The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
Encyclopedia
The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (officially titled POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold for sponsorship reasons) is a 2011 documentary film
about product placement, marketing and advertising in movies and TV shows, directed by Morgan Spurlock
. The film's slogan is "He's not selling out, he's buying in".
including:
in January 2011. In the United States, the film had a limited release
, opening on April 22, 2011 in
New York City
, Los Angeles
, San Francisco, Chicago
, Washington D.C., Boston
, Philadelphia, San Diego, Phoenix
, and Austin, Texas
. The film opened the 2011 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on April 28, 2011.
, the film has a 70% "Certified Fresh" rating, with an average rating of 6.4 out of 10. On Metacritic
, the film received a metascore of 66 out of 100.
Stephen Holden
called the film "even more amusing than Super Size Me
", pointing out that "more than once the movie shows Mr. Spurlock, armed with clever storyboard
s, selling his ideas with an enthusiasm and skill that would put Don Draper
of Mad Men
to shame."
clauses with most of the companies showcased in his film but retained final cut
. Pom Wonderful
agreed to pay one million dollars for above-the-title billing ("POM Wonderful Presents"), though the full amount was contingent on the film grossing $10 million at the box office, selling a half-million downloads and DVDs, and generate 600 million media impressions
. As of 26 August 2011, the film had an estimated gross of approximately US$638,476.
Mane 'n Tail
is featured prominently in the film, but the film's end titles disclose that they did not pay for the promotion. Instead, Mane 'n Tail provided free product to be used in the production of the film. Many other brands only provided product or contributed to the promotion of the movie.
For 60 days, beginning April 27, 2011, the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania
(home of Sheetz
, one of the movie's major sponsors) officially changed its name to "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pennsylvania" to help Spurlock promote the film, and received $25,000 for doing so.
Other sponsors include:
music as the movie soundtrack and their song "Cameras" from the album Sidewalks
for the opening credits. Band members Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino are also interviewed in the film.
The film's theme song is called "The Greatest Song I Ever Heard" by the rock band OK Go
. The song was made available for download on 1 April 2011. OK Go performed the song at the film's premiere and at promotions for the film. They also appeared live on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
performing the song.
A soundtrack album was released to digital music stores on April 26, 2011, and on CD August 23, 2011.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about product placement, marketing and advertising in movies and TV shows, directed by Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Valentine Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and journalist best known for the documentary film Super Size Me...
. The film's slogan is "He's not selling out, he's buying in".
People appearing in the film
Besides a great number of sponsoring and non-sponsoring corporate figures appearing in the film, a number of experts also give their opinion to Morgan SpurlockMorgan Spurlock
Morgan Valentine Spurlock is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, television producer, screenwriter and journalist best known for the documentary film Super Size Me...
including:
- J.J. Abrams of Bad Robot ProductionsBad Robot ProductionsBad Robot Productions is an American film and television production company owned by J. J. Abrams. It is responsible for the television series Alias, Lost, What About Brian, Fringe, Six Degrees, Undercovers, Person of Interest and the feature length films Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol , ...
- Peter Bemis of Bemis/Balkind
- Peter BergPeter BergPeter Berg is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is known for directing films such as Friday Night Lights, The Kingdom, The Rundown, Hancock and Battleship. He also developed the television series Friday Night Lights, which was adapted from the film he directed. As an actor...
- Big BoiBig BoiAntwan André Patton , better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, song-writer, record producer and actor, best known for being a member of American hip hop duo OutKast alongside André 3000. His work in the duo has produced six studio albums. During the duo's hiatus, he and André...
from OutKastOutKastOutkast is an American hip hop duo based in East Point, Georgia, consisting of Atlanta native André "André 3000" Benjamin and Savannah, Georgia-born Antwan "Big Boi" Patton. They were originally known as Two Shades Deep but later changed the group's name to OutKast... - Noam ChomskyNoam ChomskyAvram Noam Chomsky is an American linguist, philosopher, cognitive scientist, and activist. He is an Institute Professor and Professor in the Department of Linguistics & Philosophy at MIT, where he has worked for over 50 years. Chomsky has been described as the "father of modern linguistics" and...
, Professor Emeritus of Linguistics at Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyThe Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in... - Bob GarfieldBob GarfieldBob Garfield writes the "Ad Review" TV-commercial criticism feature in Advertising Age. He is also the co-host of the On the Media show on National Public Radio. Before that, he was a frequent contributor to All Things Considered. He is the advertising analyst for ABC News...
