From Box office magazine
PARAMOUNT
A new Twitter page is savagely
lampooning the studio
Paramount Pictures is learning the hard way about the perils of an
unauthorized Twitter account.
Someone - a movie buff,
an industry insider, who knows? - has created a fake
Paramount Twitter feed to
blast the studio for not
making Anchorman 2 and other in-studio maneuvers.
One Tweet reads:
We have decided that if Will [Ferrell] and Adam [McKay] pay for Anchorman 2 out
of their own pocket, we'll release it.
movie studios and actors alike.
But is the old
saw, all publicity is good publicity, still applicable in our interconnected
world?
Entertainment expert
George McQuade, vice president of Mayo Communications, says the
important in entertainment publicity.
"In PR 101 and
media training, truth is the best weapon, even if it hurts," McQuade
says. "It only takes a short time to damage a company or
individual reputation, and much longer to repair or restore credibility online."
Social media sites
like Twitter and Facebook now have "trust and credibility," he says.
"Four hundred million people on Facebook is
not
something to ignore."
Online content made
a difference long before social media took over. Consider the early marketing
moves to promote the remake of King Kong,
McQuade says.
"[Director]
Peter Jackson was posting behind the scenes images and short bits on line,
engaging movie goers about the filming of his movie,"
he says, adding the effort create a fan base of nearly one million people.
He thinks studios
would be foolish to prevent their talent from Tweeting about their newest
film projects, "but everyone should be on the same
page and not release stealth details about an upcoming movie," he says.
"Behind
the scene images and descriptions of what its like to be in a jungle or the
desert is priceless for fans. They love it," he says.
Sometimes too much honesty and openness can make a studio sweat.
McQuade worked with
an actress who often spoke her mind without studio interference. When she
made a bold prediction about an upcoming
film sequel her studio "came unglued," he recalls.
The tension faded
after he was able to coach her on the best way to speak out via various media platforms.
Of course, there is also the potential for talent to say the wrong thing about
something totally unrelated to movies.
Actor Jim Carrey
recently raised some eyebrows via his personal Twitter account, partially
blaming Elin Nordegren
for her husband Tiger
Woods' numerous affairs - and damaging his personal brand in the process.
It wasn't long ago
when most entertainment PR specialists were frightened by all things social
media. Today they can't live without it.
Smaller film studios can't afford to be as controlling with their talent.
For them, any social media marketing is a boon to a project.
Andrew McGraime, vice president of interactive marketing with Magnolia
Pictures, says he encourages his studio's talent to use Twitter and
Facebook as they see fit.
"Since our
advertising budgets aren't like the studios we rely on our fans more than
anyone to help spread the word," McGraime says.