Viral goes further into the mainstream

http://www.adrants.com/2005/08/blowing-smoke-movie-promoted-and.php
Hollywood blockbusters are usually backed by the promotional budgets of the studios. I picked this article up from adrants (great site) that highlights how a film producer Kamal Aboukhater is promoting his new film "Blowing Smoke" through the blogosphere.
Whether this is as suggested a move away from the frustrations of leaving the promotion to the studios or a genuine strategic decision to use the "new" media for marcomms remains unknown. The results of this campaign will be very interesting especially as recent research published in Nature indicates that word of mouth from the first watchers of a film is a key ingredient in its box office success. The crucial thing is getting the early bums on seats. Whether the potentially narrower media placement with the latent potential for global spread can do this remains to be seen.