Comic2Film’s “SuperFist” reports from Chicago on more of the Joker-inspired guerilla marketing activities for Dark Knight:
Seems the ‘Dark Knight’ street team has pissed off at least two comic shops here in town. Brainstorm, where I shop, was irked at the mess they created by strewing those cards everywhere.
I was told that at Comic Vault they got even more ambitious by leaving the cards all over, some of which were even placed in some fixtures, then going so far as to stencil the sidewalk outside.
Now I know Robert at Brainstorm was angry that right after they had complimented him on how clean and presentable his store was, they proceeded to trash it with Joker cards.
Comic Vault, I understand, had to call the city to have Chicago’s own Graffitti Busters take care of the sidewalk.
Are they doing this anywhere else? And are they aware that they’re not necessarily getting the reaction they’re probably trying to get?
Last week I blogged about Midtown Comics’ employee Laura Hudson reporting something similar in New York … and she wasn’t all that happy to have to clean up the mess, either. But Laura won’t have to worry about any further Joker attacks, as she’s leaving Midtown to work for Virgin Comics. Congrats, Laura!
June 1st, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I really can’t see how anyone could think this is a good idea. Why target comic stores? They’re the ones who are already planning to go to a Batman movie. Why do something that could only piss people off?
This really seems poorly thought out. I guess they were just trying to do something asinine enough that it would get free news coverage.
June 1st, 2007 at 2:57 pm
i’m surprised i haven’t seen these cards all over ebay.
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:10 am
Viral marketing that creates garbage and imposes costs on its recipients and invades private and/or public spaces is a crappy idea. I certainly won’t pay money to see this movie. I think I’ll take the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie out of the library though; I like that show enough to compromise my principles: )
June 2nd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
matchesmalone, you have sand in your panties.
June 5th, 2007 at 12:33 am
I want some of those cards.