Advertising and marketing makes the world go around, as we all know. But, that doesn't mean we can't cringe every now and then.
Case in point is this; confirmation from Volvo that the iconic Lara Croft's new mechanical companion in the up and coming new Tomb Raider film is a Volvo XC40 White R-Design.
Volvo's little crossover firecracker is set to be one of the biggest cars of 2018, with awards already being predicted and handed out.
“We’re very excited for the Volvo XC40 to have its film debut with Tomb Raider,” says Bob Jacobs, Vice President, Marketing, Product and Brand Communication at Volvo USA.
“One of the things we love about the film is Lara Croft’s character: bold, surprising and always ready for adventure, just like the Volvo XC40.”
Groan.
There's an interesting thesis piece that could be written here about the specific relationship between automotive product placement and action films. And it's not just through franchises like Fast & Furious (thanks, Fiat Chrysler), either.
Way way way back, The Matrix had strong ties with Cadillac. Chevrolet and Transformers, Audi in I, Robot and Iron Man, Aston Martin and James Bond, Ford in James Bond, BMW in James Bond...
Even the new Black Panther film, lauded among critics, is littered with enough Lexus references that by the end of it you'll either want to buy an LC 500 or key every single one you see.