Comprehensive viral marketing campaign for District 9

Filmmakers leave no stone unturned in promoting their movies, often venturing into new and innovative fronts to make people aware of their production. District 9 takes a step forward from the conventional movie promoting techniques on the internet.

District 9, directed by Neill Blomkamp, is an upcoming sci-fi flick that takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa. Produced by Peter Jackson of the Lord of the Rings fame, the movie plot comprises of aliens landing on earth and forced to live and work in slum-like conditions by Multi-National United (MNU). The company oversees the "Non-Humans" and utilizes their technology. The film’s promoters have taken its promotion to an entirely new level. A comprehensive viral marketing campaign that utilizes the web to a very large extent, is being run, spanning four major websites and also social networks like Facebook and Twitter. d-9.com - Upon entering the site, the viewer is asked to choose between his species – ‘Human’ or ‘Non-Human’. The site experience is then subject to what you choose. A local alert system keeps giving fictional real-time updates on occurrences related to the extraterrestrials. multinationalunited.com – This site profiles the in-movie company, Multi-National United (MNU), complete with the company divisions, industries, locations, objectives and even careers. mnuspreadslies.com – A blog run by a certain fictional Non-Human equal rights advocate, Christopher, it is adorned with alien lingo and portrays MNU as an intolerant organization. Christopher’s soliloquy involves the various discriminating rules and regulations laid down by MNU. mathsfromouterspace.com – ‘Maths from outer space’ is an MNU initiative that aims to “enhance the spatial and logic capabilities of the human body by synthesizing earth-based proteins with DNA from our other-worldly friends.” It consists of a math quiz and you qualify for the programme based on the results. The marketing is not limited to cyberspace only. District 9 benches and bus-stops in Los Angeles are ‘Humans Only’ and a number to report 'Non-Humans' is also provided which, when dialed, reaches Multi National United.

Sunday Williams

Watch your seat!

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The innovative campaign has definitely got everyone talking about the ‘new alien movie’. Opening on August 14, what remains to be seen is whether the movie will be as successful as its promotion.