Blog Archives
When Will VR’s Player One Be Ready?
How will customers be marketed to in the future?
Marketing, in the traditional sense, is two-dimensional. The next natural progression is three-dimensional marketing. But wait, that’s not new and exciting. That’s simply reality. The next progression from three-dimensions is four-dimensions.
Or a tesseract.
I would love to visualize a tesseract for you, but no spoilers on Jimmy’s Daily Planet (bonus point if you got that). Marketing’s next dimension is 4-dimensions in a way, in that it’s something we can’t see with our own two eyes alone. We’ll just need a helpful pair of special lenses…
Think I’m crazy for making this prediction? Think it’s absurd and foolish to make a connection between marketing real products and VR (virtual reality)?
I say think again.
Some of the most effective marketing is experience-centric. Regardless of industry, if a company is trying to sell people something by evoking an emotional connection (the “I have to have it” reaction), the ideal strategy is to personalize the sell to provide a dynamic, customizable experience. How about showing consumers what something will look like or be like in various situations as programmed by the VR experience team of each company?
Somewhere between the near and distant future, we may very well enter the next dimension of the classic “show, don’t tell” expression. Abercrombie & Fitch (or A&F), for example, is currently using interactive dressing rooms as part of their re-branding effort, in which the consumer can play music and change the mood lighting when trying on clothes.
Escapism isn’t just for the movies, it’s usually a primary driver of our emotional connection to buying all sorts of things, practical and impractical/the fun stuff.
And what better escape in the 21st century than virtual reality?
2049 Will Be Here Before You Know It
Science fiction was redefined with Ridley Scott’s 1982 cinematic benchmark Blade Runner.
Later this year, in October of 2017 (or 2049 in movie years), the highly-anticipated sequel will arrive in movie theaters. Blade Runner 2049s trailers have revealed that Harrison Ford will return to be a prominent player in the new story. Mr. Ford’s portrayal as Rick Deckard is iconic. In the overarching movie universe, Rick Deckard doesn’t receive equal fandom to Han Solo or Indiana Jones. To be fair, Han Solo and Indiana Jones are simply on a higher level. That’s a fact. However, in science fiction circles, Rick Deckard is not only a household name, but a beloved character among fans.
That’s also a fact. With past generations and new generations expected to buy tickets to the sequel this October, Rick Deckard’s cultural influence will only grow with Blade Runner 2049.
The original Blade Runner is a strange, entertainingly wild and curious journey into a world that has inspired science fiction films throughout the past few decades. And yet its stunning visuals and dark city setting in a dystopian future remains distinctly original. Thankfully, the practical effects (when possible) appear to be the storytelling preference for director Denis Villeneuve and his team. Interestingly, Warner Bros. Pictures decided that, in an effort to promote Blade Runner 2049, they would create a nearly 4-minute video that takes fans inside the making of this film.
A recent “making of” video with cast and production team interviews, plus bonus footage, released months before the theatrical release?
What?
The old rules for marketing films has, for sometime now (as explored many times on Jimmy’s Daily Planet), been increasingly dissolved in favor of teasing disclosures and a long, long train of intrigue. Thus far, this extended promotional strategy appears to have worked for recent blockbusters (Interstellar, Jurassic World, Star Wars, etc.). This “Time to Live” featurette for Blade Runner 2049 is, even in the “nothing is private anymore” era, pushing the envelope for cinematic marketing.
Judge for yourself.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel very strongly about the following:
I want that Frank Sinatra singing hologram machine!
Oh, and Blade Runner 2049 (yes, I’ll say it alongside cast member Dave Bautista) looks better than the original.
Only the future will tell in 2049 on October 6, 2017.
What Does the Foxx Say?
It has been way, way too long since Jamie Foxx has been in the news.
Luckily, Mr. Foxx not only makes an appearance in today’s blog post, but also proves why he is, as Jay Leno puts it, entertainment’s “Renaissance Man.” And, in the process, consoles an entire city draped in sadness with a brand new lyrical bedtime story.
Cleveland, OH tourism: If you’re watching and reading this, get Jamie Foxx’s agents on the phone ASAP.
Plus, call LeBron James as well.
The excitement when speaking about popular destinations in and around Cleveland, OH by LeBron James is the best pitch for a city I’ve seen in a long, long time.
That rocked.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 