Canadian Film Stoops to Quoting YouTube Users in Ads
Filed under: New Releases, Movie Marketing
In the world of movie advertising, there's a hierarchy involved in choosing which critics to quote on your poster. Ideally, you want Roger Ebert, or someone from the New York Times or Entertainment Weekly -- someone with a lot of name recognition that audiences will respond to. If it's a young, hip film, maybe you prefer raves from a well-known movie website. If your movie is terrible, you can always get one of the quote whores (Earl Dittman, Pete Hammond, Shawn Edwards, etc.) to praise it. I always thought the pinnacle of desperation was simply making up a critic and attributing lavish quotes to him, as Sony did with "David Manning" in 2000. Now I see that there's a way to go even lower: For its new cross-Canada motorcycle drama One Week, distributor Mongrel Media is quoting random YouTube users. And not just random YouTube users, but random YouTube users who have only seen the film's trailer, not the movie itself.
The film stars Joshua Jackson, who is certifiably Canadian and thus qualified to appear in a movie dedicated to the wonder and majesty of the Great White North. But either none of the critics were kind enough, or else Mongrel didn't want to take its chances showing it to them, because the full-page ad in Toronto's Eye Weekly consists of nothing but quotes from YouTube commenters who liked the trailer and expressed a desire to see the film. The raves include gems such as these:
"I am definitely going to watch this" -- Puttydutty123
"Beautiful, I love Josh" -- Annatorvian
"Hope the weather is nice so I can ride my Norton to the theatre!" -- Aidanchick
"Puttydutty123" is evidently the Roger Ebert of anonymous YouTube users, because he/she is quoted twice in the ad, once as already mentioned, and also in huge letters across the top: "This movie looks amazing! Cannot wait to see it!!" I hope Puttydutty123 is keeping a scrapbook of all his/her media clippings!
What I'm trying to figure out is whether the distributor knows this is lame and is doing it ironically, or if this really is the best idea they could come up with to promote the film. I mean, do they even have irony in Canada? If the movie were about the Internet, I could see quoting YouTube comments in the ads as a little meta-joke. But this is about motorcycles, or road trips, or Dawson's Creek, or some damn thing. I don't see a YouTube connection.
All the ad ultimately says is that many people have, in fact, watched the trailer online and subsequently expressed interest in seeing the movie. In other words: "Come see the film that dozens of other people have indicated they would also like to see!" That's not really a ringing endorsement. On the other hand, at least they didn't quote Ben Lyons.
Thanks to Torontoist, via Best Week Ever, for bringing this to our attention. And to our Canadian readers, please let us know how the film is now that it's opened (assuming the weather is nice enough to ride your Norton to the theater, that is).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-06-2009 @ 6:58PM
rnork said...
The headline of this article seems to indicate that Canadian sense of humor has gone over somebody's head.
A Canadian
Reply
3-06-2009 @ 8:01PM
interested said...
I disagree. This article shows a lack of understanding of the market for Canadian films in Canada. Simply put, there is none! This small Canadian film is being widely released in Canada (a feat that only a handful of Canadian films accomplish each year), and so the best way to actually get people into the theatre is to create a vibe that this is a film that many people want to see. As well, it fits with the tone and sentiment of the movie re Canadian pride and togetherness. I think this marketing tactic is very clever.
Additionally, there is nothing even close to deceptive about it, as it is completely clear that the quotes are from random people who have not seen the fiilm.
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3-07-2009 @ 2:46AM
DylanG said...
I actually saw this ad in Eye Weekly yesterday and was shocked and appalled. What an absolutely terrible idea. Quoting people named PuttyDutty123 in an advertisment really is a new low. To be blunt, nobody cares about the opinion of someone who posts on youtube by the name PuttyDutty123. The mind-boggling thing is One Week actually got some decent reviews. Even one four star review from a reputable source is better than ten youtube comments.
And I completely disagree with "interested". Canadians may not have a huge market for films, but they at least have brains. The fact that some random Youtube users enjoyed the trailer isn't going to persuade anybody to go see this film. Best case scenario is that the ad raises awareness for the film because of how lame it is; I know I was already going to show my family.
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3-07-2009 @ 1:00PM
Remy said...
I think it's a great idea. No one has ever done it before and the amount of people that use YouTube to view trailers and make decisions about whether or not to see the film is huge, so why not use comments from the users, actual people who are going to see the film. The ad it self was published a few days before any of the reviews for the film were in. And it's working because everyone on the internet is talking about now, good or bad.
And I agree with Interested, no one is trying to pull one over on anyone, at least they didn't make up quotes, which is worse!
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3-07-2009 @ 4:43PM
DylanG said...
Why not use comments from youtube users? How about the fact that no one is going to take this seriously. The reason comments from critics work in advertisements is because most people expect a certain degree of reputability from someone who makes a living critiquing and examing films. These youtube users could be 12-year olds for all anyone knows. These are the same people who consistently propel videos entitled "hot sexy lezbiens" over millions of views on a site that doesn't even allow pornographic content.
This is the last thing Canadian films need. They are already seen as not "cool" by mainstream audiences. This is only going to further cement peoples views that Canadian films are lame.
There's a reason no one has done it before: it's lame. It's one step above quoting the directors mother.
3-07-2009 @ 4:48PM
Cufford said...
Ironically, I see no difference between a YouTube user's opinion about a movie and so-called professional film critic.
They're all just one person's subjective opinion, and nobody's is any more usable than the next.
Sometimes I'll agree about a movie, other times I won't. In the end I'm the only one who knows if a movie is good or bad... to me. Which is all that matters...to me.
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 5:41PM
DylanG said...
Youtube user comments taken off a video:
"I want to take you in a van, then peel your skin off one layer at a time, and then shoot your face while I feed your eyes to my dog."
"your a huge faggot"
"NERD!! that gets no pussy!! LMAO time to wank it man lol."
I'm sorry, but I'll take a critics opinion over a youtube users any day. The thing about opinions is that some do hold more merit than others. If someone can support their opinion on a film, it is more valid (or at least more relevant to most people) than someone who cannot support an opinion and types using abrevitionz n spelin lik dis.
If these were quotes off the IMDb review page, it would be a different story. But youtube user comments! Come on!
3-08-2009 @ 3:27PM
Cyclops said...
Well I use You Tube All the time so... my page is at youtube.com/cyclops23666
Reply
3-07-2009 @ 8:16PM
Lala said...
I saw the movie on Wed. evening. It was interesting but I found the plot a bit thin. I enjoyed the cameos and the scenery quite a bit.
Reply
3-22-2009 @ 5:41PM
Robert said...
Quote from other comment:
"I see no difference between a YouTube user's opinion about a movie and so-called professional film critic"
EXACTLYy...
Professional film critics, and music critics, are a joke, simply because the subject is..well.... subjective.
Each person can perceive or appreciate thinks, that others don't. Each person has their own differing preference, so a professional critics' opnion is worthless as a guide for movies.
On the other hand, they ARE worhwhile to the marketing machine for those TV shows and print media, that make money by covering the entertainment industry.
People Magazine, Entertainment Tonight. etc. are all shows without any actual product, other than hyping the entertainment industry. Therefore tryign to "entertainment" in and of itself.
Sorry, but ...the talking heads and media writers as just so much pointless fluff, with delusions of being stars themselves (without the normally required talent)
If anything this is sour grapes for the fact that any idiot can review movies without validity, not just the so called pros and wannabe "pros"
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