Why stickers are used to cover up the Apple logo on laptops in movies & Netflix scenes

Have you ever been watching a movie or a beloved Netflix boxset and noticed a sticker covering up the Apple logo as the character taps away on their laptop? It’s likely that you have.

The next time you go to the movies or fire up Netflix you will see strategically placed stickers covering up the Apple logo in certain scenes (unless you’re watching a fantasy film or something set way back in the past). You might also ask yourself, ‘why cover up a logo on screen?’, especially if you’re a budding film or TV producer.

Here we’re going to tell you why people use custom stickers to cover up the Apple logo in film and TV while exploring the best products for the job.

A case of product displacement

Product placement is a process where a brand pays to have their logos or products featured in a particular program or TV show (think Stranger Things and Eggo or Transformers and General Motors). Flip this concept on its head and you have product displacement.

The reason TV or movie producers remove trademark brand products or imagery from their scenes entirely is because:

• The brand or trademark owner could come looking for a licensing fee for using its product or logo. This situation becomes more pressing when someone has made their own product and slapped a trademark logo on it for a scene
• If a brand image or product is used during a ‘difficult’ scene or portrayed in a negative light, the trademark owner can demand it to be removed from the product. In this case, you could end up wasting a colossal amount of time or money on edits, reshoots or off-screen negotiations.

The key point here is: when it comes to showcasing brand imagery, products or logos in film or TV, many producers or studios err on the side of caution. Unless you’ve carefully negotiated a mutually-beneficial product placement deal (which does involve a lot of painstaking steps), covering up trademark logos is the safest way of avoiding any potential legal issues or conflicts of interest.

This is a particularly wise move when you’re talking about huge international brands like Apple. With immense power and credibility, getting into an advertising or trademarking conflict with the likes of Apple is best avoided.

Tackling the free advertising conundrum

Another key reason that TV or movie shows opt to cover up the Apple logo with custom stickers is down to tackling free advertising opportunities.

Many TV or film producers feel that the likes of Apple don’t need any extra brand exposure or marketing assistance—so they cover them up. Afterall, why give a big brand free airtime when they could potentially pay you to feature their products?

Blocking free advertising is also motivated by personal values (if a TV or movie producer doesn’t believe in Apple’s products or feel they fit into the narrative, for instance, they will remove every trace of its branding from the final cut) as well as existing deals or contacts.

A Netflix TV show making a new series, for example, may have already negotiated a paid ad slot with another laptop brand—which means that showcasing the Apple logo within its production (for free) could cause a messy conflict of interest. Again, in this case, investing in a quality cover up sticker is a slick and effective way of nipping any potential issues in the bud.

Which custom stickers are best for covering up the Apple logo?

There are several sensible reasons for covering up the Apple logo (as well as other well established brands or branding) when producing a movie or Netflix show. But, what is the best sticker for the job?

First of all, you should choose a sticker that is durable and fits over the standard Apple laptop logo seamlessly.

The perfect ‘Apple logo cloaking’ size and shape for a custom sticker is circular and 2 inches in diameter (as the official logo dimensions are 1.83" x 1.5").

One of the best reasons to choose a high-quality custom sticker to cover up an Apple laptop logo is the fact that you can choose an original image that is equally striking and enhances the scene. 

You could even create an imaginary brand specific to the show or movie and build a buzz around it. Doing so is likely to improve viewer engagement and even expand your viewership through social media discussions and shares.

“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is—it is what consumers tell each other it is.”—Scott Cook

Our custom circle stickers come in a range of finishes, are easy to peel, and retain their vivid sheen for up to five years.

Whether you’re looking for something plain, detailed, understated or bursting with color, we can make you a top-quality batch of custom stickers that will not only provide the perfect cover up, but will add an extra personal touch to your productions.

If you want a quote or you have any questions about our custom stickers, get in touch and we’ll be more than happy to help. 

For more design inspiration, read our handy guide on how to create a custom sticker in eight easy steps.