Transformers: Dark of the Moon is probably the best Shia LaBeouf movie released in the last year that also features big robots. And while that alone might make it worthy of an award, the film has also been singled out for its efforts to cram brands down viewers’ throats.

BrandChannel‘s Brandcameo has handed out its annual Product Placement Awards and the latest entry into the Transformers canon has walked away with the biggest honor a movie studio executive could ever hope to earn: the 2011 Award for Achievement in Product Placement in a Single Film.

Writes BrandChannel:

The film packed in 71 identifiable brands and products, 7 more than last year’s winner, Iron Man 2… well above 2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (47 identifiable brands and products) and just short of 2007’s first film which packed in 78 identifiable brands and products.

From the advertiser side, the year’s big winner was Apple, which took home the Award for Overall Product Placement by appearing in more than 40% of the films that topped this year’s box office — more than twice any other brand.

Since Apple claims it does not pay for product placement, its presence in so many movies could be the result of production designers and directors liking the looks of these devices. And even in movies where competitors like Sony and Samsung did pay for placement (Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Apple products continued to pop up.

Some of the other winners in the Product Placement Awards: the Adam Sandler Subway ad called “Jack & Jill,” that “Lincoln Lawyer” movie, and The Green Lantern, which took home the 2011 Award for Worst Product Placement for trying to shoehorn a Hot Wheels product placement into the movie.

Check out the entire awards round-up at BrandChannel.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.