Viral marketing and its effect on cinema

[Matt]

What are your thoughts on viral marketing? Is it a good thing or bad thing? Does it create hype where there is none and if so can it lead to unrealistic expectations? Is it necessary? Is it an annoyance? What are your thoughts to this growing sensation?

 

[I Am The Knight]

I like it. But the TDK viral campaign is just annoying to me. These viral campaigns tend to over-hype movies, though, wich helped Cloverfield tremendously.

 

[Matt]

I like it. But the TDK viral campaign is just annoying to me. These viral campaigns tend to over-hype movies, though, wich helped Cloverfield tremendously.

I'm not really sure how much the viral campaign helped Cloverfield. It certainly got internet hype up, but internet hype does not equate to success (look at Snakes on a Plane). At the end of the day, if you stood at a sold out showing of Cloverfield on opening night and asked random audience members about Teddy and Jamie or the various other viral aspects, I doubt many would care. I think it was the mystery of the trailers that sold this movie.

 

[Tempest19]

It's neutral. Are posters a good or bad thing? Are trailers a good or bad thing? are magazine articles for film a good or bad thing? It's the same EXACT deal here. Just furthered by technology.

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Don't think it matters on its own. Lots of elements have to come together. Not one marketing tactic attracts everyone's attention. I remember that Chad Kroeger song being everywhere before Spidey 1 and I think that helped the box office.

 

[Figs]

I like it since it seems catered to us internet dwellers who love to follow the progress of a movie. It's something for us to do and talk about while were waiting for new trailers or pics. Not to mention instead of waiting blindly for those trailers/pics it's a fun way to release them to the fans.

As far as hype or overhype, that's up to the individual. While the The Dark Knight marketing has gotten me very excited, I hold myself back so I don't get my expectations up too high.

 

[Prison Mike]

I don't really pay attention to viral marketing. TDK viral marketing is annoying. The average movie goer doesn't know about it. It's only for the die hard fans I guess.

 

[Warhammer]

It's neutral. Are posters a good or bad thing? Are trailers a good or bad thing? are magazine articles for film a good or bad thing? It's the same EXACT deal here. Just furthered by technology.

I think that works only for us internet guys/hardcore fans. I mean, of course teaser and theatrical posters are a good thing. They are responsible for people knowing what movies are coming soon. People see a cool poster and say "Oh, that looks good. I'm going to go see that," or "Wow, they are making a sequel. I loved the first one," or "Look, it's ______. If he/she is starring in it, it's going to be good." Trailers and magazine articles are definitely the core aspects of a film's financial success. It's all apart of traditional marketing. Viral marketing, however, is not the same exact thing, because it only appeals to us internet guys. No, that does not mean that we are superior movie fans, or we are "smarter" movie goers. It doesn't put us in some higher position of fandom. That means that we spend more time on the net than the average movie goer, and are out there to seek out the viral marketing. Viral marketing is for us, not the average movie goer. You could go ask Joe Schmo down the street about the "I Believe in Harvey Dent" campaign or the Joker enlisting people, and he'd have no idea about it, and has never heard of it.

Personally, I don't care for viral marketing. Batman is my favorite superhero, and The Dark Knight is my #1 most anticipated film of 2008, but I don't care for the viral marketing. I only care that I'm in that seat opening weekend watching the film I've been waiting for.

 

[SodaPop]

Viral marketing is a double edged sword. For Example, S.O.A.P (snakes on a plane) had tremendous hype for it, but made nothing, mostly because the hyped died down in June, two months before its release, had they released it in June, i thought it wouldve been a bigger blockbuster. Another example is cloverfield, great marketing, so-so movie. The buzz made it to big for its own good. And TDK, now has even higher expectations then before. So it really depends on the movie and the plan for that movie.

 

[tzarinna]

I can't get into it.
It's great for those that thrive on it and I guess there must be some sort of bonding going on over in the Bat forums that I don't know about but also I suspect a lot of confusion and annoyance. I recall the days of SM3 hype.
I think the average movie goer has no idea about all of this and really could give a rat's ass.

 

[Chuck]

It has no effect, and really I couldnt care less about it.

 

[Nirvana]

It all depends on the movie really. Like The Dark Knight and Cloverfield virals I thought were actually pretty interesting. But for films like Hancock or Hellboy I could give a **** less about.

 

[The Kid]

I like the web blogs and movie production updates on high profile releases, they're the same as joining a movie fan club they have in magazines for years (used to do that long ago. damn I'm old now.) otherwise I like to go in a virgin. The only thing I think will be a problem in the future is companies buying sites and trying to sway opinion. It will happen, just a matter of time. It'll be interesting to see what'll be the outcome of that I guess. Or maybe I'll get laid, I dunno.

 

[Lord Valumart]

personally i find virals a pain

there was all that hype for one tdk one and all they got was a picture of the joker that was on the front of Empire like a week later...

all a movie needs is a good poster and a good trailer. i was super hyped for KotCS then the poster came out and i was grinning for the rest of the night. really i couldn;t see the point in virals for most movies. they really are for the hardcore fans and even then they piss me off casue they nack the hype everytime theres a new one and people are like "ZOMGZ TEH J0K3RZZ!!!!!1!1111" i was going to go see tdk to see what it was like and if it would improve on begins but now i'm not even going to accept that it's been made when it comes out, the virals have pissed me off that much...

 

[3dman27]

i have no clue what viral marketing IS to be honest

 

[tyler-durden]

I'm on both sides, it's cool for awhile like TDK stuff but then it starts to just get annoying after awhile I really just want to see the trailer, no more games.

 

[WarBlade]

Viral marketing is an interesting idea, but I find it amusing to think that it tends to sell a movie to the fan base who are already looking for information about a particular movie title. In other words "preaching to the choir." Having said that, the ability to generate and sustain interest in a pre-existing fan base before a new release can also be a good thing.

 

[lyndenfl]

Don't think it matters on its own. Lots of elements have to come together. Not one marketing tactic attracts everyone's attention. I remember that Chad Kroeger song being everywhere before Spidey 1 and I think that helped the box office.

I agree with this statement.