It (2017)
Simple red balloons create a viral sensation
In 2017, a series a red balloons appeared from nowhere tied to roadside grates. Was it a kids party? A celebration of some sort? Nope, these balloons had a much more sinister story. They were ingeniously placed to promote the upcoming big screen adaptation of Stephen King’s It.
It tells the story of a devilish clown that lures children into the sewers with red balloons. Those in the know realised fast that this was no party decoration, but an effectively simple marketing campaign to generate clever buzz for the movie. And it worked a treat.
Images of the single red balloons flooded social media. As more and more of them appeared, the news media also got involved and provided the film all-important free promotion.
The campaign helped It become a smash. Raking in over $700 million at the box office. Not bad for a few cheap balloons.
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