# Product Placement on the Simpsons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 3, 2005, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296 "2005-05-03T23:41:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/21 "2005-05-04T19:43:49Z")
> [@dinahmoe](#): > > Years ago, the company I worked for announced in our employee newsletter that they had paid a pile of cash to have their name on the box that a lighthouse lightbulb came in (maybe in the psychedelic chili episode? I don’t watch that much). Indeed it was the chili episode. Homer has been sent on a quest to find his sole mate. He ends up going to a lighthouse, and suddenly, the light goes out. He must replace it. He opens the supply closet, and finds a giant light bulb in a box marked “Sylvania 40,000-Watt EnergyMiser Lighthouse Bulb.” ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/22 "2005-05-04T20:35:24Z")
> [@carterba](#): > > That’s it, you people have stood in my way long enough! I’m going to clown college! I’ll thank you to quit referring to Princeton in that manner. ---
**Author:** ![YellowTail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5ac83/32.png) [@YellowTail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YellowTail)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/23 "2005-05-04T22:42:27Z")
Krusty Flakes are real?!?! Anyhoo, I guess there are a lot of mentions of real products. But most seem to be part of a joke. The recognizable Volvo grill just seemed to jut out without being part of a joke. I hope the writers won’t have to axe a good joke about Volvo drivers in the future 'cause it would offend their sponsor. And Og knows there’s a million jokes about Volvo drivers. Maybe that’s why the company bought them out. A pre-emptive strike to prevent those jokes. I smell conspiracy. We’re through the looking glass here, people. :wally ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/24 "2005-05-04T23:25:45Z")
There was the Ancient Egyptian music box song that morphed, in Homer’s mind, into the Irish Spring commercial jingle. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/25 "2005-05-04T23:46:06Z")
> [@YellowTail](#): > > Krusty Flakes are real?!?! No, but Count Chocula is, and the face on the box sort-of looks like Mr. Burns. Neighbor: An opossum drowned in the swimming pool. Can we borrow a garbage bag? Kirk Van Houten: Aaaah, just throw it over the fence and let Arby’s worry about it. Sherry (or possibly Terry): I’m so hungry, I could eat at Arby’s. [other kids recoil in horror] Lou: You know, I went to the McDonald’s in Shelbyville on Friday night. Wiggum: The McWhat? Lou: Uh, the McDonald’s restaurant. I’ve never heard of it either, but they have over 2,000 locations in this state alone. Eddie: Must’ve sprung up overnight. Lou: You know, the funniest thing though, it’s the little differences. Wiggum: Example. Lou: Well, at McDonald’s you can buy a Krusty Burger with cheese, right? But they don’t call it a Krusty Burger with cheese. Wiggum: Get out! Well, what do they call it? Lou: A Quarter Pounder with cheese. Wiggum: Quarter Pounder with cheese? Well, I can picture the cheese, but, uh, do they have Krusty partially gelatinated non-dairy gum-based beverages? Lou: Mm-hm. They call ‘em, “shakes.” Eddie: Huh, shakes. You don’t know what you’re gettin’ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/26 "2005-05-05T00:03:01Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > There was the Ancient Egyptian music box song that morphed, in Homer’s mind, into the Irish Spring commercial jingle. I think that was Old Spice. “Mountain Dew or crab juice.” [One long series of moans and yucks later] “I’ll take a crab juice.” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/27 "2005-05-05T12:13:01Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > In **Lady Bouvier’s Lover** , Bart and Lisa sing about Armour hot dogs. And the whole family does a certain song and dance. > > “I feel like Chicken Tonight, like Chicken Tonight, like Chicken Tonight!” They’re hotdogs. Armour hotdogs. What kind of man wears Armour hotdogs? And there’s the one with the tall guy and the VW beetle. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/28 "2005-05-05T13:06:48Z")
They also put in an iMac every now and then. I know that from the Futurama commentaries, theyalso hope to get a free Mac from doing this…it hasn’t worked. Futurama also put in a small product placement for a piano company, once. ---
**Author:** ![RumMunkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@RumMunkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RumMunkey)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/29 "2005-05-05T13:32:44Z")
> [@](#): > > That’s it, you people have stood in my way long enough! I’m going to clown college! I don’t think any of us expected that. I’m such a nerd. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/30 "2005-05-05T16:37:23Z")
When Jay “the Critic” Sherman visited Springfield, he led the kids in a rousing rendition of “the Oscar Meyer Weiner” song. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/31 "2005-05-05T21:53:54Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Futurama also put in a small product placement for a piano company, once. One _Simpsons_ episode featured a dream sequence where Homer was so fat when he died, instead of a casket, he had to be buried in a crate labeled “Steinway Pianos.” ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/32 "2005-05-05T22:26:36Z")
> [@Case Sensitive](#): > > As far as legitimate product placement goes, Bart used to shill for Butterfingers, and in the episode where sugar is banned, as they hold a candy burning and the bars refuse to burn, Chief Wiggum comments “Even the fire won’t take 'em.” I forget the episode where Bart complains about some product placement in a TV show he is watching and then proceeds to eat a Butterfinger. ---
**Author:** ![Hippodrome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@Hippodrome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippodrome)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/33 "2005-05-05T22:30:26Z")
> [@carterba](#): > > Hans Moleman drove a Gremlin way back in an early season. It burst into flames, though, so that might not be considered product placement. > > “Alcohol has ruined my life. I’m 33 years old!” - Moleman Planned Obsolescence ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/34 "2005-05-06T03:17:25Z")
You had the entire “Bart s ad” Ep. Bart learns that he was a child actor for a commercial. The product/ad didnt pan out, and the parents hid it from him. Bart then says hes glad he wasn’t used as a poster child for any product. Then: Bart turns to the “camera” and takes out a clear and blatant Butterfinger Bar (On the Simpsons Episode) Also, you have when they go to “Blocko Land” and Bart gets to say “Lego” Once and only Once. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/35 "2005-05-06T22:19:41Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > Bart learns that he was a child actor for a commercial. The product/ad didnt pan out, and the parents hid it from him. Bart then says hes glad he wasn’t used as a poster child for any product. Actually, not only was Bart surprised towards the positive, the product did do well. Lisa discovered a videotape marked “Bart Sad.” Expecting something that was sure to embarrass Bart, she put the tape in. Lo and behold, it’s an ad for a air freshener for baby faces (that’s the best way I can describe it) featuring a character named “Baby Stinkbreath” who has a unusually familiar spiky hairdo. Lisa then realizes the video tape is missing an apostrophe. It isn’t “Bart Sad,” but “Bart’s Ad.” Bart is surprised. “A commercial? I don’t remember doing one of those,” he says, eating a Butterfinger. (That’s pretty much the joke there. The real reason Bart didn’t get the money is because Homer spent it all on incriminating photos of him dangling Maggie out the window _a la_ Michael Jackson. “If you go through them backwards, Daddy’s the hero!”) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296/36 "2005-05-06T22:21:52Z")
As for Blockoland, Bart seems to be the only one who realizes Blockos are cheap ripoffs of that other popular plastic building material. As he and the family are on their way home, he complains, “This Lego shirt itches!” “You mean Blocko shirt.” “Yeah, right…_Blocko_ shirt…” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-placement-on-the-simpsons/302296.md?page=1)