Skyfall: A Viral Campaign In The A***?
Film is one of the greatest art forms ever realised by human kind. Fact. Film promotion is an art. Fact. Yet while the Scott’s Scorsese’s and Spielberg’s have long since honed and perfected their skills, it seems that the worker bees behind promotion have yet to learn their lessons. While viral campaigning has existed most prominently since The Blair Witch Project, it’s an area yet to be mastered. Let’s put it this way, talent exists within those willing to push boundaries. People are born with specific talents but those without them can still perfect abilities stranger to them. In short, you don’t need to be masterful to be creative.
“Do You Expect Me To Talk?”
2012 has seen the reinvention of alternative viral campaigning. This year’s earliest and cleverest viral campaign came from Mr. Scott himself while delving into his mother project, Prometheus. Alien saw the birth of the auteur’s love for A.I., Ash; and while the character was made of cogs and wires, he felt ultimately like an emotionally withdrawn human. Human nonetheless, though. Equally so in the clips that were cleverly dark yet with an advertisement sensibility, Ridley Scott gave birth to a new form of A.I in David, played by Michael Fassbender. One of the first videos to be sent onto the network, “Happy Birthday, David” gave us a glimpse into one of the most important areas of the Alien universe.
Giving only hints of the character’s being, the video raises important questions about whether David will assist or hinder the team. A certain amount of Nazi symbolism goes a long way in its suggestions that Weyland Corporations may have quasi-fascist ideals. Later in the campaign, a speech from Peter Weyland himself was released; another chance for Scott to raise audience expectation while provoking dark questions about God and the progression of mankind.
Strength came in the love for a world Scott had created 33 years previously. The virals exploited the mystery of the foundations of Weyland Corporations, an area effectively hidden in the shadows, barely touched upon by Cameron, Fincher, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and (god forbid) Paul W.S. Anderson. The videos were fresh, full of life, complex in their suggestions and diverse. Their diversity immersed us. Thus, Prometheus had a spectacular build up.
What makes an interesting viral campaign? The basics are everything. Basics meaning exploring the many natures and themes of the film and turning them into something original. Mark Kermode, in an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live, commented on science fiction saying that “good science fiction isn’t about technology or special effects, it’s about ideas”. Applied to Prometheus, the idea of ideas was riddled throughout their campaign and felt visceral.
The Dark Knight Rises effectively returned to its bat roots and studied the genre. While Burton’s caped crusader had a camp self-awareness, Nolan’s Batman was grounded in crime, procedure and murder. Mere weeks before the cowl was to return to every multiplex in the world, Nolan and his team released an in-depth performance review for John Blake. A complex character study reveals John Blake has many of the traits seen in the masked vigilante himself.
“You Forgot The First Rule Of Mass Media!”
We all know film is a thing of beauty. Even if you don’t, you’re just repressing feelings. Even the people who don’t like film love film, they just don’t know it. A simple shot that reeks sophistication can please anyone, be they an open lover of film or a closet buff. When is too much, too much? Given The Dark Knight Rises’ tendency to finish a majority of their trailers with “THIS ISN’T A CAAAAAAAAAAAR!”, the viral material couldn’t compensate for the lack of creativity that was lost with a runaway vigilante editor.
I’m reaching my limits with companies’ assumptions that the public will love TV Spots, trailers and the like again and again and again and again and again without question. This frustration came to the hilt with the viral campaign that was started with Skyfall. On first impression? Wow. My impression now? Covering myself in tar then scraping my skin off with a sharp toothbrush would show the estimated annoyance I feel at this very moment. How many TV spots is enough? Three? Five? 10? 20? 10 would seem too tame for Sam Mendes.
James Bond has been the cornerstone for the action genre since Ian Fleming created the wildly complicated Brit with wit. Such is he an icon that, with every film adaptation there comes those moments when you can’t help but smile when Bond does something cool. In the infinite amount of TV spots for Skyfall, they end with Bond jumping from a crane and into the back of a moving train, gaining his balance and adjusting his cuffs. The effect has long worn off. This is one case among many that shots have been recycled impossible amounts. When I duly see Skyfall, the moments will be lost on me. They’ll just glaze over me and I’ll be impartial to the cocky coolness that Daniel Craig captures so well.
They’ve messed up big time. A blind eye can’t be turned just because it’s the 50th anniversary of James Bond. The biggest advance in their viral campaign is the release of Bond On Set: Filming Skyfall which, beneath the well composed photos, does a miserable job of promoting the film. Who will buy the book? Fans of Bond. What about others who aren’t so engrossed in the Bond universe? “We have a million other TV spots for you!” As Daniel Craig would put it so bluntly – “No”. There are other ways to reveal character backgrounds than lazily inserting a script excerpt into a book about Bond’s parents. Even more so, such vital details should be released to the public without having to pay much of a £20 note. Noble as their intentions are, corporate undertones can be felt all over the place. The fans might be filming it but they’re doing the worst job of creating hype.
There should be a moratorium on films that attempt a viral campaign but lack the creativity to do so. Either go the easy route with a single trailer or make a huge viral that works.
Lacklustre performances will not be tolerated, Mr Bond.
Edited by DamnCoffee, 13 October 2012 - 07:21 PM.
