Is Wilson In "Castaway" The Best Product Placement Ever?

This is Wilson, possibly the best product placement the movie industry has ever seen. In the iconic movie, Castaway, stars the legendary Tom Hanks as the character of Chuck. He is a FedEx employee who is stranded on an island after FedEx’s plane crashes on a flight over the South Pacific ocean. The film shows his attempts to survive on the island using leftovers of his plane’s cargo, as well as his eventual escape and return to society. However, Chuck is not alone. When opening boxes from the plane he discovers a Wilson volleyball. And here my friends is the birth of "Wilson," Chuck's only company on the island.

This example of Madison and Vine marketing strategy is interesting because not only was the brand
being promoted, but the product actually became a character. It provided Chuck with a "rare friend"
that he could talk to and provide company to. A major point to product placement is to make the viewer
believe that the product is indeed supposed to be there. As the movie's plot progresses, the audience gets
to see the Wilson volleyball transform from a character of little importance into one of high involvement
in the film.

By taking part in the film Wilson Sporting Good Company was able to promote their brand effortlessly. They even created "Wilson" as a product consumers could buy. In my opinion this was a seamless example of product placement. Not only was the product allowed to become a real life character, but the fact that it did not seem forced was what truly caught my attention. I liked how Chuck and Wilson's relationship felt genuine and not like a product being thrown in your face.