Disney Makes Theater Stop Unofficial Viral Marketing For Tron Legacy Dan Koelsch, August 30, 2010 Well, you have to give them credit for trying. Yesterday we reported that a movie theater in Ohio (and possibly others) seemed to be part of Disney’s viral marketing campaign for Tron Legacy. However, it turns out that Marcus Crosswoods Cinema had taken it upon themselves to set up their Encom-branded website and the QR Code display that lead people to it. Since it is unofficial, Disney has asked them to take it down. Read the statement on the now defunct site after the break. At the request of Disney, we have had to halt our online marketing for the Tron Legacy motion picture. We will continue to promote the feature in-house in exciting and unique ways. For more information about the Marcus Crosswoods Cinema, please visit www.marcustheatres.com. Although misguided and not even accurate to the ARG, I’m impressed that the theater did this themselves. Management is obviously excited about the film and looking for new ways to draw customers. At a time in which ticket prices are sky high and theaters are getting hit hard by the recovering economy, these drastic measures are almost necessary. What do you think? Thanks to CalebH2010 at Unfiction for the heads up. Viral Marketing DisneyTheaterTron Legacy
“The Devil Inside” Ends With a Link, and Fan Screening Gets First Hand Possession January 7, 2012January 7, 2012While the reviews for this weekend’s new horror film The Devil Inside have been mixed at best, there is one thing most audiences have been unhappy about: the end. Get the details about the unusual ending for the found-footage exorcism thriller after the break, as well as how one audience… Read More
Rumor: What Does “Batman Vs. Superman” Delay Mean For Its Viral Marketing Campaign? January 20, 2014January 21, 2014Following last week’s announcement that the Man of Steel sequel will be delayed until May 6, 2016, a myriad of rumors have emerged explaining why the film was pushed back. Thinking beyond how injured Ben Affleck may be, or the true state of the film’s script, a new report has… Read More
Newport Beach Film Festival Preview: Documentary Uses Footage From 140 People Around The World April 20, 2010October 18, 2011The Newport Beach Film Festival in California begins this Thursday and lasts until April 29. While the Film Fest is not a high profile as Cannes or Sundance (or as established, with this being the 11th year), it still has plenty of great movies both big and small to enjoy…. Read More
kudos to the theater for being that excited by the movie to start their own mini ARG. I thought/wished it was the start of the next phase of the ARG that would lead to sneak previews around the country.
I agree, they deserve a little credit for being innovative. It’s too bad it is not part of the ARG to be honest.
They should have, however, realized that they were using someone else’s property… did they they’d completely get away with that? … *shrug*
They just didn’t think it through. I don’t think they realized it’d hit the web and people like us would pick up on it.
They were excited to market something with the trendy idea of a transmedia/viral/ARG type promotion. Too excited, and thus made some huge mistakes – used someone else’s IP, failed to understand and follow the canon of a franchise, and stepped all over another promotion’s territory.
Couldn’t Disney have been a little forward-thinking & maybe picked up the promo & run with it? Stupid Big Media, always afraid to jump onto something new until it’s too late.