RT@AdAge.com re: #Freaky #Campaign
The Freakiest Campaign Ever (Hint: There’s a 2-Headed Calf)
Ripley’s Uses Skull Bowls, Other Odd Images to Push Its Weirdness to the World
http://adage.com/article?article_id=120434
Believe it. Ripley Entertainment, owner of Ripley’s Believe It or Not, has been around for almost 90 years, and to celebrate it’s kicking off an advertising campaign, appropriately named “Freaking Out,” in the U.S., Denmark and Canada.
Weird is universal: Ads are running in five languages so far.
The campaign made its debut in New York City and is the company’s first integrated, multiplatform endeavor. The push includes online ads, webisodes, billboards and T-shirts and is handled by MacLaren McCann, Toronto.
The real deal
“Freaking Out” aims to create a consistent face for the company, which is viewed worldwide though its museums (called Odditoriums), daily comics, website and syndicated TV show. Now that Ripley’s is expanding, it wants to “ensure viewers all over the world that they are receiving the true Ripley’s and not some imitator,” according to Steve Glum, VP-marketing.
Most of the ads are uncomplicated, consisting of an image from the Ripley archives, such as a two-headed calf or a skull bowl, with a variation of the tagline and the company’s logo. The versions include: “Proudly Freaking Out Families for 90 Years,” “Actually, It’s Rude Not to Stare,” “Come See What Noah Left Behind” and “All the Things Mother Nature Swept Under the Rug.”
The spirit is in keeping with the brand. “Ripley’s is weird,” Mr. Glum said.” But we’re proud of it.”
The freakish ads are running in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Croatian and will expand into other languages as the company opens two Odditoriums, in China and India, in the coming years.
‘We’re all voyeurs’
“Freaking Out” is not merely a celebration of the oddities Ripley’s has provided during the past nine decades, but also a way to protect the brand in the future as Mr. Glum believes more imitators are entering the market. “My goal here was to really prepare Ripley’s for the future, make sure that we have a brand that is still viable when we are 100 and beyond.”
“PassmoreLab Wraps Production in Indian Ocean on Latest 3D Film ‘The Extreme Nature of Bats”
3D Studio Goes to Great Lengths to Complete New Museum Science Film
San Diego, CA (Mar 3, 2010) – San Diego-based 3D Production Studio PassmoreLab has returned from the islands of the Indian Ocean, officially completing photography on their latest 3D science film, “The Extreme Nature of Bats”.
The film, which explores the truths, myths and dark legends that have stalked the world’s only flying mammal, closely examines three bat species; the free-tailed bat, the megabat, and the infamous vampire bat.
PassmoreLab’s production team traveled the world to film these bats in their natural habitats in order to tell their remarkable story.
Production began last year in October in a Texas bat cave, where the team filmed a resident population of 12 million Mexican free-tailed bats. From there, the crew traveled to Romania to tackle the myths surrounding bats and Bran Castle (better known as Dracula’s Castle), then backpacked through the jungles of Mexico to film the elusive vampire bat. Finally, after arriving in Africa, the team boarded a boat to a primitive island in the Indian Ocean to film the megabat.
“I took the crew over 42,000 miles to get these bats,” says Passmore. “We were on location in some amazingly remote places. For instance, the Indian Ocean island was wild, with giant spiders, huge bats, and very difficult terrain. It looked like we had landed in a Jules Verne novel.”
Bats fulfill multiple roles in different parts of the world. For instance, in North America they keep ecosystems in check, yet are symbols of fright; in the Indian Ocean they are a part of the food supply; and in Mexico bats treat animals and humans as a part of their food supply.
Through interpreters and local guides, Passmore began to hear about the legends of his subject matter. “The locals in one remote village in Mexico told us that they can hear the vampire bats making a screaming noise during the nightly cattle hunts.”
To try to capture that on film, the crew had to ditch the jeeps and go in by foot, backpacking for hours to an area where they could film these swarms of vampire bats in the moonlight drinking blood from cattle.
“It was very still, very quiet, and then all at once…yes, there were screaming noises,” says Passmore. “It was eerie.”
