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Vitaminwater, EverywhereWhy is David Ortiz shilling for the frou-frou beverage?

By Seth Stevenson

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A few housekeeping items:

In my column about the miniseries The Starter Wife, I mused that there might soon be a $100 million movie entirely underwritten by a single brand. A few readers wrote in to suggest that this had already happened, pointing me to the 1988 film Mac and Me. First off, I am eternally grateful for having this movie—considered by many the worst of all time—brought to my attention. In terms of product placement, it features an extended dance scene that takes place entirely inside a McDonald's, with a cameo from Ronald McDonald himself. Also, the aliens in the movie literally must drink Coca-Cola to live. However, I did some research, and according to an Ad Age column from that era there was in fact no quid pro quo between these brands and the film's producers. Also, there's no way the budget was anywhere near $100 million—have you seen those alien special effects?

Separately, I'd like to ask Ad Report Card readers for a favor. To help out with a new feature we're planning for Slate V (Slate's new online video magazine), please tell me your favorite television commercials of all time. You can e-mail your submissions to .