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4 captivating Content Marketing innovations applied for some fascinating movies of Hollywood

By Dhileepan | July 6, 2017

After posting my previous write-up titled, ‘4 INNOVATIVE AND INTERESTING CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY HORROR MOVIES IN HOLLYWOOD’, I came to know about 4 more Content Marketing strategies/campaigns – which I felt to be innovative and interesting – that have been implemented to promote 4 different movies belonging to 4 different genres (One movie belonging to the Horror Genre). So, I have come up with this post to brief about those 3 strategies. Below are the briefs on those campaigns, which had served as perfect preludes to the theatrical or the DVD releases of their respective movies.

1. ‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle’:

Few days prior to the release of the 20^th Century Fox’s found footage film, ‘Chronicle’, a video titled ‘Flying People in New York City’ made by ThinkModo (a marketing agency), was uploaded to the YouTube channel, ‘ChronicleNYC’ on January 30, 2012. In this video, 3 6-foot tall human-shaped Radio Controlled planes (RC planes) could be seen flying above the Manhattan skyline with the passers-by over the streets feeling clueless on seeing the planes and some even capturing them on their phones.

**‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle’**

This was a strategy that was ideated and executed by ThinkModo, in association with 20^thCentury Fox, to promote the movie by creating an illusion of people flying. ThinkModo, by taking cues from the movie’s poster, had then hired model airplane builders to device 5 human-shaped RC planes and make 3 of them fly (2 RC planes were backups). This event took place in New York on January 27, 2012.

The video had then garnered more than 5 million hits before the movie’s release date i.e., February 3, 2012 and the movie opened at number one in box office. Till date, the video has clocked more than 9 million views.

Click here to watch the video.

P.S. In January 2017, ThinkModo, in association with Paramount Pictures, came up with the video titled, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ to create a buzz for the movie, ‘Rings’. To know more about the video and its backdrop, click here.

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2. ‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’ for ‘Skyfall’:

As part of Coke Zero’s marketing campaign, ‘Unlock The 007 In You’, Coca Cola’s North West Europe and Nordics business unit, in association with the makers of ‘Skyfall’, released the video titled, ‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’. The sequence of events shown in this video has been shot in the Central Station of Antwerp, Belgium.

**‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’ for ‘Skyfall’**

In this video, we see that when an individual approaches the Coke Zero vending machine that has been placed in the station, they are let known that they are offered with a chance to win exclusive tickets to ‘Skyfall’. In order to participate in the event of winning tickets, they are asked to provide their names in the machine. On entering their name, they are asked to go to platform 6 in next 70 seconds. On their way to platform 6, they face few funny obstacles. Upon reaching platform 6, they are asked to sing the bond tune to win tickets. After doing so, they get their tickets.

This video, which was released on October 2012, went viral garnering over 3 million views in a week.

Click here to have a look at the video.

3. ‘Scariest Two-way Mirror Prank’ for ‘Conjuring 2’:

To promote the DVD release of ‘Conjuring 2’, a video was released in the YouTube channel, ‘Roadshow Entertainment’ on September 19, 2016. The video showcases the happenings that had happened after the screening of ‘Conjuring 2’ in a warehouse in Sydney. In the video, soon after the completion of the warehouse screening, we get to see the audience being asked to wait alone in a room for an interview to share their experience about the movie.

In the video, six hours before the event, we are shown technicians setting up a false wall, mounting a two-way mirror on it, placing bulbs around the mirror and illuminating them to make the setup look like a make-up room. Behind the mirror, a lady in the makeover of the frightening nun, ‘Valak’ that appeared in ‘Conjuring 2’, is made to stand. Another lady in the similar makeover is made to stand hiding in the room. Audience waiting out there in the room are unaware of the room’s setup.

When the people approached the mirror, they are being scared by the lady who is standing behind the mirror followed by the nun who stands hiding in the room.

**‘Scariest Two-way Mirror Prank’ for ‘Conjuring 2’**

The video also has the clip of ‘Conjuring 2’ from which the idea for this video was brought out. Hidden cameras placed inside the room captured the reactions of the people. The video, ‘THE CONJURING 2 – SCARIEST TWO-WAY MIRROR PRANK EVER’ was made out of the footage that has been obtained from such hidden cameras. Till now, the video has got more than 2 million views and is still counting.