“The Extreme Nature of Bats” is a new, educational 3D science film that chronicles the lives of these unique and interesting animals. Passmore’s objective was to find bat populations in locations where few crews have ever gone before, giving viewers a highly memorable, realistic journey and exposing them to a world they have never seen before.
“I wanted to go deep inside active bat caves and film from the inside out,” says Passmore. “I needed to understand the risks and rewards associated with large bat populations before I could put it onscreen.”
One sequence shows the megabats in the trees and sky, surrounded by the most incredible natural beauty on the edge of an ancient burial ground. And in the middle of all that activity, the local people are catching them in giant nets.
“Apparently, they go well with rice,” continues Passmore. “That just reinforced to me the need to better understand these creatures across cultural contexts,” continues Passmore. “A disease plaguing bats, White Nose Syndrome, is killing off entire bat colonies, and we are unsure why. Hopefully the film can help underscore the importance of these creatures and why we need to protect them.”
The film now goes into post-production to be ready for rollout to museums and theatres. “We traveled far and wide to tell this story,” says Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “It’s been an incredible expedition and we think audiences worldwide will be thrilled to experience this journey with us.”
PassmoreLab’s “The Extreme Nature of Bats” (www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQ23ZMBcVMg) is scheduled for release to Science Centers and Museums in March, and will be translated into German and Spanish.
About PassmoreLab
PassmoreLab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration http://www.passmorelab.com/PL2minTRAILER.mov. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
“Thousands of Rockers & Film Fans Join Hollywood Celebrities at Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” at Legendary Rocker Johnny Ramone’s Memorial Tribute”
PassmoreLab & The Johnny Ramone Army Confirm Event was Largest Turnout Ever
Los Angeles, CA (Oct 14, 2009) - San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the iconic rocker’s memorial tribute was the largest ever, with approximately 3,000 fans showing up to pay homage to the guitarist and witness the World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” during the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, which took place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009.
Ramones’ guitarist Johnny Ramone created the enduring template for punk rock guitar. With his blazing power chords and brutal licks energizing Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”, Johnny inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004. His annual tribute, now in its fifth year, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Attending Hollywood celebrities and rockstars included actress Rose McGowan, actress Rosanna Arquette, actress PJ Soles, actress Virginia Madsen, actors David Arquette and Vincent Gallo, Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, musician Pete Yorn, X’s Billy Zoom, radio personality Joe Escalante of the Vandals, Stan Lee of The Dickies, the Ramones’ Tommy Ramone, CJ Ramone and many more.
“This year’s event was spectacular and turned out to be everything we’d hoped for,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “It was just a great night all around. The event was rich and diverse as a whole and so was the crowd. Commandos assembled from all over the world and it was the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen at the annual Tribute. I think Johnny would be proud.”
The event was a fundraiser with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus.
Fans enjoyed a full evening of Rock ‘N Roll and movie magic in both 2D and 3D with a vintage 1977 Ramone’s concert film “It’s Alive”; the rarely-seen “Rock ‘N Roll High School” original theatrical trailer, which was introduced by special guest PJ Soles, the original Riff Randall from the film; “Night of the Living Pinheads”, a unique clip from the “Ramones RAW” DVD where the band is seen in South America and their van is being mobbed by adoring fans fittingly intercut with shots from “Night of the Living Dead”; a rare memorabilia exhibit; an art show of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone; opening featurettes of animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and the world premiere of Osaka Popstar’s “Wicked World” 3D video; NVIDIA’s new 3D Vision presentation of the horror game “Resident Evil 5”; and never-before-seen 3D photos of Johnny Ramone himself.
The evening concluded with the 3D World Premiere of George Romero’s original 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”, produced by PassmoreLab, and was superbly introduced by actress and JRA affiliate Rose McGowan, a close friend of Ramone for many years.
“We had a huge turnout! What can I say? It was for the love of Johnny Ramone, a great cause and fantastic entertainment,” reflects McGowan. “Johnny would’ve been thrilled that so many people love & respect The Ramones.”
“The movie looked great in 3D,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “We took great care restoring and converting it, and I am very pleased with the outcome.”
