The War between the ‘Gamer’ and ‘Surrogates’ Marketing Teams heats up

http://trueslant.com/mikeharvkey/2009/09/02/the-war-between-the-gamer-and-surrogates-marketing-teams-heats-up/

The indefatigable Bruce Willis has once again pumped some more juice into his miraculous career. The first teaser for his newest cinemaganza, Surrogates, looked a little tired, a little busy in that all-CG-all-the-time way of the world today. But the clever folks behind its print campaign have actually… done their job. Good for you, marketing folks! They’ve kinda sorta made me want to almost see it. Or, if not see it see it, then at least to respect their wish that I, plus a few billion friends, do.

But hunky Gerard Butler, that’s Mr. six pack to you, will beat Willis to the punch by two weeks with a little “alternate dystopic reality” picture of his own. Gamer. As far as I can tell, these two movies are both remakes of The Matrix. An alternate world exists alongside or own, which has gone to shit. One man (unfiltered Camels voice)… must uncover the truth… (cough-cough) behind what we think…. (wheeze) is real… or something. Things have gotten so awful out there in reality-ville that we just don’t leave the house anymore. We lock our doors, order in, and play at life, instead of living it. Such a shame. In Gamer, this manifests itself as, you know, an actual game. But with super high stakes (and ratings)! Whereas in Surrogates, this manifests itself as… not a game. But with super high stakes! Or maybe it is a game… the game of death!

But it doesn’t really matter what either film actually is; what matters is that we think it’s cool. On that criteria, I think we’ve got a winner in the war between the marketing campaigns, by a landslide.

Sexy robots will get it every time. Don’t the folks behind Gamer know this? (What’s that you say? There are no sexy robots actually in Gamer? Who the frak cares! The lack of something in a movie has never stopped you marketing folks in the past). Plus, the Surrogates posters are ALL OVER. Mondo coverage. And lastly, I’m pleased that the Surrogates marketers opted for an “equal opportunity” approach to who would bear their skin, er, uh, rubber, er uh, whatever, in the ads.

Saw some TV ads for Surrogates. The face thing grossed me out. I won't be seeing that film.

Didn't even know about the other movie. Oh well.

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