, Co-host on On the MediaOn the MediaOn the Media is an hour-long weekly radio program, hosted by Bob Garfield and Brooke Gladstone, covering journalism, technology, and First Amendment issues. It is produced by WNYC in New York City... - Sut JhallySut JhallySatvinder "Sut" Jhally , is a professor of Communication at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and is one of the world’s leading experts on cultural studies, advertising, media, and consumption. He is the producer of 40+ documentaries on media literacy topics and the founder and executive...
, Professor of Communication, University of MassachusettsUniversity of MassachusettsThis article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst... - Britt Johnson of mediaplacement
- Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino of Matt & Kim
- Beth Jones, Ban Brand Manager at Kao Brands Company
- Gilberto KassabGilberto KassabGilberto Kassab is a Brazilian politician, current mayor of São Paulo. His term ends in 2012. A civil engineer and economist, of Lebanese descent, Kassab took over from José Serra, after Serra decided to run for governor of São Paulo...
, mayor of São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - Jimmy KimmelJimmy KimmelJames Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host and comedian. He is the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that airs on ABC. Prior to that, Kimmel was best known as the co-host of Comedy Central's The Man Show and Win Ben Stein's Money...
and a "live" show of Jimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel LiveJimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios... - Richard Kirshenbaum of kbs+p
- Damian KulashDamian KulashDamian Joseph Kulash Jr. is the lead singer and guitarist for Chicago-based rock band OK Go.-Early life:Born in Washington D.C., USA, Kulash graduated from St. Albans School in 1994, and later Brown University in 1998 with a concentration in Art-Semiotics. The family name was originally "Kulas"...
of OK GoOK GoOK Go is a rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, USA, now residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band is composed of Damian Kulash , Tim Nordwind , Dan Konopka and Andy Ross , who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan... - Rick Kurnit, a lawyer specializing in advertising law
- Michael Levine of Levine Communications Office
- Martin LindstromMartin LindstromMartin Lindstrom is an author and Time Magazine Influential 100 Honoree. Lindstrom's books include Buyology - Truth and Lies About Why We Buy and Brandwashed - Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy , his first title written for consumers, for which Lindstrom...
of Buyology Inc. - Susan Linn, Author of Consuming Kids
- Mark Crispin MillerMark Crispin MillerMark Crispin Miller is professor of media studies at New York University, and the author of the book: Fooled Again, How the Right Stole the 2004 Elections. He is known for his writing on American media and for his activism on behalf of democratic media reform...
- Regina Monteiro, Director of Urban Planning, City of São PauloSão PauloSão Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, BrazilBrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... - Ralph NaderRalph NaderRalph Nader is an American political activist, as well as an author, lecturer, and attorney. Areas of particular concern to Nader include consumer protection, humanitarianism, environmentalism, and democratic government....
, consumer advocate - Brett RatnerBrett RatnerBrett Ratner is an American film director, film producer and music video director. He is best known for directing the Rush Hour film series, The Family Man, Red Dragon, X-Men: The Last Stand, and Tower Heist. He was also a producer on the Fox drama series, Prison Break.- Early life :Ratner was...
, film director and producer - L.A. Reid, music producer formerly of Island Def Jam MusicThe Island Def Jam Music GroupThe Island Def Jam Motown Music Group, formerly The Island Def Jam Music Group, is an umbrella label formed in 1999 when Universal Music Group merged two of its daughter companies, Island Records and Def Jam Recordings, to create a label group. In 2011, Motown Records was split from the Universal...
- Lynda ResnickLynda ResnickLynda Rae Resnick is an American entrepreneur and businesswoman. Resnick is married to Stewart A. Resnick, who is also her business partner. Through their holding company they own the POM Wonderful and FIJI Water brands, the Teleflora floral wire service company, large industrial citrus and nut...
, Owner/CEO of POM WonderfulPOM WonderfulPOM Wonderful, LLC is a privately owned company which markets an eponymous brand of beverages and fruit extracts. It was founded in 2002 by the billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick. They are also affiliated with the companies Teleflora, FIJI Water, pesticide... - Tony Seiniger of Seiniger Advertising
- Ben SilvermanBen SilvermanBenjamin Noah "Ben" Silverman is the founder and CEO of Electus, a next generation entertainment studio staked by IAC's Barry Diller....
of ElectusElectusElectus is a next generation production studio founded by Ben Silverman and financed by Barry Diller’s IAC/InterActiveCorp in 2009...
and formerly of NBCNBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Entertainment - Stan Sheetz of Sheetz, IncSheetzSheetz, Inc. is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores owned by the Sheetz family. Stores are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia....
