Rhetorically Analyzing A

Documentary:

POM WONDERFUL

PRESENTS: THE

GREATEST MOVIE EVER

SOLDdirected by: Morgan Spurlock

RYAN FARINAs; RACHEL LIBED

period 5; 12/10/13

Background & context-Directed by Morgan Spurlock, who is also the director of two other films, Super Size Me, and Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?

-Spurlock find interest in looking into the world of product placement. Soon enough he then had an idea to direct a documentary called, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, which explores the growing world of product placement in tv shows and movies.

-Morgan Spurlock proposes a documentary of how marketing and product placement is produced within the marketing world and how “branded messages” have taken taken over our lives.

-Product Placement is a practice in which manufacturers of goods or providers of a service gain exposure for their products by paying for them to be featured in movies and television programs.

-However, ironically throughout the process of creating this documentary, the audience then realizes the creation of this documentary will be funded by strictly product placements itself.

-Co-promotion is then used by two or more companies to help expand the power of sale force in hope for higher changes or more success

Co-promotion is a marketing practice where a company uses another company's sales force, in addition to its own, to promote the same brand or range of brands. The term is frequently confused with Co-marketing.

Background & context-Various companies (600+) were contacted by Morgan in hope for financial support of the $1.5million budget that must be met in order for this creation to succeed.

-600+ companies were contacted, but majority told Spurlock to “Get lost and/or to shut that camera off.” Meanwhile, of those 600, approximately only 23 companies agreed to sponsor financial aid towards this “Blockumentary.”

-When he finds supporting companies, there are certain things he must follow, such as eat,drink and drive sponsored, brand-visible items throughout the documentary in order for their sponsor contract to be valid.

-Although it was a difficult journey searching for a willingful company(ies) for support, Morgan was given the opportunity to speak with experts that deal with advertisements and tries to uncover and understand what companies must do to attract anyone

-POM Wonderful is the greatest sponsor of them all, and provides the fund of $1million of the needed $1.5million.

POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD; OFFICIAL TRAILER

Essential Questions-Can advertisements be avoided?

-Why is it important to understand how these corporations are appealing towards humans minds? And how we are being drawn into their product?

-Why are advertisements needed? Beneficial?

-What is product placement? How does it relate to the marketing industry?

-What is “brand personality?” Does Morgan appear to have this? If so, what is it, and why?

-With the usage of co-promotion, does the size of a company have the same type of partnership and opportunities as the bigger the scale goes?

-Why does Morgan need visible, well-know brands when trying to get corporations to sponsor his documentary?

Essential Questions-In what ways can marketing naturally change within peoples minds?

-How does finances relate to the documentary?

-Do all people get caught up into these corporation traps?

-Who would invest their time and money to take the risk of sponsoring this documentary? Why?

-What type of corporations does Morgan aim at gaining support from?-Why do these companies acquire products?

-How do corporations manipulate people’s minds with the usage of these products?

-How does Morgan approach these corporations? Are they different per corporation?

-Who gets the most affected by these causes? What are the results?

Essential Questions-What is Product placement? What is its relation to marketing?

-What is Co-Promotion? How is it used?

-How does Co-promotion boost

-What is “Faction?” How is it used?

-How will Morgan use “faction?”

-What is “brand collateral?”

-Why do music artists and bands cooperate with brands?

-Why do you think some companies did not agree to supporting Morgans documentary?

- “Are you buying in, or selling out?”

Purposes and Aims-Exaggerate the inevitable involvement of innumerable advertising

-Morgan Spurlock’s purpose of this “blockumentary” is to draw attention to the methods companies take in order to take control within our lives

-Shed light upon how immune we are to “every day” items/ads, that people don’t realize how it plays a big factor into their life

-To justify how and what companies do to persuade people to buy their products

-Find industries to financially aid the creation of this documentary in return for product placement

-To exhibit how advertising manipulates people’s minds and the unawareness that lie upon the nations naked eyes

-Juxtaposes the risks and difficult process companies start with in attempt to be a well known industry

-The exposure of product placement itself

Arguments and Claims-The lack of knowledge human beings have are being taken advantage over because of the huge control corporations have upon the nations minds with the usage of advertisements

-Advertising is inevitable; even in places that don’t contain as much ads as other locations

-The only escape from advertising is through sleep

-People are so immune to being exposed to marketing products it is already a given to being processed within ones mind

-You can use scientific experiments, such as neuromarketing, to get through into a persons mind- literally

-When bargaining with companies, the finances come into big factors because of the possibility for a product failure

-Although some products say that are “100% factual,” there is this thing called faction that hides behind the truth containing a slight change which changes the whole picture behind what’s being said

-It is important to discover your own “brand personality” (personification of your organization/company) in successful partnership with “like” brands for co-promotion

Scene Analysis #1“Neuromarketing; what’s in your brain?”

