In the age that we live in today, the media are a great tool for companies, both small and large, to get their marketing messages across to a vast range of viewers. This is especially true for visual media, i.e. Television and Film, where, a huge amount of audience almost always guarantees that the advertisements projected for a certain brand will result in sales.
The movie 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold', was a documentary that premiered first in January of 2011. The documentary was based on product placement and how brands market themselves using Film and Television media. The unique part about the documentary was that it was sponsored completely by sponsors or certain brands.
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold featured a number of top brands, belonging to different industries. Some of the most notable brands featured were JetBlue, Carrera Sunglasses, Ted Baker, Hyatt, Old Navy, Mini, Trident, along with the Aruba Tourism Authority, KDF Car Wraps, Ban, Merrell, MovieTickets.com, Carmex, Sheetz, Petland Discounts, and others. One brand, Mane n Tail, a producer of health care products for both human beings and horses, also featured in the film but did not pay fees for the promotion. Instead, the brand provided its range of products to be used in the film, without any charges.
Marketing and advertisement performed using the Film and Television media provides a number of benefits for all the parties involved. For the creator or producer of the film, product placement, such as in this particular documentary, provides funds in the form sponsors. The sponsors pay the producer for placing their products in the movie, allowing the producer to cover up the costs associated with the movie. For the brand itself, product placement in movies and TV shows allows for unprecedented levels of consumer attention, the likes of which would not be possible using only a particular form of advertising channel. For instance, hit movies and TV shows are watched by millions of people at once, so the potential for sales is massive. Lastly, for the consumers, watching advertisements for various brands and their products in films and TV shows automatically leads to the product being held in high regard.
Work Cited
IMDb, . 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (2011).' N.p., 2014. Web. 27 Nov. 2014.
