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007 rakes in revenues
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December 9, 1997: 6:31 p.m. ET
Soon to be released James Bond film has a full roster of promotional partners
From Correspondent Stuart Varney
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - He seems to be everywhere... 007 is the star of the new film "Tomorrow Never Dies," and 18 other James Bond movies over the last 35 years.
But before the film even hits theaters on December 19th, the small screen is being inundated with Bond -- flying through the air on a BMW motorcycle, paying for Caviar with a Visa card, and in print ads showing off his Omega watch.
In all, eight companies have signed up to be promotional partners with the man who is the epitome of style.
"We think the style and sort of panache of James Bond and Pierce Brosnan is exactly the sort of character we wanted to portray," said Michael Beindorff, vice president of marketing for Visa.
"You think of elegance, you think of action, you think of cutting edge technology, you think of superior precision," said Venanzio Ciampa, worldwide marketing director for Omega. "These are the qualities that also are associated with Omega watches."
As production costs continue to soar, product tie-ins can be very lucrative for studios.
The production budget for "Tomorrow Never Dies" hit $100 million. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer racked up about the same amount in promotions through the ad tie-ins, before it spent a cent on advertising.
Children's movies have long been linked to products -- take a walk through a Disney Store or a Warner Brothers Store.
One analyst sees potential for the adult market, too.
"The adult market might have more longevity, as they go after watches and cellular phones, lots of different things, when the video comes out that will certainly reinvent that wheel all over again too," said Jill Krutick, entertainment analyst for Smith Barney.
Even though some criticize the Bond film for taking tie-in ads to an extreme, it is not a new concept. In the 1980's, "ET" boosted Reece's Pieces sales, and Mercedes' 4-wheel drive starred in this year's "Jurassic Park" sequel, "The Lost World."
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