Film ad flyer gets all atwitter
The pre-release ad campaign for the new South African horror movie, Night Drive, caused newspaper headlines, multiple twitters and even comments from the Health Department. Handed out at two major intersections in Johannesburg yesterday, Thursday, 24 February 2011, the flyers advertised a 'buyer' of rhino and human body parts and organs, offering up to R5000 for eyes.
"With poaching in the headlines on an almost daily basis, the film is very topical," says director and scriptwriter Justin Head.
"This campaign was to raise awareness around the very real issue of animal and human being body part poaching in anticipation of the launch of the film," added Helen Kuun, MD of Indigenous Film Distribution, the local distributor.
Less than 1600 flyers to motorists has produced more publicity than many of its competitor's large budget campaigns.
Update 11.06am: Creative agency 1984 issued a statement on Friday morning 25 February, stating that it "is aware of the media coverage surrounding a campaign produced on behalf of Indigenous Film Distribution for promotion of the film 'Night Drive'. While the motivation behind this campaign was honourable, 1984 acknowledges that this was in bad taste and apologises unreservedly. The intention was never to mislead the public or media."
