In the movie The Truman Show with Jim Carrey, the actors in the fake reality show encompassing Truman's world would have to add product endorsements while pretending to act normally so Truman would not suspect. Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary adventure examines with a tongue in cheek the marketing blatantly evident in today's movies and television. He decides to finance a film using all money from advertising.
There is probably no one still alive that doesn't remember a time that didn't have mass advertising. Today's world is filled with neon lighted signs, billboards, TV, radio and lately more often shown before the movies and in the actual movie itself. Ironman had 14 ad placements in the movie. Morgan Spurlock shot to popularity by trying to live off McDonald's food for a month. This time armed with story boards presentations he approaches agencies that specialize in bringing advertisers and products together in hope of financing his movie just from the fees brought in for product placement. The next thing he has to do is find a client that's willing to become a co-promoter. The concept and the exposure doesn't seem to fit some major brands and they reject this proposal quickly. He decides to have his own brand personality analyzed. There are actual psychologists who try and find which brand is the right fit for your project. Once he finds one company willing for the exposure others begin to fall in line. Soon he's wading through mountains of contracts threatening to take over the project with their specific advertising placements.
There's a little wink wink nudge nudge to the camera every time Spurlock makes a presentation and it makes the whole effort seem like a big joke. Especially since every scene is filled with product placements. There's discussions with various talking heads like Ralph Nadar regarding the selling of corporate American through the media. Outside of these interesting little tidbits the film doesn't really go anywhere or do anything. Spurlock's meetings with different companies who are all smiling and happy to be in a movie to promote their goods. He does have some amusing not for prime time commercial pitches, but ends up doing what the company wants. There's a side trip to Sao Paolo, Brazil where the city has banned billboards on sides of buildings, buses and taxi's. The bustling city looks more beautiful without things screaming at you to “buy, buy, buy!”. There's also a company that does neuromarketing a process that measures brain responses to ads. So while we all know that we are being bombarded with indulgence in the material world, Spurlock in his logo covered suit is trying to get us to buy his brand.
(Review by reesa)
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