Product placement is still very much alive in today’s media, even if it’s not always as in-your-face as it was during the 1980s cartoon boom. In animated TV shows today, especially those aimed at older audiences or streaming platforms, you’ll sometimes see real-world brands subtly worked into the background—like characters using iPhones, drinking Starbucks, or scrolling through Instagram lookalikes—but they’re often altered just enough to avoid direct branding unless there’s a sponsorship. One rect example is in Rick and Morty, which partnered with Wendy’s in a full-blown campaign—Wendy’s even changed the voice of its drive-thru to match the show’s characters during a limited-time event, and the show featured food-themed episodes that aligned with the promotion. Similarly, The Lego Movie and its spinoffs are basically full-length product showcases, but cleverly written so they feel more like actual films than just ads.
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