Issues
When Universal Studios Home Video needed an agency to help promote its slate of horror titles for the year it turned to B|W|R. In addition to major anniversaries for the studio's classic monster movies Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man, it planned to release the restored 20th anniversary edition of An American Werewolf in London, The Mummy Returns and a new compilation DVD of horror movie scenes called Boogeymen in the September/October window. B|W|R won the business principally on the basis of relationships and strong history with the studio working on other projects.
Challenges
Among our challenges were the following:
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Pitching numerous titles simultaneously tended to result in only one being covered.
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Filmmakers and actors have difficult schedules; many derive income from fan events and requested appearance fees.
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B|W|R had to manage client expectations against sometimes conflicting desires of event partners.
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Halloween titles have a limited timeline for interest; the client has no interest in coverage in November.
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While 2001 marked anniversaries in the annals of Universal horror, the classic titles had been out on DVD for years.
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September 11th required quick re-evaluation of B|W|R strategy and tactics in light of changing attitudes towards horror.
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Insight
Isolate and promote the media-worthy elements of each title while uniting them all under the USHV Home of Horror umbrella.
Strategy
The key to success of a serial effort like this was diversity and chronology. Since we felt pitching the myriad titles together would reduce interest and induce media fatigue, we moved activity around the country and around LA over a period of six weeks to keep media pitches fresh for various event dates (we set the 20th anniversary screening of An American Werewolf in London for September 11th in New York; and we reviewed key elements of each event—location, star power, theatricality, radio support, and visual appeal, trying to optimize them to ensure media coverage would follow.
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Pulsed media for each title with release, cover art, teaser sampler, talent quotes, check-disk and final DVD. Relevant, logical sequence of material ensured media mind share; used exclusives to guarantee position in critical electronic media.
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Used the Internet to ensure online posting of teaser and cover art with advance coverage at DVD and horror web sites.
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Sent a USHV horror representative with advance screeners, posters and postcards to horror, sci-fi and comic book "cons."
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Assembled a Boogeymen panel including Clive Barker, Robert Englund, Kane Hodder and others at Fangoria convention—one of the country's largest horror conventions.
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Rotated pitches for each title through various B|W|R staff members to ensure freshness and avoid bundling by media.
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Toured key markets and DVD and horror web sites in secondary markets with USHV representative and Robert Englund.
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Toured Maxim's first-ever wax portraits of movie characters to Universal Studios in LA and Florida before installation at Madame Tussaud's in New York City on October 31.
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Hosted archeological the dig with The Rock at Mummy Returns set on Santa Monica beach; public dug for prizes and a VW.
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