London - The drink is as cool and sophisticated as the secret agent who orders it: Martini, shaken, not stirred.
James Bond has been seen ordering his favourite aperitif in movies from Dr No onwards.
Yet suddenly it seems as if 007 has developed a more down-market taste - for lager.In the latest example of product placement in the Bond franchise, he will be seen downing a frothy glass in the forthcoming film Skyfall.
Heineken has confirmed a deal with the film-makers where its product will feature in at least one scene as well as a separate advertising campaign featuring the iconic spy.
Lesya Lysyj, chief marketing officer for Heineken USA, told the industry magazine Advertising Age: “James Bond is a perfect fit for us. He is the epitome of the man of the world.”
It is not clear if 007, played by Daniel Craig, 44, will still be seen drinking his trademark martinis in other scenes.
The stipulation “shaken, not stirred” reflected Bond author Ian Fleming’s own taste. In the original novels and short stories, the agent is said to order 19 vodka martinis and 16 made with gin. Heineken had a product placement deal for Craig’s previous two films Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, but this is the first time he will be seen drinking the beer.
It has not been confirmed how much the Skyfall deal is worth but before agreeing it, the producers had reportedly already raised £29-million from brands that appear on screen.
This is approximately a third of the film’s budget.
In recent years, the Bond franchise has become almost as famous for its product placements as the action scenes. GoldenEye, the first to star Pierce Brosnan, was the focus of a successful BMW campaign, which promoted the German firm’s Z3 model.
Tomorrow Never Dies made close to £100 million from similar deals with a string of companies including BMW and Ericsson.
Craig’s inaugural outing as Bond in Casino Royale was ridiculed for a string of clumsy lines that appeared to have been incorporated into the script for the sole purpose of referring to a product.
One famous scene sees the spy asked if he is wearing a Rolex watch, to which he replies: “No, Omega.” - Daily Mail