To what lengths will giant marketers go these days to reach busy, distracted consumers?

They seem to be going in all sorts of directions, from 90 seconds for “blink and you miss them” situation-comedy episodes to be sponsored by Procter & Gamble on the Nick at Nite cable network to 90 minutes for a coming theatrical film sponsored by Ford Motor.

The film, intended to promote the Lincoln Zephyr and Mercury Milan sedans sold by the Lincoln Mercury division of Ford, is an offbeat movie about an author and the quirky characters she creates. The cast includes Kate Burton, Austin Pendleton, Carrie Preston and Dallas Roberts.

Excerpts from the film, still not titled, can be seen on two dedicated Web sites, Lovelybysurprise.com for Lincoln and TheNeverything.com for Mercury. Lincolns and Mercurys make only cameo appearances in the film, which gives far larger roles to imaginary brands like Jelly Filled Frosted Sugar Balls cereal.