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Clown Travel Agency.
On April Fool's Day I was sitting in my office praying for a swift death when suddenly my friend Matt called to tell me to check out the website www.clowntravelagency.com. The fact that it was April 1st was in the back of my mind, but Matt's not much of a prankster, so I decided to risk getting fired for pulling up some kind of Bozo fetish porn site and checked it out. Miraculously, it was one of five sites that actually isn't blocked by my company's annoying Websense blocker, and I quickly saw that it was some kind of viral marketing site for the upcoming Batman movie. After clicking on an envelope it pulled up a list of cities and said "the trip starts today" or something along those lines.
The reason my friend called me was because one of the "cities" listed was Midlothian, VA, where I grew up, and where I happen to work. I had to blink really hard to make sure I was reading the cities right: London, Paris, Philadelphia, Chicago, fucking Midlothian. It was bizarre seeing my tiny little town on such a list. I had a feeling that more information would come to light later, and soon enough after a couple hours Matt calls again to tell me that now there's an address and what looks like a locker combination under the Midlothian entry. A quick bit of internet research reveals that the address belongs to a local bowling alley, so I went on my lunch break and zoomed off to find god only knows what.
I arrived at the bowling alley only to see a couple of early twentysomethings dressed in black, perhaps even "gothy", if you will, walking towards the door. "Curses and drat, they have beaten me!" I thought to myself. But I went inside and waited in line behind them anyway. And as luck would have it, they weren't there to receive the Joker's hidden message, but rather, to bowl. I finally got my turn at the counter and asked the lady if she knew anything about "Clown Travel Agency" and she smiled a knowing smile and told me that some girl beat me to the punch. "When?" I asked.
"Hours ago," she told me. Curse my metal body; I wasn't fast enough.
"What was it?" I asked, and she told me: a package had arrived from California containing a bowling ball and a cell phone with a number to dial for the next clue. And that was it. Defeated, I shuffled back to my car and drove away.
I was disappointed, because I was curious, and now my search had come to a complete dead end. But see, I like the idea of this kind of viral marketing. I normally despise commercials and advertisements of all kinds, but I usually like viral marketing of this kind, because it's normally pretty clever and creative, and it usually has something to do with art of some kind, which inherently makes it more interesting than, say, the "Clorox Bleach Treasure Hunt".
What sucks is that only one person got to benefit from this, and everyone else who put forth the effort got left out in the cold. Had I been the one to get there first, I certainly would have documented the whole thing for you all to see, so that you could enjoy the hunt right along with me. But no, some anonymous girl got it, and if she's putting it out there on the internet for all to see, I certainly haven't come across it. Wouldn't it be better for them to have sent 10 "vehicles" to get the next clue, rather than one? Each one of these people could then think that they were the one and only person to move on to the next level, but at least that way more people are involved, and more interest is generated, instead of resentment at being left out.
Of course, now there's another website listed on that one where you can enter your phone number and a recording of Commissioner Gordon calls you and tells you that you're on file and they own you (they fucking own your ass!) and they'll contact you later.
I'm curious to know what you guys think of this kind of viral marketing? Do you like it, or do you find it annoying? Have you seen any interesting examples?
32 comments
Huggbees (Guest) on 04/09/2008 3:59 pm
I loooove interactive things like this. The more clever the better. Whenever you can connect media to real life I'll happily indulge myself.
Ozzie on 04/09/2008 4:00 pm
I've gotten really into this campaign as of late. It's certainly made me more interested in seeing the movie than I was before, so I'd say it's a marketing success.
J.D. (Guest) on 04/09/2008 4:34 pm
Yeah I live in Austin and was working. A friend of mine was on the road and I was giving him directions to the bowling alley that the brief case, which is located literally 3 blocks from where I actually live. He got there 8 mins after the address was announced and was told he missed it by 3. Sad times.
Silver on 04/09/2008 4:38 pm
It feels cool when events like this one take place where you would least expect. Don't feel so bad man!
Misdemonar on 04/09/2008 4:55 pm
does gordon call you back?
darkvare on 04/09/2008 5:10 pm
lol go to
acmesecuritysystems.com/delos
you give info and get a cool phone call
just awesome
Misdemonar on 04/09/2008 5:20 pm
you gotta give the password yo
Creepy-critters on 04/09/2008 6:24 pm
That was really cool. I like the way the website was synchronized with the phone call.
darkvare on 04/09/2008 7:22 pm
awesome even works for mexico
Nick on 04/09/2008 8:31 pm
I'm sad, now we'll never know. :(
twomustaches (Guest) on 04/09/2008 8:54 pm
I just did it. Creepy, very creepy.
The Fourth on 04/09/2008 9:59 pm
Holy shit! I live right by Chula Vista! Somebody probably already beat me to the punch, though...
lastcrazyhorn (Guest) on 04/09/2008 10:35 pm
Too awesome. I loved the one that you could highlight and all you saw were "Ha has."
