Many films live and die by the marketing campaign that precedes it. If trailers fail to reach the eyes of the movie’s key demographics, then no one will even know it is in theaters, let alone go to see it. That is why viral marketing has become a symbol of effective branding in modern film. Should a marketing activation stir online chatter, it will turn into free advertising that will reach more eyes than any trailer could do, and the discussion will solidify the connection in the audience’s mind. This is where the 2022 horror film, “Smile”, has excelled.

“Smile” is a paranormal horror movie centering around a spirit that will appear to its victim as a terrifying grin across the face of any individual it wants to possess. It creates a paranoia in the audience as they re-contextualize their environment and begin to second-guess everyday expressions.

So what’s better than sitting down to watch a baseball game and seeing a looming figure behind home plate with a sinister grin stretched across their face? That’s what producers of the movie did, as they bought out seats behind home plate of broadcasted games and filled them with actors who would stare menacingly into the camera. Each wore a shirt advertising the movie and generated buzz across social media as attentive viewers would notice the anomaly. It makes you wonder where else you may see an unsuspecting figure out of place, smiling. 🙂