Police report filed over creepy ‘Omen’ press campaign

[queenursula]

For #TheFirstOmen, 20th Century sent journalists strange drawings in handwritten envelopes with no explanation. One blogger, who also happens to be running for office, was convinced she’d been targeted by right-wing terrorists and filed a police report https://t.co/9vq7xfD8kI pic.twitter.com/EtRc6zXI4T
- The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) April 13, 2024

Comments

[2_on]

that's a little funny ngl

[gumby]

i'm sorry...but i agree.

[300psychosis]

Real

[hazypink]

I would shit my pants if I got that in the mail

I find bad marketing stunts to be so fascinating, this is the one I always think of first: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_Boston_Mooninite_panic

[alwayspolaris]

I remember that, the reaction was such a mess - it was just light up signs outside not targeted at anyone? It definitely looked like a toy and not a bomb in the least (it was just wires, a battery, and lights, no explosive material), and it was pre-the Boston marathon bombing so it's not like the city was on high alert. It would be reasonable for a few calls to come in and to have the cops look at them to check, but then the cops overreacted and just fanned the flames. The ad company really should have intervened earlier though.

But these letters come post-a long history of serial killers sending letters to the press, people sending targeted threatening letters to reporters, and the anthrax mailings and plus these were targeted at individuals. I'd be freaked out too. They should have known better on this one.

[tetrazzinichikn]

And not to mention, they had murals painted all over the city too advertising them. I still have photos somewhere. This was such a fail.

[alwayspolaris]

I think we had murals down in my city too, but we're used to stuff like this.

[sandstorm]

Also, like...I don't think it worked if people couldn't tell what it was from. Even a note on the back like THE FIRST OMEN 4/5/2024 in pen would at least calm a few concerns.

Like your movie wasn't known well enough to do this and have people make the connection.

[pseudonygma]

It's like commercials that you can watch all the way through and still have no idea what they were selling. What was the one that ran during the super bowl that stole from tiktok? Was it Aveeno?

[inandoutofgrace]

the one where she put on moisturiser to then watch the footy with her dad? 😂😂😂

[queenursula]

They sent a follow up letter saying it was from the Omen later.

[progression]

They could’ve spent millions on advertising, but instead went the cheapest route.. and it worked.

I didn’t even know there was another Omen movie coming out until now.

[sandstorm]

I guess they didn't do too well bc it already came out on the 5th lmao

[scaredsquee]

it was actually really good. i went in with the expectation of it being a shit sandwich but it was really creepy

[skeetertuskin]

Yeah it was great. Homage to Posession was cherry on top. And the marketing has been top notch. The trailer alone sold me on it.

[anyasicon]

What in the Salad Fingers...