Star Trek 115most impact was a takeover of the MTV home page. Again harnessing the
power of Papervision, the effect was amazing – all of the original site’s content
was sucked into the warp-wake of the Enterprise as it screamed through the
page towards the viewer. It was followed by a prominent title and messaging
that reminded audiences that the movie was now in theatres.
Other highlights from the campaign included a ‘floater’ based on the film’s
opening credits, a takeover on the VH1 home page that showcased the cast
of the new film, and several progressive ad placements designed to sell the
film’s high-octane action.
Results
As mentioned in the WALL-E case study, when it comes to measuring the
success of feature film campaigns there’s a metric that trumps all of the usual
analytics data and key performance indicators (KPIs). It’s all about the money
- specifically what the film grosses on its opening weekend. The pre-release
campaign is all about raising the film’s profile, maximizing awareness among
the film-going public and positioning opening weekend as a must-see event.
With stellar creative, innovative technology and ‘cool features’, the Star Trek
campaign ‘bridged’ the gap between fans of the cult sci-fi series and the
general blockbuster movie audience, making science fiction fashionable for
all. Star Trek went on to take the number one spot at the US box office on its
opening weekend, grossing more than any previous film in the franchise, and
proving that, thanks in no small part to this online campaign, Star Trek could
still boldly go where no one had gone before!
Lessons
This big-budget, high-impact campaign shows how far rich media ads have
come in a relatively short space of time. It demonstrates how embracing the
latest technology, coupled with the innovative application of what’s already
out there and intelligent placement, can deliver real impact that overcomes