Product Placement Brands in THE MATRIX Franchise (1999-2021)
Posted on 23rd December 2021
Concave looks at all the product placement brands in THE MATRIX franchise including RESURRECTIONS and how it compares
23rd December 2021
THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS is out, and Concave Brand Tracking combed through the fourth MATRIX film to analyze how its product placement compares to its predecessors.
We recorded every brand that appeared, how long it was on screen, and how visibly. This allowed us to compare RESURRECTIONS to its three predecessors, released in 1999 and 2003. This data also tells us which brands were the biggest winners from MATRIX 4.
Check out our video version of this article
RESURRECTIONS vs. the original trilogy
The latest MATRIX film features 47 different brands. They vary wildly from laptops and VR headsets to exercise machines and paper towels. This was more than any of the original three films. The original contained 39 different brands while THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003) and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (2003) had 27 and 13, respectively.
Overall though, RESURRECTIONS did not provide brands with as much visibility as THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003). Despite having more brands, they only totaled 35 minutes of screen time vs. 50 in RELOADED. The second film also provided a higher quality of exposure than any other MATRIX film. This means products appeared more prominently, and their logos were more visible.
Product Placement Advertising Value
As THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS just came out, it is not yet possible to estimate the value it provides brands. We need an idea of the new film’s audience to calculate that. We will, however, update this article in due course. However, if it were to be seen by 100 million viewers (which has already been achieved by such films as ARMY OF THE DEAD, I CARE A LOT or THE TOMORROW WAR from streaming alone), this would equate to around 38 million dollars in product placement value for the 47 brands.
Nearly 300 million people saw the original trilogy in theatres. This provided a total of 107 million dollars in value to the brands it featured. However, in the past 20 years, well over 1.5 billion people have seen the films, according to Concave’s own conservative estimate. This vast audience means over 650 million dollars in advertising value for the brands.
Of the 65 brands that appeared across the original three films, the most visible included Sol, Nokia, and Panasonic in THE MATRIX (1999) as well as Cadillac, Samsung, and Ducati in THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003).
However, by far the most significant brand to appear across the trilogy and in each film individually was Blinde, the manufacturer of the iconic sunglasses worn by almost every character.
The mysterious company headed by Richard Walker is behind almost every single pair of eyewear in the first three MATRIX movies and made 54% of all brand value in those films. We say mysterious as Blinde seems to no longer exist, and very little is known about its history. Just that they created custom sunglasses for all the cast in the original MATRIX and the two subsequent films. They seem to have briefly sold some of the Matrix models, but these are only available on sites like eBay nowadays.
But now let us turn out attention to the brands in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, where eyewear was also a huge part but from a different brand.
The Top 10 Brands in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS #10 Apple
While Apple was not in the original MATRIX trilogy, it appeared discreetly here and there in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. For example, when Bugs find Neo’s old apartment, we see a vintage Apple Clisk II floppy disk drive. Neo also has an Apple Mac Pro tower on his desk at work. Eagle-eyed viewers will also spot Apple earbuds, Apple smartwatches, and iPads at various points in the film. This all adds up to 36 seconds of screen time for Apple.
Apple is also one of the top brands in film year in and year out. It was #1 in 2020 with placements in 30 of the 50 most viewed movies. Its best integrations were in THE WRONG MISSY, MY SPY, and HOLIDATE.
#9 Blinde eyewear
As we’ve mentioned above, Blinde no longer seems to be in business. However, they appeared for nearly 30 seconds in the new film thanks to many flashbacks to the old ones.
#8 Mercedes-Benz cars
After eyewear, the second most common type of product in the MATRIX franchise is cars. Of course, the Lincoln Continental was the iconic car that appeared in all three original films. But, unfortunately, that brand did not appear in the latest movie.
Instead, we found the likes of Mercedes, who got over half of a minute of screen time in the form of a 2019 Mercedes-AMG G 63. Some of the young cast members used it in the final showdown.
#7 Razer phone
When people think back to THE MATRIX (1999), one of the first brands that come to mind is Nokia. And for a good reason. Nokia was the second most visible brand in the first film. The Nokia 8110 made an iconic appearance in the original MATRIX and got over four minutes of screen time. Furthermore, in the 22 years since the movie was released, Nokia has earned over 100 million dollars in advertising value from the placement.
But the MATRIX/Nokia partnership was not meant to last. In 2003, with THE MATRIX RELOADED, Samsung took over with the SPH-N270 becoming the new Matrix phone.
However, both the placement and film failed to achieve the same success as Nokia in the original. Between Samsung only getting about half of minute of screen time and far fewer people watching the sequels, to date, Samsung has only garnered about two million dollars in advertising value from this integration. This represents less than 2% of what Nokia got.
This brings us to THE MATRIX RESURRECTION, where Samsung was absent, and Nokia appeared in two shots to recreate the first scene of the first movie
Instead, the main phone brand used in the new film is Razer. Although its logo is never visible, Neo uses a Razer Phone 2 for almost a minute of screen time in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS.
This choice is likely due to his job as a video game designer. Although not a common brand in entertainment, Razer has carved itself a niche as a gamer-related brand. It has achieved this with placement in SILICON VALLEY, SHAZAM!, and most recently in FREE GUY. Razer also made Concave list of the top 100 brands in film in 2017. It was #62 thanks to its appearance in THE FATE OF THE FURIOUS (2017).
