A companion to the movie the blair witch project includes an account of. With the prerelease buzz of the blair witch project reaching record highs thanks in part to the expertlycrafted website. The marketing strategy for the blair witch project is an ingenious campaign that really worked incredibly well for the film. Academy originals has come out with a retrospective, in which the filmmakers and actors talk about how the film was made, marketed, and why its. Halloween 90s kids were terrified by the blair witch, but heres the story behind the movie. Aug 05, 20 the most successful viral marketing campaign of all time centred on a small, lowbudget indie flick in 1999 called the blair witch project. The blair witch project is one of the most important films when it comes to horror cinema, and the found footage genre specifically. It exposed new possibilities for marketing in the internet age. Social media young actors young people they spread the word about the film on a special website, making out that it was a real phenomenon, hence attracting people into that sort of thing. The blair witch projects heather donahue is alive and well gq. An intensely imaginative piece of conceptual filmmaking that also delivers the goods as a dreaddrenched horror movie, the blair witch project puts a clever modern twist on the universal fear of. To celebrate the milestone anniversary, we look back at the movies legendary viralmarketing campaign that sold the blair witch project as the frightening filmed evidence left behind from a reallife supernatural encounter in the maryland forest. How do these accidents really happen, and why do they.
The blair witch project is now getting the last laugh. Im glad i read this, as i love watching the blair witch project every year in october and this was a good book for more information like heathers journal entries and the investigation after the movie. The blair witch project 3 might be made in a year or two. Let louise levison, who wrote the innovative business plan for the blair witch project, show you how. You can dismiss the blair witch project as a trick. As blair witch 2016 takes to the box office, the drum catches up with of. In january 1999, a movie premiered at the sundance film festival that no one could quite figure out.
Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the blair witch. The blair witch project, an extraordinarily effective horror film, knows this and uses it. Sep 15, 2016 eighteen years ago, a starfree indie movie called the blair witch project became the first movie to focus its marketing strategy around the thenemerging internet with its own dedicated. Director eli roth has cited the film as a marketing influence to promote his.
Now, 15 years after hollywoods debut in online film marketing, if anybody tries to recreate the marketing magic of the blair witch project, they might not become successful. The first blair witch project was a cultural landmark. Viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the blair witch project 1999 up to rings 2017 lioba frings term paper communications movies and television publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. To fuel the buzz on the film, artisans publicists targeted media. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Jul 16, 1999 did the blair witch project fake its online fan base. This book takes a trip back in time to the 1990s to uncover the history of the production of the film including a unique making of and its path to success. The blair witch project was released on vhs and dvd on october 22, 1999 by artisan, presented in a 1.
We already had some buzz going into the sundance film festival. Examples of products with strong positive marketing buzz upon introduction are harry potter, volkswagens new beetle, pokemon, beanie babies, and the blair witch project. The blair witch project, which was written, filmed, directed and produced by five ucf graduates, impacts the genre even two decades after its release. Campaigns for films such as the blair witch project sanchez and myrick. How does the film appeal to the audience the blair witch project was mainly targeted at horror film fans, it was an independent film and different to many other films at the time. Though book of shadows marketing campaign made no attempt to present. The witchs daughter the blair witch files, case file 1, the dark room the blair witch files, case file 2, the drowning ghost the blair witch files. Jun 20, 2017 this feature is not available right now. Ikea chose to celebrate the 30th birthday of one of its most popular bookshelving units, the billy, by setting up a bright red one in the sand of bondi for. Pdf viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the blair. It was marketed as footage really found, and a lot of people believed that marketing tagline. Oct 30, 2017 because the third times the charm, a new attempt at making a followup to the blair witch project is in the works this time on tv.
Still, the marketing team knew how to play these fans perfectly, building a campaign that took advantage of every possible aspect of prerelease anticipation. Blair witch 2, shadow of the blair witch, establishes the events of the film being a film within a film. I think the blair witch project was the first example of what the power of. Here are the five key tactics used to bring about the unbelievable success of the blair witch. Few films have had the influence and impact of the blair witch project 1999. The blair witch project foretold hollywoods shift to. In case you missed it first time around, heres a quick rundown of the movie. How the original blair witch project ushered in a new era of viral. A kickstarter page from 2014 appears to be the first bit of viral marketing for the new blair witch project sequel. Yet many top executives and marketing managers are misinformed about the phenomenon and remain enslaved to some common myths.
