A Bad Omen
Today is 6.6.06. If you haven’t heard that at least six hundred and sixty six times today then I don’t know where you’ve been. Well anyway, if you were to talk with my hair stylist (yes, I have a hair stylist and not a barber) you would know that the world is going to end. Not today, but according to her friend who is “really religious and stuff” that the world might end possibly in seven years once the antichrist is old enough to unleash his wrath on the world. Where has this information come from you might ask? I’ll tell you where, from a genius ad campaign that has believers and nonbelievers questioning their faith.
The ad campaign was started about a month ago with simple billboard and poster teasers that have an ominous black background and announce "You Have Been Warned" and "The Signs Are All Around You." Each is followed with the date "6/6/06.” These campaigns have been greatly successful in creating an extreme amount of buzz surrounding the launch of the movie, but have fallen short with having a lackluster representation on the web. Maybe it’s because they wanted everyone to think that Lucifer is “old school” and strictly sticks to traditional advertising and marketing media. Or, maybe they thought it was more haunting to keep the world out of the loop on who was behind the ads until the time was right. Well, they did begin running tv spots about two weeks ago to fulfill on the teaser, but where is the cool Microsite or the viral component to stretch this even further. I could see an extension of the billboard campaign that didn’t give away the mysteriousness of the film. Like maybe youhavebeenwarned.com. I could see it now, the 6 6 06 and some ramblings about the antichrist. They could have made it appear like some fanatical lunatic designed the site and was giving us all fair warning. It would have also been great if they created some viral videos to be spread on youtube.com. For example, pulling a page out of Blair Witch.
If you go out to heedtheomen.com (the only web representation that I could find) you will see immediately that it’s for the movie. I like the feeling of not knowing for sure. I’m sure my hair stylist and her friend were enjoying the fact that this was possibly real. Just like the how everyone felt when they walked out of the Blair Witch years ago. They did tie in a myspace page and some mobile elements which helped, but failed on the extending the concept further.
Bottom line - the traditional execution was great, but it definitely needed an online campaign to supplement the offline. I just hope when the release the picture again on 06/06/3006, the ad agency will get it right. That's if human kind still exists of course.
Comments
I agree that some sort of online tie-in would only add suspense. Another example even more tempting (and modern) than Blair Witch was that of the establishment of Hanso Org website (the imaginary corporation linked to the mysterious island on "Lost"). I have to admit, I've visited, even read through all of the corporate profiles and subpages. I was even duped into playing a not-so-quick interactive game, only to find it was an advertisment for Sprite. But hey, good for them.
And as for the 6/6/06 campaign, an interactive component would have been refreshing - especially considering the movie is just another bland remake of an already mediocre film.
Posted by: Laurie | June 7, 2006 02:02 PM
I see what you're saying about "Lost", but I am lost on how you think that the original was a mediocre film. I loved it! Gregory Peck and Lee Remick were great. And so was that red-headed kid. Which reminds me that I don't understand why they didn't cast a red head for the new movie. If only Ted Swain was a few years younger or a few inches shorter.
Anyway, "Lost" is a great example of how to merge entertainment and marketing into an intricate message.
Thanks for the example and keep them coming!
Posted by: Nick Bartolomeo | June 7, 2006 03:11 PM