Companies associate themselves with the James Bond brand because it stands for specific qualities: sophistication, wit, refinement and ruthlessness – qualities which the movies evoke within viewers.
Fleming used the Bulldog Drummond and Richard Hannay stories as inspiration to craft an adaptive character capable of change – rejecting flat characters found in earlier generations of spy novels.
Advertising Campaigns
James Bond film franchise has been one of the most iconic in cinematic history, grossing over $13.8 billion when adjusted for inflation worldwide and producing massive amounts of merchandise that has made his brand an icon among audiences worldwide.
Eon Productions films feature an iconic gun barrel sequence as one of their signature devices. Shot from an assumed assassin’s perspective, this scene depicts James Bond walking toward and then firing his weapon into the camera, creating a blood-red wash across the screen.
As soon as a new actor assumes the role of James Bond, they appear in advertising campaigns for products connected to his franchise. This helps create an association between these products and Bond, but also means they cannot be seen separately from his image.
Branding
Branding, the practice of associating certain traits or qualities with certain products, has long been used by businesses in order to establish themselves and attract customers. Casinos use branding techniques as part of their branding strategies in order to build an attractive image for themselves and attract more patrons.
The Bond franchise began as novels written by Ian Fleming, but through several adaptations into movies, video games, and other forms of media has become an international sensation. Famous for its gadgets, sexiness, and violence; Bond is now an icon for spy genre fans everywhere.
Bond is an all-around character who boasts many attractive traits that draw women to him. He is a skilled marksman capable of shooting opponents from long range without missing, with high awareness levels that allow him to quickly adapt to any given situation and adapt quickly and efficiently to each. Furthermore, Bond is also a deep thinker and natural strategist. When necessary he takes extreme measures – making him a formidable opponent for any enemy of Bond’s.
Character Identity
Bond has earned himself an iconic status among consumers due to his sophisticated, wit, refinement and charismatic persona. Therefore, numerous products tie themselves closely with his legacy in order to evoke similar responses from them.
As any actor takes on the role of James Bond 007, it is imperative that they remain true to its original essence. Ian Fleming kept readers entertained with an intricate, multi-faceted hero who kept them turning pages eagerly.
Roger Moore’s interpretation of Bond was no exception, using the same anamorphic format but without blood wash running down its barrel to open Casino Royale. For this scene – unlike Simmons, Connery and Lazenby who only ever shot with one hand at first – both hands are used when shooting as both hands were used by Roger to use both hands simultaneously to shoot in this scene. It was also set against a neutral background rather than against an empty white background like its counterparts.
Franchise Development
Every time an actor takes over as James Bond, they are featured in advertisements as part of the franchise to remind audiences who the new person playing the character is. This helps create an identity tied directly to the brand while helping audiences understand what this character represents.
At the onset of production for the first film, it became clear to the production team that Fleming’s ominous portrayal of Bond would not resonate with modern audiences. They set out to modernise him by making him more witty and charming while maintaining his ability to use his skills effectively in various situations.
Casino Royale’s opening gun barrel sequence was revised for Daniel Craig to reflect that he was different than previous Bond actors. Here, Bond walks into position briefly before spinning outshoot his opponent while film features more prismatic splashes of colour and less defined bloodline outlines.
