Fox boosts email database with Daredevil promotion

by Claire Billings,, Brand Republic 11-Feb-03, 07:00

LONDON - Twentieth Century Fox is aiming to boost its permission-based email database of film fans with an online marketing campaign and viral email drive linked to the new superhero film 'Daredevil'.

The drive, through Inbox Media, launches on Friday February 14 and encourages users to take part in the campaign with a prize draw to win Daredevil T-shirts, Gameboy Advance games and cufflinks.

Clare McIntosh, marketing manager at Twentieth Century Fox, said she expects to see a higher than average response rate to the campaign because the audience for a film like 'Daredevil' is "typically more web literate".

She said: "While online bookings in general are on the up, there are certain market sectors that manage a higher proportion of cinema booking through the internet and so respond better to online promotions."

Inbox Media has used images from the film in the same style as its trailer for the viral campaign. The email uses moving images created using Flash, but which can be downloaded by computers with a connection speed as low as 56K.

Nik Margolis, client services director at Inbox Media, said: "The sound and visuals for a film like 'Daredevil' are a fundamental part of the genre. We have been able to create a promotion that uses these key elements, just as the film trailer does, but for an online audience accessing the internet at home with a 56K modem."

The campaign encourages recipients to book tickets online and pass on the email to friends by rewarding them with a free entry to the prize draw.

'Daredevil', featuring Ben Affleck, 'Alias' star Jennifer Garner and Colin Farrell, is an action movie about a blind lawyer who has extra sensory powers after being doused with radioactive waste. He uses his alter ego, the Daredevil, to tackle the cases he can not get to the bottom of. It is released on Thursday February 13.

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