UVO (Unidentified Viral Object)
January 1, 2008 10:55 PM
Can anyone figure out what this website is all about? It's called "WeMakeContact.com" and it purports to show UFOs flying above my town of Great Falls, Montana last week...
...but the site is clearly not "legit" - at least in terms of showing UFOs. Readers of my blog have pointed out that the domain name was registered BEFORE the "UFOs" were spotted over town; the "UFOs" are obviously digitally inserted into the videos; and two large billboards proclaiming "Invasion - 1-15-08" are on display here in town, and obviously designed and paid for before the "UFOs" were spotted last week.
Best guess is that it is an attempt at viral marketing of some sort - perhaps for an upcoming movie ("Cloverfield")?
Any MeFites seen anything like this in their community, or have any insight into what this is all about?
...but the site is clearly not "legit" - at least in terms of showing UFOs. Readers of my blog have pointed out that the domain name was registered BEFORE the "UFOs" were spotted over town; the "UFOs" are obviously digitally inserted into the videos; and two large billboards proclaiming "Invasion - 1-15-08" are on display here in town, and obviously designed and paid for before the "UFOs" were spotted last week.
Best guess is that it is an attempt at viral marketing of some sort - perhaps for an upcoming movie ("Cloverfield")?
Any MeFites seen anything like this in their community, or have any insight into what this is all about?
There doesn't seem to be anything on the "upcoming movies" list for that week which would be relevant.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 11:36 PM on January 1, 2008
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 11:36 PM on January 1, 2008
The only thing I found so far is this, which seems like it should have some viral marketing attached but has (apparently) nothing to do with UFOs or Great Falls.
posted by Roman Graves at 1:06 AM on January 2, 2008
posted by Roman Graves at 1:06 AM on January 2, 2008
The 15th is, however, a Tuesday; which would indicate a dvd or maybe album release.
posted by Roman Graves at 1:09 AM on January 2, 2008
posted by Roman Graves at 1:09 AM on January 2, 2008
GreaterFalls.com is looking into it, too (they link to what Roman Graves posted as well.)
posted by blacklite at 3:51 AM on January 2, 2008
posted by blacklite at 3:51 AM on January 2, 2008
(full disclosure: GreaterFalls.com is my blog - I did not want to self-link to it in my FPP!)
posted by davidmsc at 5:17 AM on January 2, 2008
posted by davidmsc at 5:17 AM on January 2, 2008
Never mind...it looks like that was released last year?
According to the Wikipedia Mariana UFO incident article, Great Falls is one of the most active locations for UFO sightings in North America.
posted by JaredSeth at 8:12 AM on January 2, 2008
According to the Wikipedia Mariana UFO incident article, Great Falls is one of the most active locations for UFO sightings in North America.
posted by JaredSeth at 8:12 AM on January 2, 2008
No idea what will come of it, but perhaps on the 15th the streets of Great Falls will be stormed by "aliens." I am surprised there isn't a PayPal button at the bottom, since it follows the single-page, no-contact-info format of many scam sites.
I love the acting though: "Whoah!" "What is that?" "I don't know." "What is that?". I bet the woman's voice is the same in both movies (faint in the first movie).
BTW, I go to UGF, so I'll bring my camera in the event aliens in drag run down 10th.
posted by fleeba at 11:14 AM on January 2, 2008
I love the acting though: "Whoah!" "What is that?" "I don't know." "What is that?". I bet the woman's voice is the same in both movies (faint in the first movie).
BTW, I go to UGF, so I'll bring my camera in the event aliens in drag run down 10th.
posted by fleeba at 11:14 AM on January 2, 2008
(holy cow, I'm no longer the only MeFite in Great Falls! glad to have you on board, fleeba!)
posted by davidmsc at 1:38 PM on January 2, 2008
posted by davidmsc at 1:38 PM on January 2, 2008
Well - Cloverfield is releasing later that week - but that is supposed to be a monster movie, not an alien invasion.
posted by jkaczor at 5:14 PM on January 2, 2008
posted by jkaczor at 5:14 PM on January 2, 2008
UPDATE: turns out that the "UFOs" were part of a viral marketing campaign to herald a "new" minor-league baseball team here in Great Falls...."new" as in "same team, new name."
The marketing was way better than the reveal.
Thanks, all, for your suggestions!
posted by davidmsc at 8:05 AM on January 15, 2008
The marketing was way better than the reveal.
Thanks, all, for your suggestions!
posted by davidmsc at 8:05 AM on January 15, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Foci for Analysis at 11:22 PM on January 1, 2008