Hidden Marketing Influence Through Films and Media

Marketing offers companies the ability to help the world by raising awareness, solving consumer’s needs, spreading new technological innovations, and providing support to societies and the environment. However, sometimes marketing can be used to take advantage of consumers, mislead and deliver false messages. It has also been linked to society’s overconsumption, which contradicts corporate social responsibility and the environmental movement. Likewise, the over exaggeration and controversial advertisements do not have a good reputation. Such unethical marketing communication practices include stereotyping, targeting vulnerable groups, covert marketing and controversial marketing communication messages, also via movies.

Covert marketing communication practices can be unethical because consumers may not be aware that they are being influenced by hidden marketing messages. Other forms of covert marketing include stealth marketing, which is done by intentional product placements to increase brand awareness. For example, the movie Cast Away prominently featured the brand FedEx as well as the volleyball brand Wilson. After the movie aired, Wilson started selling volleyballs with the Cast Away ‘Wilson’ face and people were buying it. Buzz marketing explains a product or campaign going viral and getting people to talk about it. Like when the fast food chain Popeye’s introduced its new chicken sandwich, everyone was talking about it online and going crazy over it that they were sold out for two months! Likewise, masked marketing use celebrity brand ambassadors to influence the use of the same products as celebrities. In addition, they place subliminal messages/images like the Baskin Robins logo featuring a hidden 31 in their ‘B’ and ‘R’ to represent the 31 flavours they offer. Such marketing techniques can be deceptive and misleading to the audiences’ subconscious. 

Overall oftentimes producers are considered liable for the consequences of their marketing mistakes and practicing unethical behaviour can negatively portray the movie and cause loss of credibility. While Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing can be authentic and honest, it can also be influenced by money or falsely created with fake blogs (flogs) being written by the brand itself rather than actual customers. When consumers discover they are being marketed without their awareness or consent, it can lead to scepticism and damage the relationship with the customer.