In this scene, Morgan meets with chairman, Martin Lindstrom, and discusses the “most vital element needed for a film’s success: the trailer.” By using a new technique, neuromarketing- it allows tests to be ran and can identify the implications that are felt and thought but hidden after watching a trailer. Its been said the people behind movie trailers discovered a formula which increases a trailers effectiveness on a person’s subconscious brain.

Clip Length:3 MinutesSource: Online; 54:22

FEAR CRAVINGSEXUALIMPULSES

“Neuromarketing; what’s in your brain?” In the beginning of the scene, the trailer of a documentary is characterized as one of the most essential, or vital key elements for the success of filmmaking. Martin Lindstrom uncovers what he believes is the “secret to creating a memorable trailer each time.” He distinguishes trailers as one of the most “deadly-important” aspects, and unlocks the secret by the usage of a new technique called neuromarketing. Neuromarketing is the process of researching the brain patterns of consumers to reveal their responses to particular advertisements and products before it develops into a campaign or brand. Lindstrom states you must find out where the emotional peak lies to create an engaging story people have to hear. There are various tests for differing movie genres not only to identify what type of emotions an audience receive after its view but to use those responses as a guide for any needed revisions. They use certain major appeals such as, “fear,” “cravings,” and “sex appeals” which declares to have the longest-lasting impressions on an audience, making the urge to see the film overpowering. Therefore, it insures that the trailer will contain high suggestive images that cater to either or all of these three emotional states. Spurlock then allows himself to participate and experience the truth behind neuro-marketeers himself for full comprehension. As he goes through a Neuromarketing MRI scan, it justifies that trailers optimize neuromarketing to shape the thoughts and feelings of the viewers. The analysis afterwards reveals evidence of how his brain reacted. In his case, Spurlock’s brain triggered when an advertisement for Coca-Cola was shown, and the particular hormones that indicate his desire for some as well. Although Morgan fails to expose how companies exactly incorporate this technology within marketing plans, you are capable of characterizing this method as manipulative, just as

“Neuromarketing; what’s in your brain?”

Lindstrom explains after Morgan asks, “Do you think by doing stuff like this you’re manipulating consumers into making a choice?” Martin Lindstrom explicates his justification by ending the scene through truth of “Don’t be fooled because if you’re going to reach a point where you think you’re safe- that’s the point where you’re the most wanted, and the most vulnerable in the whole process.”

Scene Analysis #2“What to see in Brazil”

In this scene, Morgan takes a trip to Sao Paulo, Brazil that has recently passed a law, outlawing all outdoor advertising. As he is in the city he interviews Gilberto Kassab, who passed the law, and Regina Monteiro, who came up with it. he questions them about why they would pass this clean city law. He talks to citizens of Sao Paulo about what they think of this law and to Business owners about how their business has become affected by it. This scene creates and understanding of different society could be without facing advertisement wherever you go.

Clip Length:4 Minutes

Source: Online; 48:52

AD-FREE

idk.. but surely

nothing like

Times Square..

“What To See in Brazil”In this scene, Gilberto clarifies why the “no outdoor advertising” law has been passed. The scene causes the audience to realize with the amount of visual pollution that advertisement occupies, it is difficult for the city’s natural beauty to be noticed and appreciated because the attention of peoples minds are more focused on what companies and their products hold rather than the city’s natural-beauty itself. By including numerous interviews with citizens of Sao Paulo- their preferences based upon their city amplifies how much clutter product placement can produce within a location; which then sheds light upon the potential amazement of a clutterless society without companies and their ads. Regina Monteiro then points out her attempts in varying deeming methods to make Sao Paulo significant and special to the world. The people that Morgan interview claim that the society they live in now reflects a positive change in the way they see their city, their home. This indicates that people can focus more on what they admire and desire without any possible digressions that may distract them from their chance to encounter them. Morgan also questions how this law has affected business owners and their way of advertising. Store owners focus more on having products that attract the customers as they come into contact with them, instead of wasting their time attempting to pull in the people and hope for their interest and time of listening to the attempts of persuation towards the products- most of the time, people walk by, ignore and pretend they do not hear nor see these workers. By this method of attraction, it exposes new variations these shops and companies think of to become more prosper and popular for more customers.