#6 Graetz TV
In the original MATRIX film, AWA was the 7th most visible brand thanks to its appearance as the vintage TV Morpheus uses while explaining the Matrix to Neo. AWA, which stands for Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), was presumably used because the film was shot in Australia, and they just needed an old TV set. When this scene is recreated in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, a similarly old TV is used, but it is different. Instead of an AWA TV, it is a Graetz, a German company that started making TVs in the 60s and still exists to this day.
This likely was a totally organic placement that occurred due to a need for a vintage TV with a distinct look. Concave has never recorded Graetz in any other film.
#5 Eurocopter / Airbus Helicopter
In THE MATRIX (1999), Bell Helicopters was the fifth most visible band thanks to the iconic scene where Neo frees Morpheus. It was specifically a Bell 212 that appeared.
With several subtle callbacks to the original scene, two Airbus Helicopters take on Neo and Trinity in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. The brand got a minute and a half of screen time. It was the AS350 model under Eurocopter or H125 since the company was rebranded to Airbus Helicopters.
Airbus is one of the most common helicopter brands to appear in film. It was the 36th most visible brand in 2018 thanks to its appearance in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT.
#4 Ford cars
While Mercedes was a new car brand to appear in the MATRIX franchise, Ford featured prominently in THE MATRIX (1999) and in the background of THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003).
In THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Ford can be seen as both police cars and as a Bronco SUV in the final act. This added up to over two minutes of screen time.
Ford is one of the most visible brands in film. It was the #1 brand in 2019 movies and #2 in 2020. Some of its most notable integrations have been in SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL (2020), FORD V FERRARI (2019), and NEED FOR SPEED (2014)
#3 Ducati motorcycles
While Trinity briefly drove a Triumph motorcycle in THE MATRIX (1999) and an MV Agusta bike one scene in THE MATRIX RELOADED (2003), Ducati is the brand she is most associated with.
Ducati was among the most visible brands in the second film, with a 996 motorcycle getting over two minutes of screen time. This placement was worth over 5.5 million during the film’s theatrical release and nearly 18 million dollars to date.
This relationship between character and brand is crystallized in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS when she says, “I dig her Ducati, another coincidence, I love motorcycles.” Ducati also appears in the film for over three minutes. Trinity’s vehicle of choice in MATRIX 4 is a Scrambler 1100 Pro.
Ducati is one of the most frequently seen motorcycle brands in entertainment. It was the 38th most visible brand in 2016 movies thanks to TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: OUT OF THE SHADOWS, the 50th most visible brand in 2018, thanks to VENOM
2021 is proving to be one of Ducati’s best in terms of product placement. Beyond THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, it has also starred in FREE GUY and VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE. These placements have associated the brand with Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Hardy, Ryan Reynolds, and Jodie Comer.
#2 Dell
In the original trilogy, only THE MATRIX (1999) featured real computers brands for a significant amount of time. At home and work, Neo’s computers were Panasonics, and the Agents used an IBM laptop near the end.
In THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, Neo works as a video game designer. As such, we see lots of computer-related products in the movie’s first half-hour. We see an Elecom mouse, a Vive VR headset, a Zelotes ergonomic mouse, an Apple tower, and a Kinesis keyboard. But the biggest computer brand is, by far, Dell.
Indeed, Neo’s desk is covered with numerous Dell products. We see three Dell monitors and two Dell laptops in a single shot of Neo working.
Dell laptops are also scattered across the conference table when his team is brainstorming.
Dell is consistently one of the most visible brands in film. It has never ranked outside the top 10 brand list since we first published it in 2016. Dell was #3 on Concave’s list in 2020 with appearances in SPENSER CONFIDENTIAL, THE WRONG MISSY, UNDERWATER, THE MIDNIGHT SKY, and THE INVISIBLE MAN.
Dell is having a great 2021 and looking like a frontrunner for the most visible brand of the year. It has had standout appearances in RED NOTICE, NO TIME TO DIE, THE GUILTY, FREE GUY, F9, and SPACE JAM 2. Dell was among the most visible brands in all those films while also appearing in over a dozen more.
#1 Tom Davies eyewear
As we’ve mentioned, Blinde was THE biggest brand winner in the original trilogy. Their choice as the eyewear for virtually all the characters resulted in 100 million dollars in value since the films came out.
With Blinde no longer around, the producers needed someone new to design the eyewear in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. So they turned to British designer Tom Davies. In the end, his frames got nearly 15 minutes of screen time in the new MATRIX film. All the main cast wore them, including the two stars, Carrie-Anne Moss and Keanu Reeves.
Whether Tom Davies gets as much long-term value from the Matrix franchise as Blinde will depend on the audience of this new chapter as well as its future. But, no matter what, the British eyewear brand will undoubtedly get millions of dollars advertising value from this partnership!
MATRIX 4 is, however, not Tom Davies’ first time on the silver screen. In 2016 Henry Cavill could be seen wearing bespoke Tom Davies Horn glasses in BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE. And more recently, Tom Davies was asked to create a range of frames for the Disney film CRUELLA (2021), starring Emma Stone.
The brand actually got a similar amount of screen time in CRUELLA as in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS. So with these two extensive placements, expect to see Tom Davies near the top of our list of the most visible brands in 2021 movies!
If you would like to know more about our methodology, data, or services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at info@concavebt.com
disclaimer: Concave Brand Tracking does work with certain brands on this list. However, as a market research company, our methodology is entirely objective. Furthermore, we are a third party that provides insights into the presence and portrayal of brands In entertainment. Therefore, we are not directly involved in our client’s strategic planning or the process of coordinating product placements.
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