Commercial brands can stir great passions, and marketing researchers at the University of Otago have adopted a fresh approach to learn more about their role in movies.
Up to 1200 Dunedin people are being invited to enjoy a free movie, as well as a free beer and nibbles, for taking part in university research into the use of branded products in movies, and how they are perceived.
Researchers will screen the popular Tom Cruise movie Minority Report at 7pm each evening from next Wednesday to February 2, at the university's Burns 1 lecture theatre.
Research participants, who must be 18 or older, can only attend the movie once and will be asked to fill in a short questionnaire before the film and another afterwards.
Dr Ben Wooliscroft, a senior lecturer in marketing, and PhD candidate Francisco Conejo are undertaking the research, the latter investigating the way brands are viewed as "personalities".
Branded products were increasingly being included in movies and television shows for promotional purposes, Dr Wooliscroft said.
Many people perceived such brands in terms of their personalities, sometimes regarding them, for example, as familiar, dependable, and long-trusted companions, he said.
However, if consumers believed their favourite icon brands were acting out of character, such as by being unexpectedly manufactured overseas, they could react angrily, he said.
Concern was voiced by Australian consumers of a popular breakfast spread in 2006 after reports it was proposed to switch the manufacture to China.
People wishing to take part in the university research are asked to reserve a seat through www.movieresearch.otago.ac.nz or by phoning 479.7697.
Up to 220 seats will be available each night.