- Brian Steinberg, TV Editor of Advertising AgeAdvertising AgeAdvertising Age is a magazine, delivering news, analysis and data on marketing and media. The magazine was started as a broadsheet newspaper in Chicago in 1930...
- Quentin TarantinoQuentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
, screenwriter/director - Matt Tupper of POM WonderfulPOM WonderfulPOM Wonderful, LLC is a privately owned company which markets an eponymous brand of beverages and fruit extracts. It was founded in 2002 by the billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick. They are also affiliated with the companies Teleflora, FIJI Water, pesticide...
- Robert Weissman of Public CitizenPublic CitizenPublic Citizen is a non-profit, consumer rights advocacy group based in Washington, D.C., United States, with a branch in Austin, Texas. Public Citizen was founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, headed for 26 years by Joan Claybrook, and is now headed by Robert Weissman.-Lobbying Efforts:Public Citizen...
- David Art WalesDavid Art WalesDavid Arthur Wales, a.k.a. David Wales or David Art Wales is an Australian entrepreneur and artist best known for creating satirical cult figure Guru Adrian...
of Ministry of Culture marketing consultancy - Faris Yakob of kbs+p
- Lindsay Zaltman of Olson Zaltman Associates
- Donald TrumpDonald TrumpDonald John Trump, Sr. is an American business magnate, television personality and author. He is the chairman and president of The Trump Organization and the founder of Trump Entertainment Resorts. Trump's extravagant lifestyle, outspoken manner and role on the NBC reality show The Apprentice have...
Release
The film premiered at the Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
in January 2011. In the United States, the film had a limited release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
, opening on April 22, 2011 in
New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, San Francisco, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Washington D.C., Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Philadelphia, San Diego, Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, and Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. The film opened the 2011 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival on April 28, 2011.
Reception
On the review aggregate website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the film has a 70% "Certified Fresh" rating, with an average rating of 6.4 out of 10. On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film received a metascore of 66 out of 100.
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
called the film "even more amusing than Super Size Me
Super Size Me
Super Size Me is a 2004 American documentary film directed by and starring Morgan Spurlock, an American independent filmmaker. Spurlock's film follows a 30-day period from February 1 to March 2, 2003 during which he eats only McDonald's food...
", pointing out that "more than once the movie shows Mr. Spurlock, armed with clever storyboard
Storyboard
Storyboards are graphic organizers in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence....
s, selling his ideas with an enthusiasm and skill that would put Don Draper
Don Draper
Donald "Don" Draper is a fictional character and the protagonist of AMC's television series Mad Men. He is portrayed by 2008 Golden Globe winner Jon Hamm. Until the third season finale, Draper was Creative Director of Manhattan advertising firm Sterling Cooper...
of Mad Men
Mad Men
Mad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
to shame."
Sponsors
Spurlock signed non-disparagementDisparagement
Disparagement, in United States trademark law, is a statutory cause of action that permits a party to petition the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board of the Patent and Trademark Office to cancel a trademark registration that "may disparage or falsely suggest a connection with persons, living or...
clauses with most of the companies showcased in his film but retained final cut
Final cut privilege
Final cut privilege is a film industry term, usually used when a director has contractual authority over how a film is ultimately released for public viewing.- Condition :...
. Pom Wonderful
POM Wonderful
POM Wonderful, LLC is a privately owned company which markets an eponymous brand of beverages and fruit extracts. It was founded in 2002 by the billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick. They are also affiliated with the companies Teleflora, FIJI Water, pesticide...
agreed to pay one million dollars for above-the-title billing ("POM Wonderful Presents"), though the full amount was contingent on the film grossing $10 million at the box office, selling a half-million downloads and DVDs, and generate 600 million media impressions
Impression (online media)
An impression is a measure ofthe number of times an ad is displayed, whether it is clicked on or not.Each time an ad displays it is counted as one impression....
. As of 26 August 2011, the film had an estimated gross of approximately US$638,476.
Mane 'n Tail
Mane 'n Tail
Mane 'n Tail is the brand name of a series of health products for humans and horses.The product range includes shampoos, conditioners, leave-in spray treatments and conditioning creams, styling pomades and hand and nail therapy for humans...
is featured prominently in the film, but the film's end titles disclose that they did not pay for the promotion. Instead, Mane 'n Tail provided free product to be used in the production of the film. Many other brands only provided product or contributed to the promotion of the movie.
