‘Simpsons Movie’ Marketing: Things That Make You Go ‘D’oh!’
After 20 years, 18 seasons and 400 episodes, “The Simpsons” has become the biggest animated TV show ever.
And now, with the upcoming release of “The Simpsons Movie,” the world is being bombarded with what is perhaps the biggest — and funniest — integrated marketing campaign in history!
Twentieth Century Fox and Gracie Films have teamed with airlines, news outlets, viral video sites, convenience stores and more to get their immersive message of absurdity out to a public that may take Homer and the gang for granted.
Three weeks ago, a dozen 7-Eleven stores across the U.S. and Canada were magically transformed into “Kwik-E-Marts,” the fictional convenience store of the Simpsons’ town of Springfield.
From the sign outside, to the display cases, to the cardboard cutouts of “Simpsons” characters, 7-Elevens became technicolor wonderlands for “Simpsons” fans. But the Kwik-E-Mart theme extended beyond just simple decor — many of the products sold in the store were actually altered by their respective distributors, becoming products seen on “The Simpsons” in both look and name!
Boxes of “Krusty O’s cereal” lined the shelves. “Buzz Cola” filled the coolers. The 7-Eleven trademark beverage, Slurpee, was even transformed into Bart Simpson’s favorite: a “Whoo Hoo Blue Vanilla Squishie!”
To top off the Kwik-E-Mart promotion, “Simpsons” producer James L. Brooks came up with the idea for a contest, in which the winner will be drawn into a future episode of the TV show.
JetBlue airlines also underwent a Simpsons transformation. They are now referred to as the “Official Airline of Springfield” on their Web site, and have been temporarily “taken over” by Springfield’s billionaire tyrant, Montgomery Burns. In addition, they offer a sweepstakes with prizes such as TV’s, DVD sets, and animated cels from the movie.
Microsoft got in on the contest action too, when they held a contest on XBox.com to win a yellow “Homer-faced” XBox 360, designed as a limited edition for the movie’s release. The lucky winner also gets the opportunity to attend the Los Angeles premiere with a guest.
For those who wouldn’t be able to make it to LA, USA Today held a contest to bring a “Simpsons Movie” premiere to the winner’s town! But there was catch: the town had to be named “Springfield.”
Speaking of donuts, the pink-frosted sprinkle-topped treats have been popping up all over — from the movie’s poster, to the 7-Eleven stores, to the top of the Seattle Space Needle!
Well, not actually the top of the Space Needle, but a viral video campaign certainly made it seem to be the case. A series of videos were created in promotion of the film, which have become online sensations on Web sites like YouTube. In each video, a famous landmark is spotted by “tourists” as they gasp at the giant pink donut resting atop the structure. The clips (which look very real), include footage of a donut-topped Statue of Liberty as well as LA’s famous Hollywood sign.
Some fans were so inspired by the clips that they created homemade versions that featured donuts on the Eiffel Tower, the Washington Monument, and more!
Which brings us to the movie’s official Web site.
Interactivity is the name of the game on the site, as viewers can play games, tour the town of Springfield, and create “Simpson-ized” versions of themselves to use as avatars!
The site is also full of hidden gems that can only be found by hunting; such as movie clips, trailers, downloads, character dialogue and more.
In what is perhaps the most bizarre instance of “Simpsons Movie” marketing, a giant 180-ft. outline of Homer brandishing a donut was painted on a hill in Dorset, England. The painted Homer (made with biodegradable paint) was placed next to the “Cerne Abbas Giant,” an ancient chalk outline of a naked giant believed to be a symbol of spirituality.
All of these promotions were done with an air of whimsy, but they ultimately serve a higher purpose: to get people in theaters when “The Simpsons Movie” opens nationwide on July 27!