DATE=12/22/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38515
TITLE= B-M-W AND AGENT 007
BYLINE= JOHN BIRCHARD
DATELINE= WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
INTRO: THE FICTIONAL SECRET AGENT DOUBLE-OH-7 -- JAMES BOND -- IS
BACK IN A NEW FILM AND THE FAMED MOVIE HERO IS AGAIN SHOWING HIS
SPECIAL BRAND OF DERRING-DO. BOND IS KNOWN FOR EMPLOYING
HIGH-TECH GADGETS AND DRIVING FANCY CARS. V-O-A'S JOHN BERCHARD
REPORTS THAT IN HIS NEW FILM,THE SECRET AGENT'S VEHICLES COME
FROM THE GERMAN CARMAKER, B-M-W.
TEXT: THE LATEST BOND FILM MARKS THE SECOND TIME HE HAS CHOSEN
B-M-W PRODUCTS. IN LATE 1995, THE COMPANY'S NEW Z-3 ROADSTER MADE
ITS WORLD DEBUT IN THE FILM "GOLDENEYE" BEFORE THE CAR WAS
ACTUALLY ON THE MARKET. JIM MCDOWELL, VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
FOR B-M-W OF NORTH AMERICA, SAYS THE IMPACT OF THAT MOVIE
EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS.
/// MCDOWELL ACT ///
OUR GOAL WAS, THROUGH A NUMBER OF INNOVATIVE MEASURES
INCLUDING HAVING THE CAR IN THE FILM, THAT WE WOULD
PRE-SELL 5-THOUSAND CARS BEFORE PRODUCTION BEGAN IN THE
UNITED STATES. AND WE ACTUALLY ENDED UP PRE-SELLING MORE
THAN 10-THOUSAND CARS, MORE THAN SIX WEEKS BEFORE
PRODUCTION BEGAN. SO, IN THAT REGARD, WE GOT AN AWFUL
LOT OF ATTENTION BEHIND THE NEW ROADSTER. WE'RE CERTAIN
THE FILM WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.
/// END ACT ///
MISTER MCDOWELL SAYS HIS COMPANY HAS A POLICY OF PLACING CARS
WITH FILM STUDIOS AS A SERVICE. HE SAYS HIS PEOPLE READ SCRIPTS
AND, DEPENDING ON THE USE OF THE CAR, THEY MAKE VEHICLES
AVAILABLE.
/// MCDOWELL ACT ///
IN THE CASE OF "GOLDENEYE", WE GAVE THEM AN
EXTRA-SPECIAL OFFER, WHICH WAS -- WE SAID "WOULD YOU
LIKE A CAR THAT'S NOT YET IN THE MARKET?". WE THOUGHT
THAT WAS FITTING, GIVEN BOND'S IMAGE, THAT HE COULD BE
DRIVING SOMETHING THAT WOULD LOOK SO EXOTIC THAT PEOPLE
WOULD WONDER NOT ONLY WHAT BOND WAS DOING, BUT WHERE
THAT CAR CAME FROM AND WHAT IT WAS.
/// END ACT ///
IN THE NEW FILM, DOUBLE-OH-7 HAS TWO B-M-W'S: THE NEW "CRUISER"
MOTORCYCLE ON WHICH BOND, PORTRAYED BY ACTOR PIERCE BROSNAN, AND
CO-STAR MICHELLE YEOH, ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE THEIR COMMON ENEMIES...
AND THE 750-IL TOP-OF-THE-LINE LUXURY SEDAN. IN THE FILM THAT
CAR SUCH NON-STANDARD ITEMS AS ROCKET LAUNCHERS AND A
REMOTE-CONTROL DRIVING SYSTEM.
JIM MCDOWELL SAYS B-M-WHAS A POLICY OF NOT PAYING FILM STUDIOS TO
PUT THEIR CARS ON THE SILVER SCREEN. HOWEVER THERE ARE
ADVANTAGES FOR THE MOVIEMAKERS.
/// MCDOWELL ACTUALITY ///
WHAT WE SAID WE WOULD DO IN THIS INSTANCE IS RUN B-M-W
ADVERTISING THAT PUTS THE OVERALL B-M-W PRODUCT IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE FILM. SO, IF YOU LOOK AT OUR TELEVISION
ADS, THEY ARE THOROUGHLY, THROUGH-AND-THROUGH, B-M-W
TELEVISION SPOTS CONSTRUCTED FROM ACTUAL FOOTAGE FROM
THE FILM. SO, IT IS DEFINITELY A B-M-W AD, BUT IT HELPS
MAKE YOU AWARE THAT A NEW BOND FILM IS OUT, "TOMORROW
NEVER DIES".
/// END ACTUALITY ///
BEFORE LOANING A CAR, SAYS MISTER MCDOWELL, THE COMPANY WANTS TO
KNOW HOW IT IS WRITTEN INTO THE SCRIPT. HE SAYS THEN THE DECISION
IS MADE WHETHER OR NOT TO BE INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION.
/// MCDOWELL ACTUALITY ///
WE ARE NOT IN THE POSITION OF TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY
SHOULD PUT IN THEIR SCRIPTS. BUT WE CAN SAY WHETHER WE
THINK IT'S IN KEEPING WITH THE IMAGE OF B-M-W OR NOT. IF
IT ISN'T, WE JUST WON'T GO AHEAD WITH THE EFFORT.
/// END ACTUALITY ///
JIM MCDOWELL SAYS HIS COMPANY IS ALWAYS OPEN TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES
TO EXPOSE ITS PRODUCTS, BUT THAT THEY LIKE TO PICK THEIR "SPOTS".
HE SAYS IT'S POSSIBLE TO OVERDO SUCH A THING. HE FEELS B-M-W HAS
WHAT HE CALLS A "GOOD TRADITION GOING WITH (JAMES) BOND", A
TRADITION HE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE. (SIGNED)
NEB/JB/MGB
22-Dec-97 4:05 PM EST (2105 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.