For 60 days, beginning April 27, 2011, the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania
Altoona, Pennsylvania
-History:A major railroad town, Altoona was founded by the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1849 as the site for a shop complex. Altoona was incorporated as a borough on February 6, 1854, and as a city under legislation approved on April 3, 1867, and February 8, 1868...
(home of Sheetz
Sheetz
Sheetz, Inc. is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores owned by the Sheetz family. Stores are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia....
, one of the movie's major sponsors) officially changed its name to "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pennsylvania" to help Spurlock promote the film, and received $25,000 for doing so.
Other sponsors include:
- Amy's KitchenAmy's KitchenAmy's Kitchen is a privately held corporation which began operation in 1987, with the purpose of making healthy, organic, and easy-to-prepare frozen food. Owned and run by Andy and Rachel Berliner, Amy's Kitchen took its name from their then-newborn daughter. The company employs over 1,500 people...
- The ArubaArubaAruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
Tourism Authority - Ban
- Carrera SunglassesCarrera SunglassesCARRERA is a trademark belonging to Safilo Group S.p.A. that designs and produces sunglasses and sports eyewear. Founded in Austria in 1956, it now operates from Padova, Italy.-History:...
- Get It For Free Online
- HyattHyattHyatt Hotels Corporation , is an international operator of hotels.Hyatt Center is the headquarters for Hyatt corporation...
- JetBlue
- KDF Car Wraps
- Merrell
- MiniMINI (BMW)Mini is a British automotive marque owned by BMW which specialises in small cars.Mini originated as a specific vehicle, a small car originally known as the Morris Mini-Minor and the Austin Seven, launched by the British Motor Corporation in 1959, and developed into a brand encompassing a range of...
- Solstice Sunglass Boutique
- TridentTridentA trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
- CarmexCarmexCarmex is a brand of lip balm meant to eliminate cold sores and soothe dry/chapped lips. It is sold in jars, sticks, and squeezable tubes.-History:...
- Movietickets.comMovieTickets.comMovieTickets.com is an online movie ticketing website originally founded by AMC Theaters and Hollywood.com and formed in the year 2000. It is currently a joint venture between AMC Entertainment, Hollywood Media Corp, National Amusements, Cineplex Entertainment, Marcus Theatres, Viacom and Time Warner...
- Old NavyOld NavyOld Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
- Ted BakerTed BakerTed Baker is a British clothing retail company, known for applying twists to its products, and has become a UK designer label through word of mouth rather than advertising.-History:...
- Petland DiscountsPetland DiscountsPetland Discounts is a privately-owned chain of pet stores based in Brentwood, New York. The company was founded in 1965 with a store in Glen Oaks, New York...
- Seventh Generation Inc.Seventh Generation Inc.Seventh Generation, Inc. is an American company that sells cleaning, paper, and personal care products. The company was founded in 1988 and is based in Burlington, Vermont. The company focuses its marketing and product development on sustainability and the conservation of natural resources...
- SheetzSheetzSheetz, Inc. is a chain of gas stations/convenience stores owned by the Sheetz family. Stores are located in Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia....
- Thayers
Music
Spurlock used Brooklyn's dance-punk duo Matt and KimMatt and Kim
Matt & Kim are a dance punk duo residing in Brooklyn, New York City, New York. The group was formed in 2005 and is composed of Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino...
music as the movie soundtrack and their song "Cameras" from the album Sidewalks
Sidewalks (album)
Sidewalks is the third studio album from Brooklyn-based band Matt & Kim. It was released on November 2, 2010, on Fader Label. The song 'Silver Tiles' was the first song the duo wrote but was never featured on an album before.-Tracklisting:...
for the opening credits. Band members Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino are also interviewed in the film.
The film's theme song is called "The Greatest Song I Ever Heard" by the rock band OK Go
OK Go
OK Go is a rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois, USA, now residing in Los Angeles, California, USA. The band is composed of Damian Kulash , Tim Nordwind , Dan Konopka and Andy Ross , who joined them in 2005, replacing Andy Duncan...
. The song was made available for download on 1 April 2011. OK Go performed the song at the film's premiere and at promotions for the film. They also appeared live on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson is a Peabody Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish American comedian Craig Ferguson. Ferguson, the third regular host of the Late Late Show franchise, follows Late Show with David Letterman in the CBS late-night lineup...
performing the song.
A soundtrack album was released to digital music stores on April 26, 2011, and on CD August 23, 2011.