You know what it is. It happened, and it made you turn to your friend in disbelief with an expression on both your faces that literally reads “WHAT THE F*?!”. It’s usually half an amazing story, killer headline, a greatly crafted movie teaser, or an amazing feat that makes you want more. This is the smoke-and-mirrors effect that has one goal: making you want to learn more.
It’s simple. If it keeps you staying tuned until after the commercial break or reading the remainder of the article on page 168, it’s doing its job, and that’s to make money. Watch that Pantene commercial- then we’ll tell if Dylan McKay will punch Steve Sanders. Skip all the way to page 168 to see all the ads in our magazine, then maybe- just maybe, we’ll tell you that 10th thing that gets her all hot. Warning, however, as there are times when you may come to a dead end (e.g.- Michelle Tanner losing her memory, which may be the biggest dead end I have ever hit following a commercial break).
Recently, there has been an influx of such “WTF” effects, and all of them are the result of viral marketing. Most of them are done online (large audience, cheap methods), and most of my favorites have been revolved around movies. The train doesn’t carry many passengers, but when you’re on, there’s no getting off. Remember for iRobot when you can sign up and preorder your own NS4? Recall the Cloverfield viral marketing campaign. Remember the teaser before Transformers? Classic WTF material. But if you were one of those who couldn’t help but research more online, you found out about how JJ Abrams was behind the movie, and news articles citing that Slusho!, a fictional Japanese drink found in Alias and Lost, was working illegally with a Japanese oil drilling company Tagaruato. Once registered, you were mailed shredded documents that detailed the attack of a sea creature. There are TONS of fictional websites and blogs (ethanhaaswaswrong.blogspot.com, ethanhaaswasright.com) circulating this. The effort and detail put into this is unbelievable.
But none, other than Burger King’s SUBSERVIENT CHICKEN, can take away what has been done (and doing) for this summer’s The Dark Knight.
I don’t think the entire viral campaign can be sequentially documented. I don’t think it was meant to be. The creators of this viral campaign was to make Gothan a reality. Newspapers, blogs, websites, cable news networks were all REALLY created to make the current events of Gothan real. You're as good as dead if you didn’t know that Harvey Dent is running against Dana Worthington for DA Attorney of Gotham this year. The GOTHAM TIMES, a full 16-pg tabloid newspaper, has had several editions since July of 2007. The newest one is the darkest, citing inmate escapes from Arkham Asylum and mysterious mutilations around Gotham. During the same time last year, we finally saw campaign material from Harvey, followed by graffiti’d versions a few weeks later (thanks, Joker). Comcast has created an actual news network in selected cities airing “Gotham Cable News”. Just Google it- you’ll probably find brand new sites coming up every day on all things Gotham. Last Friday, I found Swithuns Church, Citizens 4 Batman, Gotham National Bank, Gotham Police, The Ha Ha Ha Times, and We Are the Answer. There was an actual staged riot against Harvey Dent held in NYC. But nothing was cooler than "Robin Banks".
The heart of the campaign is Joker and whysoserious.com- he is trying to recruite gang members and the site has been updated almost 4 times in the last several months to get people on a worldwide scavenger hunt. Two really notable hunts: Robbin Banks and Clown Travel Agency.
So the website, back in December, tested your IQ with a few puzzle games. Once you passed, you were to go to a specific bakery in your town and tell them you were Robin Banks (get it? Robbing Banks). The bakery was to give you a special cake that had a phone number on it. But get this: inside the cake was an evidence bag (Gotham Police documents, cell phone, charger, and a Joker playing card with instructions.
The note read: "Wow. You really took the cake! Now put the icing on it. Call (number) immediately from this phone and this phone only. Do not give this phone number to anyone else. Let's hope your fellow goons come through as well as you. Once all the layers are in place, you'll all get your just desserts. I'm a man of my word."
Call, and a live lady from Rent-A-Clown says something along the lines of "Thank you for calling. Keep this phone charged and keep it with you at all times. You do not call us- we will call you."
Once everyone who played the game completed that step, free IMAX passes were given to the opening of I Am Legend that featured a 7-min clip of The Dark Knight.
Currently, the game is on the CLOWN TRAVEL AGENCY.
The site has apparently been up since January, but with no links. Finally, on April Fool's Day, a small envelope showed up. Read fast. Major cities from around the world has a special "gift" that the Joker has left- if you find it, you're in. (In SF, apparently, a green and purple bowling ball was left in a locker on Moraga Street. Further instructions await with the winner.) After 10 seconds, the screen burns away and then instructions are given for you to help the Joker hack into Acme Security Systems by entering your phone number and giving a secret code: "needles". If done incorrectly, Commissioner Gordon will have a warrant for your arrest. Don't worry- it's fake, and he's a square, anyway. There is A LOT more to this campaign, and the sad thing is we'll never know the success of it because, really, is Batman going to make anything less than $100 million? But it's fun. Other than a PR push, there's really nothing invested in promoting this. No marketing effort to support this marketing effort. Just for fanboys.
