10 Movies that teach more than Marketing Textbooks

10 Movies that teach more than Marketing Textbooks

“Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different.”

– Stephen King

Over the ages, people have always had a tendency to understand a story or an event through pictorial representation or animation. In the last forty years or so, Motion picture films (movies) have allowed viewers to get a better perspective of a textual piece of work or story in print. At the same time, most people would disagree by saying that the book is always the best and the movie leaves out finer details, so many ideas, facts and morals which you can only identify or realize once you have read the book.  

In today’s academic era – the student with the support of evolving technology has in a way grown lazy to read through pages and would prefer to view a video clip with narration on YouTube or watch a movie with actors play out their roles with the light and sound in the background. The argument will always have two sides as bookworms and movie lovers will defend their opinions. However, from an academic context, there have been several movies which help you understand a situation, event, philosophy or a simple fact much better than a textbook would. Firstly, we have movies on Classic Literature adapted to movies, then comic-books, historical events, sci-fi, poems, fiction novels, biographies, etc. that smash the box-office or are complete flops.

Here is a list of marketing based movies that I would recommend people who wish to understand advertising or marketing research better especially a particular theme or topic. No particular order follows but I have selected the ten movies that come to my mind for those who want to learn, or experience marketing and advertising through them.

1)   The Corporation – Although this movie is a documentary from a psychiatrist point-of-view where the patient is a ‘corporation’, it looks at society in large from an ethical standpoint and how covert techniques are adopted by marketers to get their brands into our homes. You will actually hate some of the best global brands or companies after watching this.

2)   The Joneses – This movie’s theme centers around stealth marketing and word-of-mouth done by a fake family in an upscale posh neighbourhood to influence them into buying various products.  It combines familiar notions of product placement and the sort of real-life undercover marketing efforts that have occasionally caused a minor uproar (years back Sony had its agents ask strangers on the street if they would mind taking a picture with their new Sony Ericsson camera phone?).

3)   The Pirates of Silicon Valley - Pirates of Silicon Valley is a true-story movie about Bill Gates and how Microsoft got started and also about Steve Jobs and how Apple got started. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs performed many unethical actions during the beginnings of Microsoft and Apple. The movie showcases their salesmanship and marketing skills along with the ad campaigns they created which have made them household names today. For more info, refer my previous blog on Steve Jobs and the hype he created.

4)   POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold – This is the third movie by Morgan Spurlock of ‘Super-Size Me’ fame who produces a movie through sponsors and shows how product placement in movies takes place behind the scenes. A good watch for Market Researchers and entertainment marketers. See my earlier blog entries for more info on this movie.

5)   How to get ahead in Advertising – This movie came out in the late 80s and questioned advertising ethics through a dark comedic stand. Although much has changed in the Advertising Industry, it gives a nostalgic view on the golden era of advertising.

6)   Minority Report – A sci-fi movie set in the future where Marketers and advertisers have developed artificial intelligence applications using retinal scanners that can home in on a consumer's desires, determine which sales pitches work best and expand a company's market base using customized, targeted ads to consumers in the streets or their homes.

7)   Branded (The Mad Cow and Москва 2017) – Although the movie flopped earlier this year, it has a few scenes which are really interesting in the reality-based world of entertainment that we are witnessing.  It looks at the advertising business and the dark realities of why certain campaigns are hyped globally and how it is inter-connected to so many other products and services as well. Ignore the monster killing during the second half and pay attention to the scenes where the consultant gives his gyaan (knowledge) to businessmen on manipulation.

8)   The Social Network: The Movie – The true-story based (debatable) movie on social media giant Facebook, it touches on various themes like entrepreneurship, creativity, management, ethics and overall marketing. The best scene according to me is the one at the restaurant where the Napster founder Sean Parker gives the hero certain tips to market his website better. Also, interestingly Sony produced the movie which they advertised through Twitter instead of Facebook –go figure!!

9)   Glengarry Glen Ross – A Phenomenal movie with strong dialogues based on a play which shows two days in the lives of four real estate salesmen and how they become desperate when the corporate office sends a trainer to "motivate" them by announcing that, in one week, all except the top two salesmen will be fired.  The movie revolves around manipulation, greed and lies for survival packing powerful performances.

10)  What Women Want – I was hesitant to add this in the list, but really after watching this movie years ago, I wanted to be a Creative Director at an Agency. The movie gives a detailed look at how traditional AD agencies function and the fun that goes into preparing a pitch to the client. The added bonus is the fact that Mel Gibson can hear women’s thoughts and he uses them to his advantage at the ad agency where he works.

Other notable movies among many, that have insights and showcase marketing or advertising skills/strategy are:

• Freakonomics – The Movie: Based on a book, watch this and you will want to read its sequel.
• The Century of Self – A documentary which helps understanding the marketing psyche.
• Mad Men – (TV series) - It shows the Advertising Industry in the late 60s to early 70s.
• Thank You For Smoking - It is about a lobbyist of cigarettes using heavy spin tactics.

Do feel free to comment and recommend any more movies with marketing or advertising as its main theme.

Images have been used for reference purposes only.

Prof. Quresh Moochhala is a lecturer at The Northpoint Centre of Learning. He lectures students in various areas within Advertising & Market Research. In academics, he believes in practical knowledge over theory.