Work Bitch: A Journey Of Product Placement In Britney Spears’ Music Video

After several teaser videos in anticipation of Britney Spears’ new music video “Work Bitch,” the public received a music video acting as an advertisement on some of the items they too can one day be objectified by if they work hard and slutty enough for. Banned in the UK from being broadcast on TV before 10 pm, the video features a Lamborghini whose spotlights are used to shine on a thrusting Spears; Beats by Dr.Dre is used as a gag for a female model and Spears’ own perfume Fantasy Twist is a nauseating reminder of the sex appeal we are promised to gain from the little bottle.

Artists are no strangers to endorsements and being brand reps. Even athletes make a majority of their income from brand endorsements and being spokespeople for the brand– which Britney is not (have you seen her speaking skills on the US‘ X-Factor?) Yet, BritBrit is no stranger to endorsements; she signed a multi-million deal with Pepsi in 2004 and even starred in their actual commercial. But, it’s a whole other money ball game when those endorsements turn into product placements so heavily focused on in the music video, that it feels like you’re looking at a very expensive commercial and dancing in nightclubs to a jingle. A remix of the song only enforces the brainwashing.

The crazier Britney got, the more accelerated the product placements were in her music videos to distract us from everything else. We first bought the idea that Britney was a virgin Catholic school girl in “…Baby, One More Time” and now we’re buying actual things because they are in a Britney video. The Queen of Sexual Innuendos changes to so obviously and shamelessly plugging products.

In celebration of “Work Bitch,” here are the top Britney Spears music videos with product placement. Britney’s next single is rumored to be titled “Perfume.” Imagine the product placement possibilities.

Me Against the Music (2003)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYP4GiZJxVM&w=584&h=390]

This was the first product placement in a Britney Spears music video — 10 years ago! Britney shows up to a party to meet Madonna in a Mazda! Careful focus is zoomed on the car’s logo and the angled parking job to show the car’s curves. Sbarro pizza even makes a branded appearance.

Womanizer (2008)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMqayQ-U74s&w=584&h=390]

Post meltdown-shaved-head, Britney’s immensely catchy “Womanizer” features a Nokia phone. As if we’re supposed to believe anyone uses a Nokia to sext.

Circus (2008)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVhJ_A8XUgc&w=584&h=390]

This video is basically an infomercial. It begins with Britney spraying her brand name perfume and putting on Bvlgari jewels. Fitting attire for a song dedicated to Britney being a ringleader of a…circus.

I Wanna Go (2011)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-sxSd1uwoU&w=584&h=390]

Britney gets searched by a cop on a Volkswagen, whose rims glisten as the camera pans on the action of the cop slowly making his way down Britney’s body.

Hold It Against Me (2011)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Edv8Onsrgg&w=584&h=390]

The focus of this music video is Britney making love to the camera. Or, the Sony camera to be more specific. One-second clips in the video begin like a montage of dollar signs for endorsements including Britney’s own Radiance perfume (which, by the way smells like rotten berries), Make-Up Forever concealer… then the dating website PlentyofFish. It is reported that Spears made over $500,000 from this music video from the brands featured in it alone.

Criminal (2011)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6b33PTbGxk&w=584&h=390]

A Swarovski watch makes an appearance. Not sure why this brand wants to be associated with a song called “Criminal.”

Scream & Shout (2012)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEKOWKcUxdU&w=584&h=390]

The oddest product placement occurs in Scream & Shout. It’s obviously got twice the amount of brands, because labelwhore Will.I.Am is in on this video too and he is basically a singer-producer-billboard megaforce. The futuristic feel of the video, therefore commands high-end technological items, such as Beats by Dr. Dre and an i-Limb Ultra prosthetic hand.

Work Bitch (2013)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt8VYOfr8To&w=584&h=390]

By now, the product placement is getting quite obvious and shameless. It’s beginning to seem like Britney only releases new perfumes in order to have new items to have in her music video, this time showcasing Fantasy Twist. And car brands loooove pop-divas, who can forget when jLo famously gyrated on a Fiat at the American Music Awards in 2011? Britney works it for a Lamborghini and name checks the vehicle along with a Maserati in the inspiring lyrics. Having recently signed a residency with Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, the promotion has already started for it in “Work Bitch.” Miraculously, we also learn that Beats by Dr. Dre double as a gag.

Basically, the only product placement we would actually approve of in a Britney Spears music video is of Starbucks’ Frappuccinos.