Click here to take a look at the video.

4. ‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’ for ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’:

‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’, the promotional video content – shot in a Starbucks of New York City – for the 2017 American superhero film, ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ has been released by Sony Pictures Entertainment in their official YouTube channel on June 27, 2017. The strategy is the brain child of ThinkModo – the agency behind the ideations and executions of ‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle 2’ and ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ for ‘Rings’.

Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’ for ‘Spider-Man Homecoming’ — **‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’ for ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’**

In the video, we get to see the Starbucks customers, waiting to get their orders, getting surprised and some even scared, when the Spider-Man-suited stuntman Chris Silcox drops from the ceiling – just like how the Spider-Man appears upside down in movies – to get hold of his brew. After realising that the happening is just a prank, few get to click selfies with the Spider-Man. Stan Lee, the Marvel’s originator also makes an appearance in the video.

This promotional video has till now clocked more than 3 lakh views and is still counting.

Click here to watch the video.

So, here I end my post that provides an overview about the 4 captivating Content Marketing innovations that have been applied for 4 fascinating movies of Hollywood. If you enjoyed reading this post, I would be very thankful if you could share the same on Twitter or Facebook, or even email your friend. Thank you!

4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood

By Dhileepan | June 17, 2017

4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies implemented by movies in Hollywood — **4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood**

From time immemorial, horror movies, for the factor of ‘ghost’ alone that has been involved in them, have been garnering the attention of significant number of movie-goers. But, in order to take such movies further closer to the audience, the distributors of the same have been deploying innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies. Let us have a look at 4 of such eye-catching strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood.

1. ‘Hoax Death Threat Call’ for ‘The Ring Two’:

Prior to the DVD release of The Ring Two, the London based Marketing Consultancy, New Media Maze came up with the idea of a marketing campaign, for the DVD release, by taking cue from the scary ‘tape scene’ of The Ring.

The Ring - Prank call — **‘*Hoax Death Threat Call*’ for ‘*The Ring Two*’**

Initially, the website – www.7daysleft.com – was set (Now, the domain is up for sale) and it offered a provision to people, who wish to play a prank by sending a ‘Hoax Death Threat’ call to their friends. People, who wished to do so, provided the e-mail address and cell-phone number of their friends. The website then sent a mail, with a link possessing the trailer of The Ring Two, to the friends. After opening the trailer from the mail and while watching it online, the friends received a call and a voice in their receivers whispered “Seven Days”. After the friends got to experience this scary moment, they were conveyed that the attempt is just a prank and that they could try to attempt this to five of their friends. This campaign which was launched in U.K. had emerged as one among the scariest viral marketing campaigns ever.

Click here to watch the ‘The Tape’ scene from The Ring.

Marketing Journo

2. ‘Demand it’ campaign for ‘Paranormal Activity’:

Initially, in September 2009, the screening of the movie, Paranormal Activity was held in Hollywood, California. As a follow-up to this screening, an intriguing trailer was made by combining the audience’s reactions, which were captured during the screening of this show, and specific clips from the movie. The trailer was then uploaded to the official website of the movie (www.paranormalmovie.com) and telecast in television channels.

Towards the end of the trailer, a list of cities where the movie is about to be screened was put up. Also, the availability of the ‘Demand it’ option in the website, for the people who felt fascinated by the trailer and wished to get Paranormal Activity to be screened in their city, was let known. The motive, by the movie’s makers, behind this ‘Demand it’ provision was to opt first with the city, with the most demands, for the future screenings.

Paranormal Activity - Demand it campaign — **‘*Demand it*’ campaign for ‘*Paranormal Activity*’**

The movie was initially released in 7 cities of U.S. on September 25^th, 2009. From thereon, in less than a month, the movie was released nationwide.

Click here to take a look at the trailer of Paranormal Activity.

3. ‘TV Store Prank’ for ‘Rings (2017)’:

Almost a fortnight prior to the release of Rings (Third film in the Ring franchise following the movies, ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Ring Two’), Paramount Pictures shared a video titled, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ in their official YouTube channel.

