For 60 Years, the Ad Game Has Been Fodder for Scripts — Why not PR?

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In his column, “For 60 Years, the Ad Game Has Been Fodder for Scripts,” New York Times advertising reporter Stuart Elliott cites a number of Hollywood movies set in the advertising world. He includes “Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House,” a favorite of mine, along with “A Face in the Crowd,” “The Hucksters” and “Bewitched.”

He left out Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) and Good Neighbor Sam (1964).

But it made me wonder how many movies feature PR?

There’s the “Hancock,” which as I wrote in a tweet is a comedy because the publicist is portrayed as a good guy.

There’s the Sweet Smell of Success (1957).

In an email response to me, Stuart Elliott said he might write an additional column on advertising-based movies because there were others he didn’t have room to mention, and reminded me of two other PR-related movies: The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit and Days of Wine and Roses — although the latter movie, which stars Jack Lemmon (who also starred in Good Neighbor Sam), is summarized by imdb as being about: “An alcoholic falls in love with and gets married to a young woman, whom he systematically addicts to booze so they can share his ‘passion’ together.” So not really an upbeat movie.

However, according to Wikipedia, “Today ‘Days of Wine and Roses’ is required viewing in many alcoholic drug rehabilitation clinics across America.” It is not, however, included in the professional development curriculum of any PR agency I know, however.

I wonder how many other movies involve PR. Please comment if there are others I’ve left out.

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