“Night of the Living Dead”, one of the greatest low budget cult movies ever made and originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, was painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D using Passmorelab’s proprietary technology.
“It was great to see this all come together,” said James Humann, producer at PassmoreLab. “We are fans ourselves, and were happy to be a part of such an amazing event!”
The World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” and the Johnny Ramone Tribute event was open to the public for a $10 donation to the foundation. Attendees all received free 3D commemorative Johnny Ramone Army/“Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” glasses upon entering.
“I think Johnny would have been very proud. He loved horror movies, and would have been thrilled that “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” had its world premiere at his tribute, in front of so many fans,” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist.
“It had a very cool vibe,” said Steve Glum, Head of Branding & Distribution for PassmoreLab. “All the young rockers, influenced by the Ramones, were out on full-force, and the movie buffs were just as excited to see ‘Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”
“Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” can now be seen in selected US theatres and in wide release in 3D theaters in Europe. “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” will be available in anaglyph DVD on Amazon.com by Christmas, and a 3D TV version will be available when 3D BluRay becomes commercially available.
About PassmoreLab: Passmorelab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
About Johnny Ramone Army: For more information about the Johnny Ramone Army and tribute, visit http://www.johnnyramone.com
Photos by Paul Redmond. Under license to JRA LLC. Used with permission.
“Biggest ZOMBIE Movie of All Time Sets 3D Premiere at Legendary Rocker Johnny Ramone’s Memorial Tribute”
PassmoreLab Confirms World Premiere of 3D Film will takeplace at Johnny Ramone’s Annual Pilgrimage in Los Angeles
San Diego, CA (Aug 20, 2009) - The original 1968 version of the mother of all zombie films, George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead”, has risen from the dead — literally — as the film’s 3D conversion is complete and its world premiere is now set. San Diego based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the World Premiere of the movie will take place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009, as a part of the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute.
Ramones’ guitarist Johnny Ramone created the enduring template for punk rock guitar. With his blazing power chords and brutal licks energizing Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”, Johnny inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004, at age 55. His annual tribute, now in its fifth year and attended by thousands of fans, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
“Johnny was a huge horror movie buff, and “Night of the Living Dead” was one of his top ten horror film favorites of all time. We’ve started a tradition screening some of Johnny’s favorite movies, paired in a double feature with vintage Ramones concerts each year at the annual tribute,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “We are working with PassmoreLab on another project, and it was just great timing and a perfect fit to show “Night of the Living Dead 3D” for the very first time at the tribute. You couldn’t ask for a better setting… It’s going to be spectacular.”
“Night of the Living Dead”, originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, was painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D using Passmorelab’s proprietary technology. The process, which took over 12 months to complete at a cost greater than the film’s original production budget, was no small feat.
“I am a huge fan of this movie, and so it had to be done with complete precision,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “We love the genre and as cult classics go, this is mother of them all. If you are going to convert a horror classic, this is the one you want to see in 3D.”
“Night of the Living Dead” is perhaps one of the greatest low budget cult movies ever made and is certainly one of the most influential. Its brutally harrowing documentary-style shooting can be seen in many latter-day films including “The Blair Witch Project” and “Cloverfield”, which earned hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide, respectively.
“Night of the Living Dead” was #9 on Bravo’s 100 Scariest Movie Moments and #4 on Johnny Ramone’s top ten list of horror movies. In 2001, the American Film Institute (AFI) named the film to a list of 100 important thrillers.
“We think fans of the film, young and old, will really like zombies in 3D,” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “For the purists out there, this is the original film, converted into 3D for everyone to enjoy again, but now in 3D for the first time. The fact that we are premiering it at the cemetery will just add to the history of the film and its enduring legacy as one of the greatest of all time.”
