We're a month out – 32 days away from the wide-release date for the new Star Trek film here in the U.S. and I have to say…is it just me, or is the pre-release hoopla…uhmmmm…missing?
There's been no increase in advertising that has been noticeable, at least to me. Maybe it's because I don't fit into the real target audience that Abrams and gang are catering to…that same old stereotype 14-24 yr old male demographic that Paramount still believes is the only core audience that would have an interest in Trek.
Have they never been to a Trek convention?
Oh well – that's for another rant…
Star Trek XI's world premier will be held in Sydney Australia…tomorrow night. Which, if I understand that whole international date-line thingy correctly, is actually late tonight (7 am GMT is +7 hrs here - so it would be midnight here when the Twittering of the premier begins.)
Yep – you saw it correctly – Paramount has hired bloggers to tweet fans' questions to the stars of the show before the premier and during the movie's month long "World Tour".
Source: http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2009/04/star-trek-twitt.html
Well – frankly I don't expect a lot of information to come from those tweets. I'm sure that the cast will still be expected to stay quiet regarding the plot of the movie for fear that too much info will spoil their efforts to keep Trekkie enticed into seeing the movie. They'll talk about how great it was to be in the movie, how wonderful it was to work with Abrams, how they were honored to be a part of rebuilding a franchise…blah, blah, blah…
But it just seems a little odd right now.
Right when all hell should be breaking loose in the ad arena things seems awfully quiet. Paramount is making it very clear that they need to pique the international community's interest in this movie and that the US may not be their market of choice right now.
Not surprising. They've either written off the U.S. or (as is more likely) they've already polled the crap out of it and know exactly how much they're likely to rake in at the BO now and have decided that the advertising dough needs to go into other markets.
Tweeting is cheap. It will build the suspense for the Trekkies who use Twitter and the leaks can begin tomorrow morning. I expect to know everything about this movie by Wednesday morning (Mountain time of course ;) )
But what about that other market – the one that Paramount and Abrams said they were making this movie for…you know…the NON Trekkie? The people who don't use Twitter? The people who don't buy car insurance on-line? The people who could give a crap what chip is in their computer? The people who don't know what an iPhone is?
Yes – there are LOTS of those people! ;) So many in fact, Abrams caused quiet the kerfuffle when he said he wasn't making Trek for Trek fans…he was making the movie for everyone but!
So does it look like they're being ignored now?
Something's not right here. I don't know what it is yet – I haven't placed my finger on it just yet. I personally see it as a sign of confidence – that they're happy with the pre-release polling and that the U.S. numbers will be well at or near estimates and as long as second week's numbers stay strong – they'll have a blockbuster.
What's your take? Do you think Abrams and Paramount believe they have it sewed up? Do you think that they're switching gears to appeal to the geekdom? Do you think they never really believed the non-Trekkie would like this movie? Or do you think that maybe this movie has the potential for kicking Wolverine's butt?
And do you see the use of Twitter just a bit...anti-climactic?
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