Over the weekend, a new thriller was released by Sony Pictures, Screen Gems by the name of "Prom Night". Though I haven't seen it, previews have led me to believe that it depicts one fictional school's night at the prom, which turns into a horrible nightmare. Though the plot sounds lame and predictable - I bet something terrible happens to the prom queen! - I do think their latest marketing tactic is original.

This website describes a stunt put into effect in 120 theaters across the country on the opening night of the movie. Sony Pictures, Screen Gems recruited theater employees at each location to assist them with their plan. They set up "Prom Night" cardboard standees, the kind that most movies use as a marketing tool, but took it a step further. They created the stand to look like the entrance to a prom, complete with swinging doors which peaked the curiosity of viewers wondering what was being hidden. This hilarious YouTube video shows not only the role each employee played in this whole marketing - namely jumping out from behind the "doors" and screaming - but the reaction of those who stepped too close.

I am extremely impressed with this original marketing idea. Interactive advertising is so successful, I'm surprised that another company has not thought to incorporate it into movie theaters. The closest I have seen to something like this is a cardboard standee for "Maid of Honor" which featured heart-throb Patrick Dempsey and a bride whose face was cut out, encouraging people to snap a photo of themselves "marrying Patrick". (I'm 100% guilty of owning this picture.) Advertisements that interact with audiences, no matter where or how, catch attention and encourage positive word-of-mouth "buzz". I'm certain that if someone had jumped out at me, it would have been on my mind for the rest of the night, and I'm sure that's exactly what Sony had hoped for. Their president was quoted saying, “We want people to come away thinking that ‘Prom Night’ is going to be a good, scary movie." I think they were very successful.