Theater Commericals

The National Guard has just officially launched their ad campaign for theaters (click here for story). Their first short feature entitled "Citizen Soldier" has already appeared in theaters around the country but starting next month will be seen in about 65% of all theaters. Those are really good odds that you are going to be seeing this.



The feature is directed by Antoine Fuqua, the director of the Academy Award-winning film, “Training Day.” And it has an original song by 3 Doors Down with the same name. It is not just a dinky commercial that you could see on tv. As a person that loves to get to the movies early so that I make sure I see the trailers, I am OK with this type of advertising before a movie.

I can't stand a 30-second spot before my movie! Nothing bothers me more than a coke commercial that I saw on TV a few days ago. I really like trailers because they are entertaining. Yes, they are trying to sell the movie to me, but they are also trying to prove that it is going to be an entertaining movie and therefore make the trailer entertaining. So I like the fact that the National Guard is not shlopping together a 30-second spot to get recruits. They put together a pretty cool highlight real of the Guard and all its glory to not only recruit the men and women looking to serve their country through military service, but to also entertain those that are paying ten bucks just to be there. That is extra entertainment, so National Guard, keep the cool videos coming, I'll watch 'em.

Bee Movie's tagline not so sweet

Jerry Seinfeld's new movie "Bee Movie" is facing some legal trouble as the studio is being sued for using the slogan, "Give Bees a Chance," in their marketing campaign. Beeceuticals is an organic cosmetics company that makes its products from honey and other bee byproducts. They are suing Dreamworks and Paramount Pictures, claiming that they have had the slogan trademarked since October 2006 and have lost business due to Bee Movie using it.

Two things here that I have to say:
1. Giving Bees a Chance?? Is it really that good of a slogan. I can see why Paramount did not look very far into whether or not this line was trademarked. it is not very good, for either business. I haven't dissected Beeceuticals yet but I don't think that "giving bees a chance," is using their honey that worked so hard for. And it is not even a play on words or anything.

And Bee Movie has a lot more better stuff than that. The only thing that slogan does is give a little glimpse at the plot. But I don't think that is really Bee Movies style. Which brings me to number two.

2. I love how Bee Movie has been advertising itself. Jerry Seinfeld is at a very key point in his career after his show has ended and enough time has elapsed that it is not odd for him to be doing other things. So I love how the trailers show him struggling to do a movie. The trailers make it look like he is trying to put the movie together like he would a show. And it is not working out.



The campaign gives a good look into the idea of the film and doesn't try to sell you on the plot. The trailer tells me that this is going to be a funny movie because there is going to be a lot of Jerry Seinfeld comedy. I like that. I watched all the trailers a few times to see the story unfold until Spielberg finally tells Seinfeld to animate it. So Bee Movie, I love what you are doing, tough break with the crapy slogan lawsuit.