Rings (2017) - TV Store Prank — **‘*TV Store Prank*’ for ‘*Rings (2017)*’**

In this video, firstly a TV store in New York is shown. Then, we get to see people setting a fake wall inside the store and mounting a specific number of televisions over the wall. These arrangements resemble the interior of a typical TV store. Behind a particular television, a girl with the makeover of Samara (Antagonist of the Ring franchise) is made to sit.

Subsequently, customers, one by one started visiting the store, greeted by a staff, guided towards the fake wall mounted with televisions and are being attended by the staff to let them know about the televisions that the store possesses. Initially, some random videos are being played in the televisions. Then, the videos are being replaced with the trailer of the movie, Rings. At one point of time, the Staff switches the display of the televisions to a new technology, which is available in the televisions and asks customers about their experience of the technology. This is when the television, behind which the girl is made to sit, scrolls up. The girl pops out of the television in the similar way in which the ‘Samara’ character crawls out of the televisions in the movies of the Ring franchise. She even goes on to sneak up on few of the customers. What other reaction would the customers render other than ‘shock’ when they encounter such a prank? Some screamed and few others even ran out of the room due to fear.

Hidden cameras placed inside the store captured the reactions of the customers. The video, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ was made out of the footage that has been obtained from such hidden cameras. Till now, the video has got more than 8 million views and is still counting.

Click here to watch the TV Store Prank.

4. ‘Zero Gravity VR Experience’ for ‘The Mummy’:

Every time when we get to see Tom Cruise performing daring stunts in his movies, we feel astonished. But, how would we feel when we are provided with an offer, to experience the making of one such adventurous sequence, in a virtual manner? Wouldn’t we feel very enthusiastic and eager to undergo such an adventure? Such is an offer which Universal Pictures has come up with, as part of their marketing strategies, for the Tom Cruise starrer The Mummy.

The Mummy - Zero Gravity Experience VR — **‘*Zero Gravity VR Experience*’ for ‘*The Mummy*’**

Who would have forgotten the terrific zero gravity sequence taking place prior to the plane crash, predominantly featuring Tom Cruise and Annabelle Wallis, which were shown in the teasers and trailers of The Mummy? The making of this sequence is which the Universal Pictures has offered a ride to by leveraging the Virtual Reality technology. This pop-up experience was first made open to the public in SXSW (South by Southwest). As part of this event, individuals, who were about to virtually experience the sequence, were provided with a headset and made to sit in a gyroscopic chair assisted by a haptic feedback. In the VR experience, which has been narrated by Tom Cruise, people were made to experience the behind-the-scenes look of the action sequence. This interesting event then appeared in Rockefeller Center, New York and in Los Angeles.

Click here to have a glimpse of ‘The Mummy’ Zero Gravity Stunt VR Experience.

So, that’s it with my briefing about the 4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies that have been implemented by horror movies in Hollywood. Now, in the comments section of this write-up, feel free to share your views about the article and let me know of any such interesting and innovative Content Marketing strategies, which have been deployed for various flicks!

Ads of Vodafone SuperNet 4G: Paragons of effective utilization of Storytelling in Content Marketing

By Dhileepan | June 1, 2017

maxresdefault — **Ads of Vodafone SuperNet 4G: Paragons of effective utilization of Storytelling in Content Marketing**

Sometime ago, I happened to learn about Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ concept. I would say that the concept gives a unique and an interesting line to the crux of the Content Marketing approaches of some companies, which have been globally recognized as distinct and successful. In the concept, Simon Sinek conveys that such companies, while communicating about their products or services to their potential customers, first talk on WHY do they offer a product or service and HOW is that offer going to benefit the customers, and then talk about WHAT are they going to offer.

He further goes on by saying that when a company shares about the ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of its products or services to its potential customers, it means that it is dealing with their behaviours by engaging with their emotions. In other words, the information of ‘Why’ and ‘How’ communicates with the human’s Limbic Brain, which deals with their emotions. But, when the company talks about the ‘What’ of its products or services to its potential customers, it means that it is speaking to their brains’ rationalistic part, Neocortex.

