A film about a global alien invasion demands an equally large-scale digital campaign
The campaign targeted the dual audiences that comprise the brand's main demographic: general film fans and sci-fi enthusiasts. We launched a teaser site to gain campaign momentum, followed by the release of the official film site. The official site held a broad appeal for general audiences, featuring full-screen production photography and official film content. A second website, Unidentified Enemy, targeted sci-fi enthusiasts with a desire to access hidden, viral content.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE
The Battle: Los Angeles official website used film assets to deliver a visceral user experience. Journalistic depictions of the battle from the perspective of the troops on the ground humanized the depth of combat. In this way, the emotional scope of the story was delivered to fans as they explored the site, discovering unique content from the film.
Through the official website, fans had access to exclusive trailers and footage, as well as Battle: Los Angeles icons, wallpapers and Twitter skins. The website included a link to W.A.T.C.H., a ficticious community organization whose mission is to assess alien threats by releasing expert analysis, evidence and eyewitness testimonials. Over a million fans visited the site during the week of the film’s release.
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UNIDENTIFIED ENEMY WEBSITE
Knowing our sci-fi enthusiasts and fan boy demographic would yearn for exclusive, bonus material, we created a hidden, viral component to the campaign. By exploring the teaser site turned interactive feature on the official website, users could unlock a gateway to Unidentified Enemy.
Users gained entry by entering the "Priority Access" password 031111 (the film's release date) that was seeded in chat rooms and viral blogs. With granted access, users could explore detailed content relating to the invaders' biology, weaponry, language, command structure and invasion strategy. Complete with 3D models, voice-over descriptions, redacted documents and alien audio clips, Unidentified Enemy served as a teaser for the film to come, unveiling new tidbits about the aliens each week framed as scientific data and predictions.
INDUSTRY PRAISE
DROVE A VIRAL
REPUTATION
Praise for UnidentifiedEnemy.com sprang up alongside buzz for the film as it approached release date. SlashFilm reports:
"The consensus has been overwhelming[ly] positive in regards to Jonathan Liebesman's upcoming alien invasion movie Battle: Los Angeles and that's not going to change after fans get a glimpse of a new viral website for the film which provides all kinds of details on the aliens. The structure of their command center, their biology, weapons and transportation are just a few of the categories that have been uncovered and they all hint at a world that is way more dense for one movie to handle."
Visit the siteThe comprehensive, digital campaign successfully immersed fans in the film and generated viral hype surrounding the pending invasion of Battle: Los Angeles worldwide.
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