• Newsday, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10:15 AM

Increasingly, cars makers are spending big bucks promoting movies and lending the movie studios cars. In exchange, moviemakers promise prominent product placement in the films. For Audi and the "Iron Man" movie, the deal included a drawn-out shot of an Audi Q7 sport utility vehicle being saved by the Iron Man, with a lingering view of the logo.

The tango between car companies and Hollywood has gotten intimate. Most big films and some TV shows have significant car placements. Nearly all car makers have their own product placement firms, keep fleets of cars available for productions and wine and dine directors and producers. But instead paying cash, the auto industry has learned to help with production costs, lend the studio vehicles and help with marketing the movie.

"Now marketers negotiate a package of advertising, marketing, space on their Web site," and, in exchange, the product is in the picture," says Frank Zazza, chief of ITVX.

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