This article is part of our Cocktail Chatter series, where we dive into the wild, weird, and wondrous corners of history to share over a cocktail and impress your friends.
Technology is an integral part of day-to-day life in the 21st century, so it’s no surprise that cell phones, laptops, and tablets frequently show up on screen. And if one brand is winning the placement war, it’s Apple. According to U.K.-based entertainment media market research company Concave Brand Tracker, Apple was the most featured brand in movies and TV shows in 2023, and it has made the top 100 list since 2014. But while some characters might be depicted firing off blue-bubbled iMessages to their friends or joining a FaceTime call, others will likely never even hold an iPhone thanks to a few guidelines filmmakers must follow when capturing the brand in a scene.
Referred to in the entertainment industry as the “no villain clause,” producers allegedly must agree to only depict the Apple products “in the best light” when they’re used as props, and in “a manner or context that reflects favorably on the Apple product and on Apple Inc.” That means you won’t catch a serial murderer in a crime drama overtly fielding calls on an iPhone. Moreover, according to Apple’s Guidelines for Using Apple Trademarks and Copyrights, individuals “may not use an Apple trademark or any other Apple-owned graphic symbol, logo, or icon in a disparaging manner.”
While the tech giant has yet to confirm or deny
