In the movie The Joneses, the way the family of four lived their lives would absolutely be classified as personal selling in my opinion. Kate, Steve, Jenn, and Mick are more than just a “family”, they represent the perfect sales pitch. They pitched you products in a much more subtle way than the average salesperson who usually hounds you down to tell you about their latest product. They have perfected the art of being salespeople who market their products by simply enticing you with their perfect lives. From their fancy cars, charming personalities, good looks, modern furniture, and newest technology, everything they own and do is a marketing pitch to entice their neighbors (the consumers) to want (and buy) the products they have. 

There are many similarities between the sales tactics The Joneses used and the ones some of my favorite brands utilize. The Joneses represented what is essentially an influencer marketing style. They influenced their consumers (the neighbors) by simply living their lives to demonstrate the products. They invited their neighbors into their homes to show off the way they lived and the things they owned, hosted parties, and cultivated an image of a fun fulfilled life. The family used their lifestyle as their marketing tool. Which is something you can see many brands use today with social media influencers. Brands commonly partner with influencers to use the influencer’s lifestyle to influence their followers into purchasing products. Many influencers make videos detailing “top favorite products of the month” or “amazon must-haves.” Vloggers, people who record their lives, also post links to the products they use so their followers can easily find and buy them. 

I would not consider the marketing in the movie to be ethical. The Joneses’ entire marketing strategy was selling their picture-perfect lifestyle as a family, but everything about the family was a lie, including the fact that they were a family. They were selling their lifestyle, influencing their neighbors to want a perfect life just like they had, but that lifestyle never existed, which means it was all misleading. 

Before finding out their secret, I would probably feel happy to have such a nice friend who is introducing to me all kinds of new things and a tad bit self-conscious comparing their lifestyle to my own. After finding out their secrets, I would feel betrayed and foolish. Foolish for being easily manipulated and influenced by people who only viewed me as a consumer.