Deadpool Marketing Analysis - Faye

1)IMAX Announcement

Deadpool‘s IMAX trailer gives fans just about everything that one would expect from a preview featuring the Merc with a Mouth. Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool starts the announcement by breaking the fourth wall and talking about chimichangas and quickly turns to witty remarks and extreme violence.

This announcement-turned-trailer is perhaps more brilliant than it appears at first glance. In a 30 second preview for the film, moviegoers, especially those unfamiliar with the character, get a sense of the humor, the action, the genre, and the tone – all while staying true to the superhero character that comic book fans are familiar with.

2)“SKULL – POOP – ‘L'” Billboard


The Deadpool marketing team is really capitalizing on the adolescent humor that, while perhaps waits dormant in the more adult audience, is absolutely, captivatingly hilarious. What the marketing team for this film has really captured is the true essence of this character.

The most brilliant part of this campaign is perhaps the idea behind it all that Deadpool himself could have created these advertisements. Advertising like this suggests that the studio “gets” the appeal of a character like Deadpool, and that they’re not going to water down his quirky humor for the sake of a larger audience.

3) How deadpool spent Halloween


This viral marketing campaign has not been afraid to think outside of the box, and it shows with the “How Deadpool Spent Halloween” YouTube video. Featuring Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool and a handful children dressed up as X-Men characters, this video offers fans a minute and a half of absolute hilarity.

Referencing how the character has been wronged in the past by 20th Century Fox and how Deadpool has yet to become a pop culture icon in his own right, this video in and of itself breaks the fourth wall and becomes super meta and self-referential – everything that moviegoers can expect from the film in the coming weeks.

4) APRIL FOOL’S DAY RATING ANNOUNCEMENT


When the Deadpool film was announced, many fans were concerned that censoring The Merc with the Mouth, by giving the film a PG-13 rating, would hinder the movie and fail to stay true to the spirit of the comic. Flash forward to April 1st of 2015, aka April Fool’s Day, and Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool has some news for fans.

Disguising the announcement as an episode of Extra with Mario Lopez, Ryan Reynolds and 20th Century Fox pull the ultimate prank on comic book fans: Deadpool will be rated PG-13. Viewers learn by the end of this video that this was in fact a joke and the movie will actually be rated R. Also, “Slater can’t hurt you anymore.”

5) 12 DAYS OF DEADPOOL


Perhaps no greater gift was given to superhero fans this Holiday season than the “12 Days of Deadpool” marketing campaign. Leading up to Christmas Day, and the second full-length trailer, Deadpool and 20th Century Fox released a new promotional item each day.

Over the 12 days, fans were treated to promotion posters (“Wait ‘Til You Get a Load of Me”), theater standees, more clever Instagram pictures, and a Christmas Eve television spot. Each of the 12 days was a humorous reminder of the upcoming Deadpool film.

6) LEAKED FOOTAGE
deadpool test footage 10 Best Deadpool Marketing Stunts

Of course, at number one is the leaked footage that started it all. When this footage finally reached fans across the web (like us), the uproar for a true-to-form Deadpool movie was so loud that 20th Century Fox could not help but take notice.

The footage captured the essence of the character and was endlessly entertaining and hilarious. This scene was so good, in fact, that the studio felt the need to, thankfully, recreate it in the film. Again, this clip feature everything that moviegoers should come to expect from the Deadpool character: fourth wall breaking, clever and hilarious remarks, and of course, tons of violence. It isn’t strictly “marketing” material, however, but it got us more interested than anything else on this list!


-Faye

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