Most of us watch movies or TV shows to escape from reality, especially after a long day at work. However, some of the best shows and movies might truly inspire us to improve our work!
The greatest education is often wrapped in entertainment. And when it comes to marketing, there are a ton of valuable lessons to be learned from movies and TV shows.
We’ve compiled a list of movies and TV shows that anyone who works in marketing will definitely enjoy!
1. Mad Men (2007)
Mad Men, set in 1960s New York City, provides an immersive glimpse into the journey of an advertising agency. It walks you through the inner workings of agency life in the 1960s; including its structure, how client interactions are done, and the entire creative process.
It transports the viewer to advertising’s high-powered and glamorous “Golden Age.” The story revolves around Don Draper (Jon Hamm), the most powerful and talented advertising executive in the industry.
The show begins by conveying the essence of advertising, which is “making people happy.” In an age when many people associate consumerism with happiness, this series provides great tips on how to pair marketing strategies while earning customer happiness. Also, if you are into the 60’s clothes, hairstyles, and decor, this is a must-see.
Rated 8.7/10 on IMDb
Type TV Show
2. Emily in Paris (2020)
This comedy-drama tells the story of Emily, an ambitious twenty-something marketing executive from Chicago, unexpectedly landing her dream job in Paris when her company acquires a French luxury marketing agency. She is assigned the task of bringing an American perspective to a prestigious French marketing agency.
There, she struggles to succeed in the workplace while searching for love and experiencing a culture clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in a foreign city.
As a marketer, you can learn several marketing lessons from the show while enjoying its fast-paced story. Plus it incorporates Paris, art, food, fashion and the whole French culture in a very intriguing, enticing manner. So, if you are a marketer and you’ve always wanted to visit Paris, the show is definitely for you.
Rated 7/10 on IMDb
Type TV Show
3. The Social Dilemma (2020)
The Social Dilemma is a docudrama film that shows how the design of social media fosters addiction, manipulates people’s views, emotions, and behavior, and spreads conspiracy theories and disinformation in order to maximize profit.
The enlightening film brings together a group of Silicon Valley thinkers who formerly helped to build and disseminate internet habits all over the world. The film also investigates the impact of social media on mental health.
The most important lesson from “The Social Dilemma” is that we should question everything we read online, especially if it is presented in a way that indicates a thorough understanding of our preferences and inclinations. Social media may certainly be weaponized if it falls into the wrong hands. This captivating and impactful docudrama is a must-watch as it’s your decision to whom you want to hand over control of your life – to social media or yourself?
Rated 7.6/10 on IMDb
Type Documentary/Docudrama Film
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4. The Social Network (2010)
This biographical drama, based on the book “The Accidental Billionaires,” follows a young Harvard undergrad and computer genius named Mark Zuckerberg as he creates the world’s most popular social media platform, Facebook. Six years later, he is one of the world’s youngest millionaires, but his remarkable success brings both personal and legal issues when he is named in two lawsuits, one of which involves a former friend.
It will be interesting to watch for marketers as you can learn what inspired the creation of Facebook, the steps the founders took to develop it, and all the ups and downs Facebook faced as it expanded into the social media behemoth it is today.
Rated 7.8/10 on IMDb
Type Biographical Drama Film
5. The Great Hack (2019)
The Great Hack is a 2019 documentary film about the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal. This documentary exposed the negative aspects of social networking. It demonstrates how technology, consumer data, and data analysis have all turned into sociological experiments.
After watching this film, you’ll have a much better understanding of what data tracking, harvesting, and selling look like, as well as how they’re used against individuals, communities, and nations. In that way, The Great Hack is a modern horror story. From this film, we can also clearly see the dark side of personal data security in a world of social media and that we need better ways to help people manage and restrict the use of their personal data.
Rated 7/10 on IMDb
Type Documentary Film
6. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened is a documentary film about Billy McFarland, an American entrepreneur and the failed Fyre Festival of 2017. It describes the story of a reckless entrepreneur who markets the Fyre Festival as a luxury music festival hosted on a private island. However, his team is ultimately unprepared to deliver on the promises made in their marketing campaign.
Fellow marketers can learn about the importance of planning and the power of influencer marketing and why it is crucial to get it right. The ultimate takeaway from this epic festival failure is that there is nothing worse than over-promising and under-delivering.
Rated 7.2/10 on IMDb
Type Documentary Film
7. Steve Jobs (2015)
This biographical drama follows Steve Jobs, a well-known businessman, and goes into detail about the problems faced when launching three new products to market. Instead of focusing on the launches themselves, each of the acts takes place in the behind-the-scenes confusion right before each of these product unveilings.
As a marketer, you can learn how much of an impact he had on Apple, technology, and the world as we know it today. Elsewhere, the film highlights how much Jobs was always a master of branding, obsessed with design to the tiniest detail. Throughout the film, we believe there are many things marketers can relate to.
Rated 7.2/10 on IMDb
Type Biographical Drama Film
Hope you will find some good watches from this list and get your creative juices flowing from watching these.
