A24's Big Bet on Timothée Chalamet: How a Blimp and Wheaties Became Unlikely Marketing Stunt Kings
Commuters in Southern California were treated to an unusual sight last week when an 800-foot orange blimp floated above the Queen Mary and L.A. River, drifting along the coast with a gentle sway of its foot pedals. The unlikely airborne billboard was part of A24's marketing blitz for "Marty Supreme," the indie drama starring Timothée Chalamet that hits theaters on Christmas Day.
The unconventional stunt is just one in a series of creative marketing ploys designed to generate buzz around the film, which tells the story of an aspiring ping-pong champion in post-war New York. A24 has dropped limited-edition merchandise, including a pricey windbreaker, and featured Chalamet on the cover of a Wheaties box. The studio has also orchestrated a surprise premiere at the New York Film Festival and hosted a fan event in Brazil where Chalamet danced to Soulja Boy's "Crank That" with the film's director, Josh Safdie.
While some may see these tactics as desperation, industry experts argue that they're part of a larger shift in how studios approach marketing. With audiences increasingly divided and fragmented, traditional ad campaigns are no longer enough to grab attention. Instead, A24 is relying on viral stunts and unorthodox promotions to generate conversation starters around its films.
"It's both more expensive and less effective to market a movie today than ever before," said Daniel Loria, senior vice president of the Boxoffice Company. "People's attention spans are really divided." To mitigate this challenge, studios are looking for creative ways to stand out from the crowd and build a sense of excitement around their films.
A24 is taking this approach to an extreme with its marketing for "Marty Supreme," which has already generated significant buzz on social media and among fans. While it's impossible to predict whether these tactics will translate into box office success, they're certainly helping to keep the conversation going about the film, even after Chalamet's Golden Globe nomination.
The blimp, however, is headed home to Nashville, its journey complete. But for A24, this unusual marketing stunt has marked just one chapter in a long history of innovative promotions designed to lure audiences back to theaters. As studios continue to experiment with new and unconventional tactics, it's clear that the showmanship aspect of movie promotion will always be an essential part of the game.
Commuters in Southern California were treated to an unusual sight last week when an 800-foot orange blimp floated above the Queen Mary and L.A. River, drifting along the coast with a gentle sway of its foot pedals. The unlikely airborne billboard was part of A24's marketing blitz for "Marty Supreme," the indie drama starring Timothée Chalamet that hits theaters on Christmas Day.
The unconventional stunt is just one in a series of creative marketing ploys designed to generate buzz around the film, which tells the story of an aspiring ping-pong champion in post-war New York. A24 has dropped limited-edition merchandise, including a pricey windbreaker, and featured Chalamet on the cover of a Wheaties box. The studio has also orchestrated a surprise premiere at the New York Film Festival and hosted a fan event in Brazil where Chalamet danced to Soulja Boy's "Crank That" with the film's director, Josh Safdie.
While some may see these tactics as desperation, industry experts argue that they're part of a larger shift in how studios approach marketing. With audiences increasingly divided and fragmented, traditional ad campaigns are no longer enough to grab attention. Instead, A24 is relying on viral stunts and unorthodox promotions to generate conversation starters around its films.
"It's both more expensive and less effective to market a movie today than ever before," said Daniel Loria, senior vice president of the Boxoffice Company. "People's attention spans are really divided." To mitigate this challenge, studios are looking for creative ways to stand out from the crowd and build a sense of excitement around their films.
A24 is taking this approach to an extreme with its marketing for "Marty Supreme," which has already generated significant buzz on social media and among fans. While it's impossible to predict whether these tactics will translate into box office success, they're certainly helping to keep the conversation going about the film, even after Chalamet's Golden Globe nomination.
The blimp, however, is headed home to Nashville, its journey complete. But for A24, this unusual marketing stunt has marked just one chapter in a long history of innovative promotions designed to lure audiences back to theaters. As studios continue to experiment with new and unconventional tactics, it's clear that the showmanship aspect of movie promotion will always be an essential part of the game.
, who needs subtlety when you can just throw a giant blimp in the sky? I mean, I get it, times are changing and all that jazz, but A24 is just taking it to the next level... literally. And let's be real, who wouldn't want to see Timothée Chalamet dancing to Soulja Boy on a Wheaties box? It's not like anyone's going to take this stuff seriously anyway 
. The fact that people are getting worked up over it just shows how much our attention spans have shrunk. I'm all for the creativity and willingness to take risks, but sometimes less is more, you know? 
Still, can't wait to see what other weirdness A24 comes up with next... maybe a giant inflatable ping-pong paddle floating above Times Square? 
this blimp thing was wild tho 
like u said attention spans r divided nowadays, maybe these crazy stunts r just a way 2 grab attention. but at the end of the day does it translate 2 box office sales? idk about that 
A24 is taking marketing to a whole new level with this blimp thingy. like, who needs normal ads when u can just float a giant orange balloon above the city? 
I think this approach is a great example of how studios are recognizing the importance of creating a buzz around their films, rather than relying on traditional advertising methods. The fact that Chalamet's Wheaties box and blimp promotional stunts have already generated significant buzz on social media suggests that A24's marketing efforts are paying off in terms of creating conversation starters 
However, as Daniel Loria notes, these tactics can also be seen as a gamble in terms of cost-effectiveness, especially with audiences' attention spans becoming increasingly fragmented 
Still, I believe this type of out-of-the-box thinking will continue to play a crucial role in the film industry's efforts to attract new viewers and build excitement around upcoming releases 
. But, you know what? It's actually kinda brilliant 
. I mean, we're living in a time where people's attention spans are shorter than ever 
. So, if studios wanna stand out and create some buzz around their movies, they gotta think outside the box (or blimp 
).
. And hey, it's not like it's gonna work for every movie 
. I just wish they wouldn't spend so much on the merchandise 
.
), it's great to see studios still trying to innovate and make movies exciting 
. Either way, I'm here for the entertainment 
!
. i gotta admit though, that wheaties collab with timothée is kinda genius 
But for real though, it feels like A24 is just trying to create this hype around "Marty Supreme" that's gonna die down after Christmas Day. Like, we get it, Timothée Chalamet is talented and all... but a Wheaties box? Really? 
). And I mean, Wheaties cover? That's just genius 
it's just another example of how A24 always brings their A-game when it comes to promoting their films. And can we talk about Timothée Chalamet on Wheaties? 
), I'm all for it.
. Still, if A24's willing to push the boundaries and create a fun, memorable experience for fans, I'm all for it.
, even after it's gone back to Nashville. That's the kind of marketing magic A24's got going on 
.
. That's some nostalgic stuff right there! 
and yes, I'm totally here for the viral moments on social media already! 
think about how hard it is to get people talking about movies anymore. but at the same time, i'm not sure if this kind of marketing will even make a difference at the box office