Educational Media Reviews Online

Advertising at the Edge of the Apocalypse is an extended lecture by Professor Sut Jhally, a professor of communication at UMass Amherst. Professor Jhally argues that corporations and related interests have colonized our public spaces and media, and that we are awash in advertisements pushing a consumerist mindset. The documentary details the consequences of that mindset, specifically the environmental impact of overconsumption and automobiles, and the impact on our society’s willingness to address long-term problems such as climate change. The film is distributed with the express purpose of replacing course content, a point both expressed in the promotional materials and underscored by the 60 minute runtime. The distributor (Media Education Foundation) was founded by Professor Jhally, who currently serves as its executive director.

The musical score is somber, creating a consistent air of concern. The documentary consists of the professor speaking to the camera, interspersed with clips from advertisements, historical speeches and images, and movie clips that bolster his case. Professor Jhally is an excellent lecturer, and apart from some isolated oversimplifications in his discussion of the causes of the recent war in Iraq, every point is well supported and backed up with both research and examples from the mediums in question.

Although the film is segmented and could be shown in short clips, it is ultimately set up structurally to replace a professor’s lecture for a course period. In that sense, the film itself falls prey to the value system it inveighs against, selling itself as a product to be consumed as a replacement for existing (pre-paid) services in the form of the instructor. The question for libraries interested in the film is whether there is a specified need for it in the academic departments in question. If that need exists, or there is demand in online courses requiring content, the film has definite value. Outside of academia, there is potential for community discussions in public settings. In those cases, the film is recommended for purchase.