A Real Life Advertising Creep

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"Reality-based product placement" is here. The car maker Jaguar's new marketing strategy is to give "its high-end cars to jet-setters" in major cities, for free. In Manhattan, Nico Bossi and his Jaguar XK "show up at all the right places, such as ... hangouts in New York's trendy meatpacking district." According to the Wall Street Journal, "Many people ask about the car, but Mr. Bossi doesn't reveal his Jaguar deal. ... Sometimes, he takes people who are really interested for a spin." The deal was brokered by the PR firm Brandman Agency. Firm owner Melanie Brandman said the arrangement "makes the advertisements come to life." Bossi gives the firm "updates on where he goes each week." In similar but smaller programs, General Motors "chauffeured VIPs around the Super Bowl in Detroit earlier this year" and DaimlerChrysler "lent out the new Mercedes-Benz R Class SUVs to selected consumers for a week."