HAPPY HALLO....wait.

The new Halloween movie comes out on August 31st.

Do the studios even know what movies they're releasing anymore or do they just spin the "Wheel of Craptasticness!" and whatever movie script it happens to land on they make and release next!?

To answer my own question, I researched and found this rare snippet captured from a 2006 Dimension Films Marketing Meeting:

Movie Marketing Genius Guy (MMGG): "So what's the next film on the table for us."

Movie Marketing Genius Guy's Assistant (MMGGA): "Hmm, this one's called 'Halloween'."

MMGG: "Well, let's take a look at our 2007 release schedule.......We've got 'Lepreucaun 8' coming out Easter weekend already, so that won't work."

MMGGA: "Dammit! That would have been perfect."

MMGG: "I know, I know. But it's ok. There's always another way."

MMGGA: "Why does this have to be so hard!?!
What about the 4th of July!?"

MMGG: "No. We've already got 'Santa's Slay' coming out then."

MMGGA: "Oh, duh. I should have remembered that."

MMGG: "It's ok. We all make mistakes. Hmm, think think. When oh when should we release this movie called 'Halloween'?"



(deep, thoughtful silence)



MMGGA: "I've got it!! The perfect date to release the film Halloween!"

MMGG: Well don't keep it to yourself!"

MMGGA: "August 31st."

(stunned silence)

MMGG: "You..........are a genius. It's ideas like this that will take you right to the top in this town."

MMGGA: "Thank you sir. That means a lot coming from you."

MMGG: "Well, don't get too excited we've still got the task of figuring out when to release that 'April Fools Day Movie'."
Siiiiiigh. "It just never ends."

PostSecret - Stamps + Chocolate

The marketing geniuses behind Altoids (just try to tell me their Curiously Strong campaign isn't effective, I dare you) have come up with a slightly viral, very interactive online campaign to promote their new Chocolate Altoids. Really, the word chocolate sold me right off, but apparently others aren't so easily swayed.

The concept is a la PostSecret. Annonymous people write short notes (up to 50 characters) that, once approved by the moderator, are added to the (chocolate) pool of other people's thoughts, shout-outs, secrets, put-downs, confessions, etc. The gimmick is that each thought becomes a white mint Altoid floating in a chocolate pool and anyone accessing the site can click on your thought and see what you wrote. You also have the option of approving your thought to be used by Altoids in the banner ads they are placing on other sites:


Therefore, anyone can be a copywriter! I bet that feels good to all you other ad students out there who paid $45,000 a year on a degree and countless hours on a portfolio only to be shot down time and again by the big ad agencies. Look! They don't even need you! They can pay joe-schmo $0 to write their ads AND get them to want to eat chocolate Altoids at the same time! Brilliant.

Good thing I want to be an art director.

Here's my special message to all of you:


If that doesn't put you in the mood for something chocolate dipped, I don't know what will.

Big Ideas

If you're interested in marketing, viral messages, or just some random bits of information, then you should definitely check out this blog I found recently called Gaping Void. It's written by a guy named Hugh from the UK who does marketing for a South African Vineyard and also creates interesting drawings on the backs of business cards. Many have to do with working in the advertising/marketing/creative world, but there is something there for everyone. Check out his gallery.

I'm particularly fond of this new one:


Think I'll have it put on the back of my business cards.

I have also added the Gaping Void widget to my sidebar, so you can check out a bunch of them.

Which one would be yours?