The World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead 3D” and the Johnny Ramone Tribute event are open to the public for a $10 per person minimum donation entrance fee with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone prostate cancer research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus. Gates for the event will open at 5:30pm, and picnic dinners, drinks (including alcohol), pillows, blankets and small chairs are permitted. Attendees of the event will get free commemorative 3D glasses upon entering. Celebrity guest speakers will be in attendance and autograph signings will be scheduled with sole surviving founding member, Ramones drummer & producer Tommy Ramone, and youngest member CJ Ramone. Rare memorabilia will be exhibited along with an art show (curated by Barbara Ramone), of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone, who will receive special homage at the event, as well. Opening featurettes include animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and Osaka Popstar, presented for the first time anywhere in 3D by PassmoreLab. The evening concludes with a vintage Ramones concert shot in 1977 entitled “Its Alive” and the world premiere of “Night of the Living Dead 3D”.
“Johnny felt this movie was shot amazingly and looked genuinely scary,” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist. “He would have been thrilled that the 3D version of the original “Night of the Living Dead” had its world premiere at his tribute. He loved horror movies and he loved the polarized 3D exhibits, so experiencing one of his favorite films that way is something Johnny would have really enjoyed. It’s perfect for the event.”
“Night of the Living Dead 3D” can be seen in selected US theatres and in wide release in 3D theaters in Europe, starting in October. “Night of the Living Dead 3D” will be available in anaglyph DVD on Amazon.com by Christmas, and a 3D TV version will be available when 3D BluRay becomes commercially available.
About PassmoreLab
Passmorelab, the “World’s Largest 3D Content Provider”, is a San Diego-based multi-media production studio that specializes in 3D production and 2D to 3D content conversion. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions, shooting everything from feature films, television and science documentaries, to underwater diving, extreme sports and cave exploration. State-of-the-art facilities include a full 3D production studio, video/film post-production, optical development lab, and a software development environment. Production includes 2D, 3D, high dynamic range time lapse, stereoscopic microscopy and cutting-edge simulation technologies for real time SFX. Passmorelab’s proprietary technology for 2D to 3D video and film conversion is unmatched in the industry, in both turnaround times and conversion costs. PassmoreLab has additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. For more information, visit www.passmorelab.com.
About Johnny Ramone Army
For more information about the Johnny Ramone Army and tribute, visit http://www.johnnyramone.com
About Hollywood Forever Cemetery
For more information regarding directions, parking and screening rules, visit http://www.cinespia.org/howto
Great Wolf Lodge
The development of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Canada is the single largest project Ripley Entertainment has ever constructed.
This all-inclusive, indoor waterpark resort opened in April 2006 at a price tag of $130 million. Adjacent to the whirlpool on the Niagara Gorge, it boasts 406 suites, restaurants, a full Aveda Spa & Salon, and an indoor waterpark with 2.5 million litres of rides, slides and wet family fun.
I wrote the brand introduction marketing platform & PR strategy, developed breakthrough creative, supervised the Sneak Peek media preview, and produced the Grand Opening media VIP event, launching Canada’s largest indoor waterpark resort to great success and fanfare.
The launch creative centered around a campaign called “Soak Yourself”, which “owned” the water and fun categories in our consumer’s eyes through repeated use of blue watery backgrounds and sopping-wet type, and was focused on two primary targets — moms and tweens. The dual target created what I like to call the “Nag & Drag” marketing factor, whereby tweens “nag” their parents to take them to Great Wolf Lodge, while the mom’s are gung-ho to “drag” their kids there. I achieved this through a series of tactics that pinpointed my targets with my advertising and made it easier to say YES than no to a visit to Great Wolf Lodge.
I must admit that the television creative I produced was done quite well, with just the right amount of family fun, excitement and water gags, making it memorable among everything on TV at the time.
The interactive campaign that mirrored the TV was also very well received and went on to win “Best Interactive Campaign” by Ontario Tourism.
Voted #1 “Best for Families, Canada” by Trip Advisor 2009 Traveler’s Choice.
Voted “Best New Business” by Tourism Industry Association of Canada.
Steve Glum interviewed by Martin Lindstrom
Steve Glum is interviewed for the Martin Lindstrom Video Report in NYC during the launch of Martin’s new book Buy•ology (http://www.martinlindstrom.com).
