BOND V HUNT (Brand-off)

These are show notes from the podcast episode where we focus on the brands of Mission Impossible & James Bond franchise. We ask why the brands and licensing is so predominant in the James Bond films and not the Mission Impossible films. Or are they?

We’ll take a look at the following subjects, Watches, Cars, Tech and Clothes. Finally we finish with personal thoughts on the latest Dead Reckoning film part one. And where it ranks in the series so far.

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WATCHES  

Z – Do you want to kickstart this one? You’re running a series of Mission Impossible watches on your INSTA. What can you tell us about the watches and brands that Ethan wears?

Remmert – thoughts? On your site Watch-ID, how popular are the Mission Impossible watches would you say? And do the brands actively promote their involvement in the franchise like Omega do?

(my thoughts)

I think as a Bond fan you wait for how the watch is going to be incorporated into the narrative. Whether it’s an EMP or a Garrote Wire. So that’s baked into the identity of Bond. I don’t think MI has that identity. With either that accessory or a model.

But on a broader subject, you have Craig as an ambassador for Omega, doing press photos events. And you have Craig doing commercials with Heineken for example that will coincide with the release of the Bond movies, I don’t see any of that with Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise is not doing separate adverts for the brands to run alongside the films. And I wonder why that is.

Relative MI: Casio watches featured in the chat:

Mission Impossible watches available to buy:

The first Casio Illuminator Mission Impossible watch with a true cult following currently available from £70 on Amazon.

The second G-Shock Mission Impossible watch with the countdown is cheaper from £52 on Amazon.

CARS

Z – Let’s talk about the cars first. Bond hasn’t just driven Aston Martins. We had had a Ford rental in Casino Royale, Brosnan drove some BMW’s. But Mission Impossible look to have BMW as a signed on Brand Partner.

Couple of points on this.

  • As MI is an American Franchise would it make more sense for Ethan Hunt to have a Dodge, or a Corvette or something equally American symbolic?
  • How do you feel about how BMW is integrated into the MI movies?

REMMERT – any extra thoughts? Coming back to Bond, would you like to see the DB5 back for Bond 26? Do you think the car companies pay to be in the films or are they just donating the cars for production?

(my thoughts)

I don’t think it makes much sense for Ethan Hunt to be tied to a particular model of car as has often gone rogue, so he has to take whatever he can find or steal from the entrance to whatever rich persons event he is gate crashing.

I think it’s very organic how they get the cars into the films. For example the final act of Ghost Protocol at the BMW car silo. Really well done, I don’t look at that and think it’s a commercial for BMW.

TECH

Z – Phones, Laptops, etc does the MI – when people think tech it’s a lot about logos on the back of laptops weaved into the films. Do you think one franchise does this better than the other?

REMMERT – I know you bought Q’s old laptop from Skyfall I think? Does the Bond franchise weave in the product placement around tech more aggressively than Mission Impossible? I’m thinking specifically No Time to Die when Bond gets a call on his Nokia mobile at Madeline’s home.

(my thoughts)

I think it’s interesting with Tech that Hunt always seems to be on the vanguard with tech, whereas Bond feels more blunt instrument and old school. He has his quartermaster be his tech and I wonder how brands position themselves when it comes to placement.

For example, Bond in front of a VAIO laptop on a boat in Venice, is going to get more traction with the fans than Tanner looking an LG monitor. You’d probably want 2 seconds of Bond on the Nokia phone, than 30 minutes of M on the phone trying to book a table at Blades.

STYLE

Remmert – The style of Bond has a community and a village and it’s in own mother ship. From that you have licensing deals with brands, N.Peal, Orlebar Brown etc. As someone that runs Bond Lifestyle, have you ever considered doing a Hunt -Lifestyle, do you think there is a big enough village?

Z – You have jackets from both franchises, I think it’s funny that the John Varvatos bomber was in both Spectre and Fallout. Are you buying MI jackets to fill that void of not having anything Bond to buy right now because of lack of movies?

(my thoughts) I think it’s interesting that certain tailors have NDA’s that aren’t allowed to speak about the suits in the latest Dead Reckoning film. I think it’s because the tailor is a Hollywood tailor, he’s not a TOM FORD or Armani, so it might look to cheapen the overall brand. Who knows. But also it’s like the watch, I think the style of Bond, his tailored suits, is locked into the identity of the character and therefore easier to monetize, whereas, I don’t think cool casual leather jackets, or suede jackets, are really that marketable as an identifiable look.

Lastly, we might want to look at age. Cruise is in his 60s, I think his style both on and off screen is classic, are people looking to really aspire to that look. Are the kids thinking I need to look like Tom Cruise does, or Daniel Craig does in his films. 

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LASTLY–

Rank your favourite MI: films

  1. FALLOUT
  2. MI
  3. ROGUE NATION
  4. GHOST PROTOCOL
  5. DEAD RECKONING
  6. MI 2
  7. MI 3

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