Cracked’s List Shows How A Viral Can Backfire Kris, June 18, 2010 When it comes to alternate reality games, the more believable and interactive, the better. It’s wonderful experience we love, except for when it backfires.I’m not talking about when its structured sloppy, I mean when it is far too real for its own good. Cracked made a list that covers such a topic. The article, “The 6 Most Insanely Misguided Attempts at Viral Marketing“, includes the Splinter Cell bar scene. To sum it up, what was supposed to be a played out as a bar room hold up and rescue got only half way through the 1st act because it was disastrously to convincing. Cops came in, took down the fake criminal, with a fake gun, in a fake hold up. The guy must have been a great actor. Movies have fallen victim to the same problem. Cracked’s list includes the Boston Bomb Scare from the cheap Aqua Teen Hunger Force campaign. Going back to our roots though, The Blair Witch Project viral, the father of all movie ARG advertising campaigns, did pretty gutsy moves. All it took was a website to make the movie convincing enough to be considered as an actual documentary. As a more recent example, Sony Pictures’ 2012 had a very wide and complex campaign. From the Jackson Curtis Facebook Page to Soren Ulfert’s blog and complex messages, it was hard for newcomers to tell if it was true or not. In fact, the marketing company had to explicitly brand their campaign to keep people from thinking the 2012 doomsday myth had been proven real (which some still did). It all comes down to planning, but sometimes even that’s not enough. But keep in mind: do you really want an obvious ARG? Is it better to confirm an ARG? Of course not, it dulls the experience, as we mentioned last year. For all intensive purposes, I say keep it realistic as possible. Not only is it more fun, but you gotta be brave enough to do it. Viral Marketing Viral News 2012Aqua Teen Hunger ForceCartoon NetworkSplinter CellThe Blair Witch Project
Conventions Dragon Con 2013: “Machete Kills” Pushes Social Media At Booth September 5, 2013 The marketing people behind Machete Kills, the sequel to Robert Rodriquez’s 2010 hit Machete, decided to make a trip out to Atlanta this year for the popular multi-genre convention, Dragon Con. They set up a booth in one of the busiest hotels of the con, the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel…. Read More
J.J. Abrams Puts You in the Action With “Action Movie FX” App December 25, 2011December 25, 2011 Have you ever wished that your life was more like an action movie? Well, now you have the chance to take a step closer to that dream with the iTunes app Action Movie FX from Bad Robot Interactive, J.J. Abrams’ company. Take video with your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad… Read More
Can You Figure Out The New Let Me In Morse Code? July 15, 2010July 16, 2010 Just in time for Comic-Con, the Let Me In viral site known as HelpMe, has a new Morse code being tapped into the screen. But what does it say? And why is there an entry box just below it? Well, it’s quite simple. Figure out what it says, and move… Read More