In this scene the question that is being ask is “is there truth in advertising?” Morgan goes to different people and asks for their opinion. This scene explains how products are connected to people’s feelings and how it makes them feel. It reveals that consumers are not aware of the harmful truth behind products

Scene Analysis #3“Truth in Advertising”

Clip Length: 4 minutesSource: Online; 45:10

This scene sheds light upon how speculation covers up the real facts of a product and attracts more consumers. Crispin Miller explains how advertising insults people to get them to buy their product. It reveals that companies use pathos to get people to feel as if they need the curtain product to be happy. Morgan compares his sons pet fish and truth in advertising. It clarifies that companies are based on risk taking and hope. A problem with this speculation is that many food companies covers up facts that explain what is harmful to people. It creates the question is there truth within advertising? And if not, how long can the companies can keep up the lies they tell to people and how long will it make people feel contentment. Crispin Miller demonizes companies because they insult their customers to make them buy their products. It is ironic because they make people think they are happy but in the sense that the companies insult people just so they can make them happy, there is no contentment in that. It Criticizes companies strategy on attracting consumers. But the fact that people fall for these fictional speculations makes them characterized as oblivious and gullible. The label of products exemplifies faction because it gives information about what is contained but also incorporates minor false information.

“Truth in Advertising”

Scene Analysis #4:“Advertisement in Schools”

In this scene, Morgan views the perspective of students and teachers on advertisement in school. The teachers responses on this reveals that companies are inconsiderate of students thoughts and their way of learning. This scene exaggerates how selfish companies are.

Clip Length: 4 minutesSource: Online; 58:15

“Advertisement in Schools”

Morgan Spurlock interviews high school students. He asks the students why they think there are commercials at school. The answers of the students emphasizes that they do not like the sponsor broadcast commercials because they are at school to learn and not to be advertised to. They imply that schools are supposed to tell you how to think and with all of the advertisements around the school they are being told how to think. A girl in the interview brings up a point about renaming the school to “Red Bull High”. This exaggerates how ridiculous and desperate advertisement and schools can be without the consideration of the students learning. It establishes how obvious major brands want to get their name on buildings for their own benefits. Later in the scene Morgan interviews the staffs of of Broward County school district.One of the ladies said “Eight out of the twelve years she has been working at that district the school board has been looking at many ways to cut costs that doesn’t affect the classroom as they can.”

(cont.)“Advertisement in Schools”

It sheds light upon how conniving companies can be on schools by offering a deal to give them more money. The lady Morgan was interviewing had characterizes schools as sacred because it is a place where students come to learn. The question being raised is if the schools budgets are being cut, how would you prevent the school from shutting down and losing teachers and programs? It makes the school obligated to rely on companies to give them more benefits. But the company manipulates the way students think and learn. Kids are learning about the world based on what’s best for corporations.This reveals the stakeholder of the student’s way of thinking and that is the school itself. The choices and sacrifices the schools make reflects on how students will think and reveals that they don’t really consider the concern of the student towards marketing and advertising in the school. It is implying that the companies do not care for the student’s education. They just want to sell their products to the teens because the way teens think is still being developed. Morgan makes the scene sheds light upon what companies think and how desperate schools can be with thinking about the way the students feel about advertising in their schools.

Closing Points“The only way to escape the relentless advertising in

contemporary society is to close your eyes and go to sleep.” -ralph nader

We believe that this documentary was not only primarily created for the audience to realize the reality of how conniving companies are, but to grasp the idea that everywhere you go- someone, or something is screaming to draw in your attention towards their certain product(s). You must understand the huge amount of competition that lie amongst

other corporations- all in which are striving to become “the greatest business industry ever created,” in order to comprehend the drastic desperation to become number 1, and their willingness to reach these ambitions. As American citizens living in the U.S, by being constantly surrounded by these walls filled of ads, it makes us conceive how we are “unaffected” towards advertisements and labels because we view these matters as an “ordinary, average joe” type of

matter. Until we looked into this topic, we never fully viewed nor understood the deeper meaning behind these manipulations, or how big of an impact ad’s have occurred within our lives because no one really analyzes these

messages but more enjoys the attraction by its appeal(s). Spurlock states in his blockumentary, “Advertisements define the world, shape our lives and generally affect us in ways we might not notice. It’s time, Spurlock says, to start paying

attention.” By watching this doc, it made us realize how it’s not that humans are “ignorant and oblivious” when it comes towards these topics- but more that we allow our inner intuition take control and a hold of our minds which

causes us to act more upon our feelings rather than thoughts. Morgan Spurlock does not give you reasons or methods to prevent or stop this action because it is inevitable, but instead you are to beware of this cause and begin taking

stronger control of what processes through your mind when viewing an “attention-seeking, mind corrupting” ad. Is it worth it? Dont give in. Like Nader said, if you want to escape the ads, the only way is to go to sleep!

SOOO... what brand

are YOU?

any questions?