Altoona, Pa., Change Name to 'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"

The town will go by the film title for the next 60 days.

April 28, 2011

POM WONDERFUL PRESENTS: THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER SOLD, Pa.?" At 1 p.m. yesterday, the city of Altoona, Pa., temporarily changed its name to "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," the Associated Press reports. The name change will remain in effect for 60 days.

The city decided to change its name for $25,000 and to help Morgan Spurlock??s film about advertising. Spurlock gained prominence with his 2004 movie "Super Size Me," in which he ate McDonald??s food alone for an entire month.

"We live in a place and a time when it seems like everything is brought to you by some sponsor," said Spurlock. "It starts to become this question of, 'Where does it end???"

Fifteen companies signed on to sponsor Spurlock??s movie about product-placement in films and TV shows, as well as other marketing opportunities. Sheetz, Inc., inked a deal with Spurlock to be in the film and the chain lobbied for its hometown of Altoona to be renamed "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold."

Sheetz shelled out $100,000 initially to be seen for six minutes in the film, which could escalate to $250,000 if the movie and DVD sales trend as predicted. President Stan Sheetz said that "the money itself was not that big of a risk. The risk is, 'What does it do to our brand???

"I'm hoping people will be saying, 'Well, that looks like a fun place, those look like cool people, and a brand I want to associate with,??" said Sheetz.

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