> [!meta]- Document Info > **Author**: [[Case Studied™]] > **Full Title**: Vol 37. Paramount: Creepy Marketing FTW 💀 > **Category**: #articles > **Tags**: #marketing > **Summary**: Paramount used a creepy marketing strategy during live sports events to promote their new movie "SMILE." They sent actors with creepy smiles to MLB and NFL games, generating massive organic engagement and earning over $216 million in ticket sales. The success of the campaign highlights the importance of cost-effective, attention-grabbing marketing tactics and the power of earned media coverage in reaching a wide audience. > > **Source**: [Original URL](https://vendry.beehiiv.com/p/vol-37-paramount-creepy-marketing-ftw?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=case-studied&utm_campaign=vol-37-paramount-creepy-marketing-ftw) ## 📄 Full Document → [[Full Document Contents/Vol 37. Paramount: Creepy Marketing FTW 💀]] ## 🔦 Highlights & Commentary - “During the brainstorm, my three-year-old saw a poster with one of the stars smiling super creepily, and one day she turned to me slowly with a creepy smile. It was so chilling that I knew at that moment we had to bring that creepy smile from the film to people’s everyday lives in a way that felt personal and unexpected,” [Kupchak said](https://boardroom.tv/smile-movie-paramount-live-sports-marketing/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=case-studied&utm_campaign=vol-37-paramount-creepy-marketing-ftw). “I thought, ‘this is so scary because a smile is essentially like a global act of kindness and happiness.’” ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j313yey802jtjetzaafwr4m2)) - Note: emotional connection + cognitive dissonance - They sent actors to the games in bright neon shirts that were eye-catching to cameras. The shirts had the words, “SMILE” printed in clear, large letters. The actors smiled their best creepy smiles. And, most disturbingly, they kept those smiles the entire time they were at the games. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j3140qxprx2rxqqaamm6kk43)) - *SMILE* became the number one movie at the box office with [$30 million in ticket sales](https://shortyawards.com/15th/smile-viral-marketing?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=case-studied&utm_campaign=vol-37-paramount-creepy-marketing-ftw) opening weekend. Altogether, the film ended up grossing over $216 million in ticket sales—on a $17 million production budget. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j3142rxnr5yh08y5wf1cg7pv)) - Great marketing doesn’t need to be expensive ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j3143x31q1s5fjt4hk324n0v)) - To the point above, to make impactful marketing without spending a fortunate on a media buy for things like TV spots or billboards, you need to be able to generate earned media *(any material written about you or your business that you haven't paid for or created yourself)* coverage. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j3144985ar6vfgdrp0rw9wbn)) - Before finalizing your marketing plans, it is vital to be self-critical and ask “what would make someone share this” or “why should someone care”, especially if your success is dependent on earned media. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01j3144t177m7795f6mjapcyq7)) - Note: good north star here for Earned