Filmography - Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations

This is a selective list of video holdings in the American University Library. Filmographies are created by doing multiple keyword searches in the catalog to capture as many titles on a topic as possible. 

For complete, up-to-date holdings please search the library catalog search box on the Media Services homepage. (http://www.american.edu/library/mediaservices/) Finding Aids on the same page includes other subject oriented content.

For more information take a look at the Streaming Video Guides and Browsing Collections.

Taking on the Kennedys. 1996. (ca. 54 min.). The story of Republican Kevin Vigilante's unsuccessful 1996 campaign for the House of Representatives in his native Rhode Island, in which he was opposed by Democrat Patrick Kennedy (the son of long-time Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy). After initially pledging to run a clean race, Vigilante soon realizes his chances are nil unless he engages in some good old-fashioned mud-slinging. DVD 2774

Thank you for smoking. 2006. (91 min.). A charismatic spin-doctor for Big Tobacco struggles with the twin demands of being successful at his job and acting as a good role model for his son. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 3250

Theme, strategy, message. 1989. (119 min.). Following the creation of simulated campaign plans by student teams, Joel Bradshaw, President of the Campaign Design Group, a Democratic Party group for state and Congressional elections, describes the importance of a central theme and coherent strategy in political campaigns. DVD 5642

Toxic sludge is good for you the public relations industry unspun. 2002. (45 min.). Tracks the development of the PR industry from early efforts to win popular American support for World War I to the role of crisis management in controlling the damage to corporate image. The video analyzes the tools public relations professionals use to shift our perceptions including a look at the coordinated PR campaign to slip genetically engineered food past public scrutiny. streaming online.

War made easy: how presidents & pundits keep spinning us to death. 2008. (72 min.). "... exposes how presidential administrations of both parties have relied on a combination of deception and media complicity to sell one war after another to the American people. Narrated by actor Sean Penn, and based on the acclaimed book by Norman Solomon, the film exhumes five decades of remarkable archival footage to reveal in stunning detail how the American news media have uncritically disseminated, and glamorized, the pro-war messages of successive presidential administrations. The film gives special attention to parallels between the Vietnam War and Iraq, setting government spin and media collusion from the present alongside virtually identical patterns from the past. An invaluable introduction to war propaganda and public relations that transcends politics as it raises serious questions about the role of journalism and political commumication in democratic societies."--Container. DVD 5228

Washington Semester Program since 1947. 1996. (15 min.). Promotional video including brief comments by faculty and students in the Washington Semester Program that highlight its nine disciplines and three aspects (seminars with guest speakers, internships and research project or elective) and the rich experience of studying in Washington, D.C. with students from throughout the United States and from many other countries. DVD 16585

We know where you live. 1990. (58 min.). Computers have enabled unsolicited advertising and other gimmicks such as personalization to more effectively generate junk mail to millions of Americans. DVD 15424

Why Wal-Mart works and why that makes some people crazy. 2005. (72 min.). A documentary developed by Wal-Mart's public relations firm to counteract the bad publicity received in Robert Greenwald's expose entitled Wal-Mart: The High Cost Of Low Price. DVD 3019

Windows on Asia-Pacific the medium is the masses. Canada. 1999. (49 min.). What do television commercials reveal about the non-Western world? This documentary examines how sensibilities differ between East and West as seen through the lens of advertising imagery. TV commercials from China, Hong Kong, Australia, Singapore, Japan, India, Canada and the Republic of Korea are highlighted with commentary by advertising executives from each of the countries. streaming online.

Work of director Chris Cunningham a collection of music videos, short films, video installations, and commercials. 2003. (200 min.). Includes the director's music videos for the bands Autechre, Aphex Twin, Portishead, Madonna, Leftfield featuring Afrika Bambaataa, Squarepusher, and Bjork; commercials for Sony Playstation, Levis, and Nissan; video installations; and the documentary, "The Making of All is Full of Love.". DVD 3133