“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
News Super Bowl Trailers: Super 8, Transformers, Thor, and Captain America February 6, 2011March 11, 2011In case you missed any of the commercials, we’ve rounded up all the ads for films shown over the first half of the Super Bowl, other than the Cowboys & Aliens spot. After the jump, watch the spots for Super 8, Transformers, Thor, and Captain America. Read More
Dreamworks’ “Puss In Boots” Gets a Motion Poster August 24, 2011August 24, 2011While many may think that the Shrek series has run its course, Dreamworks figures it can wring out some more money with Puss In Boots, a prequel spin-off focused on the lovable sword fighting cat voiced by Antonio Banderas. Dreamworks has released a motion poster for the film, and its… Read More
Site News Editorial: What happens after District 9? August 12, 2009September 23, 2024With the upcoming release of District 9, many of you may be asking what will happen next, in terms of viral marketing. There’s no question that the District 9 viral campaign has been the biggest campaign we’ve followed in 2009, but it needs to be stressed that with the release… Read More