The Dark Knight The Effect of Viral Marketing on TDK Fans: A StorminNorman Essay

[Keyser Sushi]

If this was a commentary about whether 35 USC 102 (a), (b), or (d) prior art should remain valid as patent defeating events in light of globalization or whether HMOs with gatekeeper physicians are an outdated form of healthcare cost control or whether Sulla's armed march on Rome set a precedent that enabled Augustus to oust the optimates and found the Principate then I'd read everything word for word regardless of the length.

But when its your long winded opinion on of all things a comic book film, cliff notes would be much appreciated.

Oh, namtaB, how might I compare thee to a feminine hygiene product that one might use on a summer's eve? How perfectly comparable are you to the bag it came in! Oh, namtaB, you glorious vinegar-bath.

 

[FinchersGhost]

If this was a commentary about whether 35 USC 102 (a), (b), or (d) prior art should remain valid as patent defeating events in light of globalization or whether HMOs with gatekeeper physicians are an outdated form of healthcare cost control or whether Sulla's armed march on Rome set a precedent that enabled Augustus to oust the optimates and found the Principate then I'd read everything word for word regardless of the length.

But when its your long winded opinion on of all things a comic book film, cliff notes would be much appreciated.

You must be a very slow reader if you could spend less time writing that than reading the OP.

 

[DeaDheaD]

One question I have about the virals is...........

Why all the doggone phones? Wouldn't it just be easier to call random phone numbers after the owner entered them into a data base (a'la the Jim Gordon trick website)?

It still puzzles me.

Smarta** answer: B/C the Joker is a part-time telemarketer.

Real answer: I think Verizon may have been a sponsor on that,

 

[donk70]

Oh, namtaB, how might I compare thee to a feminine hygiene product that one might use on a summer's eve? How perfectly comparable are you to the bag it came in! Oh, namtaB, you glorious vinegar-bath.

Ok, I got a kick out of that.

Billy Shakespeare would have approved.

 

[StorminNorman]

After tonight, we have seen around 2 dozen or so offical pics from the movie. If you look at it, do the pics really give away that much of the story? Not in my opinion. Granted, we know some of the plot (at least we think we do- it's all speculative, really), but we only know this because of the spy reports and set visits and such. If you look at the pics, they're just various action shots or stills from the flick. There's really nothing that was released that will give the plot away.

I don't consider the pictures or trailers or posters as the real meat of the viral marketing.

IMO its the content of the game itself. The sites, the papers, the messages from characters. Thats the true content that I love. I had confidence in the CHARACTER of the Joker far before I ever saw a trailer - simply because the email and messages were so very Joker like.

I think fans, at times, overlook that important detail.

 

[StorminNorman]

Smarta** answer: B/C the Joker is a part-time telemarketer.

Real answer: I think Verizon may have been a sponsor on that,

Its funny - at the time of the great cake game, my Verizon phone had died. I was hoping that a cake in Orlando would of appeared so that I could then change that phone to my number

 

[DeaDheaD]

Its funny - at the time of the great cake game, my Verizon phone had died. I was hoping that a cake in Orlando would of appeared so that I could then change that phone to my number

The only thing that really sucks about all those type of virals, was that they completely skipped Indiana............its like the 27th largest state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[donk70]

I don't consider the pictures or trailers or posters as the real meat of the viral marketing.

IMO its the content of the game itself. The sites, the papers, the messages from characters. Thats the true content that I love. I had confidence in the CHARACTER of the Joker far before I ever saw a trailer - simply because the email and messages were so very Joker like.

I think fans, at times, overlook that important detail.

But to be fair, the character of the "42" Joker and the character of Nolan's Joker could be 2 different entities. While we got those wonderful defaced newspapers, the fake trailer adds, the sledge hammer game, ect ect ect, in the virals, we have only gotten a few tidbits on how Nolan's Joker is portrayed in the flick. We've seen Gordon standing in a still with a defaced Gotham Times in his hand and the "S"Laughter is the best medicine semi truck (I still chuckle when I see that), but really nothing else. Personally I think it's good thing because I want betakenbackwith the way ledger portrays Nolan's Joker. I hope the virals are eluding to his character.

Surely though, I don't wanna hear him say "Don't rub another man's rhubarb". I'd rather his sense of humor be more on the lines of psycotic than say Nicholson's zany corniness, not that there is anything bad with that.

 

[donk70]

The only thing that really sucks about all those type of virals, was that they completely skipped Indiana............its like the 27th largest state!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Didn't you guys get the Dentmobile in Indy or Gary?

 

[Keyser Sushi]

Ok, I got a kick out of that.