Blair witch is a horror film franchise distributed by artisan entertainment now lionsgate and produced by haxan films that consists of three feature films and various merchandise products. In july, they premiered a blair witch project comic book. Buzz marketing for movies request pdf researchgate. This book is not, however, a volume dealing solely with the personal and. Aug 15, 2014 here are the five key tactics used to bring about the unbelievable success of the blair witch.
The marketing campaign went hand in hand with these themes so that the imagination can play a bigger role in audiences mind. However, most of these trade books focus on business strategy and tools that offer. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. The blair witch project tv show in the works indiewire. Sep 20, 2016 a complete guide to the blair witch mythology. The main theme behind the blair witch project s marketing campaign was to establish uncertainly among the public. Out of nowhere, a brand like red bull, the blair witch project. Pdf on mar 1, 2017, lioba frings and others published viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the blair witch project 1999 up to rings 2017 find, read and cite all the research. The blair witch project 1999 financial information. Jul 16, 2019 this week, 1999s seminal foundfootage horror film the blair witch project turns 20. Oct 17, 2002 blair witch actors sue films distributor. A marketing book that can more or less be understood by nonmarketers like myself in fact some of it is quite entertaining, as the author describes the fascinating history of how.
Ultimately, buzz marketing affects brand perceptions, but there is. Blair witch 2 is a 2000 american psychological horror film, directed and cowritten by joe berlinger and starring jeffrey donovan, stephen barker turner, kim director, erica leerhsen, and tristine skyler. How the blair witch project got audiences to wonder, is. How the blair witch project built up so much buzz movie moguldom on a shoestring.
If you were wondering about ihop becoming ihob, remember red bull dropping a guy from space, or were conned by the blair witch project, be aware that theres a long history of companies pulling crazy marketing stunts for a little attention from consumers. A companion to the movie the blair witch project includes an account of the case from a private investigator. Filmmaker russ gomm takes a look at the phenomena of the blair witch project through the eyes of a fan who was captivated by the unusual promotional strategy that led up to the release. When a tiein book to the blair witch project to was called for by artisan and publisher onyx, author d. The film the blair witch project is also considered to be a pioneer for viral. The guinness book of world records says this youtube megahit, which features computergenerated babies on. Pdf on mar 1, 2017, lioba frings and others published viral marketing. The blair witch project is a 1999 american supernatural horror film written, directed and edited. Request pdf buzz marketing for movies in todays dynamic entertainment. The blair witch project foretold hollywoods shift to viral. Blair witch 2 2000 eric snider 10112012 the blair witch project, that microbudgeted phenomenon of 1999, is responsible for two terrible things.
Out of nowhere, a brand like red bull, the blair witch project, or even the howard dean campaign takes off with little or no conventional marketing. For weeks thered been buzz about a grainy little horror movie called the blair witch project, by two. Learn the full extent of the new blair witch s backstory by reading this exhaustive guide to every mockumentary, book, comic, and videogame released. The blair witch project is a 1999 american psychological horror film that was produced by five graduates of the university of central florida film program with a minimal budget and a camera. High quality the blair witch project gifts and merchandise. Chat sites started picking up rumours of three college kids who were lost in. Its arrival was a horror cinema palette cleanser after a decade of serial killers and postmodern intertextuality, a bare bones found footage trend setter. Word of mouth wom is also called buzz and involves informal communication among consumers about. The first piece of blair witch viral marketing has arrived in the form of a creepy new video shot within an even creepier location.
Also used forums on the same topics to inform people already interested in similar things. Harry potter, collapsible scooters, the chrysler pt cruiser, and the blair witch project are all recent examples of the considerable power of buzz. The simple and extremely costeffective campaign was done through a means of the internet. It was adapted from a wildly popular book series, one with ravenous young fans. Pdf viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the. Ed sanchez remembers the night in 1998 when he walked through desolate maryland woods at about 3 a. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. In 2008, before the movie cloverfield was released, the teaser of the film was released not with its name but its date of release. It has no fancy special effects or digital monsters, but its characters get lost in the woods, hear noises in the night and find disturbing stick figures hanging from trees. Heather donahue apparently wrote this biographical sketch of herself to accompany her film class thesis project about the blair witch. Book trailers are all the rage among publishers, but few of them succeed in bringing in new readers. Shocking blair witch reveal completely changes the ending.
