Is The Harvard University Brand Hurting?

By: Julie LeVeque
Advertising Assistant

In just one weekend, the movie,"The Social Network" grossed $23 million dollars. The advertising campaign, "You Don't Get 500 Million Friends Without A Few Enemies" stays true to the film. I saw this movie over the weekend and yet again noticed a number of product placements including Mountain Dew, Red Bull, Nike and Sony Vaio. The Harvard brand itself takes the biggest beating, portraying the university as elitist and self-absorbed. Harvard isn't a stranger to films, used as the back drop to many including "Good Will Hunting" and "Legally Blonde", but "The Social Network" conveys what really went on at Harvard University, and not just as a depository of genius. Do you think this portrayal of Harvard will ultimately hurt the brand's image? Tell us what you think.