Giving Others the “Creeps”: Here’s how a gesture was used to generate hype for a film!
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| I am a huge fan of this tactic because it inspires marketers to come up with out-of-the-box strategies to engage with their target audience. Today, I’ll highlight a stunt that was used to promote a sequel to a highly-acclaimed film! Keep reading below to know more! Giving Others the “Creeps”: Here’s how a gesture was used to generate hype for a film! Imagine this: You’re soaking in the sights of the bustling streets of New York City and savoring each moment. Suddenly, you see a few bystanders, located atop a building overlooking Times Square, grinning from ear to ear without a care in the world. Wondering what’s going on, you spend some more time observing them, and throughout the time, not even one of those folks flinched even as they drew attention from other curious bystanders. Such a situation happened in 2024! Here’s how the guerrilla marketing stunt played out… Creepy Smiles All Around
The bystanders seen grinning from ear to ear at a building overlooking Times Square were part of a guerrilla marketing stunt pulled off to generate buzz for “Smile 2,” a 2024 follow-up to the psychological horror film “Smile” in 2022. For those who may not know, the film follows the story of Skye Riley, a New York-based pop star who became afflicted with a curse that causes her to experience hallucinations of people smiling at her.
Another detail you may not know about: As part of the build-up for the first “Smile” movie, the team behind the film pulled off a similar stunt in 2022 with great results. Building off of that success, the creatives behind “Smile 2” adopted the same tactic again and chose to up the ante for the 2024 film! Aside from the previously mentioned stunt pulled near Times Square, actors were sighted donning creepy smiles during a Major League Baseball (MLB) game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
That’s not all! The blissful and terrifying grin was spotted in cars all over Los Angeles and New York. Instead of having actors pull the creepy smile, stickers of actors in the film were utilized to achieve the same effect.
Was all the effort worth it, though? YES! Bystanders who spotted the guerrilla marketing stunt posted photos and videos on social media. Posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) garnered over 5 million views. Meanwhile on Tiktok, posts about the stunt got thousands of likes as well. Aside from those social media platforms, the guerilla marketing stunt gained traction on Reddit as well. Given these results, it’s unsurprising to learn that “Smile 2” performed admirably, achieving box office results of USD 138 million on a USD 28 million budget. While the stunt wasn’t the deciding factor for the film’s impressive earnings, there’s no doubt that it played a part in the movie’s success, as the virality of it helped garner attention for “Smile 2!” All in all, the guerrilla marketing stunt for “Smile 2” shows us that out-of-the-box tactics go a long way in generating buzz among target audiences. By bringing the iconic and creepy smile the movie is known for into the real world, the creative team behind the movie was able to create a memorable and viral experience. So, the next time you craft a campaign, consider taking inspiration from this success story! Hope you’ve found this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful. EXCITING NEWS AHEAD The world of work has shifted, and there’s no going back. The barriers to entry have never been lower for talented professionals to work independently, and today’s massive external workforce is hardly a pandemic-produced fad. Business owners can only survive in the new work landscape by partnering with this deep talent pool. With decades of experience in both small-business entrepreneurship and executive management at PwC, I truly believe that the future of work is independent. With that, I’m happy to share with you that my book, co-authored with Walter Scott Lamb, is now available on Amazon! Free Birds Revolution: The Future of Work & The Independent Mind This new bestseller is an essential read for both independent professionals and corporate executives. Here, we provide educational and practical guides to unpack the ever-growing workforce and offer you crucial ways to become a client of choice. Click on the link above to order your copy. Let this bestselling book help you future-proof your career and organization in the new world of work. Stay tuned for next Thursday’s Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing! Do you want to know how one beverage brand used hugs as “currency” to spread joy and happiness in 2012? See it in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
