Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Syrup’

Written by Scott Edwards

Everybody thinks that marketing is just what you see on television or in magazines, but it is so much more than that. Marketing is making your own brand that you have to show to everyone that you meet in the streets. Creating an image of who you are determines how people choose to view you and how far you are able to make it any career. It is important to put out a positive image of yourself from the get-go, since first impressions are hard to break and can hold you back if they are far from positive. 

Trying to make a name for himself in New York, Scat has pulled out all of the stops, but it is still not enough to be noticed yet. With his roommate Sneaky Pete by his side however, Scat knows that things will be on the up and up sooner rather than later. Not being able to come up with ideas on demand, Scat is shocked when he sees that he has discovered the next great energy drink that everyone will need to buy, Fukk. Knowing that it is all about marketing the product and nothing else, Scat is able to score a meeting with Six who runs the marketing department at Abby Cola and she is ready to run with the idea, but there is one little problem, Scat does not own the copyright to his idea. 

Running down to the patent office, Scat is shocked to find out that his best friend Sneaky Pete has stolen the idea from him and has inherited his riches. Not knowing what to do next, Scat falls back to the jobs that pay the bills, but a chance meeting with Six shows him that he is in more demand than he expected. With her baby Fukk being given to Sneaky Pete, Six wants to squash his marketing campaign and get her stock on the rise again, because while she is a marketing genius she struggles in coming up with new ideas. Reaching a deal with Scat that places him in her apartment until they are able to come up with a new marketing campaign, Six starts to show a little joy in having him by her side, but is unwilling to admit to it. Being able to come up with the perfect idea after a dispenser falls on him, Scat and Six are on the high road once again, but with Sneaky Pete being in charge of the brand, he will have to pull another ace out of his pocket to retain his own reputation.  

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I love watching commercials and asking myself what the heck they are trying to sell me is one of my favorite parts of watching television. But when nothing inventive is present on the screen, I get sick of them very quickly and after the first viewing, it seems like they are trying to ram their product down my throat. That is marketing in a nutshell, make an impression, and this movie does a great job in making that apparent. But what I really liked about this movie is the personal marketing that the characters all do and while they may fail at some things, this is not one of them. Making themselves out to be stronger, darker, unattainable, bitchy or whatever, they all pull it off great. If you ever want insight as to what marketing really is, you may want to check this movie out and yes, there is a little love story going on as well.

Five Takeaways                                                       

1. Sell yourself first, then worry about your product. That will get you the job.
2. Nobody cares what you are selling, as long as you convince them that they need it.
3. If you ever meet a woman with a numbered name like Six, don’t try to woo her, it is a waste of time. Stay with lower numbers like Three.
4. Marketing people get upset if you ask them what something tastes like, they don’t care.
5. The catchy names will always win out, especially if they sound dirty.

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