Billy Shakespeare would have approved.

Of course he would have. I wrote all his plays.

 

[DeaDheaD]

Didn't you guys get the Dentmobile in Indy or Gary?

Those dont count, I think it was Gary, and Gary, IN is like a white guy's nightmare.

 

[jokersminion]

Those dont count, I think it was Gary, and Gary, IN is like a white guy's nightmare.

you're in indiana??? me too!!

 

[I-T-B]

Of course he would have. I wrote all his plays.

Bacon?

Solid post, Norman. Though I didn't have a problem with Joker's less-than-perma-whiteness before the viral marketing. Didn't really see the big deal.

 

[donk70]

Those dont count, I think it was Gary, and Gary, IN is like a white guy's nightmare.

Why don't they count?

 

[StorminNorman]

But to be fair, the character of the "42" Joker and the character of Nolan's Joker could be 2 different entities.

EXACTLY! It COULD of been. Thats why its crucial for Nolan to have some influence on 42's Joker simply because if the Joker character of the viral marketing game ISN'T mister J - then it doesn't work. It all falls apart.

 

[StorminNorman]

Of course he would have. I wrote all his plays.

The Poster Keyser Sushi is really simply the online avatar of a group of a monkey with a lap top

A lap top with dial up

 

[The Battousai]

But to be fair, the character of the "42" Joker and the character of Nolan's Joker could be 2 different entities. While we got those wonderful defaced newspapers, the fake trailer adds, the sledge hammer game, ect ect ect, in the virals, we have only gotten a few tidbits on how Nolan's Joker is portrayed in the flick. We've seen Gordon standing in a still with a defaced Gotham Times in his hand and the "S"Laughter is the best medicine semi truck (I still chuckle when I see that), but really nothing else. Personally I think it's good thing because I want betakenbackwith the way ledger portrays Nolan's Joker. I hope the virals are eluding to his character.

I think that, if anything, those two are indications of more - why would Nolan need to show us more before the movie comes out?

Surely though, I don't wanna hear him say "Don't rub another man's rhubarb". I'd rather his sense of humor be more on the lines of psycotic than say Nicholson's zany corniness, not that there is anything bad with that.

 

[DeaDheaD]

you're in indiana??? me too!!

Kokomo.......YEE-HAW!!

Why don't they count?

B/c it was just a guy in a van, in other places you got trailers, phones, cakes, bowling balls, and dates with various supermodels (so I heard )
Let me say it like this
Guy #1: Hey I got a cake with a phone in it
Guy #2: Hey I got the first 7 minutes of the movie on an Imax screen
Guy #3: Hey I got an advance screening of the trailer and a bowling ball
Guy from Indiana: Hey I got a bumper sticker!!........
Guy 1,2, and 3: Wow......thats um neat
Guy from Indiana: Oooo and a button....

 

[branwen]

An insightful piece, SN, and lots of food for thought there. It has also been argued that one of the reasons why Barack Obama's supporters are so staunch for him is because his method of campaigning (especially on his website) is such that it makes anyone who donates or works for him feel as though they "own" part of his campaign, as though they are a part of him, you know? So it's interesting that you draw a similar conclusion what with how Bat fans feel about TDK and how the viral fits in to all of this.

 

[jokersminion]

Kokomo.......YEE-HAW!!

B/c it was just a guy in a van, in other places you got trailers, phones, cakes, bowling balls, and dates with various supermodels (so I heard )
Let me say it like this
Guy #1: Hey I got a cake with a phone in it
Guy #2: Hey I got the first 7 minutes of the movie on an Imax screen
Guy #3: Hey I got an advance screening of the trailer and a bowling ball
Guy from Indiana: Hey I got a bumper sticker!!........
Guy 1,2, and 3: Wow......thats um neat
Guy from Indiana: Oooo and a button....

wow, I won't say exactly where I am, but it's about 45 minutes south east from you. who knew

 

[DeaDheaD]

wow, I won't say exactly where I am, but it's about 45 minutes south east from you. who knew

Marion?

 

[jokersminion]

Marion?

nope, a little further south

 

[StorminNorman]

An insightful piece, SN, and lots of food for thought there. It has also been argued that one of the reasons why Barack Obama's supporters are so staunch for him is because his method of campaigning (especially on his website) is such that it makes anyone who donates or works for him feel as though they "own" part of his campaign, as though they are a part of him, you know? So it's interesting that you draw a similar conclusion what with how Bat fans feel about TDK and how the viral fits in to all of this.

 

[DeaDheaD]

nope, a little further south

Sharpsville?

 

[jokersminion]

Sharpsville?

keep guessing I am sure you will get it eventually