After 40 years of Bond films, winning a place for products within a scene has become big business.

So much so, that Die Another Day is, in some respects, one long advert - for vodka, watches and cars.

Twenty companies will see their products on the big screen, having paid between them $70m (£44m) for the privilege.

That is a record for product placement in a feature film.

Driving force

People looking for the usual Bond features will not be disappointed.

Product placement is not particularly subtle

Die Another Day has flash cars, gadgets, beautiful but lethal women and, of course, plenty of action.

After driving BMWs in his last three films, 007 is back behind the wheel of an Aston Martin.

He has changed his vodka brand too - shaken not stirred that Vodka Martini, and ditched his Rolex.

Money talks

James Bond has always been a man who likes his labels - Ian Fleming wrote in the original scripts that his hero drove a Bentley.

Advertisers get the reach they cannot obtain elsewhere

Steve King, brand consultant

But critics say some of the authentic Bond characteristics have been sacrificed on the altar of advertising.

There is so much product placement in the film that people in the marketing industry are calling it Buy Another Day.

At a time when the advertising industry is in a downturn, it seems surprising that companies are falling over themselves to pay such huge sums.

But brand consultant Steve King said that such a strategy made sense.

"Years ago you could expect to reach 80% of TV viewers but with the proliferation of cable and satellite channels that figure has fallen," he told the BBC's World Business Report.

"One of the unique things about cinema is its global appeal which means advertisers get the reach they cannot obtain elsewhere."

The last three Bond films have grossed more than $1bn at the box office.

Wide appeal

Bond movies are especially popular with advertisers because of their appeal to the young and old.

The 60-40 male-female ratio among Bond audiences is also appealing to many advertisers.

But where is product placement going?

Experts say it may not be too long before interactive television and mobile technology link up.

You will be able to buy the watch straight from Pierce Brosnan's wrist.

As advertisers continue to pay ever larger sums for the cachet of displaying their goods, the lines between advertising and content are becoming increasingly blurred.