The Dark Knight « Odd One Out (Guest) on 04/09/2008 10:36 pm
[...] It’s not exactly like being told to follow a white rabbit, but it’s close . . [...]
El Sammo on 04/09/2008 10:55 pm
This viral marketing thing is cool and all, but I agree with ya Proto that it should allow more people to participate. My favorite example of viral marketing to date was the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Boston bomb scare. Look it up on the Almighty Wiki for a few laughs at Bostons expense.
LD (Guest) on 04/10/2008 12:21 am
Viral marketing is something I've always enjoyed. The Cloverfield viral marketing stuff was kind of cool... all those websites involving terrorist groups, japanses oil companies and a drink called Slusho. I remember Iron Maiden did a viral marketing thing last year or so to promote their album "A Matter of Life & Death" or more appropriately the single "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg." benjaminbreeg.co.uk/
It was interesting while it lasted- note: read from the bottom of the page up or else you'll spoil stuff for you.
Mystik Tomato on 04/10/2008 1:07 am
I have to say... does the movie actually need viral marketing?
Not that it isn't an awesome idea or anything, but it's the Goddamned Batman movie! It doesn't seem like it would do badly without it, like Cloverfield might've.
Adam (Guest) on 04/10/2008 6:26 am
I have another friend who's been doing the viral stuff for TDK. If anyone's interested, the password for the site that someone posted above is "needle."
Simon (Guest) on 04/10/2008 8:45 am
wow. that phonecall thing even worked nicely to australia
RandiLu on 04/10/2008 11:35 am
I'm trying the security system thing now. we'll see what happens.. mayb i can try to upload the sound...
RandiLu on 04/10/2008 11:57 am
nope, it was a call, not a message. ohhhh well.
it's pretty awesome though. I know the movie really doesn't need a viral marketing campaign because plenty of people already want to see, but it's still cool to have. it makes you feel like part of the movie, as dumb as that sounds.
Dungeonbrownies on 04/10/2008 3:24 pm
these thintgs are fantastic and i hope i get one of these things one day.
not long ago, some one was putting up rare jeweled animals and hid his clues inside achildren's storybook.
Have you ever thought of taking up letterboxing or geocaching?
it'd be fantastic sport if we could get it going in the US...
BurntToShreds on 04/10/2008 5:01 pm
I just did the Gordon thing. Sounds just like he should.
BurntToShreds on 04/10/2008 5:03 pm
Dammit, somebody probably got the Pasadena case. I live in Houston, too. :(
Dungeonbrownies on 04/10/2008 9:37 pm
Does anyone know what film this was for?
Eric (Guest) on 04/10/2008 9:44 pm
you should hear what the guys at radio playhouse would have done if no one bid on the phone and ball and clues on ebay..the starting bid was 30 fucking grand! someone managed to get it down to 11 something grand..thankfully or they would have smashed the phone into pieces with the ball.
Desert_Screams on 04/11/2008 10:47 am
With any luck, the next viral-marketing site for Batman: Fire Walk With Me will be a surprise phone call from Frank Miller complaining about how all these goddamned movies about the goddamned Batman will suck until they-- the ubiquitous they-- get around to adapting his Dark Knight Returns.
IXCE on 04/12/2008 11:30 am
Ugh I been missing out on all this viral marketing. I keep finding out about it at the last minute.
Another_Version (Guest) on 04/13/2008 3:27 am
check out the NIN viral ad campaign, you can go to ninwiki.com/Main_Page for all the info. all the websites and other hidden messages on shirts and buttons are all listed.
Count Mek on 04/14/2008 7:34 pm
Never heard of Viral Marketing, but sounds like a Dean Koontz movie to me. XD
It's a shame you didn't get it man, it looked awesome.
WryBeauty on 04/18/2008 5:23 pm
I LOVED the idea for this particular viral marketing. It's fantastic, and I loved the interactive ideas behind it when it first started (everyone was sending in pictures and ideas).
CaTlaloc on 04/25/2008 4:36 pm
received an email from Commish Gordon last week:
My friend,
Indictments are about to be handed down. If you don't want your name on one, we'll need your full cooperation in an upcoming operation.
In case you haven't heard, we are struggling with a bit of corruption in the department. I'm not about to let the Gotham PD collapse in on itself, so we're taking action. We've identified a group of offenders that need to be apprehended. Problem is, most of these cops are hightailing it out of the city. But a C.I. just like you just gave us some information on their last known whereabouts. Now all we need is to catch them. This is where you come in.
Consider yourself on deck. I'll contact you next week, and let’s just say it's in your best interest to play along. County's not a place you want to spend the rest of your life.
Lt. Jim Gordon, MCU
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