Analysis of The Persuaders free essay sample

The following essay is a summation of the OPB documentary The Persuaders, a journalistic inquiry into the history and global effects of marketing and big advertising. The film explains the process of creating an emotional brand, and identifies the impacts it has on society. The narrator closes the film with a statement to the audience: No matter how well a product is marketed, its not a part of you, its just a product. The Persuaders begins by pessimistically giving the audience a brief history of marketing strategies. We learn that advertising and brand establishment was a pretty cut-and-dry science until the 1990s when an epiphany shook the paradigm; giving meaning to a product. The effects of this trend are shown in the film through Song Airlines, a new start-up struggling to market effectively. They decide on an advertising gimmick; appealing to women on an emotional level. Their commercials dont feature any airplanes, traveling, or men. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of The Persuaders or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I didnt enjoy the films lack of journalistic integrity. Advertisers are viewed as guerrilla terrorists, and the entire documentary tries to condition us into having an opinion that marketing is cluttering the first world and deculturalizing society. OPB could have been a tad bit more neutral in their presentation. I dont personally consider the techniques described in this video to be an invasion of anyones privacy. I think some consumers can be manipulated into emotionally identifying with a brand or product. Its up to the individual to understand that and infer if its natural for them or not. I love BMWs, and I always think of The Hire when people talk about commercials. The Hire is a series of eight short films written for BMW, directed by an ensemble of popular filmmakers, and starring Clive Owen (Madonna makes a cameo as well). The Hire is colloquially defined as branded content, but to me the BMW is so seamlessly integrated into the narrative that it becomes a MacGuffin. In conclusion, The Persuaders is a pseudo-journalistic piece on the dangers of marketing. I dont personally agree with the overall opinion of the documentary, but if you peel away the layers youll find it to be an informative film. I hope you enjoyed my essay and thank god for TiVo.