The Bulgari Connection: When Product Placement Came to Literature

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Product placement — where products are added to a scene and used in a flattering way as advertising — is sadly common in Hollywood films and television shows, but it’s pretty much unheard of in literature, especially in a book from an established author.

In 2001 that changed. Italian jewellery firm Bulgari paid author Fay Weldon £18,000 to mention their brand in her book at least a dozen times (she managed to reach 34), and it was given to 750 of their favoured clients.

However, ‘The Bulgari Connection’ was then published by Harper Collins causing numerous authors to criticise the idea of an ad-filled book.

Unperturbed, Ms Weldon told The New York Times: “When the approach came through I thought, oh no, dear me, I am a literary author. You can’t do this kind of thing; my name will be mud forever. But after a while I thought, I don’t care. Let it be mud. They never give me the Booker prize anyway.”

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Written by Sebastian Moss @SebMoss. Follow our Medium for more author interviews and book related content, coming soon.