Why So Serious?

I love how some films have really grasped the concept of internet and viral marketing for their movies. Cloverfield was phenomenal at it, and keeping track of the fun of The Dark Knight viral campaign is even more amazing. The different sites, the videos, the viral games. If you were lucky enough to get signed up to receive calls, you'd get occasional calls from the Joker. All of it leading up to the final number on the agenda, ending with each of the viral sites being defaced by the Joker himself, and all of the antics being reported by Gotham Cable News. Simply amazing. Simply brilliant.

And I do especially love the Gotham Cable News network. Showing videos online of Mike Engel (Anthony Michael Hall) reporting on the situation, doing interviews with different characters. And most of these videos being shown also on Comcast. I love the news ticker on gothamcablenews.com reporting bits of headlines that hint to plot points in the movie. I've seen the leaked first 5 minutes of The Dark Knight, and I love how the current video being where Mike Engel interviews Harvey Dent is treated like a realistic news cast which then ties directly into the bank heist we see in those first 5 minutes. Awesome.

The game is pretty much done, being that next week is the big premiere. But feel free to take a look at what you've been missing.
http://www.whysoserious.com/

Click around and you'll find links to most of the other viral sites pertaining to Gotham City and Batman. Take a look at the Joker's list. All on the agenda have been crossed off, but it was fun to watch them get crossed off as each one was done. Each one is a link that took players to viral sites and "clown games" that would give you little clues along the way, each one leading to something new and something fun.

The final point on the list is the best one. For those following and those who could keep up and solve the Joker's little puzzles, you were treated to free tickets to an early screening of the movie in specific cities.

Genius marketing and a great reward for the fans that played along. I myself did not get free tickets, because, well, I don't really need them. I'll be getting my own early screening. :D








Can't wait.