Going by the concept of ‘Golden Circle’, I feel that one among the best ways in Content Marketing strategies, to deal with the behaviours of the customers by engaging with their emotions, is to bring out a television commercial (TVC) driven by a well-crafted storytelling. Of late, during the IPL 10 season, many would have watched the series of television commercials (Total of 6), which have been rendered as part of Vodafone’s ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, featuring an elderly couple (husband and wife) and narrating their experiences on their Goa trip.

When it comes to a storytelling, there are three crucial factors involved, viz., Characters, Conflicts and Resolution. In a storytelling, the characters are the ones with whom, and whose problems, the audience would relate themselves with. In the case of the advertisements of the ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, despite the storytelling being driven from the point of view of an elderly couple, it also has characters with which people from across various generations could relate themselves with.

Marketing Journo

Conflict is a scenario in a storytelling, where the characters get stuck with a problem and resolution is what that eventually helps the characters to overcome the conflict. In the first TVC of the campaign, we see the elderly couple facing the problem of spotting their Goa trip’s prearranged guide, whom they haven’t seen before, in a crowded railway station. To overcome the problem, they do a video call to their granddaughter from that crowded place and she helps them to spot the guide in the station. In the second ad, the couple approaches the localites who are seated in the roadside of a particular area in Goa and enquires them about the route to Chapora Fort by referring to the place as ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ Fort. But, the couple doesn’t get concrete details regarding the route from the localites. So, on the spot, they choose to use the Google Maps and in turn, the app helps them to locate the fort.

In the third advertisement, we are shown that the couple has made some new friends in a place in Goa and are having a good time with them. The couple wishes to share the happy moments at once with their beloved ones. So, they make use of the ‘Group Video Call’ facility and express their happiness to their dearest ones. In the fourth commercial, the wife character in the couple goes for a parasailing from the shore and her husband makes her ‘parasailing’ moments go live in her Facebook profile using a mobile phone. By looking at the mobile phone, she goes on to wave at and ask her Facebook friends on them being able to see her in the live. As a result, the live gets flooded with reactions and comments.

In the fifth TVC, we get to see the couple sitting in a crowded shore, watching a dance video (HD) in their mobile and getting to know few steps. In the evening, the couple is shown shaking their legs along with strangers in a boat party. In the final ad, the couple is shown sitting in a crowded railway station waiting for a train. The husband character in the couple speaks with his granddaughter over the phone via a video call. He shares thirty photos, which have been captured during the Goa trip, all in one go via his mobile to his granddaughter.

In the ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, we could very well observe the order – ‘Why’, ‘How’ and then ‘What’ – that has been followed. As part of the campaign, Vodafone India had initially stated that, as its customers are utilising mobile internet across various applications, such as live streaming, movie downloads and video calls, it has invested in building ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G – The Data Strong Network’ to provide faster and consistent internet connection to its customers. Thereby, Vodafone had made it clear on why they came up with a new service.

But, the aspects of ‘How’ and ‘What’ of the Vodafone SuperNet 4G have been conveyed in the television commercials. In all the above said television commercials, the order – ‘How’ and ‘What’ – has been followed in the well-crafted storytelling of the narrations. The ads first showcase us on how a fast and consistent internet connection enables the customers to perform data-heavy activities such as doing video calls, streaming HD videos and uploading multiple photos from crowded places, accessing internet based apps while on-the-go and making group video call. By that means, the commercials have let the users know the benefits of ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G’. Finally, in the advertisements, we get to know the name of the service and the campaign, ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G’ and ‘Data Strong Network’ respectively accompanied by the slogan, ‘#MakeMostOfNow’.

So, with the above arguments, don’t the series of television commercials of Vodafone’s ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign sound as a paragon of effective utilization of storytelling in Content Marketing? Let me know your views in the article’s comments section, which is available below!

Content Marketing Strategies: Coca-cola’s ‘Share-a-Coke’ vs ‘Cupid’ standee of ‘Remo’

By Dhileepan | May 18, 2017

Untitled collage (2) — Content Marketing Strategies: Coca-Cola’s ‘Share-a-Coke’ Vs ‘Cupid’ standee of ‘Remo’

Recently, I read an article titled, ‘8 (More) Absolutely Brilliant Content Marketing Innovations From the World’s Best Brands’ written by Neil Patel in the site, contentmarketinginstitute.com. There is a section in this write-up that briefs about Coca-Cola’s ‘Share-a-Coke’ campaign. After reading the section, I remembered a similar Content Marketing campaign (though without an unique name for it) deployed by 24AM Studios, the producer of the Sivakarthikeyan – Keerthy Suresh starrer, 2016 Tamil romantic comedy movie, ‘Remo’. Both the strategies could well be suggested as ideal case studies of successful Content Marketing Innovations as both had illustrated the concept of personalization of contents that resonated well with their respective target audience. In this article, let us have a look at both the strategies to know how they went on to become successful by adding considerable values to their respective products.

