“This Man” Dream Viral to Become Feature Film Dan Koelsch, May 6, 2010 If you are an avid fan of ARGs and other viral marketing, you may have already heard of ThisMan.org, a website that claims hundreds of people have seen the same unknown man in their dreams. The website is designed as sort of a case study, with descriptions of dreams, theories, subjects’ drawings, and more. It’s created quite a stir with many on the Internet, and it has gotten the attention of Hollywood. See how one horror director is looking to turn a hoax into a hit. The website feels very authentic, and many believed for a time that this phenomenon was real. The man depicted is generic enough that those who come to the site might make a connection, and the international postings of the “Ever Dream This Man?” flyers seemed to imply those behind the site were really looking for an answer. However, it turned out to be a viral marketing attempt by Andrea Natella, an Italian sociologist and marketing guru, discovered on Unfiction via a WHOis search. On the site’s guestbook, someone even linked to a website where you can make a facial sketch that pretty much matches This Man. Still, it’s a great idea, and eventually someone was bound to notice. Ever Dream This Man? As Slashfilm reports, the movie This Man will be written and directed by Bryan Bertino, who last directed The Strangers for Rogue Pictures. The film is being made by Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures, and the plot is a nice twist on the viral premise, as the company’s press release describes below.Based on real life accounts, THIS MAN follows an ordinary guy who discovers that people he has never met are seeing him in their dreams. Now he must find out why he is the source of nightmares for strangers all over the world.The “based on real life accounts” part seems a bit iffy, since the only evidence of people dreaming about This Man is from those who have seen the website. Either way, this looks to go beyond your standard horror fare, so I’ll be interested to see how it does. Have you ever dreamed of THIS MAN? Viral Marketing ARGBryan BertinoGhost House PicturesSam RaimiThis Man
2012: You have One New Message September 15, 2009And it’s not a pleasant one. There is a new audio clip from Soren Ulfert’s voice mail, and its the same upset gentleman from the first one that we wrote about. Now, he’s had it. Take a listen (via ThisIsTheEnd) Now I’ve mentioned that I feel that Adrian Helmsley is… Read More
Repo Men: The Union HR Dept. Now Hiring February 23, 2010February 24, 2010We reported yesterday that The Union had decided that people who have fallen behind in their payments will have their Artiforg’s reposed. Now The Union’s Human Resources Department are looking for Repo Men to chase down those unfortunate souls who have their artificial implants inside them. Read More
“Don’t Do Mech” Viral Marketing Campaign Tries To Curb Hi-Tech Drug Use June 4, 2014June 5, 2014Anti-drug use campaigns usually show some sort of graphic depiction of the consequences of illegal drug use, which ranges from health problems to jail time. We’ve all seen these kinds of ads before, but what if one was tailored for a viral marketing campaign. The Don’t Do Mech viral marketing… Read More