Categories: Articles

6 Documentaries To Get Your Creative Marketing Juices Flowing

Creative inspiration can come from anywhere.

For the past long while, my most creative inspiration has come from watching documentaries. There are six, in particular, that really stick out in my mind, and here they are in alphabetical order…

– Art & Copy. "It reveals the work and wisdom of some of the most influential advertising creatives of our time – people who’ve profoundly impacted our culture, yet are virtually unknown outside their industry." This movie will inspire you in many ways. The truth is that most advertising sucks for the same reason that most art sucks: it’s hard to make it great. Those that do make it great deserve all of the accolades and prosperity.

– Classic Albums – U2 – The Joshua Tree. I was never a huge U2 fan, but this documentary tuned me into one. This movie peeks behind the scenes to show a band that was truly trying to create something that would both fascinate and captivate. The true beauty (as you’ll see) lies in the subtly of how this record was written, produced, recorded and performed. If you can bring this type of commitment to your work, you’re bound to be famous too.

– Helvetica. "A feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which recently celebrated its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives." It’s a fascinating documentary about people with a passion for something that seems so innocuous, but that is actually a critical part of modern design and how we operate.

– Objectified. "A feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them. It’s a look at the creativity at work behind everything from toothbrushes to tech gadgets." Take a second to think about this: everything from the tip of your shoelaces to the house you live in was designed and manufactured by us, people. We’re an amazing species and our fascination with creating things is highlighted in this amazing film.

– Secret Origin – The Story of DC Comics. "Behind the amazing tales of legendary super heroes is the equally amazing story of the company that told them. So many heroes, so many stories to tell–stories of DC Comics‘ 75 years of challenges, creativity and triumph." Whether you like comic books or not, the story of how this art form was created and the struggles it had (and continues to have) will make you look at Superman in a very different light.

– Transcendent Man – The Life And Ideas of Ray Kurzweil. "The compelling feature-length documentary film, by director Barry Ptolemy, chronicles the life and controversial ideas of luminary Ray Kurzweil. For more than three decades, inventor, futures, and New York Times best-selling author Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future." Imagine being able to upload your memories and conscience to a place that allows you to stay alive forever (without the need for your physical body). If that sounds too crazy, how about a moment in the not-to-distant-future where humans and technology become one… and the technology part is smarter than us? Mind-blowing stuff? You have to watch this documentary.

What documentaries have sparked your creative juices?

Mitch Joel

Mitch Joel lives at the intersection of technology, business transformation and consumer culture. He is the Executive Director of Next Era Institute, a strategic intelligence platform helping leaders understand the forces reshaping business, technology, culture and society. The Institute identifies which shifts matter, explores their wider significance and translates them into strategic direction and momentum. Mitch is also a globally recognized keynote speaker. He has delivered thousands of presentations across both B2B and B2C industries to organizations including Google, Walmart, LEGO, Shopify, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble and Unilever. Strategy Magazine has called him “one of North America’s leading visionaries.” Mitch built his career by working directly inside the waves of change that reshaped modern business. He founded and built a digital marketing agency that worked with some of the world’s largest brands and was later acquired by WPP, where he served as President of a firm operating in 25 countries with almost 3,000 employees. Mitch is the bestselling author of Six Pixels of Separation and CTRL ALT Delete, and the host of Thinking With Mitch Joel, one of the longest-running business podcasts in the world. His writing and commentary appear in outlets including Harvard Business Review, Fast Company and Inc. Magazine. He is a member of Dr. Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches and was named to the Thinkers50 Radar. Mitch also hosts Groove – The No Treble Podcast, documenting the oral history of electric bass players. Mitch is also Co-Founder of ThinkersOne, a platform that enables companies to bring personalized thought leadership from world-class experts into meetings, events and off-sites in focused 15-minute bursts.