Dear Edwina...
This movie has one of the world's bigger stars and one of America's supreme hotties. Why are they advertising it with lazy, generic, sub-conceptual tedium like this? If I free-associate this movie based on the art, the word "boring" comes up even before "zoo." I don't think this would make my agency's first-round internal review. And yet... major billboards all over town!
I'm cranky.
—Hugh G. Rection
We, too, wondered about the absence of humans in the posters. It's not like you're trying to hide a Hilary Swank film from an unsuspecting public.
Another reader sent us the poster on the left a few weeks back along with the comment, “Nice.” Yes, it’s very nice, very artsy; but unless you recognize animals by their paw prints, it tells us nothing about the movie… except, perhaps, to avoid it.
Looks more like they bought a tree...
Posted by: Jiminy Kritic | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 08:27 AM
Marketing's goal is to put asses in seats, not tails.
Still, I applaud the stylish teaser image. Should go over well in Europe where they're still upset with Jason Bourne for trashing their continent.
Posted by: Neptune's Net | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 08:40 AM
What most of these blog tards don't understand is that it doesn't matter how good or bad the art is... has it done its job? Great example.. everyone oohed and aahed over The Devil's Double 1-sheet. But the film made zip... so maybe the 1-sheet wasn't commercial enough. And yes, I am aware that posters don't sell films, but they certainly help. If you look at the top 10 money making films of the year, you will easily see that commercial art was used over "artsy" art all the time. There's a place for the more artsy stuff- just NOT in movie advertising.
Posted by: Fullman Perry | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 01:05 PM
Name one film that's success was ultimately attributed to it's print campaign...
Posted by: Alex Trebek | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 01:43 PM
Shouldn't that have been in the form of an "answer", Mr. Trebek?
Posted by: Charles Van Doren | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 02:37 PM
Mr.Trebek, JAWS.
Posted by: BitterLemon® | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 03:14 PM
What is "Alien"?
Posted by: Ken Jennings | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 03:37 PM
40 Year Old Virgin Poster got so much attention as much if not more attention than the movie itself. on national talk shows, news articles etc..
first time i have ever seen that happen. nor since.
Posted by: bemine | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 05:49 PM
Must have been a real honor for those guys at Leo Burnett who created the original poster.
http://www.aef.com/exhibits/awards/clio_awards/2003/04
Posted by: Hungry Monkey | Tuesday, January 10, 2012 at 07:17 PM
American high school students getting senior portraits "created" the original 40YOV look. So I guess all those local photographers should get the credit. Look at a year book Mr. HM. Madison Ave. AD people go home! Oh they are Empty Carney is going back to NYC.
Posted by: Gladass | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 07:58 AM
Word-of-mouth made those films successful, not the posters you twits.
Posted by: Mr. Knowitall | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:00 PM
Remember this discussion the next time we hear complaints about a poster being "just big heads and a title treatment".
Posted by: No One Of Consequence | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 01:28 PM
Now THAT will be sure to put keesters in theater seats!!!
Posted by: L. B. Mayer | Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 04:52 PM
Ahahah, this dude clowns on WBAZ
Posted by: JohnnyTylerMadCap | Friday, January 13, 2012 at 09:12 AM
haha. ya. but the original poster they gave a 9.3... so maybe whoever did this campaign should have just stuck with the original theme. lol
Posted by: James | Friday, January 20, 2012 at 03:08 PM