In this paper the following horror movies will be analyzed: The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Blair Witch (2016), Paranormal Activity 1 (2007), Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), The Ring Two (2005) and Rings (2017).
These movies are being analyzed since their marketing campaigns concerning virality, word of mouth, interactivity and storytelling show many similarities but also some of them bring innovation to the marketing of horror movies. In the viral marketing of horror movies the strategies of storytelling and word of mouth are major factors in order to generate virality and to expand the fictional world consisting of characters and plot both online and offline. How the marketing campaigns of the studios regarding the movies listed above make use of these strategies and how viral marketing of horror movies has changed in terms of interactivity, mediality and storytelling since The Blair Witch Project will be examined in this paper.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Viral Marketing, Word of Mouth, and Storytelling
3 Early Viral Marketing Campaign: The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Its Sequel Blair Witch (2016)
4 Viral Marketing Campaigns of the Paranormal Activity 1 (2007)
5 Viral Marketing Campaigns of Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
6 Viral Marketing Campaign of The Ring Two (2005) and Rings (2017)
7 Conclusion
8 Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper examines how viral marketing campaigns for horror movies utilize storytelling, interactivity, and word-of-mouth strategies to generate buzz and audience engagement. It specifically analyzes how these marketing practices have evolved from the foundational influence of The Blair Witch Project (1999) through later franchises like Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, and The Ring.
- The role of interactive storytelling in blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
- The evolution of online and offline promotional tactics in horror cinema.
- The significance of gradual information release to build and maintain suspense.
- The impact of audience participation on the viral success of film franchises.
Excerpt from the Book
3 Early Viral Marketing Campaign: The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Its Sequel Blair Witch (2016)
The viral marketing campaign of The Blair Witch Project is often referred to as the most successful, even though this campaign “took place before YouTube, Twitter and Facebook existed” (Davidson) in 1999 and had a budget of only between 20,000 and 25,000 U.S. Dollars (cf. ibid.) and 248 Million U.S. Dollars box office gross (cf. Lambie).
The Blair Witch Project tells the story of three students, Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams, who want to produce a film about the legend of Blair Witch in Burkittsville, Maryland. They disappear after going into the Black Hills. The footage of their trip is found one year later in a buried bag by the police and is put together as this is the content of the movie (cf. Davidson). The film is set in October 1994 (cf. Lambie), years before the movie’s release. The fact that the movie consists of fictional footage and therefore seems to be filmed by the missing students themselves makes it easier to create a marketing campaign that gives the audience the impression that both characters and story are real, or at least based on a true story, since the material does not make the impression of a professionally made movie. However, “The Blair Witch Project wasn’t the first found-footage film ever made, and neither was it the only such film released in the late 90s” (ibid.).
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the focus on viral marketing in the horror genre and outlines the films selected for analysis.
2 Viral Marketing, Word of Mouth, and Storytelling: This chapter defines the core concepts of viral marketing, word of mouth, and interactive storytelling as tools for audience engagement.
3 Early Viral Marketing Campaign: The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Its Sequel Blair Witch (2016): This chapter analyzes the foundational influence of the original film's campaign and examines the strategies used for its 2016 sequel.
4 Viral Marketing Campaigns of the Paranormal Activity 1 (2007): This chapter explores how audience interaction and location-based release strategies drove the success of the first Paranormal Activity film.
5 Viral Marketing Campaigns of Cloverfield (2008) and 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016): This chapter discusses the use of mysterious teasers and hidden narrative layers in the marketing of the Cloverfield films.
6 Viral Marketing Campaign of The Ring Two (2005) and Rings (2017): This chapter evaluates the use of innovative offline stunts and digital integration to promote the sequels of The Ring.
7 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, highlighting how storytelling and interactivity remain central to successful horror film marketing.
8 Bibliography: This section provides a comprehensive list of all sources cited within the research paper.
Keywords
Viral Marketing, Horror Movies, Word of Mouth, Interactive Storytelling, The Blair Witch Project, Found-Footage, Paranormal Activity, Cloverfield, Engagement, Digital Strategy, Publicity, Audience Participation, Suspense, Media Innovation, Film Promotion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper explores how Hollywood studios use viral marketing campaigns to promote horror films, focusing on how these strategies create suspense and interactivity.
Which films serve as the primary case studies?
The study analyzes The Blair Witch Project (1999), Blair Witch (2016), Paranormal Activity 1 (2007), Cloverfield (2008), 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016), The Ring Two (2005), and Rings (2017).
What is the core objective of the research?
The goal is to determine how viral marketing strategies, specifically regarding storytelling and interactivity, have evolved since the release of The Blair Witch Project.
What methodology is applied in this paper?
The paper employs a transdisciplinary analytical approach, reviewing existing literature and marketing strategies associated with specific horror franchises to assess their effectiveness.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the text?
The text covers the definition of viral marketing, the history of successful online horror campaigns, the use of offline stunts to drive online traffic, and the role of audience engagement.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The paper is best described by terms such as Viral Marketing, Horror Movies, Found-Footage, Interactive Storytelling, and Audience Engagement.
How did the marketing for the original Blair Witch Project influence later films?
It established a model of using gradual information release, websites, and a "real-life" narrative framework, which many subsequent found-footage films attempted to replicate.
What is the significance of "offline pranks" in recent campaigns like Rings?
Offline pranks, such as the TV store stunt for Rings, are shown to be highly effective because they remove the "gloss of unreality" associated with traditional trailers and generate faster, more authentic viral engagement.
- Citar trabajo
- Lioba Frings (Autor), 2017, Viral Marketing Campaigns For Horror Movies From "The Blair Witch Project" (1999) Up To "Rings" (2017), Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/368312
