How much impact does advertising, marketing and specialized product placement have on hotel consumers? How can Hollywood enhance that product?

Travelers have viewed hotel ads at airports, on airplane boarding passes, in magazines and alongside various corporate and non-profit sponsorships, but do those ads help sell out a hotel?

That's precisely the question Hyatt Hotels & Resorts looked to answer when it teamed with Hollywood filmmakers for a new documentary that hit the big screen last week.

In the movie, "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold," Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock takes a look at how specialized product placement, advertising and marketing plays a part in the buying decisions of the average consumer in the modern day world.

The acclaimed directer of "Super Size Me" - a film that takes a close look at the fast-food industry in America - debuted "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film was financed entirely through product placements of big name companies, including a large investment from Hyatt. While Hyatt wouldn't disclose how much it spend to be part of the movie, the benefits might just outweigh the costs.

Hyatt had three hotels - Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles, Andaz 5th Avenue in New York City and Grand Hyatt Sao Paulo - in the film and also promotes the benefits of being a Hyatt Gold Passport program Diamond member. A commercial spot for Hyatt Hotels was also shot at the Grand Hyatt New York as part of the film.

The premise of "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" takes audiences behind the scenes to public relations pitch meetings, sales and marketing presentations, and to the desks of busy executives whose job it is to generate interest in the product. It's a humorous - and in some cases mind-boggling - presentation of how brands attempt to differentiate themselves from their competitors in an effort to gain consumers.

Other brands in the film include JetBlue Airways, Old Navy, the Aruba Tourism Board and various retail stores. Each of the brands represented in the film, including Hyatt, had sponsorship arrangements with Spurlock that alloted them a set amount of time in the movie to essentially push their product.

Watch the trailer: http://youtu.be/T4Ng2P3zxfM

Melanie Nayer is a hotel reviewer and expert on luxury travel around the world. She has covered all aspects of hotels including corporate restructures, re-branding initiatives, historical aspects and the best of the best in luxury hotels around the world.

Melanie writes a weekly exclusive column for 4Hoteliers.com