Variety's Anne Thompson on 'Viral Marketing'
Filed under: Action, Drama, New Releases, Newsstand, Movie Marketing, Comic/Superhero/Geek
If you've ever visited the website for an upcoming film and took a survey or played an interactive game, added a particular film to your list of friends on Myspace or otherwise got information about an upcoming release from a source other than "traditional" methods such as TV spots or billboards, you've been exposed to a technique known as "viral marketing." This technique has evolved and become very sophisticated over the years since its first big success with a little film called The Blair Witch Project -- which basically wrote the book on how to use the Internet as a marketing tool.Now, with the Internet and other non-traditional outlets so much in the daily lives of potential movie-goers, viral marketing is being used more than ever. Over at Variety, Anne Thompson discusses the current state of viral marketing as practiced by the major studios; how they've used various techniques, puzzles and other gimmicks to entice younger, tech-savvy potential audience members and build awareness for their upcoming films. For example, as Thompson points out in the article, Warner Bros. recently used this kind of marketing at Comic-Con in San Diego to promote their upcoming film The Dark Knight.
Instead of bringing the film's stars and director to the Con, which is what studios normally do, Warners instead staged several events including sky writing above the Con which directed fans to a special phone number where they got further instructions. After that, they were directed to a place where they could get their faces painted like the Joker. The whole point of this marketing, according to the article, was to "unlock an exclusive photo of Heath Ledger as the Joker and a new Dark Knight teaser trailer.
I won't dispute the power of the Internet to influence people and popular culture. However, I personally don't have as much free time as I used to and don't spend a lot of it online solving puzzles, taking quizzes or unlocking exclusive content -- especially for films I'm already planning to see. Sure, it might help engage some fans and give them a way to feel more a part of the action or pass the time until the film comes out. I just don't really need that kind of thing to get me interested in most movies. But I guess that doesn't really matter because this kind of thing is definitely here to stay. What do you guys think? Does this kind of marketing hold any interest or have any influence on you?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-16-2007 @ 12:16PM
nicely said...
As an advertising student, film buff, and avid comic reader this example of viral marketing made me giggle with delight. I think the whole idea of viral campaigns are brilliant esp. when considering the fandom surrounding such entities as comiccon and the batman franchise. It plays up coverage of the film to attract new fans while satisfying the desire of dedicated followers who are hungry for any news they can get. Did I spend the better part of the Friday afternoon solving riddles? yes. Am I still talking to everyone about how awesome it was to decipher morse code from the Joker's laugh? yes. Is the studio getting all the free positive press they can imagine from nerds like me? yes. Marketing genius.
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8-16-2007 @ 5:12PM
ProgGrrl said...
While I personally don't spend much time with games online (so I wouldn't have been the one dialing special phone numbers or following clues online during Comicon), I have to hand it to the marketers of DARK KNIGHT - not only did they dream up the smartest viral at Comicon this year (those dollar bills!). They also got twice as much buzz/press by NOT having the filmmakers, cast or clips in the chaos of San Diego.
Instead they waited till Chicago's Wizardcon last weekend to screen bits of the film and bring the cast/crew to the fans. A great idea - there's so much going on at Comicon nowadays that it's hard to grab attention. Going to another, smaller con can be a good alternative to get your material out there now that SDCC is so gigantic (at least with a film like DARK KNIGHT that has an eager following).
I also fall head over heels for things like the CLOVERFIELD trailer - no games, no puzzles. Just a really exciting, enticing piece of video that becomes a must-see amongst genre fans.
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8-16-2007 @ 6:04PM
bebe said...
I'm sure it's fun to dream up, but I don't think these "viral" campaigns contribute a single butt to a single seat. Most of the people who follow them closely do so because they're interested in the product already, not the other way around. Plus, once the cat is out of the bag that it's corporate it takes the fun out of it.
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8-16-2007 @ 9:12PM
Damian said...
"Viral marketing" may be a new, important and even moderately effective means of publicity for movies, but it has not proven essential to a film's success just yet. The internet should definitely be an avenue by which a studio film advertises an upcoming film, but it should definitely not RELY on viral marketing. It should simply be used it as an addition to the more traditional outlets (TV, print, etc) of prosuct saturation/exposure. The makers of "Snakes on a Plane" discovered the "widsom" of depending primarily on the web to promote their film when the movie didn't do nearly the box office numbers they had anticipated.
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8-17-2007 @ 12:08AM
Natasha said...
not to sound cruel but stuff like this are for lowlives. I agree this strategies does not equate box office power or even a huge fired up crowd at the convention equals conquering the box office.
Remember WB's Superman Returns? it was so fired up and the biggest turnout at the convention hx but it didnt translate well critics wise and the box office.
Chick flicks and comedies even pose a big threat to tthis superhero films.
BTW,The Joker looks like the Crow or sometimes just Ledger in makeup. I rather have Holmes finish the role than recast Maggie Gyllenhaal. Talk about taking you out of the movie. My brothers wish the Joker kills her.
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8-17-2007 @ 11:47AM
SG said...
Offline fans are larger than the onliners. A well rounded true entertainment is what gets ppl flocking the theatres and good word of mouth. Hey even trashy movies do well. I have no faith on Ledger as the Joker and I prefer Mrs.Cruise than Maggie.Dont like her acting and I like Batman's lady beautiful to look at.
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