Recently, Special Ops Media worked with the Knopf Doubleday Group in order to engage an online audience for the upcoming release of the new Dan Brown book The Lost Symbol. Implementing various online outlets, such as social media, viral applications, games and a microsite, the overall strategy was to utilize the web in a way that recreated the mystery of reading the book itself. To such an end, Twitter and Facebook updates are made on a regular basis to keep consumers following clues in an online hunt, and the website releases new symbols as well.

The campaign has been such a success, that The New York Times has included us at the top of an article about the whole campaign, and the way that publishing companies are working within the online space.

Check out The New York Times article here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/books/08brown.html?_r=2

Visit the microsite to join the Facebook or Twitter pages, or play the game here:
http://www.thelostsymbol.com/

This week, Special Ops Media officially launched the Boy Scouts iPhone application. Initially, the iPhone app is a ‘handy’ conversion of the Boy Scouts Handbook into digital format, so that scout leaders as well as scouts themselves have a readily available source for their information in an easily searchable format. This first round includes text as well as imagery, and more functionality will be added on a regular basis.

Check it out here on the Apple Store: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewArtist?id=327240448

Special Ops Media recently partnered with long-time client Lionsgate Entertainment to launch a unique and fun online concept for a beloved brand. A nostalgic brand such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles deserves a fun application to bring it to the web. In order to drive awareness for the season 7 release on DVD, Special Ops designed and developed a soundboard widget, featuring many of the great memorable phrases like Cowabunga and Turtle Power as well as many others from all of the cast of characters.

Check it out here: http://www.lionsgate.com/tmnt/

In such works as “Less Than Zero” and “American Psycho” Brett Easton Ellis brilliantly dissects contemporary American society, a culture in which too much is never enough. Special Ops has had the unique opportunity to bring Ellis’s acclaimed book turned movie The Informers to the online medium, in partnership with Senator Distribution.

“Capturing a quintessential Bret Easton Ellis narrative in online form is no small task,” says SOM Art Director, Richard Bloom. “Creating a user experience which showcases galleries of video, cast profiles, latest showbiz buzz, and even new strategies like social networks, all must be faithfully represented, and as engaging as the creator’s work itself”.

With creation of the official film website, video based rich media, and an embeddable widget, our retro themed campaign created an savvy solution which both brought exclusive content to entertainment audiences, while effectively promoting the nostalgia and star power of the film.

Check out the site: www.theinformers.com

The Proximo Spirits creative team recently launched a new brand site for 1800 Tequila, featuring the aesthetic developed for the Essential Artists campaign launched last August. The 1800 Tequila site, along with all of the sites we have developed for Proximo, features a store locator built using sales data from Proximo and the Google Maps API. The locator allows users to find stores or bars carrying the 1800 product portfolio for their drinking enjoyment.

Check it out: www.1800tequila.com

The West Coast Media Representative will be the primary LA contact for a major motion picture studio client, with the primary goal of serving as a strategic liaison for the client. Central responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, coordinating senior level publisher and technology meetings for the client, facilitating relationships with West Coast publisher sales representatives, and attending West Coast industry events as needed. As such, the appropriate candidate will have strong connections with West Coast publishers, strong interpersonal skills, a robust understanding of emerging technologies and new websites and their relevance to interactive marketing in the theatrical space, and a drive to establish relationships and partnerships that will further support the client as a thought leader in the space. Secondary responsibilities will include working with the existing NY-based account and media teams as needed, as well as fostering a relationship with the studio’s parent company.

Responsibilities:
• Coordinate senior level publisher lunches, dinners and meetings
• Establish a Los Angeles presence as the AOR of the client and foster/groom the relationships with Los Angeles based sales representatives
• Cover West Coast industry events such as Upfront Presentations, Launch Parties, Conferences, Conventions and more - attending with the client as needed or providing comprehensive reports on learnings
• Ensure client is well represented within the Industry, and ensuring client is the first on the list for beta opportunities
• Maintain/manage client relationship
• Properly communicate and ensure seamless integration of  plan objectives with the east coast team
• Contribute to plan negotiations with West Coast publishers on a case-by-case basis

Qualifications:
• Prior experience (4-5 years) in media, marketing or strategic planning
• Experience in online marketing (with an emphasis in digital media) and current knowledge of trends and innovations in interactive media, with strong contacts in the field
• Proven leadership skills and management experience
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills
• Detail-oriented with strong attention to follow-through
• Prior experience in online film marketing preferred

All interested candidates should contact Rachel Guthermann: rachel@specialopsmedia.com

Well, according to IMdB and Cinematical we made internet history when we suggested to Lionsgate that they premiere their new art from Crank 2 on their Twitter page. Not only has the idea gotten great press, but the viral spread has been phenomenal.

Check out the article on IMdB: http://www.imdb.com/news/ni0715044/

Currently, we are featuring the ‘What’s Your O-Face?’ Interactive site where users can upload and share their best O-Faces for a chance to be featured in a print ad for Three Olives Vodka. The Proximo Spirits team also built the O-Face site.

Also, the Proximo Spirits creative team recently completed a full redesign of the Three Olives web site. The new site features a prominent integration with the Official Three Olives Vodka Facebook page, a cornerstone of our CRM effort. The brand site has been built to easily feature new interactive campaigns for the brand as well.

Give us your O-Face: http://www.threeolives.com/o-face/

Check out the site: http://www.proximospirits.com/

SOM is running a contest with Bloody-Disgusting.com for Overture’s theatrical release of The Crazies on Twitter to win a trip to the set of the film, which is currently filming in Georgia. And with all the attention the page is getting, FearNet.com named The Crazies Twitter page one of the Top 5 Genre Twitter Pages here:
http://www.fearnet.com/news/b15065_top_5_genre_celebs_tweet_ing_on_twitter.html

Check out the The Crazies Twitter page here:
http://twitter.com/TheCraziesFilm

Special Ops recently partnered with IDP Films in order to create awareness for a compelling documentary called Brothers At War. The premise of the film is that two brothers go to war, and their third brother follows to find out why and captures a beautiful and poignant documentary. In order to raise awareness of such a touching film to the right audience, Special Ops created a site that accents the elements of the film and generated grassroots efforts across the web. Already, the campaign has been successful, and Adobe chose our site specifically because it “sheds new light on a film that documents the profound sacrifices American soldiers make to server our country while offering the military community a place to share and connect with each other.”

Link to Adobe’s site of the day: http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/showcase/index.cfm

Link to the official site: http://www.brothersatwarmovie.com/