Our Ad Campaign --CLOSED THREAD

[Calandria]

Can anyone tell me how I can get a copy of Daily Variety (or where to order it)? I live in Switzerland and unfortunatelly they don't sell it here! Thanks!

[naunc0]

Apologies if someone has already mentioned this, but Draft 8 misspells Gustavo Santaolalla's (not Santoalalla) name.

If you are still considering any late changes to the text of the ad, may I suggest adding Judy Becker's name? Her production design is a huge and largely unsung part of the film's artistic success. I would have mentioned this earlier, but had been under the impression that you were going with the shorter list of names.

One suggestion also for the press release, again only if you are still looking for suggestions. I think it may be better not to mention the number of donors and the total sum raised. I think if you don't mention them, people will imagine them to be much larger; and of course, by the time the ad appears, they WILL be much larger. Also, I wonder if publicizing how much money you have could hamper you in any negotiations for additional advertisements.

Thank you for doing this. The finished ad is a thing of beauty.

[Chance]

A remarkable job. Sensational Ad and Press Release. My admiration to those who burned the midnight oil - night after night - to deliver.  Thanks. It's great being part of this response.

[peteinportland]

Could people post a reply as to who they have sent the press release to?

My last post for awhile. If any of you stay online, please repeat this info as needed. Please send out the press release to anyone you can. There will be a team later today sending out to national, big city, and gay media BUT if any are duplicated by you folks that is okay. The release really needs to get out to web outlets (gay, progressive, news, film), so all help there is appreciated. Take whatever intitative you want. Just a few things:

1. Let the contact people be our spokespersons as they have a consistent and positve message to deliver (that is two of our favorite mods by the way--Des and KM).
2. Let us know who all you send the release to, so we have some idea. Again don't worry if duplicates are sent. It will be fun watching people report back all day!
3. The link to view the ad is in the press release, so you don't have to send the ad itself.
4. Once you have a contact email for a media outlet (usually easily found on their web page) just copy and paste the press release into the body of the email you are sending. Try to make sure the top two lines are in bold and that the links are hyperlinked.
5. A copy fo the press release is in the first post on this thread at the bottom fo the post.

Any help you folks can give is greatly appreciated. Once again, go to town and send it out far and wide, especially to web outlets and to foreign press. Thanks so much to you all!

(Would someone on for awhile repost this every so often and pass on the duty when you log out? I'm going to sleep for a few hours. Thank you!)

[intervale]

At risk of annoying Ned and Pete and Dave, etc., I did have some of these exact same little thoughts as gnash posted:

(exerpts from gnash's post in GREEN)

the ad looks great guys!!!  just a few things... since you have to correct the typo, perhaps these can be considered as well:

- can you tighten the leading between thank and you? it seems a bit spaced out; the THANK is awfully close to the top of the page, and doesn't seem connected to YOU
- Then you can nudge the list of names up a tiny bit so it doesn't go to the bottom of the photo, which would also balance it with "THANK" at the top.

- the BEST PICTURE line might look better moved up just a bit (decrease leading), so it's connected to the line above, or at least centered in the space. right now, it seems more connected to the listing below than the line above.

- also, a slight decrease in font size might be nice for the "donated by" lines

- also, i suggest using a different color than bright blue -- perhaps pulling out a medium green from the photo above, so the bullet color ties in with the photograph and isn't an arbitrary color introduced into the composition.
Same thought. If you can sample a color from Jack's jacket, or at least come close to that or the greenery, it'd look great and unified.

- i'd increase the size of the logo just a bit so it isn't the same width as the two lines above. however, if you tighten the kerning in those lines, that will automatically happen.

- Is there going to be a dash or colon instead of a comma before "Jack and Ennis"?  Doesn't matter too much, but I remembered that change, it seemed good.

- I liked when "...an unprecedented consensus" was in bold, it drove the point home and made sure people got that far! But whatever looks best to you.

(BTW: I believe it's proper as is, to use both "&" and "and" in the same sentence at the top, because it sets "cast & crew" apart as one grouping, which is normal usage.)

[Rob.]

Ned is still working on the ad.

The folks at Variety got a sneek peek of an almost finished ad and really loved it. They have also given us great placement on a right page. Very nice.

  OK - posting this blind - still 30+ pages behind - but if Variety is being this helpful - we should definately be mentioning this somewhere (even though it may not sound correct).  I think it's always a good idea to give Kudos when they're deserved!

  Rob

[intervale]

Pete,

Does it matter that the ad in the link isn't exactly the final (with at very least that one typo being corrected)?

Good night!!!!!  Deserved!

