- T.L. Stanley

In another example of reverse product placement, a drink called Booty Sweat, based on the upcoming action comedy Tropic Thunder, is going to jump off screen and onto store shelves.

Because the Ben Stiller-directed flick matches up the demo that gulps a lot of energy drinks, Paramount executives figured it would be a smart novelty product to launch a real Booty Sweat based on the placement of the fictional product in the movie. Tropic Thunder features Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. playing actors shooting a Vietnam War movie who their frustrated writer-director decides to dump in a real war.

"It's a great way to promote the movie to the target market," said Michael Corcoran, president, consumer products and recreation group, Paramount Pictures. "And we think it can have a stand-alone existence."

It's a niche product, of course, sold through boutique retailers like Hot Topic, similar to Snaky Cakes and Cheesy Poufs from South Park. A company called Boston American Corp. in Woburn, Mass.—that also markets a Simpsons-influenced Duff energy drink—will produce Booty Sweat.

Booty Sweat isn't the first fictional product to morph into a real one. Other examples include the Squishy from The Simpsons that was available at Quik-E-Marts last summer, Bertie Bott's jelly beans from Harry Potter, Sweet Rocks (another Jelly Belly product) for Warner Bros.' family movie Ant Bully and Pawtucket Patriot Ale, a microbrew based on Peter Griffin's favorite libation on Family Guy.