On the northeast corner of Park Ave and 23rd Street, a massive advertisement for the new Batman film is being painted. It’s an event that’s been unfolding over the last few weeks at the speed of slow food. And therein lies the genius – the film is advertised by the creation of its advertisement. This media buy could have been easily achieved by unfurling a banner one morning, though days later that space would be just another part of our city’s commercial tapestry. But instead of being static, the painting’s progression is a daily reminder to passerby that The Dark Knight soon comes to Gotham.
This meta-act of an advertisement’s creation being part of the ad has been done by Sony with both success (Balls) and a thud (Foam). But so far this billboard has only an air of paint-by-numbers calm. Too calm? Given this film’s brilliant ARG themed marketing campaign, will there be some disruptive activity toward the end of this painting? Have we Gothamites been lulled to sleep, prey in the hands of a Joker?