Ripley’s Comes in First…Twice
So I took home a couple of First Place awards for my international marketing efforts this year for the “Freaking Out Families” ad campaign. In this case, I won Best TV for “Wait for It” and Best Outdoor for “Come See What Noah Left Behind”. It was cool because Ripley’s had never even been nominated before, and I was a finalist in four categories, winning two and running-up in the other two.
The best part was my work was up against the big guys — the biggest attractions in the world — with bigger budgets (certainly more than I had spent) and I still came out on top.
The best part was to have my brand recognized as a real player in marketing. The story appears below.
Ripley Entertainment Takes Home Two First Place Trophies in International Marketing Awards Competition
Orlando, Fla. (PressExposure) December 03, 2008 — It’s been a fruitful year for the marketing department at Ripley Entertainment. For the first time ever, the worldwide authority on the weird and bizarre, as a corporate entity, made it to the finalist category in an international marketing competition and was good enough to take home two first place finishes.
The Brass Ring Awards highlight originality, creativity, and excellence in marketing among professionals in the industry worldwide and is sponsored by the International Assn. of Amusement Parks & Attractions (IAAPA), the world’s largest amusement industry trade association with more than 4,500 members in 90 countries.
Ripley Entertainment, with more than 70 attractions representing 11 different brands in 12 countries, with more than 13 million in annual attendance, competed in Class 4, which means it was up against the most attended attractions in the world, including the Disney, Universal, Six Flags and Busch theme parks.
Ripley collected first place in the “Best TV Commercial” category for “Wait For It, a” 15-second commercial that was a playful mix of archived footage, silly music, and funny, full-frame comments. It was used on broadcast and cable TV, in-room television, online, and on video monitors.
A first place was also earned in the “Best Outdoor Advertising” category for the “Come See What Noah Left Behind” billboard. The winner was part of a multi-layered campaign that used striking images from the Ripley archives combined with quirky headlines and the iconic Ripley logo. In addition to the Noah board, headlines in the campaign included “Actually It’s Rude NOT to Stare,” “Proudly Freaking Out Families for 90 Years,” and “All the Stuff Mother Nature Swept Under the Rug.”
“We had never been a finalist in the IAAPA Brass Ring Awards before, so these wins are big for us. It means that Ripley’s has been recognized by our peers as a real player in marketing, in the industry in which we operate,” said Steve Glum, VP Marketing of Ripley Entertainment.
In 2008, the 90-year old company, under Glum’s leadership, created its first fully-integrated, multi-platform, international, translated advertising campaign, used by many of the 32 Believe It or Not! odditoriums worldwide.
“As we expanded internationally and broke ground on our new locations in Bangalore, London, and New York City during the last couple of years, the need for a consistent look and feel in marketing materials had never been greater,” said Glum. “We created a simple campaign, with a nod to both past and present, bringing Ripley’s weirdness and brand DNA to the world. Elements included print ads, brochures, rack cards, TV commercials, t-shirts, business cards, webisodes, and online banners. The campaign was translated into English, Spanish, French, Hindu, Croatian, and Greek.
Ripley’s “Freaking Out Families” Ad Campaign
After I successfully launched Great Wolf Lodge Indoor Waterpark Resort in Niagara Falls, I turned my attention to building the Ripley’s brand. It was nearing 90 years old and was in need of some serious brandwork. After building the brand positioning, hierarchy and guidelines, I wanted to create a strategic contemporary campaign that captured the attention of young people and families, while reminding our legions of fans that Ripley’s was still around–and when I was done, it would bigger and better than ever.
My “Freaking Out Families” campaign was the Ripley’s brand’s first-ever international, fully-integrated, vertical multi-lingual ad campaign. It kicked off simultaneously in the US, Denmark, and Canada; and was translated into English, French, Spanish, Croatian, Greek and Hindi aftering debuting in Times Square in outdoor, print TV and online.
The campaign was simple in design, with iconic attention-getting photos and headlines with twisted humor.
Headlines included “Proudly Freaking Out Families for 90 Years”, “Come See What Noah Left Behind”, and “All the Stuff Mother Nature Swept Under the Rug”. It was very well accepted by consumers, showing growth at the turnstiles, while being recognized as the “Work of the Week” by Ad Age magazine during International Ad Week in NYC.