Comments on: Community-Empowerment Hits Hollywood

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 19:29:47 +0000

The early results are in for SoaP, and I have yet to hear/read a bad review. In fact even MSM outlets are praising the movie. Mario posted on his blog that CNN said that ‘This is an event. It’s a rare example of a film not just living up to the hype, but surpassing it. And it’s the best time you’ll have at the movies all summer, if not all year.’.
I’m glad to hear it, because as I said weeks ago, I wanted to see New Line’s embracement of the community of fans for this film, be rewarded.
We’ll know for sure starting Monday, but it looks like they are getting their reward. In spades.

By: Ann Handley

Ann Handley — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 18:23:51 +0000

Fun conversation here, guys…! I would guess SoaP would be more “fun” for people if the movie didn’t concern two major phobias….you know, “snakes” and “planes.” But that could just be me and my anxieties talking! : )

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 13:15:47 +0000

Marianne I understand what you are saying, but I don’t think the movie itself is the product being sold here. It’s the experience, it’s the meme, it’s the chance to have a party and be part of something cool. I mean there are nationwide ‘audience participation’ parties planned, check out http://snakeplay.pbwiki.com/
Samuel L Jackson was asked about why New Line didn’t allow SoaP to be pre-screened and reviewed, and he said:
“Snakes are biting people – and they’re biting them right on screen. There’s nothing to review. It’s not ‘Snakes on the Waterfront.’ You don’t have snakes going, ‘I coulda been a constrictor.’ No. Hell no. It’s ‘Snakes on a Plane.’”.
Exactly! If you are going to this movie, you are going to have fun because it is the ‘cool’ thing of the moment to do. Read all the buzz on blogs about this movie, and see if the bloggers are saying that this will be a ‘great’ movie, or a ‘fun’ movie.
Hint: I have yet to see the first blogger say this will be a ‘great’ movie. But I have seen plenty say it will be great fun.

By: marianne richmond

marianne richmond — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 09:52:30 +0000

Mack,
Well, I was being somewhat facetious in my comments…fueled by SOAP overdose. But, since you raised the issue of “what if it tanks”…if it does, I think it will prove the point that no amount of hype will save a bad product….organic, brand building word of mouth comes from having a great product or service.
You CAN’T promote and market a BAD movie through internet buzz…that is what will be proven; also, it is possible that we will be able to evaluate the point of overkill and wearout…. and the next step, backlash.
Yes, I know the RHPS was a bad movie,,,but it was a fun bad movie. If SOAP is fun, it may have some redeeming value. We will just have to wait and see.
And Mack, when we go to see our son play basketball and he is the worst player on the team? That is a painful experience. We feel his pain and we feel our own. Nothing about it is fun!
Marianne

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:47:54 +0000

Marianne I think most bloggers know this movie is going to suck. That’s not why they are going to see it. Sure this is a bad movie, but when New Line reached out to bloggers, it became OUR bad movie. It’s like the parents that go to every basketball game their son’s team plays, even though they know their son is the worst player on the team, and will never play in the game.
Why do they pay money to watch it? Cause its their baby out there.
It’s our chance to have fun, to have our party. It’s our Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s our baby.
And besides, how can a non-blogger read the plot for this movie (snakes on a plane), and think ‘Wow that will be a great movie!’. I mean that tells you all you need to know. It’s like when you hear that the star of a movie is ‘Larry The Cable Guy’. That one fact tells you that you will either love or hate that movie. That’s all you need to hear.
What I think is going to be interesting is to see how the media reacts to SoaP’s opening weekend, next Monday. If SoaP tanks, odds are MSM will claim that this shows that you can’t market and promote a movie based on internet buzz. But if SoaP hits it out of the park, will they then give credit to bloggers?

By: Marianne Richmond

Marianne Richmond — Wed, 16 Aug 2006 00:36:30 +0000

OK, has anyone considered this scenario? It turns out that the movie really stinks. Not cult/fun awful, just AWFUL.
And, the crowds turns….turns on all the buzz empowering, so called citizen marketers who have been blogging their brains out about something that they haven’t even SEEN, which caused a stampede of ordinary folk to part with their hard earned money and leisure time, for something that squandors both…
AND, after working so hard for truth, justice, authenticity, transparency AND CREDIBILITY they blow it for all of us….
and those ordinary citizens who used to think that bloggers held to a higher standard now think that we are nothing more than, well…. tools.
Just wondering……

By: Marianne Richmond

Marianne Richmond — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 22:41:00 +0000

By: Mack Collier

Mack Collier — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:54:31 +0000

‘Great minds’, eh Mario? I would love to see $32 million, and that’s what I am hoping for myself. What I truly want to see is New Line appealing to movie fans from this point forward (online and off) to help promote their offerings, and realizing that they need to continue to refine and hone their tactics.
If New Line sees this as the starting point, and begins to shift their marketing plans more toward being community-oriented, it will SERIOUSLY put them ahead of their competitors.
Here’s hoping!

By: Mario Sundar

Mario Sundar — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 13:12:21 +0000

Hi Mack,
Looks like we have similar thoughts on SoaP here. As I rationalized in my post, my bet is on $32 million. And even that is a success for a B-movie!
As for marketers, there’s no doubt that blog marketing is going to turn out to be the future of focus groups.
Mario