Some of the "Dark Knight" promo items
I was cleaning the computer room over the weekend and I ran across a poster I’d forgotten about…and found myself remembering the amazing viral marketing campaign that went with it. The poster is one that says “I Believe in Harvey Dent” and was from the “Dark Knight” (the most recent Batman movie) viral marketing craze. Being the huge Batman fan that I am, I remember putting my name and contact info into the viral sites, even calling a phone number listed on one to leave a “crime tip”, curious to see what would happen during the time leading up to the movie release.
Some viral marketing campaigns stall out or fade quickly. Not this one. It’s extremely interesting to see how thought out this marketing must have been before it was rolled out to the public and how well those marketers knew their audience. Not only that but this campaign is one that many folks still remember and comment on even three years later.
The lengths to which this particular campaign went to capture and hold interest in an upcoming movie surprised me. I received several issues of the Gotham Times newspaper in the mail. Not only was it a wonderfully fleshed out fake newspaper but any website mentioned in an ad actually existed on the internet as part of the marketing campaign. I participated in a scavenger hunt along with many other folks all over the US that was updated in real time on a particular website. I took a photo of a friend dressed as the Joker in front of our famous “Bat Building” here in Nashville. I received Harvey Dent campaign materials (such as the sign, buttons, and stickers) and a few times I even received a phone call.
Promo copies of the Gotham Times
For the record, getting a phone call from “Detective Gordon”, “Harvey Dent” or one that sounded like a broken up news report with screams and then a crazy laugh was probably the highlight of my day during that time.
The campaign, which became known as an Alternate Reality Game (ARG), ran for over a year with the focus continually shifting from character to character. The number of websites that were part of the game continued to grow and update and the number of people involved also grew with each new challenge. Needless to say, by the time the Dark Knight premiered at midnight showings, the theaters were packed with fans and everyone was eager to finally see what all the buildup was about. Most people left quite pleased.
If you’re curious to see the extent of the campaign, here’s a timeline of each event. Also, the main site WhySoSerious.com still contains links to many of the game sites and plays the final audio from the last phone call that players received a few days before opening night.
What stood out for me about the whole experience was how effective the viral marketing campaign was…not just by seeing the folks in the packed theater and talking with them but seeing how, years later, I still have the physical promo items that were sent to me and how vividly I remember each step of the fun. Though I’ve participated and watched other viral marketing efforts I’ve yet to find one that reeled me in, hook, line & sinker, as effectively as the one for Dark Knight.
What’s the best viral marketing campaign that you’ve seen or participated in? What made it memorable? Drop us a note on here, Twitter or Facebook and let us know!
Tags: marketing, viral marketing
I’m so jealous of your Harvey Dent promotional materials! I managed to snag an “I Believe in Harvey Dent” t-shirt before the movie came out, but many of those items were SO tough to come by at the time. (Side note: people who didn’t know what it was would always ask me who Harvey Dent was and where he was running for office. They were kind of intrigued AND confused after I explained that it was from an upcoming movie!) However, my husband and I have several of those “City at War” Gotham newspapers – I’d really like to frame one and add to the Batman/comic book/action figure shrine we have going at home!
This entire campaign was BRILLIANT and I’m so happy you mentioned it as an example of viral marketing. They tied everything together so well and fans were relishing every second of it! The only reason I didn’t get to participate was because I didn’t have internet access at the time…but I really wanted to. Getting a phone call from “Detective Gordon” or “Harvey Dent” would have made my day, too!
Have you heard anything about the new Pottermore beta site that’s being released for Harry Potter fans? It seems very similar to the DK campaign – there are online scavenger hunts, clues, bonus material, and a lot more. The whole site won’t be available to the public until October, but early birds can get in now with the right info!
Awesome post!!
I’m jealous of your shirt! I wanted one but somehow always missed out. Alas! My friend (the one I took a photo of for the site) and I split up the Harvey Dent materials (he mainly wanted a button) and we had fun taking extra copies of the Gotham Times and leaving them with the tip at restaurants.
I’ve always wondered if people actually kept those papers.
To this day it is still my favorite example of viral marketing. And I loved how it drew in new fans to the franchise as well as kept existing fans entertained. The phone calls were always exciting to get (seeing the number 000-000-0000 on my caller ID brought a smile to my face) but you can hear the audio of the last phone call on the whysoserious.com site. I remember getting that call and just sitting there, staring at my phone in amazement for minutes after the call ended. It was wonderful how they never really let your attention flag even over a year of marketing!
I’ve heard about Pottermore and I’ve even been trying to be an early bird but I’ve always just missed out! I think I’ve got two more days to try to get in so wish me luck!
Thanks, Jill! I’m glad you liked the post.
I was wondering if perhaps I was reaching too far into the past but if a marketing campaign was good enough to still make me think about it 3 years later it’s worth mentioning, right?
[...] geek and Batman fan but I love a good viral marketing campaign. Earlier this year I wrote about the “The Dark Knight” viral marketing that even years later left an impression as the best one I’ve seen (and participated in). Since [...]