Steven Spielberg’s 'E.T.' famously demonstrated the power of product placement in blockbusters. In the film, the character Elliott uses Reese’s Pieces candy to lure the alien. Originally, Spielberg approached Mars, Inc. to use M&M's, but they declined. Hershey’s agreed to use Reese’s Pieces, and following the film’s massive success, sales of the candy reportedly tripled within weeks. This became the gold standard for marketing tie-ins, proving that a blockbuster could influence consumer behavior on a massive scale. The film itself remained the highest-grossing movie of all time for 11 years until Spielberg surpassed his own record with Jurassic Park.