The Greatest Movie Ever Sold – Overview and Questions
In The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock takes a look at the lucrative world of brand integration. The film—which is about product placement, marketing and advertising—is entirely funded by product placement, marketing and advertising.
“The goal of this whole film is transparency,” says Spurlock. “You’re going to see the whole thing take place.”
During the course of the film, Spurlock attempts to raise the revenue necessary to make his movie. Along the way, he interviews anti-advertising activists, advertisers and well-known directors.
QUESTIONS OVERVIEW:
The project question will be answered throughout the whole of the movie. The movie questions go in order and will start when the movie starts. Students will be working on the project question and the movie questions simultaneously.
Project Question
As you’re watching the film, fill out the following question. This will serve as the basis for your project “Weber’s Pricing Scavenger Hunt.”
- Find at least eleven brands that were the “official product”of the movie from the categories described below.
- Hotel ______
- Drink/Beverage ______
- Airline______
- Car ______
- Food______
- Personal Care______
- Entertainment______
- Clothing______
- Cleaning Goods______
- Accessories______
- Health Care______
Movie Questions
Additionally, answer the following 20 questions as you are watching the film. This will help provide an additional marketing lens through which to view this film.
- Which two developments mean that fewer people are sitting through television commercials?
- What is the modern phrase for ‘product placement’?
- What is “co-promotion”?
- In 2010, how much money was spent on advertising and marketing?
- What is a brand personality?
- In the Ban company pitch, one of their executives discusses why a brand might be interested in getting involved with this movie (and one could assume with any movie), what is that reason?
- Explain a potential problem that may exist if a company cannot explain its product’s brand personality.
- What is “faction”?
- Once Morgan signed up his sponsors, the contracts rolled in. Explain how the sponsorship contracts affected the movie. (Provide at least three examples.)
- What does Robert Weismann say should be done with product placement in films and television?
- Describe the line between art and commerce (according to the film).
- Is this relationship (art and commerce) a “happy” one based on your interpretation of what you saw in the film? Explain.
- For you, what was the most compelling response to the question “Is there such a thing as truth in advertising?” Explain why this version stood out to you.
- Whatis unique about São Paulo, Brazil?
- Explain the concept of “neuromarketing.”
- What does Susan Linn, author of Consuming Kids, suggest that advertising is doing to children?
- Explain why breaking the barrier to the coveted teen demographic was important for marketers.
- How much does it cost to run a 30 second ad placed within a Channel 1 newscast? ______
- What are your thoughts about advertising in schools?
- What does Donald Trump have to say about celebrity endorsements?