Actsofism

We believe that the movie industry has embraced social media in a big way. Not only do social networks and the Internet offer a direct connection to fans and potential consumers, but campaigns can be better targeted and better measured.Avatar, District 9, and Paranormal Activity are all good examples of what social media can do for a film.

Mashable had the opportunity to speak with some members of the marketing team at MGM Studios about the advertising campaign for the film Hot Tub Time Machine, the social-media component and the results so far.

The Film

Hot Tub Time Machine is a raucous comedy starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke about four friends who live it up one night in a ski resort hot tub and wake up in the year 1986. ThinkThe Hangover meets Back to the Future.

The film opens in March. In its promotional campaign, MGM is placing an emphasis on word-of-mouth because it is now viewed as a vital component to a film’s success these days, especially for R-rated comedies. (Hot Tub Time Machine is awaiting a final MPAA rating but I have no doubt this is going to be an R-rated picture.) The Hangover was such a huge success because of its strong word of mouth.

To that end, MGM decided to take a cue from Paranormal Activity and its Eventful collaboration. The studio is launching a bunch of free preview screenings for fans to help build word of mouth surrounding the film. Fans can go to this site and volunteer to host a screening of the film. Hosts can invite nine of their friends, and everyone gets free popcorn and soda, a free t-shirt, and reserved seating. In addition, the host gets a special introduction before the show. If you can’t host a screening in your area, you can also sign up to attend the show for free.

Preview screenings aren’t a new concept, but marketing the screenings directly to fans and creating the type of hosting incentive that Hot Tub Time Machine is doing is pretty unique.

The Execution

The preview screening campaign and engagement with social networks was born out of MGM’s marketing department. Michael Vollman, the Executive Vice President of Marketing, oversaw the campaign. Sara Bordo, who heads up Digital Marketing, was involved with the social media aspects of the project while Christine Batista, EVP of Marketing Placements and Promotions, has been overseeing the different screenings in cities across the country.

Yesterday, MGM launched the red band trailer for Hot Tub Time Machine via its website and to various movie blogs. Red band trailers contain profanity, sometimes brief nudity and more adult-content than a standard “green band” trailer. For films like Hot Tub Time Machine, these types of trailers are often popular online and can help build word of mouth. In addition to the trailer, MGM has also started spreading the word about theEventful free preview screenings.

In addition to blogs, Facebook and Twitter, a big component of MGM’s outreach campaign for Hot Tub Time Machine was via MTV’s hit reality-show Jersey Shore. During last night’s finale, spots like the commercial embedded below aired, tying together the “hot tub” connections. Justin Slobig, the VP of Theatrical Marketing, oversaw the trailer and the Jersey Shore spot.