Hopscotch Marketers Get Viral

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday April 28, 2005

Paul McIntyre

Hopscotch Films, the distributor behind subversive flicks such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and Bowling for Columbine, knew it had a problem with a film which debuted in Australia two weeks ago.

Madonna and Michael Keaton might have praised it but based on the US experience, journalists would pan the independently funded What The Bleep Do We Know?, a hybrid documentary-style film about quantum physics and how it was forcing scientists to contemplate spirituality.

Using traditional marketing techniques to promote a complex film was not an option so Hopscotch turned to viral networks which would mobilise a mob known as the "cultural creatives" - at the top of the tree was an organisation called the SLAM Network (Spirituality, Leadership and Management).

Hopscotch figured SLAM would quickly spread the word to its target audience and it was right. Cultural creatives were labelled about five years ago by social researchers Paul Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson. They say that since the 1960s about 50 million North Americans have radically altered their attitudes toward consumption, ecology, work, politics and religion.

They demand corporate authenticity; they understand the problems around the world and want more action; they're concerned about the environment and would pay more taxes to improve it; and they're unhappy with the political left and right.

Hopscotch's punt on creative types has so far paid off. Since opening two weeks ago, the average screen takings for What The Bleep Do We Know? have outgunned Hollywood releases such as The Interpreter.

Hopscotch now estimates the film will top $1 million in takings in Australia. It has grossed $12 million worldwide so far.