Did the blair witch project fake its online fan base. Sep 17, 2016 17 facts about the blair witch project that will blow your mind. The consumers act of commandeering a brand from the marketing professionals and driving its evolution. A complete guide to the blair witch mythology screen rant. As blair witch 2016 takes to the box office, the drum catches up with of one of the creators behind the original movies website to find out how the film kickstarted a viral marketing trend that has been aped by countless studios since. Sep 16, 2016 okay, its sort of farfetched to claim that the dark knight was directly inspired by the blair witch project. Viral marketing campaigns for horror movies from the. How the blair witch project changed horror with cheap shaky. This book managed to creep me out even after i finished reading. How the blair witch project changed horror with cheap. Blair witch project horror film analysis selina argyrou. Managing buzz marketing in the digital age north american. The development of the franchises first installment, the blair witch project, started in 1993.
The film is a documentarystyle film, the first of its time, and has said to be the benchmark. Sunglasses, sunscreen, and a book to read as you relax in the sun. In november 1999, tourists and fans of the blair witch project descend on the small town of burkittsville, maryland, where the film was set. Chat sites started picking up rumours of three college kids who were lost in the woods while on a film school. Were going back into the woods to revisit the blair witch project and talk to the creators about how the movie made us think it was real.
Unlike the cleverly contrived underground buzz generated online for the original film, the blair witch project, film distributor artisan entertainment is using an allout marketing blitz to. Blair witch project target audience by emily m on prezi. In her article, author renee dye explores the truth behind these myths. Sep 16, 2016 the blair witch projects heather donahue is alive and well. How the blair witch project built up so much buzz movie. Buzz is further attributed for the success of movies like the blair witch project, said to be. Eighteen years ago, a starfree indie movie called the blair witch project became the first movie to focus its marketing strategy around the thenemerging internet with its own dedicated.
You know you have a true cultural phenomenon on your hands when it pops up on the covers of both time and newsweek during the same week. The blair witch project is the story of three student filmmakers, heather donahue, joshua leonard and. Savor the moment unless youve been hiding under a rock, or perhaps lost in the woods, youve heard the buzz of the blair witch project. The impact of blair witch is twofold, although they intersect. Or you can give in to the treat and savor that rarest of accomplishments in a field notorious for tedium and repetition an original horror movie.
The main theme behind the blair witch projects marketing campaign was to establish uncertainly among the public. Cnn this witch boasting wicked marketing brew july. The blair witch project is an american psychological thriller, released in 1999, directed and written by daniel myrick and eduardo sanchez. Blair witch viral marketing website uncovered by fans. It was called the blair witch project and it seemed to be a documentary about a trio of film students who were killed in the maryland woods while making a documentary about a string of killings in those same maryland woods.
Why did people think the blair witch project was real. The challenge of following up the most effective marketing campaign ever inside the blair witch marketing campaign, and the difficulty of following a landmark in the history of movies. How we made the blair witch project film the guardian. Blair witch projects thenrevolutionary marketingas a reported 50% of. The first, most crucial step in making a film is finding the funds to do it. The prizes this week are codes for a uv digital hd download for the blair witch project. Blair witch project still the greatest marketing campaign. Jun 29, 2014 how does the film appeal to the audience the blair witch project was mainly targeted at horror film fans, it was an independent film and different to many other films at the time. Every single tactic carried out revolved around stirring confusion among potential movie viewers. This unique guide teaches you not only how to create a business plan, but also how to avoid common business plan mistakes, so that you can attract and secure an investor. In its marketing campaign it advertised that it was based on a true story and in fact this footage was of that found in those woodlands.
Negative buzz can result from events that generate bad associations with the product in the mind of the public, such as a product safety recall, or from unintended. Blair witch 2 is a film adaptation based on the black hills murders that took place shortly after the release of the blair witch project. The most successful viral marketing campaign of all time centred on a small, lowbudget indie flick in 1999 called the blair witch project. Shannon donnelly on the best and worst of the latest marketing. The film was immediately greenlit upon pitch due to the surprising success of its predecessor, the wildly successful 1999 film the blair witch project. Jul 11, 2014 ed sanchez remembers the night in 1998 when he walked through desolate maryland woods at about 3 a. Special features include the documentary curse of the blair witch, a fiveminute newly discovered footage, audio commentary, production notes, and cast and crew biographies. But how did this small budget horror flick shot on dinky consumer cameras go on to garner such success. Hegeman marshaled a rigorous marketing plan, including tieins for books and tv specials, and. One of the most famous examples is the blair witch project, a film that was promoted using guerrilla marketing efforts. How the blair witch project made people think it was real. Pdf the independence of the blair witch project farid djaidja.
829 1419 377 206 1570 977 1450 171 1620 1323 370 1162 1227 1253 391 581 326 1432 1051 1240 190 1314 222 1330 1314 1123 391 318 1200 222 1365 637