At the 2008 iMedia Entertainment Marketing Summit, Basement competed in
a Creative Shootout.
The challenge: Create a social media focused online campaign for a fictional
situation involving the movie Casablanca.
The situation: Imagine the original prints for Casablanca were lost right after it
won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1943. Then, in 2008, the original
prints were found in the archives at Warner Bros. The restored movie will be
launched Valentine’s Day weekend, 2009.
Judges:
Don Buckley, SVP, interactive marketing, Warner Bros.
Dwight Caines, EVP, Worldwide digital marketing strategy, Columbia TriStar
Marketing Group;
Hilary Hattenbach, VP, digital marketing, Twentieth Century Fox;
Doug Neil, SVP, digital marketing, Universal Pictures;
Amy Powell, SVP, interactive marketing, Paramount Pictures
This is the winning campaign we developed.

Outline
Strategic Assessment
• Product
• Competitive Landscape
• Target Audience
Creative Development
• Influentials Blog
• User-Generated “Personals Ad” Campaign
• Website Design
• Valentine’s Day “Romance Generator”
• Online Dating site campaign
• Social Network Profile Image contest
• Red Carpet Interviews video
• Personalized Movie Poster photobooth
• Social Media Ringtone Distribution

Two different stories to tell
Casablanca
Casablanca
The Movie!
Found!
The story in the movie
The story about the movie
Campaign Goal: Drive ticket sales

Storyline 1: Casablanca: The Movie
Various Themes
• Romance
• Mystery
• War
Ultimately, a story about love,
and the sacrifices people make for it.

\"Sacrifice\" theme exemplified by Rick’s
character development
Lazlo, you take the tickets, and the
woman I love. I'll stay here and face
I stick my neck out for nobody
the enemy.

Storyline 2: Casablanca: Found!
Many people interested in this film
regardless of the subject
• Academy Award winner the day it
opens.
• Mystery of the “Lost Prints”
• Great example of WWII era movie
making
• Iconic vintage fashion throughout
Where there’s News,
there’s Conversation.

Join The Conversation
Connect with influential
communities based on
individual drivers
Key Influentials:
• Critics
• Classic Film Lovers
Benefits
• Increased search engine
rankings
• Generate early buzz

Primary Target Segments & Interests
Rational Emotional
Drivers Drivers
Influentials
Classic Film Lovers Knowledge
Discovery
College Students In the know
Critics Knowledge
Broad Target
Couples 25-54
Gays 25-54
Singles 25-54
Shared Activity
Love & Connection
Shared Experience
Meet Someone

Strategic Positions
Discovery News based on found prints
A romance movie with guts
Love & Connection

Tactical Overview

Timeline of Activities
8 different tactics covering all target audiences

Discovery
News based on found prints

Document The Restoration Process
Immediate social
marketing effort
Documentary feel
Warner Bros. voice
Content
• Restoration
• Production
• Fashion
• Conspiracy
• Cast & Crew
Electronic Press Kit included

Influential Outreach
• Provide interesting
content ideas and
assets for influentials
• Outreach for industry,
film restoration,
historical, and
conspiracy
conversations
• Extends throughout
duration of movie run

Love & Connection
A Romance Movie With Guts

Making Big Sacrifices For Love
Shared by 3 main characters in the movie
Love requires sacrifice. As true today as when Casablanca was
made.

Connecting “Sacrifice” theme with the movie-going audience
Ask people ...

Contest: Who can write the best personal ad
declaring what they'd do for love?

How it works
• Entries posted to site
• 'Vote' button for all entries
• Top 10 vote getters are finalists
• Winner selected by celebrity couple like
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
• Winner announced on opening night in
theaters via ScreenVision
• Prize: A free romantic vacation for 2

\"Vote for me\" widget
• Helps them acquire
votes
• Promotes social media
reach

Campaign Overview
• Direct tie to storyline of movie
• Database building with each entry
• Broad reach and appeal
• Celebrity-selected winner

Movie Website

Website

Content
• Trailers
• Plot Synopsis
• Cast and Crew Photos
• Date Planner
• Blog
• Links to Pages on Contests
• Facebook Photos
• Singles Night
• Photobooth Gallery
• Influential interviews from the
night of the screening
• EPK
Site will be optimized for all key
search terms.

Valentine's Day Promotion
Leverage romance link to drive advance ticket sales

Valentine's Day 'Hint' Tool
The perfect Valentine’s Day starts with an Email nudge, from her
to him.

He’s then directed to the
Google Maps Mashup V-Day Planner
Convenient one-stop-shop for
• Theaters and showtimes
• Nearby bars
• Romantic restaurants
• Flower shops

Campaign Flow
The Romance Generator.
It takes a woman's idea, and transforms it into a man's idea.

Matchmaker Promotion

Help Singles Connect On Valentine's Day
• Promotion on
Match.com and
eHarmony
• Members can see
who's going in their
area, and join
• Sponsorship with
gin distributor
• Mobile coupon for
free drink

Partnership with Dating Sites
• Select theater hosts evening
• Gin drink sponsorship:
Hosted bar aggregates
members
• Mobile reminder of event
• Free drinks, No plans, Why
not
Estimated Reach: 1.5 Million

Social Networks Profile Photo Contest

Change this ... ... to this.
Changing profile image to Casablanca enters you into a
drawing for 2 free tickets to the premiere.

Leverage Movie Groups
• Casablanca fan page
- Contest details
• Additional film info
• Movie character
images for profile
photo use

Reappearing Images
Casablanca characters popping up across social networks
When someone asks, the participant is in the know.

The Premiere

Red Carpet Interviews
Premiere happens in advance of
the opening
A-List attendance
Ask, \"What would you do for love?\"
• Compilation of their responses
posted to video sites

Opening And Beyond

Build and Continuation

Casablanca Movie Poster Photo Booth

Casablanca Movie Poster Photo Booth
Put yourself in a Casablanca movie poster
• Photo Booth at select
theaters
• Places your face into
Casablanca movie poster

It starts with the
movie poster.

Then places their photo into the poster.

Drives To Social Networks
• Users get URL instead of
prints
• Photos posted to Flickr and
Facebook for retrieval
• Social environment promotes
circulation: Easy place to
download, tag and share.
• Generates awareness post
opening weekend

Movie Dialogue Ringtones

Mobile Is Viral Hot Button
• Easy to share and
forward
• Tight connection to
user; always with
them, frequently
played
• Casablanca has
iconic, highly-
memorable dialog

Movie Dialogue Ringtones
Distribute to early-adopting fans to spread the word audibly
via mobile

Campaign Overview

\"Louis, I think this is the beginning
of a beautiful campaign.\"