be a huge draw for brands. The tie-up, which will see Coca-Cola Zero rebranded as Zero Zero 7 to support the second film with actor Daniel Craig playing Bond, is the latest in a long line of collaborations - reports Brand Republic.

The iconic naval officer turned spy has been bombarded with pleas for product placements since 1962's Dr No. The ultimate case of a jet-setting ladies man, the glamour of Bond appeals to everyone and brands want to associate themselves with it.

In the last Bond film, Casino Royale, things were brought back to basics, and the result was a resurgence of brand Bond. 'Ultimately Bond's reinvention has made him more gritty and more accessible to people and this is the reason why brands want to be associated with him,' said Martin Smith, head of planning at Saatchi & Saatchi.

Andrew Knowles, co-founder of JKR, believes that brands and Bond work in unison. 'With 007, brand associations like Omega and Aston Martin both gain and contribute to the Bond charisma,' he said. 'More prosaic brands like Coke Zero initially feel a less comfortable fit, but remind us of the enduring appeal of simple myths and symbols,' he added. The brand is trying to celebrate Bond's masculine image and his adventures.

Although most of the tie-in's are male-oriented brands, the appeal of Bond is collective. The memorable Halle Berry bond girl bikini was replicated by M&S and was a top seller. Although this, according to Smith, had much more to do with men wanting their partners to wear it, rather than women buying the sexy numbers themselves.

'The Bond franchise is wide open and to date it has used male products to drive the endorsement factor, but I think it could well open up a much wider market,' says Rune Gustafson, chief executive at Interbrand.

In the latest instalment which premieres on October 29, a Ford Ka will feature, albeit as a metallic gold version. And sticking with cars, BMW used Tomorrow Never Dies as the platform to launch the Z3 roadster. Bond has always had an association with the luxurious, the fast, the exciting. Smith believes that demonstrating some bling simply gives a brand positive kudos.

Brands will always strive to associate themselves with the celebrity and Bond is still the epitome of this. 'I'm not a fan of James Bond, but I can definitely see why brands would use him to create aspiration as most schoolboys and even grown men want to be him,' said Smith.

* MGM earned $100m on product placements in The World Is Not Enough.
* BMW launched the Z3 roadster in Tomorrow Never Dies.
* The new Bond girl Olga Kurylenko will star in Heineken ads.
* Metallic gold Ford Ka used in 'Quantum of Solace'.
* Daniel Craig stars as James Bond in a Sony ad to demonstrate the long-term distributor and commercial partner of the film franchise.
* Coca-Cola renames Coke Zero to Zero Zero 7.
* Pierce Brosnan as Bond, only ever wore Brioni suits.
* Originally wearing Rolex, Bond now wears Omega watches.

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