Talking bout a revolution: Snakes, monkeys and the entertainment stories of 2006

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Talking bout a revolutionSnakes, monkeys and
the entertainment stories of 2006

• Ben Butler, Web Editor, IAB

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(user-generated)contents

• The internet has been a feature of the biggest
  entertainment stories of 2006
• Instigators of the revolution
• Music Arctic Monkeys vs Sandi Thom
• Film Blair Witch to Snakes on a Plane
• Why is online the perfect partner to the
  entertainment industry?

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Bad language alert!
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The internet has been a feature of the biggest
marketing stories of 2006

• The internet is having a dramatic impact on
  entertainment marketing and has become an
  entertainment medium in its own right
• The next big things - blogs and podcasts merely
  an appetiser
• Moved from trade press to film and music titles
  to the Bizarre section of the Sun
• Online has been a feature of the biggest stories
  in music and film this year

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The instigators of the revolution

• Social networking sites
• Embraced by millions because they encourage
  user-generated content
• Define the recent shift in the internet from one
  way, read-only medium, to a two way read-write
  medium
• One of the main characteristics of Web 2.0

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Arctic Monkeys

• The year began with the Arctic Monkeys releasing
  the fastest selling UK debut album ever
• The growing influence of community sites and the
  viral power of online propelled the band fully
  formed into the big time
• The band were generous with their music and the
  word spread across the internet
• Even before their debut album was released fans
  who couldnt get into their gigs stood outside
  singing every word

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The internet has provoked the biggest revolution
in music since punk Q magazine

• Threatened record companies began searching for
  the next online success story
• Lilly Allen/ Sandi Thom discovered on the
  internet? Genuine? or marketing tall tale?
• Viral effect of internet socialising sites have
  the combined power of
• Enabling people to hear the music ahead of
  release
• Providing concrete figures as to how many people
  are already listening to this artist
• Allowing people to believe they are finding new
  music themselves.

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Movies s the internet A long and happy
relationship
1999 The Blair Witch Project took 240 million
at the Box Office on an initial budget of 30,000
making it the most profitable film in history,
thanks in no small measure to its marketing
campaign.
1990 - Internet Movie Database founder Col
Needham made the lists of actors, actresses and
directors - lovingly compiled by him and a group
of movie-fan-volunteers - searchable. The seeds
were sown for the first movie website
1990
2006
1997 Harry Knowles Aint it cool news site -
noted for its reputation to make or break a movie
based on early reviews of test screenings and
leaked scripts - is personally blamed for turkey
of all turkeys Batman and Robins poor box
office. Corporate blogging and empowerment of the
consumer
2006 Snakes on a Plane will be the first movie
to arrive in theatres pre-baked to its followers
recipes. Andy Lowe Total Film magazine
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Snakes on a Plane
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Whats in a title? Snakes on a Plane

• The beginning -It's a concept. It's a poster and
  a logline and whatever else you need it to be.
  It's perfect. Perfect. It's the Everlasting
  Gobstopper of movie titles. - Screen-writer
  Josh Friedman
• New Line Pictures didnt get it Snakes on a
  Plane vs Pacific Air Flight 121
• Samuel L. Jackson, Snakes and Planes! Whats
  there not to get?!
• Best example yet of user-generated content -
  content quite literally generated by consumers

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Snakes on a Plane - 22,400,000 results on Google
Blogs
Posters
Songs
Trailers
Dialogue and plot of the film!
T-Shirts
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Im tired of these mother-fing snakes on this
mother-fing plane

• New Line Pictures realised they were onto a
  winner and gave the director, David R Ellis, more
  budget
• The violence, nudity and swearing was upped and
  the fans suggestions incorporated into the film
• Including that line that had been rippling across
  the internet
• Now thats consumer empowerment!

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The Blair Witch Project/Snakes on a Plane
juxtaposition

• The Blair Witch Project made the most of the
  internet as a pre-web 2.0 read only medium
• Film-makers cleverly pushed their content and the
  consumer followed
• The buzz around Snakes on a Plane organically
  grew, but marketers followed the consumers lead
  and adapted their marketing accordingly

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So what has 2006 taught us?
Suited to entertainment viral and dialogue
Essential, complimentary medium
Online marketing
Cemented the shift in power. Consumers are no
longer being dictated to, but leading
Vital to be flexible and react
Snakes on a Plane fundamentals
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Final thought
Regardless of the product, if you can engage your
target audience using interactive elements that
encourage consumer input, whilst being flexible
to the internet dialogue surrounding your online
presence, your brand can achieve the same bite as
Snakes on a Plane.
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Thanks for listening!
Shameless plug www.iabuk.net