Film Marketing Trends in 2011 Alex Gerage, January 13, 2011January 14, 2011 We have learned over the past few years that there is no exact science to film marketing, particularly within the online realm. Hollywood studios have developed any number of different campaigns using social networks and alternate reality games that have lead to astounding success and abject failure. Writer and marketing pro Chris Thilk of MovieMarketingMadness.com has written an intriguing editorial over at AdvertisingAge that expresses five things he wishes to see from Hollywood when it comes to marketing films this year. Hit the jump to see what he had to say. Thilk opines with some interesting thoughts on the possible future of home video releases, and ways for studios to better capitalize on post festival buzz, but I found his thoughts on alternate reality games particularly interesting:“To continue being effective, alternate reality games will need to not only evolve but also stay novel, a tough trick to pull off. The game for “Tron: Legacy,” one of the biggest such efforts since 2008’s campaign for “The Dark Knight,” bridged the first “Tron” and its sequel by filling in the mythology of the intervening 28 years.Bouncing between the online and offline worlds, these kinds of ARGs keep people not only checking online for the next clue but also getting active in the real world, which lends itself to spreading significant word of mouth.But there probably aren’t many avenues of innovation left here, so delivering something novel will get harder and harder. Here’s one counter-intuitive idea: Drastically reduce the scale, creating games in which only a handful of people can participate — meaning the Unfiction forum team won’t be able to crowdsource the answers in half a heartbeat.”While I think there remains a lot of potential for the sort of offline “events” we saw from Tron: Legacy and The Dark Knight in recent years, I agree with Thilk that it would be interesting to see a more inclusive alternate reality game take shape. I’m not sure if it would garner the same attention a widespread viral would normally achieve, but it would offer an innovative twist in this evolving marketing form. How do you see the viral campaigns shaping up this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below! Editorials Viral Marketing Viral News AdvertisingAgeThe Dark KnightTron Legacy
Viral Video: “You Again” Cast Fight August 26, 2010The comedy You Again has a bevy of female stars of all ages, which usually means it would pander to soccer moms. However, the trailer looks pretty funny and director Andy Fickman has had some success in family comedies (She’s The Man, The Game Plan). The female leads also seem… Read More
Viral Video Round Up: Batman, Goodnight Moon, The Walking Dead, And More! April 22, 2013The Internet is full of videos related to movies, whether they be fan made, studio made, or somewhere in between. We regularly bring you the best, most interesting, or just plain weirdest, and today we do it again. Check out the latest viral videos after the break. Read More
Tron Viral: Arcade Aid and Flynn Lives Updated, Mailed Prizes To Come? October 22, 2010Today we have a flurry of updates for the Tron Legacy viral campaign, though the biggest is for Arcade Aid, which saw a pretty sizable (not to mention fun) upgrade. The Flynn Lives website also got a few updates, so find out all the details after the break. Read More