Super Size Me became really famous and it's kind of obvious what it's about but I hadn't actually watched it for some reason and it was a good opportunity so I decided it'd be good to show it to my 10 year old sister too.
Result was great. My sister, who often eats more dessert than the meal, now swears not to drink coca cola or eat McDonalds or anything sweet ever again. Well. That's never going to happen but it's a good first step for her to realize what she's eating.
I was astonished too. I didn't think there was so much health risk to your liver, blood and heart just by eating McDonalds. I just thought you'd get fat. Apparently, that's not the only effect.
And "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" was pretty good too. Although the two documentaries, seemed to have a bit of a different style. "Super Size Me" is more like an actual documentary, but with "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold", it was difficult to grasp that that was the actual the film. It's difficult to explain but, "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" is really a behind-the-scenes clip, the documentary is about how that documentary was created. You'll see if you watch it.
But the really interesting thing is that the Product Placement in "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" really worked. There were a bunch of brands that decided to sponsor the movie, most of which I had never heard of and it really made me want to try it.
For example, I didn't know there was a Pomegranate juice! I had never even considered that option! But I love Pomegranate as a fruit and next time I go to the US, I am definitely trying POM Wonderful!
And Ban is not well known here in Europe, but I know it in Japan as one of the two main deodorant brands. Next time I face a choice between buying an 8x4 or a Ban deodorant in Japan, I can already say that I'm going to try Ban because I watched it in "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"!!
AND, now that I've mentioned them in my Blog, you're curious. So either, you already want to try these products, or you're curious so you go and watch the film only to have the same effect. Honestly, it's scary. But I can't quite be against it. And I think the reason is that I am amazed at how effective it is and I kind of want to say, "Wow, Well done. Kudos for that!". I have to give it to them that it did widen my options and it gave me information that these products are out there and that it's something I might like, and otherwise I would never have known that my potentially favorite fruit juice existed in this world!
Although it did leave me wondering, am I so vulnerable as to want things if they have enough exposure?
I was slightly worried when I started watching"Super Size Me" that maybe, instead of learning how bad it is, I'm going to want to eat McDonalds. But no, I did feel disgusted and right now I don't want to eat anything. I also saw an interesting commercial for a TV show that I don't like, and I still felt that I didn't want to watch it.
So I think, the conclusion I'm reaching about whether Product Placement is good or bad, is that, like most other things in the world today, it depends.
Product Placement
IS effective. to the point that it's scary.
but it also ISN'T evil. It can broaden your options. and maybe a good alternative to commercials.
But one thing is for sure: We can no longer escape from being fed advertisement and unnecessary information while we are awake. It's now up to our individual intelligence and ability to filter things out and determine what is information and what is noise.
Here's the trailer of Super Size Me in case you hadn't heard of it.
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