11. Familiar Brands
Easter egg-focused film-makers will often add obscure nods to their films by repurposing familiar names or reference points as brands, and some, like Quentin Tarantino will build a consumerist world of entirely made up brands that run throughout their film universe, regardless of how closely linked the movies actually are. The Walking Dead has included Easter Eggs that take both approaches. Firstly, Dale smokes Morley Cigarettes, which look immediately familiar for their Marlboro-like branding and colour schemes (presumably both as a play on the Marlboro nickname "Marleys," and also to avoid any licensing or product placement issues.) The smokes should also be familiar as the same brand chosen at various times by several Breaking Bad characters, Jack Bauer, Spike from Buffy The Vampire Slayer and in the original Mission Impossible show. Arguably the single most famous use was by The Cigarette Smoking Man (as well as Agent Reyes) in The X-Files. The other brand featured in the image above - Ferenc Builders - has a much more personal slant for original show helmer Frank Darabont. The film-maker was born in a French refugee camp before his Hungarian parents moved to the United States, with their son, originally named Ferenc, in tow.