What's Your Number?

Product placement is a form of advertising where specific logos or products are displayed in a positive manner. It may be as subtle as an extra second of camera time on a label or as obvious as the characters actually promoting the product during the film. The various products and companies that were marketed during “What’s Your Number” ranged everywhere on the scale.

                The most obvious form of consumerism was for Marie Claire. Marie Claire is a worldwide women’s magazine covering mostly health, beauty, and fashion topics. The entire plot of the movie is around an article published in Marie Claire. Various Harvard researchers are also cited in the article. Never once in the movie does the protagonist, Ally, or any of her friends doubt what the article says. It is ridiculous do go through the search mission that Ally does all because Marie Claire said so. Yet, there is never a question in anyone’s mind that the article is stupid or inaccurate. The ending of the movie actually proves the article to be completely true and trustworthy.

                More subtle forms of product placement are seen throughout the movie. Apple products appear numerous times from beginning to end. From characters’ iPhones, Macbooks, and iPods, Apple dominates the technology in the movie. Additionally, the Honda logo is specifically noticeable on Ally’s steering wheel during a crucial scene. Ally is tracking down the true love of her life in her bright blue Honda Fit; a fuel efficient car with a new 2012 model.

                Product placement plays an important and overpowering role in “What’s Your Number”. I’m sure Marie Claire, Apple, and Honda paid a lot of money for it.