How do you stop someone or a company from using your product or service long after you have successfully launched it? More important, does it belong to you, once you’ve unleashed it on the public?

We are all used to being in control of branding and brand messages. Who would have imagined we would see a headline like this:

“Tobacco makers want cigarettes cut from films.”

It’s true. The Wall Street Journal (June 14, 2004) reported that tobacco companies are asking movie studios to delete the cigarettes making appearances in scenes, without the approval of the company. They quote one letter from R.J. Reynolds lawyer that says, “You do not have permission to mention or depict our brands in your films.”

I would imagine that like cigarettes, Ebay, or iPods, some products and services, once launched take on a new life as ’ideas.’

There’s no such thing as ‘product-unplacement’ after that!