HollywoodChicago.com: Film interviews from Chicago film critic Adam Fendelman

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Is Visa in Cahoots With ‘Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium’ or Sheer Coincidence?

This is either a case of subliminal product placement, sheer coincidence or unadulterated thievery.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium”
Photo courtesy of IMDb

What does the “Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” film trailer have in common with Visa’s new, happy-go-lucky “juggling” commerical?

1) They use Danny Elfman’s “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” theme.
2) They’re both set in similiar toy stores.

Visa's current juggling advertisement
Visa’s currently running “juggling” advertisement.
Screenshot created by Adam Fendelman from Visa’s TV spot

It’s possible that creative folks from two starkly different groups imagined up similiar campaigns using precisely the same song. It’s possible they were designed to go public at the same time completely unacquainted with what was in the works at the other camp.

Of course, it’s also certainly possible this isn’t a coincidence at all. Time will tell. See the movie trailer here. See the Visa ad here (scroll down to the “View ‘Juggling’ TV Commercial” link).

The Walden Media and Mandate Pictures co-production starring Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman and Jason Bateman and written and directed by Zach Helm opens on Nov. 6.

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2007 HollywoodChicago.com Ratings Snapshot (out of 5.0)
Juno”: 4.5 Once”: 4.5 Gone Baby Gone”: 4.5 The King of Kong”: 4.5 The 11th Hour”: 4 Stardust”: 4 Talk to Me”: 4
Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”: 4 Beowulf”: 4 Wristcutters: A Love Story”: 4 Ira & Abby”: 4
Michael Clayton”: 4 The Simpsons Movie”: 4 Harry Potter”: 4 Fracture”: 4 In the Valley of Elah”: 3.5 Ladrón Que Roba a Ladrón”: 3.5
The Mist”: 3.5
The Kingdom”: 3.5 2 Days in Paris”: 3.5 Hot Rod”: 3.5 Arctic Tale”: 3.5 Becoming Jane”: 3.5 The Bourne Ultimatum”: 3.5
Evening”: 3.5 Rescue Dawn”: 3.5 Eagle vs. Shark”: 3.5 Shrek the Third”: 3.5 Spider-Man 3”: 3.5 The Darjeeling Limited”: 3
August Rush”: 3 Rendition”: 3 The Brave One”: 3 3:10 to Yuma”: 3 Shoot ‘Em Up”: 3 Love in the Time of Cholera”: 3 Thax”: 2.5
Southland Tales”: 2.5 Nancy Drew”: 2.5 Hostel: Part II”: 2.528 Weeks Later”: 2.5 Bert”: 2 Mr. Woodcock”: 2
Balls of Fury”: 2 The Brothers Solomon”: 2 The Invasion”: 2 Lust, Caution”: 2 Music Within”: 2
Rush Hour 3”: 2 Lucky You”: 2 The Condemned”: 2 Alvin and the Chipmunks”: 1.5 Illegal Tender”: 1.5 Sydney White”: 1
Resident Evil: Extinction”: 1 Death Sentence”: 1 The Final Season”: 1