Blog 6

2. Throughout the film, there are shameless advertisements and product placements presented as part of Truman’s life. Is it moral to use Truman’s life as a means to monetary gain?

 In today's society people buy most things because a celebrity uses, wears, or makes it. That is one of the strongest strategies used in marketing. They figured that if a celebrity or reality star uses a certain product it can make a steady income. Using Truman was a moral way to sell things for the networks monetary gain, but it was also an immoral thing to do because Truman didn't know about it. A perfect example from the movie is when Truman is trying to speak to Meryl about his suspicions of living a staged life, and out of no where she starts reciting lines as if she were in a commercial for the hot cocoa mix. She did it mainly because if Truman used the hot cocoa mix people watching would use and drink it too. She also did it at the wrong moment, trying not to expose the secret that Truman was slowly catching on to. But that is our norm now; we buy things because a celebrity uses it. It may not necessarily be good, but if it is instructed from the celebrity to buy it, we do. Hence the fact that this is the best way from marketing purposes. They will always use this strategy because it has never steered them wrong.