Coca-Cola’s ‘Share-a-Coke’ campaign converting the brand’s customers into its promoters:

Coca-Cola’s one of the most successful marketing campaigns, ‘Share-a-Coke’, which has been launched in more than 70 countries till date, was first introduced in Australia in 2011. In this campaign, Coca-Cola had printed the most popular names of individuals in its Coke cans and bottles by replacing its famous logo. As a follow-up to this, customers were offered with the opportunity to purchase customized Coke cans and bottles featuring the names those they wished to see on the products.

'Share-a-Coke- collage — Customized Coke Cans

All these efforts of Coca-Cola did pay rich dividends to the brand as the people felt emotionally touched and excited on seeing their names or the names of their beloved ones in the products of a popular brand like Coca-Cola, took pictures of them with the customized cans and bottles and shared the photos in their Facebook and Instagram accounts.

unknown-2_12 — Picture of a lady with the customized Coke bottle

In this way, the people had acted as influencers of the ‘Coca-Cola’ brand and made the marketing campaign, ‘Share-a-Coke’, one among the successful ones of all time.

Marketing Journo

24AM Studios’s ‘Cupid Standees’ campaign converting Remo’s target audiences into its promoters:

Along the lines of Coca-Cola’s ‘Share-a-Coke’ campaign, in 2016, 24AM Studios came up with an interesting Content Marketing strategy by personalizing their content. In this strategy, the crux of the movie’s story line and its promotional tactics were cleverly intertwined.

‘A guy falls in love with a girl, at first sight’

The above line has been an age-old formula as far as the movies that deal with romance are concerned. The kick-starter in the story of Remo too, is this formula. But, in order to make this not-so-interesting sequence look eye-catching, the director introduces a fictional cum animated character called Cupid in the movie. By deftly bringing the character into the picture, the director makes the audience forget the fact that the scene is based around an old-fashioned idea.

maxresdefault (1) — Cupid featured in the movie, ‘Remo’

The utilization of Cupid wasn’t confined to the movie alone. Around the movie’s release time, standees of Cupid were placed in the movie theaters where Remo was about to be screened. Standees were also placed in shopping malls. In other words, the standees were placed in locations where they could garner the attention of the audience towards the movie. The aura rendered by Cupid in the movie was recreated by the Cupid standees that were placed across various cine halls and shopping malls. Yes… the people got attracted by the Cupid standees and felt excited to the extent of taking selfies (current day’s crazy deed) with them. They were not only influenced by this marketing strategy but also played the role of influencers by posting the snapshots in their Facebook and Twitter accounts. The campaign, as its contribution to the pretty decent acceptability of the movie by the audience, would have driven a considerable number of people to throng the theaters those that screened ‘Remo’ then.

CtRyjZEW8AAMFp3 — Oscar & BAFTA winning and Remo’s Sound Mixer/Designer, Resul Pookutty taking selfie with the Cupid standee

Despite the results of both the strategies possessing striking similarities, Coca-Cola’s campaign was carried out across multiple nations whereas the Cupid promotion unleashed by 24AM Studios was limited to a specific region in India. Though the products, Coca-Cola and Remo had various other interesting factors to garner the attention of the audience and ensure a good reach among them, the campaigns had actually widened the attention towards the products from their natural scope and subsequently yielded a significant reach to their brands.

So, that’s it with my blog post about the Content Marketing lessons that one could learn from Coca-Cola’s ‘Share-a’Coke’ campaign and 24AM Studios’s innovative Content Marketing strategy for Remo. Now, you get to know the similarities in the way in which the brands, Coca-Cola and 24AM Studios had personalized their contents that resonated well with their respective target audience. Let me know your opinions on the write-up in the comments section!