Czech Dream

This is a a funny and provocative look at the world of contemporary media manipulation illustrated by a hoax from two film students on an unsuspecting public in the Czech Capital, Prague. Impressed by the escalation in the growth of hypermarkets in the last five years the students set out to explore the psychological and manipulative powers of consumerism by organising an advertising and promotional programme for a non-existent supermarket . They hire a leading Ad agency, create an advertising jingle and devise a dynamic marketing campaign including a website, flyers, billboards and television and radio spots. Culminating in a grand opening the final confrontation is with a deluded public who stampede towards a hoarding that disguises an open field.

This controversial experiment created a vibrant debate amongst the Czech people which continued in the media and even in the Czech parliament. Forced to explain themselves the filmmakers show how a big marketing spend can influence anything at all, including the Czech Republics recent entry into the EU where the government spent a large amount on advertising to campaign for the yes vote. Czech Dream explores rampant mass consumerism that will be familiar to all living in the West.

Overall I liked Czech Dream but it left me with slightly mixed feelings. The filmmakers have cleverly used the erection of a supermarket dream and the manipulation of the marketing and advertising industries to show that if you have enough money you can hoodwink consumers en masse and it was interesting that the finger is then pointed at the Government's spend on the promotion of the EU vote as a sign that the Government could be guilty of such manipulation. I think that was the filmmakers’ main aim through the stunt but it was interesting that they chose to be non-committal and let others work that out for themselves.

On a more basic level, it is rough on the elderly and the infirm – it was sad to see some struggling to make their way there for example. The filmmakers are also incredibly brave to face the baying crowd and prepared to discuss things with those who had come to the opening.

Matt Arnoldi