Oscar Generale: Product Placement King in Cannes

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by Nicole Holland

Each year, Oscar Generale (CEO, Oscar Generale Productions, Inc.) collaborates with Chopard, Bulgari, DeGrisogono, and Harry Winston, for the Academy Awards® and  Cannes Film Festival. A 38-year-old native of Turin, Italy, Generale is a master of the art of linking the most important companies in the world with the highest profile stars of Hollywood. By providing international celebrities with the most prestigious brands of products in the world, he has founded one of the most successful product placement operations in the entertainment industry.

Hollywood stars such as Julia Roberts, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Dustin Hoffman, George Clooney, Bruce Willis, and Al Pacino have worked with Generale. These celebrities have become testimonials for the “Made in Italy” brands. Thanks to Generale and his clients, many international companies such as Gianfranco Ferré (fashion), Belstaff and Fred Mello (leather jackets), Bahina and Stroili (jewels), GianMarco Lorenzi (shoes), Freddy (sportswear), Aeronautica Militare (clothing), Paola Graglia (bags), Harmont & Blaine (clothing) Alviero Martini (bags/clothing) and Telecom  (telecommunications) have become recognized symbols of quality.

Nicknamed “Manager of the Stars” by the daily business newspaper, Sole 24 Ore, Oscar is more than just a manager. He is a sociologist, an innovative entity, and a man that has imposed his presence in the intriguing business of product placement without having the benefit of a degree from a famous university. In addition, Generale is an established player in the film industry. He served as Executive Producer on three star-driven feature films: Giallo, directed by Dario Argento with stars Adrien Brody and Emanuelle Seigner; Give ‘em Hell, Malone, directed by Russell Mulcahy featuring stars Thomas Jane and Elsa Pataky; and Casino Jack, directed by George Hickenlooper starring Kevin Spacey and Kelly Preston.

His latest political biopic, Casino Jack, is based on a true story about a hot shot lobbyist and his protégé who go down hard as their schemes to peddle influence in Washington, D.C., lead to corruption and murder. This year, Casino Jack (a.k.a. Bagman) premieres at the Marché du Film, courtesy of Hannibal Pictures. Independent Film Quarterly recently caught up with Oscar Generale in Beverly Hills, C.A., as he was preparing for the 63rd Cannes Film Festival.

IFQ: I understand that you are the “Product Placement King” in the entertainment industry. Can you tell me about your involvement with product placement?

Oscar Generale: I suggest products and the celebrities who wear or use them. Being world-renowned icons, celebrities automatically give more prestige and value to the objects that they are encircled within. Celebrities create “tendencies.” The message is direct and powerful. For example, the product placement of Freddy in the movie Fame was a success.

Freddy was unknown in the U.S. prior to its product placement in the film. Following my advice and suggestions, a huge product placement deal was negotiated for the movie. Today, the brand is distributing their products in the United States too.

IFQ: Oscar Generale Productions is located in the most strategic, prestigious, and influential business centers for fashion: Los Angeles (in the heart of Beverly Hills) which also includes your in-house production facility; New York (in the heart of Tribeca); and Milan, Italy (City Centre). More recently, you launched a new Oscar Generale Productions showroom at 76 Greene Street in New York City. What was your reason behind this?

OG: My reason was to give celebrities a location where they could feel at home, where they could choose with serenity the more prestigious products on the market. I am representing and working with GianMarco Lorenzi, a shoe company based in Marche Region Italy, that produces very high quality women’s shoes with impeccable style. Beyoncé bought six pairs of GML shoes, and now Jennifer Lopez prefers this brand to the others. The most important thing for me, is that I am able to give my clients the best and plenty of it. This is why I am working with the most important brands. Oscar Generale Productions is known all over the world for its professionalism and success in all projects. I am very grateful to the people that place their trust in me, in my company, and in my staff.

IFQ: How do you keep in touch with celebrities?

OG: I’ve established personal relationships that I’ve created over the years, especially in the publicity market as I have been working in this sector for ages. I have a very good business relationship with agents, managers and publicists. I have earned the trust of all these people through my professional etiquette and my respect for the roles they play that are extremely important in this business.

IFQ: What project excited you the most thus far?

