In this fall's TV season, a secret agent speeds around in a Chevrolet Camaro. A man tries to save the world with the help of a Dodge Ram pickup. And the talking Pontiac Trans Am of the 1980s series "Knight Rider" has been transformed into a Ford Mustang.
Auto sales are at 15-year lows and traditional TV advertising is less appealing than it used to be. So automakers are hoping such starring roles for key vehicles will boost interest in their products -- and higher sales will follow.
Virginia Commonwealth University advertising expert Kelly O'Keefe says product placement can be very affordable for companies -- which often can get their products into TV shows just by providing them for free.