A movie that I just recently watched has many cultural assumptions about the field of marketing and more specifically advertising. The movie is called Planes, Trains, and Automobiles and it stars Steve Martin. He plays an advertising executive trying to find a marketing image for cosmetics and ends up taking too long and he has to rush to the airport to get home. He was in New York for business and needs to fly home to Chicago. He runs into another man trying to get to Chicago and the movie is about their misadventures on the way back to Chicago.
This movie makes multiple assumptions about someone who works in advertising. The movie portrays Steve Martin as being an arrogant, stuck up businessman who didnt really care for many people besides himself. The movie makes it seem that advertising is much more impersonal than it really is. They also make the character have some anger issues but this just may be because nothing is going his way.
I liked your example that you used for a pop culture display of advertising. Although I have never seen this movie, I know that it is really popular. I also agree with you that professionals in advertising are viewed as formal and emotionless; I feel that many people perceive them as heartless and money hungry. It seems like our society stereotypes all people in advertising into one group, when they should look at each individual company differently. You did a good job of identifying how our culture views advertising, and made me more aware of your field in everyday life.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this movie and it does portray the professionals in the advertising field to be either arrogant or overly exuberant in selling their product. This movie and others in pop culture, whether they mean to or not, has an influence on the way people stereotype salespeople.
ReplyDeleteThe example you brought up for advertising is really good. Although I haven't seen that movie before, I know the how the people in that profession portrays in pop culture. But the really quality of the people to do advertise is the opposite. They need patient and try to make connection between clients, so they can sell their stuff. being a good listener is very important.
ReplyDeleteExcellent movie choice! And a classic too! I don't know why this movie portrays salesmen in the way it does (well yes I do... because it makes for a great film) because I would think that salesmen would need to be at least somewhat personal in order to better sell they're product. Another great movie that comes to mind is Tommy Boy. Where Chris Farley goes on the road to sell car parts to keep his father business alive. At first he is blubbering idiot who couldn't sell shit to toilet, but by the end of the movie he learns how to be a great salesman and ends up saving his dad's company. He does that by reaching his clients on a much more personal level then Steve Martin does in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Yeah both movies are unrealistic comedies, but if I was to be sold something I'd much rather be pitched to by Tom Callahan (Chris Farley) than Neal Page (Steve Martin).
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