Spy Guys Mayhem

Two posts ago, I reported on the creation of my little viral campaign for my company, tracking it's progress as it was created and was about to be unleashed to the public. Rather than continue to update that entry where know one will probably notice the updates, I'll start fresh, as many have inquired as to how this ended up.

Let's just say.. my whole little idea.. worked. In a big way. For the last several weeks all I have heard is "Spy Guys.. Spy Guys.. Spy Guys." And I must say, it really has been a lot of fun seeing the hype that I was able to create. My ultimate experiment worked.. I was able to spend next to nothing to produce a small little video, use the internet to freely present it and spread the word to our base audience. All free! It has made the point that I have been trying to make for a long time: This little thing called the internet... if used properly.. can be the best way to spread the word to large amounts of people, for the cheapest amount of money. And for marketers that know how to use it, it can be a great thing!

Sure, I was nervous about how this might go over.. its like nothing we have ever done before. But that is what makes it successful. People watch it and say "This can't be from you!! This is not the kind of thing we'd expect from you. Man, my friends need to see this" and.. so it begins.

Just days after we launched the site, people began e-mail the CEO directly saying "What a great way to generate some buzz! And just when the industry needs some laughter". Then, the local media picked it up the story and I had reporters calling my desk wanting to do interviews, resulting in stories such as these:

Click here to view the Register Guard article.

Then, the Industry magazines and websites picked up the story. With each new publication, magazine, website, blog and message board that picked up on the story, that many more people started hitting the site and watching the video. While I can't print any of our numbers.. suffice it to say, the website got hit... A LOT as word spread. The number of people who signed up to say they were interested in more episodes just shocked me. And in carefully tracking the results each day, it was just astounding to me to see how quickly it spread, and WHERE it was spreading to. Soon after the launch, I had people watching from Canada, England, Mexico, Germany, France, Switzerland.. even Singapore, plus many others. It was just a fun thing to watch explode onto the internet.

Now.. it's time to begin the next phase. Next week we'll post a new video to the site, to give our new fans some fresh content to watch. And I've already mapped out the next episode and plan to have the script done soon. We have noted from others that have tried this that we can't burn this out too quickly.. so it may be a little while before our next installment hits the web.. but it is coming. And, honestly, without sounding like my head is getting big, now that I know what we can accomplish, what our actors can (and can't) do and I have the feedback from the first go around... I think that the next episode will be far better than the first. Time will tell.

But.. the RV Spy Guys will be back.. trying harder than ever to accomplish their mission. (Cue the Mission Impossible Theme DAH DAH, da da DAH DAH...)

Blown Away

I have now seen the future of cinema.. And it is COOOL! Two years ago, after loving life at the U2 concert in Portland, I began to hear rumblings that the band was filming their South American shows using state of the art, IMAX 3-D cameras. I was intrigued... The rumor mill stated that U2 was planning a new concert film for exclusive release in IMAX theaters using some new 3D technology.

Suddenly I was reminded of my last "U2 in a theater" experience, back when I was a junior in high school. My buddies and I saw "Rattle and Hum" almost as soon as it opened, and then... Mom.. don't read this.... The film became the "play hooky from school to go see repeatedly film", until the day the theater pulled the movie and I was stuck with Schwarzenegger's Twins. (Ug). I much preferred the thought of seeing them in a live concert setting, especially after my parents vetoed my seeing the Joshua Tree tour live in Denver.. they said I was too young and had a camp out with my boy scout troop. So in its place, the movie sufficed, especially when seen at the old 70 millimeter Century 21 gargantuan theater with mega sound system.. our preferred theater for the "big" movies. Even if it wasn't "live" live, it was still cool to just see the band larger than life, and both hear and feel the music pumping through the system. I thought those days were long gone. Until now...

Last year, it finally appeared I may get a chance to relive those glory days as the new U23D film was announced. But I was concerned... The film was set to be an IMAX film, and here in Oregon there were no IMAX theaters in the state. Could I actually convince my wife to let me drive to Seattle just to see a movie? Luckily, I didn't have to. Low and behold the perfect timing, just before U2 was set to open, I learned a new IMAX theater had been built in Portland.. just 90 minutes north. Bingo.

And so, with eleven year old Tyler bouncing with excitement in the passenger seat, now a big U2 fan like his old man... we made the trek North.. a short road trip to see our band on the BIG screen, just as I had done so many times.. while I was supposed to be in high school.

At last, we arrived, fully loaded with Mountain Dew caffeine buzz we grabbed our 3D glasses, pulled our jaws off the floor at the sight of the giant screen and settled in for 90 minutes of music nirvana.

So.. how was the film? Man, did it ever suck!!! Just kidding. Quite the contrary. We were totally blown away. The film is getting rave reviews from both U2 and non U2 fans and we could see why. Forget the trendy Hannah Montana 3D film... this was the FIRST ever live action 3D IMAX film. As such, it was created to be a thorough experience, not just a concert taking advantage of 3D trickery for cheap thrills. As such, it literally makes you feel as though you are right there in the concert. You find yourself wanting the dumb people in front of you to put their hands down so you can see better, only to realize that they are part of the film.. not actually in front of you. Then suddenly you are on stage with the band. It's almost like being a fly.. buzzing around this 3D world all around you, going where you'd like. Simply amazing.

The music was great too! Some personal favorites.. Love And Peace Or Else, a song I didn't find really interesting on their CD, but live it becomes an amazing event. And "The Fly" was an experience never to forget with its hard rocking performance and visual experience like no other in the film.

What surprised me the most was that this was actually a film... I think I was expecting just a 3D concert and this felt like so much more. It had much more of a film quality, art design and concept, and that was fun to see. In between each song, Ty would lean over to me and say "This is the coolest thing I have ever seen!!!" I'd just smile and be grateful at least one of my offspring would find this enjoyable.

And so with goofy smiles on our faces, both of us talking a mile a minute about what we had just experienced, we got in the car to head back south. Sadly, we realize that this is not an experience we can ever recreate with our DVD player at home (until I can convince my wife to let me build on an IMAX theater onto our house), so we just have to enjoy it while it lasts. And then count the days until we can experience it again on the smaller scale of a regular movie theater screen, when it opens in Eugene in 3 weeks. The nice thing about this show... I can keep experiencing it, at least while in theaters without having to pay $175 a pop for concert tickets!!



So... If you've managed to find an IMAX theater in your city... GO NOW!! Do not hesitate! And when this film comes to a regular theater near you on February 22, go!!! Then you too (hey!) can experience the future of cinema.. and rock out at the same time.. without the dealing with the drunk guy spilling his beer on you at the concert!

Click here to view the trailer, learn more about the film and its technology, and find a theater near you!