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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2015-11-11, Page 5Wednesday, November 11, 2015 • Huron Expositor 5 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com Hype -marketing and the un -importance of new ideas Go back and watch a couple movie trail- ers from the 1970s. Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Taxi Driver or the Network. The format of a movie trailer in cinema's adoles- cent years was drastically different than what you see today. Trailers tried to give you an idea of what you were in for when you went to the theater. It was meant to sell the movie, but not be showing one second long clips out of context, but by giving you an overview of the experience. This is the exact opposite of the new age of trailers. With Star Wars: The Force Awakens barely more than a month away, the Internet hype has hit an all-time high. This is largely due to the two teaser trailers released months ago, and the recent full-length version. It's no surprise why, the new trailer is perfectly designed for the Internet generation. It's not an overview of the plot, intro Column Matt Recker to the characters or a taste of the tone of the flick, it's the absolute bare mini- mum of content designed to generate hype among fans. Hype marketing is the perfect tool to sell a product like Star Wars to the YouTube generation and it's going to make the new movie the biggest grossing film of all time. The basis of this strategy is to selectively show a few iconic images that give the audience a nostalgic feeling. In the trailer we see the Mil- lennium Falcon, X -Wing fighters, red and blue light sabers, Tattooine, R2D2 and other visuals that stir up warm memories ofwatching the original trilogy. For younger kids, they may not have these memories but they know all of these icons from popular culture. Then, once everyone has these romanticized notions of the classic films on their mind, the audience does the mar- keting for the film. They take to YouTube and post "reac- tion videos" of themselves watching the trailer and look- ing ooking shocked and crying when Harrison Ford is on the screen for two seconds. They change their Facebook pic- tures to production stills of the new characters and com- ment, "I can't wait for the new Star Wars movie, it's going to be EPIC!" T-shirt sales go through the roof, Star Wars themed iPhone cases fly off the shelves, action fig- ures of characters we haven't even seen yet are bought, everything with the Star Wars logo on it becomes a little billboard for the brand. Dis- ney has successfully whipped people into a frenzy of paying to promote their product. It's absolutely genius. The fact that the trailer doesn't give you ahint ofwhat the movie is about is irrelevant They're not selling a plot, they're selling a feeling. Nostal- gia is a powerful selling tool and people are more likely to buy something if it reminds them of their childhood and makes them feel like kids again, when life was simpler and more fun. It's no coinci- dence that almost all the main cast of the original Star Wars is returning and their wardrobes haven't changed in 30 years. JJ Abrams and Disney aren't stupid. They know what works and what doesn't. The Force Awak- ens trailer is similar to the massively successful trailer for The Phantom Menace in it's format but not it's content. The Phan- tom Menace trailer showed images of the movie in the same style but it was all new images, new characters and set- tings that made you intrigued to see what eve- rything meant. There was almost no hint of nostalgia in it, but what sells in 1999 doesn't sell today. Kids don't want to see what's new and original, they want what's safe and famil- iar. It's the reason Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed can release a slightly dif- ferent version of the same game every year and make a fortune. This hype culture isn't going away, in fact after The Force Awakens it's probably going to get worse. In an age when every person with a YouTube account is a "con- tent creator" and potential viral marketer studios have an easier time selling their products. If it has a logo on it that people recognize it'll sell, especially when Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are buzzing with it. Personally I don't care about The Mil- lennium Falcon or the return of Luke Skywalker, I want a good story with interesting characters. Is that too much to ask? IN THE YEARS AGONE Nov. 11,1938 ■ When an Owen Sound truck driver com- menced making trouble in a Seaforth restaurant Saturday night, he soon found himself on the street and in the arms of Chief Snell. He later pleaded guilty to a drunk charge and paid a fine of$10. • At the opening of the service in the First Pres- byterian on Sunday morning, Rev. Hugh Hack presented Mr. Douglas Stewart with a handsomely bound Bible from the congre- gation to enter training for the ministry. • Passengers in a light coupe had a narrow escape from serious injuryWednesday even- ingwhen their car came in collision with another car driven by Wilson Lit- tle. In the coupe were John Arnold, his sister, and father, all of whom suffered some injuries. The Arnold car rolled over on its side on the road, missing a 15 -foot ditch. Th e Little car was swung around and was smashed considerably about the front. ■ Mrs. J.C. Laidlawquietly observed her 89th birth- day at her home on Goderich St. on Mon- day. Her many friends will join the Expositor in wishing her many happy returns. Nov 15,1962 • Seaforth police made an arrest this week in con- nection with a series of forgeries. Investigation is continuing according to Chief Hutchison. A man is alleged to have cashed three cheques made out to himself and bearing the signatures of Sam Scott. Each cheque was made out for $50 each and were cashed at Sills' Hardware, Savauge Jewellry, and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. • Chiselhurst United Women had a very suc- cessful bazaar, bake sale and tea in the church schools rooms Th urs - day afternoon. Th e group made $140. • Murray Moir, 7, formerly of Hensall is in Strathroy General Hospital with serious burns to his leg from the ankle to the knee. Murray was returning home with two other boys when they stopped to play around the flourmill. Either the boy fell or was pushed into the inciner- ator and his pant leg caught fire. A couple stopped to help him and to take him to the hospital. • A few friends and neighbours of McKillop held a surprise party at the home of Mrs. Rus- sell Barrows on Mon- day evening. Mrs. Bar- rows lived on the 13th concession of McKillop until taking up resi- dence on Market Street, Seaforth. Nov 9,1988 • At just 39, Don Smith brings a vast back- ground in the medical field, as he takes over as Seaforth Community Hospital's new Chief Executive Offi cer. Smith, from Vancouver, replaced Gord McKen- zie who resigned from the position earlier this year. Smith has spent all but one summer since his 16th birthday work- ing in healthcare. • Ray Anstett is the new owner of Main Street's Seaforth Jewellers. Ken Lingelbach, the former proprietor, sold the business after running it for 20 years. In 1968, Mr. Lingelbach came to SeaforthfromAyrwhere he had owned and operated a business for 21 years, and purchased what was then called Savauge Jewelers. ■ Few Seaforth residents turn up for an allcandi- dates meeting at the Seaforth District Com- munity Centre. Each of the 11 candidates had fi ve minutes for a presentation. A ques- tion period that fol- lowed was brief, with questions offered seeming to end awk- ward silence more than anything else. ■ Image Cleaning Ser- vices opens in Hensall, creating 14 new jobs. The opening is an expansion of its dry cleaning operation. Hensall reeve Jim Rob- inson said he is ecstatic about the news due to new jobs. Hensall is centrally located to facilitate transportation to and from customers across Lambton, Huron, Perth and parts of Middlesex. Because. you love your life. MedicAlert®.The bracelet with an emergency hotline linked to your medical record. Call 1-866-734-9423 or visit wwwmedicalert.ca 1 w MedicAlerr Lets You Live Life. HAVE AN OPINION? The Huron Expositor welcomes letters to the editor. They must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for information clarification. It is important to note, letters will not be printed without the author's name attached. All letters are subject to editing due to possible space restriction. Letters can be dropped off at the office, mailed or emailed: The Huron Expositor 8 Main St. P.O. Box 69 Seaforth, ON NOK 1WO Shaun.Gregory@sunmedia.ca www.seaforthhu ro nexpositor. co m