Pennsylvania Town Sells Naming Rights to Morgan Spurlock
Morgan Spurlock, marketing genius. The filmmaker and his production company Warrior Poets announced this week that they had successfully purchased the naming rights of Altoona, Penn. -- a small Pennsylvania town that will be known as POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold for the next 60 days. Just rolls off the tongue, right?
POM Wonderful Presents The Greatest Movie Ever Sold -- Spurlock's latest documentary -- highlights product placement by itself being product placement, a tradition the director feels this latest announcement upholds.
"I can't think of a better way to celebrate the shifting tide of business in America than by purchasing the naming rights to Altoona," Spurlock said in the press release announcing this temporary name change. "For the next 60 days, POM Wonderful Presents the Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pennsylvania will be the most clever example of how an American city is marketing itself today."
Bill Schirf, the Altoona Greatest Movie Ever Sold mayor echoed those thoughts: "Altoona has a rich history and a great story to tell. Morgan is giving us a platform to show the world the hidden treasure found in the Altoona community. Clearly, the people of Altoona have a sense of humor...and an asking price." According to the AP, that asking price ran upward of $25,000 for the 60 days.
Sold opens in limited release on April 22 -- the Altoona name change will happen on April 27, to be followed by a screening of the film.
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Morgan Spurlock, Master of the Obvious. Thanks for teaching us that overindulging in fast food is unwise, that Osama Bin Laden is evasive, and the commercialism is rampant.
It could be their writing style, the passion for the subject they write about or that they post on a frequent basis.