Advertising, ad campaigns, ad agencies, and the people that make it happen

This whole product placement thing is getting a little out of hand in my opinion with today’s news that DC Comics is launching "Rush City," a six-part miniseries boasting promotional support from GM’s Pontiac. A new hero known as "The Rush" will be prominently featured driving a Pontiac Solstice in the comic book. This follows on from the appearance over the last few months of the "swoosh" logo from Nike in many of the  scenes in a growing number of Marvel Comic’s titles. Up to know, the “swoosh” has been popping up on car doors and character's T-shirts. "We are always looking for new and interesting ways of connecting with our consumers," says Nate Tobecksen, a Nike spokesman. Well listen up Nate. There are already rumbles in Gotham City, with comic aficionados not too thrilled about this blatant shilling. Such ads "taint the experience," says Chuck Rozanski, founder of Mile High Comics in Denver. "The comic environment is designed to take you away from reality for a moment," he says. "Here we are thrusting offensive marketing products from our world into this fantasy world." Better get on the “BatPhone!”

Don't these people at Nike realize that they're playing with fire?