“They’re Here,” and They Have Been For a While

The countdown for “They’re Here” ended tonight and the wait is finally over. So, what was it; An independent film about aliens invading earth? A cool promotion for an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster? Nope. It was something even better. Find out and watch the movie after the break.

At 7 p.m. EDT the countdown hit zero and an email was sent out to all those who signed up. It contained a link to the video embedded below. Take a look:

This isn’t what any of us expected, in fact, it’s probably the last thing we could’ve even imagined. The viral campaign made it look so much like a film about aliens and space invaders, we neglected to even consider this a possibility. But here’s the bottom line: This was an entertaining campaign to follow and while the payoff wasn’t what anyone expected, it was even better. 99/100 times this would be a promotion for another run-of-the-mill independent film about space aliens on Earth. But this actually has meaning, substance, and importance.

This campaign grabbed our attention and captured our imaginations. It lead us through an unknown path to an outcome we didn’t expect. It has all the elements of a good viral campaign, with what I argue is one of the best payoffs you can receive: a wake up call. There are so many people who wonder if there is life beyond Earth, whether there are other living organisms in another galaxy far away. Those people, myself included, fail to realize that there is life on this planet that we should be caring about first.

I’m sure there are a few of you disappointed. When I realized what they were doing, I was a bit disappointed too. But almost immediately a huge smile appeared on my face. The video really captured what I was experiencing: a wake up call. I was waiting for a green martian, but instead I got a cute dog. I was expecting a futuristic alien invader, but instead I saw an adorable cat. I was waiting for a UFO to beam up a cow, but all I got was a cow. As I sat there, I realized the point of the entire campaign. They’re here, and they have been for a while.

Take a moment to visit OneKind.org and see what their organization is all about. I mean, you’ve been following this campaign for a month, a few more minutes wont hurt.