Much has been written about the latest installment of the Avengers movie series. From the cutting-edge technology Marvel Studios employed to the high-octane action sequences that kept cinemagoers right on the edge of their seats, people just can’t get enough of this superhero action flick.
Avengers movie are on display at the Block Atrium
at SM North Edsa coinciding with the screening of
the movie
True enough, there’s no point in waiting for a DVD copy because there’s no substitute for the experience one can get from seeing it in High Definition and on the big screen, of course. While others rave about the final action sequence that reminds us about how Mr. and Mrs. Smith annihilate their opponents (only in steroids, lots of steroids), some overlooked the shameless product placement in the new movie released in MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
Not even the world of movies is safe from product advertising, you see. Although product placement didn’t run the whole thing unlike movies we have from Vic Sotto or Kris Aquino, it’s hard not to notice how brands like Gillette, Adidas, Samsung, Audi and Mercedes Benz were inserted subversively and had prominent exposure as if they were part of the plot.
The film suggests to use a Gillette products to steal the attention of a girl as hot as Scarlett Johansson. Or if you want be run as fast as Quicksilver, wear an Adidas trainer. This “collaboration” even resulted to the introduction of a new upcoming shoe line for kids and adults but of course with no guarantee that you’ll be able to move as fast as Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s on-screen persona. Now, for you to look suave and gwapo like Robert Downey Jr., Audi V10 is the car for you. The Avengers depicts an Audi car as a very reliable automobile and a Mercedes Benz as a disposable one, they just blasted a chedeng’s windshield and let the expensive vehicle roll over.
But wait there’s more. These products are nothing compared to what the South Korean government did just to end up as one of the film locations of the film. No, it’s not just about the Samsung signage enjoying some significant exposure. As revealed during the European red carpet premiere of the movie, the South Korean government paid an eye-watering $3.7 million to the makers of the new Avengers movie to ensure the country is shown in a positive light. The figure is about 30 percent of the cost of production when they shoot numerous scenes in Seoul. The locations featured in the film include Gangnam Boulevard, immortalized in the pop song “Gangnam Style,” and “Cheongdam” and “Mapo Bridges,: which span the city’s Han River.
The agreement between the producers and South Korea’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism materialized on an agreement that the city will be portrayed as an iconic modern Asian city. The film delivered but it didn’t sit well with the Korean audience. Apart from the fact public funds were used, audiences thought the setting of the modern city was shot in Tokyo.
Larger than life exhibit
Coinciding with the premiere of the latest installment of the Avengers movie series, the SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc. (SMLEI) unveiled a larger than life Avengers themed exhibit at the Block Atrium in SM North EDSA on April 20.
According to Edgar Tejerero, president of SMLEI, the exhibit costs more than P9 million and will be available for viewing (and for some selfies) until May 16.
Distribution Disney Media Network,
Architect Renee Bacani AVP operations
of SM city NorthEdgar Tejerero
President of SMLEI
Marvel characters on display include Iron Man, Captain America, Ultron, Hulk and Hulk Buster. To complement the Avengers experience, guests get to relive their favorite Avengers hero through activities and games. With the Disney XD’s family interactive game, kids can get to be Iron Man for a day in a video game mission to bring down all enemies. Visitors can get a chance to be a god and lift Thor’s axe, or be as strong as the Hulk by winning over an arm wrestling challenge.
Adding excitement to seeing larger than life action figures, Avengers fans also got a chance to meet these action heroes in the flesh. Disney flew in international authentic characters like Captain America, Thor and Black Widow in a two-day meet and greet event at the exhibit venue.
“This is a great treat to the Filipino fans of the Avengers movie. You’re the first to see the film and the first to experience this kind of exhibit. We’re not going to see the new movie until May 1,” the Disney official commented during the exhibit’s ribbon cutting ceremony.