For this class project, I was tasked with creating a 3-month cryptic marketing campaign for the 2008 rock opera movie, Repo! The Genetic Opera. The film portrays a dystopian future where an epidemic organ failure event has caused 99% of the population to perish. The remaining population is offered a chance at life through GeneCo, a company that offers organ replacement financing. However, if customers fail to make payments, GeneCo sends a repo man to repossess their property.
To effectively market this film, I designed various posters that were cryptic and intriguing, featuring subtle hints and imagery related to the movie's themes. Additionally, I created a website mockup that utilized eerie colours and subject matter, with interactive elements that allowed visitors to explore the film's world and learn more about its plot.
The overall goal of the marketing campaign was to create a sense of intrigue and mystery, enticing viewers to learn more about the movie and its unique storyline. By utilizing cryptic marketing tactics, the campaign successfully captures the attention of potential viewers.
Software used: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop
The initial series of posters that I designed for the Repo! The Genetic Opera marketing campaign was intended to be displayed side by side. The posters featured the company logo and cryptic lines from the film that advertised organs for sale. To add to the intrigue, I included a QR code on each poster, directing viewers to the campaign website.
By deliberately withholding information and using unusual quotes from the movie, the posters were intended to pique the viewer's curiosity and make them want to learn more.
For the second series of posters in the marketing campaign, I designed them to look like concert advertisements. Once again, the posters prominently feature the GeneCo logo and QR code, tying them to the previous series of posters.
To create depth and visual interest, I used two different colour formats for the posters, and they were designed to be displayed as wild postings on the sides of buildings in popular walkways in a downtown area. The visually appealing posters are intended to grab the viewer's attention and draw them in to learn more about the film and its dystopian world.
By mimicking the style of concert posters, the second series of posters suggest that the film has a strong musical component, which is accurate as Repo! The Genetic Opera is a rock opera. This strategy is another example of how the marketing campaign sought to generate interest in the film by hinting at its unique and unusual characteristics.
The final ad in the marketing campaign reveals that the previous posters were actually advertising a movie. The ad features the same QR code and GeneCo logo as the previous posters, creating a sense of continuity and tying all the campaign elements together.
In contrast to the previous posters, the final ad explicitly states that it is advertising a movie. Using the slogan "financed organs are subject to all legal default remedies including repossession" further ties the concept together as it appears in the footer of the website mockups. This clear messaging helps communicate the film's nature and builds anticipation for its release.
To further reinforce the sense of unity across the campaign, I used consistent colours and typography across all the posters.
A series of website mockups were created to support the cryptic marketing campaign. The initial pages intentionally offered no clear indication of what was being advertised until the final poster was released. At that point, the website would direct customers to a page where they could purchase tickets for the film. The website also collected contact information from visitors who agreed to receive communication from GeneCo, allowing for further marketing opportunities.
The website design was kept simple, with a layout and colour scheme consistent with the posters to maintain brand unity. The site's primary function was to engage customers and further their curiosity, drive ticket sales, and collect lead information.
