Lara Croft uses Bluetooth Headset to find treasures

Tomb Raider is one of the first games to combine problem-solving with action and adventure. The game, released in 1996, was the first to feature a woman, Lara Croft, as the main character.

The computer game provides the basis for the film Lara Croft. Tomb Raider. Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie, featured in films Girl, Interrupted and The Bone Collector among others, will play Lara Croft. The character seems to be the stereotypical perfect woman at first glance – tall, thin, a beautiful face and friendly. But Per Söderström, project coordinator for the film project, claims that Lara Croft is modern in every way.

“She is truly 21st century – young, tough, a smart negotiator, courageous and independent. Besides that she is morally upstanding. Most of the treasures she finds, she donates to museums. If she'd been a sex symbol, Ericsson would have never placed its products in the film,” Söderström says.

In the film, Lara Croft searches for treasures and solves problems. A number of Ericsson products are available to help her, including the cordless Bluetooth headset, the cordless Web Screen, and the shockproof mobile phone R310.
“Ericsson wants to demonstrate that the company's products help the consumer manage day-to-day problems more easily,” adds Söderström.

His interest was sparked when he heard that a movie would be based on the computer game Tomb Raider.

“We reach a young audience – one of our most important target groups. We believe that many who have played the game will go see the movie out of pure curiosity. Besides, it seems natural to have Ericsson products prominently displayed in the movie, just like during a Bond film.”

One of the lessons learned during the Bond film was that products shown in the film should already be out and available in stores. Ericsson has definitely taken heed for Tomb Raider. Product placement in a movie has enormous breakthrough potential and when the Bond film was out, knowledge and brand recognition also improved.

“At the same time, it's important to have balanced expectations. Product placement must be done right, otherwise the consumer will be insulted – they don't want to see just advertisements. It's marketing and offers in conjunction with the movie that give the most reliable result for the company,” explains Per Söderström.

The film's Los Angeles opening is scheduled for June 15th. The Stockholm premier is June 20th, followed by London and 60 other countries on July 6th.

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