A division is growing between the easy-to-spot tie-in and the emerging school of brands that don't want you to know, they just want you to want.

An old-school advertiser sticks to a traditional formula. McDonald's, General Mills, and Mattel are prime examples. Their classic tools of the trade include Happy Meal toys, TV spots, on-pack promotions for Lucky Charms, Betty Crocker, and Pop Secret, and rolling out action figures for younger audiences to snap up at retail outlets worldwide. The old school needs to "fill the pipeline" says Stoner.

With traditional cross-promoting, a failed film doesn't translate into a failed partnership. All three of those brands partnered with Speed Racer, arguably this summer's biggest flop: The $160 million film grossed only $40 million in the first four weeks in theatres. Still, advertisers still drew from the film's buzz.

By contrast, the new school of advertisers aim to give consumers a deeper movie experience, through interactive means. "Advertisers are always looking for the cool factor, and now studios are listening," says Tom Meyer, President of Davie Browne Entertainment. "They're no longer looking for just a logo, they want access to exclusive content, to get closer."

The Indiana Jones microsite, for example, offers a chance to win trips to exotic locales, behind-the-scenes footage, an "Indy store," bulletin boards, news, and other features.

When LG and Audi signed on to launch new products with Marvel's Iron Man, they took the idea to another level. Techno playboy Tony Stark was a natural fit to drive an Audi R8 in the film and, of course, be seen yapping on his 18-karat gold LG Shine, while inventing the greatest modern weaponry.

But on-screen product cameos now go beyond the screen. Iron Man star Robert Downey Jr. pulled up to the curb of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in his Audi R8 for the film's Audi-sponsored premiere. It's getting harder to tell where the advertisement stops and the movie marketing begins.

Mercedes-Benz called on actress Kim Cattrall, who plays the blond cougar in the HBO series turned best-opening R-rated comedy Sex and the City, to attend a Detroit launch party for their GLK S.U.V., which she also drives in the film.

"Very passionate people make Mercedes and they're very smart, and I've always considered both of those things right down Samantha's alley," Cattrall told reporters at the event. "It's a cutting-edge car."

Sony may have the most fingers in the pie, with their launch of Sony movies (and by all means movie previews) on AT&T Mobile—placing their movie marketing directly into the consumers cell phones. Text to win movie premiere tickets? Don't mind if we do.

Microsites, premieres, free video content, and off-screen product demos by the stars are all part of where the game is headed. And the coming of 3-D will open a host of new opportunities. "You'll see things you've never seen before," predicts Meyer.

Old or new, cross promotion—where Madison and Vine meet and make money—is a partnership both studios and advertisers can't afford to let slip.

"Brands need content and content needs brands," says Shelley Zalis, founder and C.E.O. of OTX Research, which has consulted with Disney and other studios to update their marketing strategies.

"It's the perfect synergy," Zalis added, "and it's never going away."