Sex and the City 2: Product placement stars

The first Sex and the City movie, with its montage of fashion and luxury brands, was a marketer's dream two years ago. With the sequel opening Thursday, we 'couldn't help but wonder' what companies are hoping to cash in on cameos this time around.

These key roles were a bonus for Apple, which never pays for product placement in TV or films -- although it will donate products to the set.

Carrie's love affair with Mac lasted a decade, but she's two-timing now. The film will still show Carrie on her Mac, but will also feature Hewlett-Packard's PCs prominently.

For example, Samantha Jones will work on an HP TouchSmart PC at her chic Times Square office. In real life, the company also gets prime placement in Sex and the City-themed window displays of Bergdorf Goodman, Swarovski and other luxury retailers.

In return, HP is running a massive ad campaign, including one commercial launched last week where Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Carrie, appears as an HP spokeswoman. HP's director of global marketing, Tracey Trachta, wouldn't say whether a fee was part of their deal.

Referring to the Apple rivalry, she said, "the objective really was to harness the popularity and passion and excitement about 'Sex and the City,' and less so about displacing any competition."