Attack of the 'Monster' Marketing Ploys

There couldn’t be a more apt description for the resurrected 3D movie fad, and accompanying marketing campaign than: “In your face.” DreamWorks is making sure everywhere you turn there’s an advertisement for their latest multi-million budget movie, “Monsters vs. Aliens,” so you won’t forget to make the family trip to the Cineplex to help pay for this Technicolor ambush.

The ATM and your e-mail’s in-box are two of the latest tactical moves the creative movie studios’ will use to raid your wallet.

If your account is at Bank of America, or you gave American Eagle your e-mail address, you’ll be subject to the colorful advertisements for the 3D monster movie. However, B of A will reward you for visiting the ATM. The promo at B of A ATMs directs you to go home, log on, and follow the prompts you got at the money machine to get an upgrade from a 2D movie ticket to a 3D -- about a $3 savings on each ticket, which, in most places, is the difference in the cost of admission between the ‘D’ and regular movie presentations.

For me, this is well worth the extra time and effort for a family of four -- with an approximate savings of $12. Now we can also afford a bucket of popcorn, or invite one of the kid’s friends to go along since the fifth ticket would essentially be free.

This ATM ad-target was a straight shot to the pocketbook, and not a bad deal in these belt-cinching times.

Clicking through the American Eagle e-mail-movie-ad path, on the other hand, was a dead end. AE used the direct-hit approach, and sent a surprise attack through my in-box using the web address I gave the company to receive mail related to their clothing line and other promos.

After going through the point-and-click motions on the e-correspondence, I ended up at the AMC Theaters’ site, and the only offer I found there was for full priced tickets: $11 for and adult plus $3 for “Digital 3D Presentations.”

But before I could get to the admission cost and movie times, I had to go through a registration process at this site. An additional two minutes spent looking for the ‘pot o’ gold’ which never materialized.

Yes, I’m whining because I was expecting to get something for my effort. After all, I am part of the instant-gratification generation, and living through this historical economic crisis, too. I was sure my quest for a coupon code or similar discount to have my family march into the 3D theater was only one more click away.

Nope, no promo for you!

The bold, in-your-face plugs for the beastly reel may have worked for some. For me, at the very least, an offer for a free bucket of popcorn for my time would have kept me from going back to the AE e-mail ad, and hitting the “opt-out of these e-mails” link in retaliation for wasting my time.

Warning to those privacy invaders: Try to be a straight-shooter next time!