How do we know that the summer movie blockbuster season has begun? The product tie-in ads are beginning to take over television.<\/p>\n
This week a new Audi ad pitted Leonard Nimoy against Zachary Quinto<\/a>. For those not well-versed in popular culture, Nimoy played the character Spock in the original Star Trek<\/em><\/a> series and movies. Quinto now plays Spock in the re-booted J.J. Abrams Star Trek<\/em> movie franchise.<\/p>\n Though the ad is not explicitly affiliated or branded with Star Trek, there are numerous references to the show during the nearly 3-minute ad. For example, the actors start out playing a virtual version of three-dimensional chess, and at one point Nimoy recreates his famous death scene from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan<\/em>. The music and camera angels employed to show off Quinto’s Audi vehicle are reminiscent of those often used to show off Enterprise ships in Star Trek<\/em> movies. The ad also perfectly demonstrates why you should never challenge someone who can correctly employ a Vulcan nerve pinch.<\/p>\n