10 Documentaries For Digital Marketers That Are Worth Watching

by Emma Wilson

Every successful entrepreneur was once a newbie. And thinking that a budding enthusiast in business would never need inspiration from the entertainment universe is a sheer misconception. The best instances are these top business tycoons who paved the path of success in entrepreneurship by taking encouragement and motivations from movies, shows, and documentaries.

An excellent documentary or show can influence your business-minded personality rather than just let you enjoy a rejuvenating time. Saying that watching a 90-minute documentary is not as exciting as learning steps to large-scale broken link building is purely a false narrative. As a potential enthusiast, your entrepreneurship gets reshaped with some creative inspirations taken from the entertainment genre. 

So, how about initiating your digital marketing career by watching these ten binge-worthy marketing documentaries? 

1. Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Long-term dedication and a prompt work ethic will always pay off. This is what Jiro Dreams of Sushi teaches you. The fact that the pursuit of dreams becomes a reality upon perseverance is no denying. And with this 2011-documentary, you learn about an acclaimed sushi chef who operates the Michelin three-star restaurant and serves premium-quality sushi at €250. Jiro's obsessive dedication leads him to perfection. It's a great good reminder of working blood and sweat to practice and pursue success. 

2. The Century of the Self

Director Adam Curtis in The Century of the Self credits Freud's Influence and Edward Bernays(their descendant) for the creepy roots of contemporary advertising. This 4-hour tour is powerful, and ever since its advance in the 20th Century, it still holds utmost significance. The history of communications and the birth of mass media has been beautifully portrayed. Watching the documentary is like diving into an intriguing educational journey to learn digital marketing from scratch.

3. Art & Copy

In comparison to the first two entries, Art & Copy is a genuine love letter to the brightest and best advertising campaigns and leaders. Doug Pray's direction has paid off as he interviews marketing legends like Lee Clow, Dan Wieden, and Mary Wells Lawrence to gain insight into skills and strategies. Alongside, it offers insightful knowledge of works propelling the brand into conversations.

4. Something Ventured

Something Ventured is a marketing and business documentary that portrays prolific and successful venture capitalists from the '60s to '80s. They are the ones who risked their status and money only to invest in the least renowned companies. Take it as your crash course in venture capital. It gives a good starting point to gain professional insight into the American startup economy.

5. Print the Legend

Besides being an award-winning Netflix Original documentary, this 90-minute movie explores the creative and innovative mindset behind 3D printing technology. It shadows young companies and narrates a tale of how they race to implement 3D printing to the desktop and into life. This documentary also focuses on the idealism of America to build a marketing dream from its foundation, thereby leading innovative routes of unlearning and relearning imperative things. Printing technology enthusiasts can get a solid entry with this documentary.

6. This Space Available

Calling it a colorful documentary is not an understatement. And much to the fans' knowledge, it zips through different cities around the globe (particularly, eleven countries on five continents). These get covered in around one hour to showcase the difference in communities and how it responds to augmented visual pollution from external advertising. You will find this documentary striking because the city banned nearly all outdoor advertising in 2006, thereby making it a case study for decreasing visual pollution. It also provides a downloadable coloring book.

7. The Creative Brain

Given the business lifeblood, creativity has blessed this documentary. With innovations predominating technicalities, this marketing psychology documentary encourages one and all to be more creative. Neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and author David Eagleman meet skillful professionals from the creative spectrum to listen to stories that demystify and inspire creative processes. 

8. Not Business As Usual

With the emergence of B Corporation, entrepreneurs are finally receiving a hybrid substitute to nonprofit and for-profit models. This, in turn, allows them to initiate businesses that encompass both financial and social missions. Lawrence Le Lam, in his direction, profiles certified B-corps in Vancouver. The director has implemented the right kind of complete-circle thinking that epitomizes a commitment for "Triple Bottom Line ''– where People, Profit, and Planet get factored into the company's success.

9. American Factory

Automation is set to replace a multitude of jobs that human workers perform these days. And this is what American Factory teaches you. But given the importance of emotions in business, prospective professionals will enjoy a human side to this story. Being the winner of the Academy Award for Documentary Feature, American Factory happens to be an eye-opening and sobering documentary considering new forms of capitalism worldwide that working-section Americans have to take into account.

In a nutshell, this story is a Chinese billionaire's step to save victims of the US manufacturing decline. While it's a tragicomic story for viewers, it has a different meaning in pragmatic life that every enthusiastic marketer should understand.

10. Miss Representation

Miss Representation is a portrayal of women working in the media. It correlates the absence of women's business, media, and political leaders to frequent objectification, both onscreen and off-screen. The documentary features spell-bounding role models irrespective of genders and ages and. They shine when they continue detailing their experiences in candid forms.

As three years have passed, The Reputation Project develops an exclusive community surrounding the film's mission. With that, director Siebel's forthcoming project assures addressing the negative effects of gender discrimination and stereotyping mindsets concerning men.

The Bottom Line

If you experience challenging scenarios in your business life, analyze the process and tweak it to ensure how to troubleshoot the issue. And with the above documentaries, not only do your digital marketing skills get enhanced – but you also accomplish an incredible binge-watching experience in your leisure. So, without wasting time, start indulging in this amazing documentary one by one.