New Weinstein Film Gets FTP-Like Promotional Site
Working for The Weinstein Company - the Hollywood production company formed by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, founders of Miramax and Dimension Films - online marketing firm Deep Focus and creative services firm Big Spaceship have created YouAreNowInfected, a promotional site for the upcoming Dimension Films feature Pulse, starring Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell. The site resembles an online FTP directory devoid of fancy Flash graphics usually associated with online promotions for Hollywood films and contains simple links to images, character video diaries and, of course, the film's trailer.
While the success of the film which takes yet another stab at "Internet as host for really bad things" could go either way and won't be known until March 3 when the film opens, we can say, this promotional site is refreshingly welcome. Without all the Flash n' Crap, the site, which is blissfully easy to navigate, we're told, will build over the four month run up to the opening with more video diaries and film related trivia, clues, and imagery.
Comments
I think it's a fine site for those of us who know our way around the Web, but for those who don't, they will be nervous when they read that they have been infected. I would even bet a good number of virtual dollars that the site will get drastically less traffic than if it were a regular flash Web site.
My favorite film Web sites to date are the ones for Donnie Darko and Mean Creek. There's nothing wrong with simplicity - but when you create an atmosphere of insecurity for your possible viewer - you're just alienating traffic.
That site is not good at all. I could see that site as being part of an ARG set to supplement the movie release, but as the main site it is way off. I have less interest in seeing that movie now that I have been to the site. Just because something is "easy" to navigate doesn't mean it will be well received... that site does nothing to immerse the user and encourage them to interact. Boo.