[Viking]

A big thanks to all of you who worked their backsides off pulling this rabbit out of a hat. This is as close to magic as the real world gets. I'm looking forward to Friday's edition of Variety.

Talk about getting inspired by a film -- and so deeply too -- and so many of us. What are we to make of all this?

From Proulx's great short story in the New Yorker back in '97 to the emergence of Lee's cinematic masterpiece last August through the endless put downs, jokes and slights, to the accolades and awards culminating in the travesty last Sunday at the Oscars. And now this. What a journey we've taken. I'm sure many of us started it alone but we're not alone anymore, are we?

In the past we would have retreated quietly. Now, thanks to the Web and the courage we've taken from all those involved in Brokeback Mountain we're not conceding one inch. We're all over the place and we're taking a stand -- from Beijing to New Delhi from London to New York from Sydney to Toronto and everywhere else that we live.

There are probably hundreds of millions of us on this spinning rock and this is a seminal moment in our history. This film is our film and it's making us more aware of each other. It's caught our collective imagination, it's the truest reflection of us ever put on the silver screen.

Whether the Academy cares to acknowledge it or not Brokeback Mountain isn't just a masterpiece it's a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Just look at how it's bringing us together and uniting us. Think about what's happening here.

[CellarDweller115]

Thanks so much for all the supportive PMs and emails. I can't possibly respond to them all now, but I have read them.

And I apologize that I stopped sending thank you emails to contributors after about 150. Can't keep up.

d

Dave, please.  With everything you are doing now, the last thing we expect is a personal "Thank You". 

Keep your attention to where it needs to be, and finish what you started.  We know you appreciate our support.   

[Pug]

ok i am stupid what is a hoi polai?

hoi poloi are the common folk

[pvjohn]

Damn Viking...well said. You know it does feel good to take a stand with some damn fine people. I called this a beautiful example of a nuclear family in an ealier post. Who would have thunk a movie could do all this? But you are right, people can see into our ever lonin hearts now for sure. And for Ennis-we could not stand it so we are fixing it!

[KathyinBama]

It is absolutely wonderful.  I appreciate all the effort that went into this!

[Vicky0uk]

Hurrah

I go to bed and it looks good, I get up and it looks even better!!!!

Great job everyone

[jonas]

A big thanks to all of you who worked their backsides off pulling this rabbit out of a hat. This is as close to magic as the real world gets. I'm looking forward to Friday's edition of Variety.

Talk about getting inspired by a film -- and so deeply too -- and so many of us. What are we to make of all this?

From Proulx's great short story in the New Yorker back in '97 to the emergence of Lee's cinematic masterpiece last August through the endless put downs, jokes and slights, to the accolades and awards culminating in the travesty last Sunday at the Oscars. And now this. What a journey we've taken. I'm sure many of us started it alone but we're not alone anymore, are we?

In the past we would have retreated quietly. Now, thanks to the Web and the courage we've taken from all those involved in Brokeback Mountain we're not conceding one inch. We're all over the place and we're taking a stand -- from Beijing to New Delhi from London to New York from Sydney to Toronto and everywhere else that we live.

There are probably hundreds of millions of us on this spinning rock and this is a seminal moment in our history. This film is our film and it's making us more aware of each other. It's caught our collective imagination, it's the truest reflection of us ever put on the silver screen.

Whether the Academy cares to acknowledge it or not Brokeback Mountain isn't just a masterpiece it's a bona fide cultural phenomenon. Just look at how it's bringing us together and uniting us. Think about what's happening here.

Absolutely, I couldn´t agree more. I´d like to add, or better yet, confirm that BBM is not only an american phenomenon. What we all read, experience and share here is happening also in other countries all over the world, so, be sure that this is not just an "american" issue.

I dare to say, it´s a "human" phenomenon because it´s touching lives all over this planet. And that´s what´s so meaningful about this movie, it´s a truly universal message (even though the "universal" thing has been criticized as a way of masking the gay story and make it more "palatable" for wider audiences).  So, the universality of the movie´s message is what makes it capable of transcending cultural, racial and language differences.

[Chris Warren]

I'm so glad that I was able to contribute towards the AD, and that it turned out so great.  Maybe the awards "loss" is really a blessing in disguise?  Without it we wouldn't have had the opportunity to come together and make this stand?  I feel so honoured to be a part of this amazing BBM community, the fact that we came together like this in such a constructive way, and with such dignity.  Now all I have to do is try to get a copy sent down here to Australia - I don't know if Variety is distributed here with the ADs in tact?  Lot's of love, Chris.