OG: When I convinced Julia Roberts to sign the contract with Gianfranco Ferré, which became the testimonial all over the world. When I close a deal with a celebrity to become a brand ambassador, it brings huge satisfaction and excitement: like with Bruce Willis for Cesare Paciotti, Sharon Stone for Salvini jewels, Ben Affleck for Morellato, Demi Moore for Rosato, Paris Hilton for Damiani, Asia Argento for Miss Sixty, and Andy Garcia for Dierre.

IFQ: Have you ever had an experience where a project fell through?

OG: A campaign for a watch company. We were almost at the signing of the agreement with Angelina Jolie. She would have been the perfect testimonial. Just perfect! That was the only disappointing situation that comes to mind.

IFQ: I saw that you worked with Dustin Hoffman. How did you meet him?

OG: A client of mine produces coffee and has been for many generations. He was looking for a testimonial and I proposed Dustin. I gave to Vergnano the idea of the concept of the commercial, too. Since that moment, we became friends.  Dustin even made a guest appearance on a very funny and popular Italian TV show, Scherzi a Parte. I provided Dustin’s presence at the most important Italian TV event called “San Remo Song Festival” too, as I have done with many other huge stars like John Travolta, Hugh Grant, Nicole Kidman, and many others.

IFQ: So you work with TV networks too?

OG: Yes, especially in Italy, my birthplace. I am the only person that can provide international celebrity appearances for TV shows, entertainment programs, campaigns, and commercials. My reputation is a direct result of my professionalism. That’s why celebrities and clients place their trust in me.

IFQ: Which celebrity are you working with at the moment?

OG: A few days ago, I returned from Florida where we shot the new Telecom commercial with John Travolta. At the moment, my focus is on the Cannes Film Festival. I have been collaborating with Chopard for many years now, in product placement, providing celebrities for their magnificent party. This includes organizing photo shoots with celebrities for Chopard as I have done with Olivier Martinez, Andy Garcia, Spike Lee, Mischa Barton, Adrien Brody, and many others. I am also busy organizing the dressing of different celebrities for the red carpet, positioning the clients I represent in my showrooms, and with the same focus, organizing photo shoots for different magazines. I am working on two very big projects as we speak, but unfortunately I can’t say anything about them right now. Then, there will be the Venice Film Festival coming up and, after that, the fashion show period… So, there is a lot of work to do, trust me!

IFQ: Not only are you involved in product placement and celeb endorsements, but you are also an executive producer of star-driven films as well. Can you tell me about your film projects?

OG: I am working on the Sex and the City productions. I was the Executive Producer of Giallo, directed by Dario Argento which stars Adrien Brody and Emanuelle Seigner;  Give ‘em Hell, Malone,  directed by Russell Mulcahy with stars Thomas Jane and Elsa Pataky, and Casino Jack, directed by George Hickenlooper and starring Kevin Spacey and Kelly Preston.

IFQ: Are you working on any special film-related projects?

OG: I bought the rights to the romance Valley of the Butterflies, written by Nicola Longo. Federico Fellini wanted to make a movie based on this romance, but unfortunately, he passed away before he could fulfill that dream. I am working on the script and would like to work with an American director… maybe along the lines of Coppola, Scorsese, or De Palma.

IFQ: Concluding the interview, you are quite an amazing person, very clever and with so many capabilities. You are the acknowledged mastermind of your company, but who is your right-hand woman?

OG: I have a great partner, Simona Politi. She is my alter ego in everything. We’ve been working together for many, many years now. Ever since I first started doing this job, we have shared together all the big successes. We work a lot, sometimes 18 hours a day! Our mobile phones are always on. We are always available for our clients and celebrities. For example, in our showrooms, we have the personal celebrity stylists coming in, the costume designers that take care of the movie and TV productions and stylists for editorials.

We both love our job and we’ve never changed our personalities or characters even after all our success. We are the same simple people just like when we started and this makes us special. That’s how all stars consider us, and that’s why we are also friends with all of them. I have to thank all my staff also, because they are so important as they help us day in and day out, selecting projects and screenplays. I receive a minimum of 100 per month. They also help me follow up with all the product placement I have to do for movies, magazines, and TV shows.

Oscar Generale Productions, Inc.  920 N. West Knoll Dr., West Hollywood, CA 90069 Tel 310.657.4485 Fax 310.657.0460

*Photo Credit: Belstaff