Some movie marketers have gotten a lot of us talking. Instead of feeding folks most of the plot line and hoping we’ll come to the theater to fill in the blanks, these buzz agents have left so much more to the imagination. A huge fan of tease tactics and consumer engagement, I can’t help but be intrigued by the promotional efforts launched for this week’s release of Cloverfield and the upcoming Batman Blockbuster, The Dark Knight.
Producers of Cloverfield hope you are wondering what “thing has found us?” The bait? Well, it all started with the release of a movie trailer without a title. We got a glimpse of a party interrupted by panic and speculation that left us asking, “What was that all about?” The videography, which appears similar to that used in The Blair Witch Project, adds to the intrigue. According to director Matt Reeves, "We wanted this to be as if someone found a Handicam, took out the tape and put it in the player to watch it. What you're watching is a home movie that then turns into something else." Time will soon tell if the hype for this release turns into a successful thriller.
All joking aside, I have been most impressed with the viral marketing campaign for The Dark Knight. The “I Believe in Harvey Dent” political campaign launched on the web, followed by the vandalized version, “I believe in Harvey Dent too,” certainly got the buzz swarming. We were even invited to partake in some detective work ourselves (i.e., finding the “Haha”s and secret message on the “I believe in Harvey Dent too” webpage and participating in a scavenger hunt launched on WhySoSerious.com).
Marketers should consider the value in advertising that, in itself, entertains. Again, it all comes back to consumer engagement. The ongoing challenge: giving our audience something to talk about.