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Alison Brie and Dave Franco have been busy sharing fries a la Lady and the Tramp<\/em> and drinking each other\u2019s sweat\u2014but if that\u2019s not enough to pique people\u2019s interest in the duo\u2019s new horror film Together<\/em>, the out-of-the-box online campaign just might.<\/p>\n To drum up hype for the movie, which explores a codependent relationship through a body-horror lens and was produced by and stars the real-life couple, distributor Neon pulled a couple of stunts online, including releasing a night-vision video using special tech to track how a viewer\u2019s pupil dilated during the film\u2019s most eye-popping moments, offering to pay for the wedding of someone who proposed at a movie theater, and offering free couples\u2019 therapy to anyone who felt the film\u2019s themes hit a little too<\/em> close to home.<\/p>\n The free therapy offer was in partnership with online mental health provider OurRitual, which supplied a free couples\u2019 counseling session to fans who saw the film in theaters. Eran Yorkovsky, VP of marketing at OurRitual, said the partnership brought in high engagement rates, and he is hoping this campaign is only a piece of how the company can collaborate with the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n \u201c[The film] aligns very well with what we are trying to help couples with,\u201d Yorkovsky told us. \u201cAlthough it\u2019s a horror movie, and our goal is to make sure your life is not a horror movie, it felt right.\u201d<\/p>\n Yorkovsky said Neon first approached OurRitual to collaborate, but admitted that the cold reachout \u201c[almost] fell between the cracks.\u201d The studio, he said, had initiated contact via OurRitual\u2019s online support form, and while staffers found the message \u201cstrange,\u201d Yorkovsky quickly took the call. After meeting with Neon\u2019s team to discuss the potential partnership and watching an early version of the film, he was on board.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt this is something crazy enough that it might work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n To participate in the giveaway, moviegoers were required to upload a photo of their movie ticket to OurRitual\u2019s website before getting a free session. The company capped free sessions at 50 people, and Yorkovsky said while there were a few no-shows, a majority of those selected to receive a free session followed through. Though the company is still waiting on full results, Yorkovsky said the campaign led to several people converting their free session into full subscriptions.<\/p>\n Marketing Brew informs marketing pros of the latest on brand strategy, social media, and ad tech via our weekday newsletter, virtual events, marketing conferences, and digital guides.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThey leveraged the taste that they got from the campaign and stayed after for a longer time period,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople saw that opportunity and seized it.\u201d<\/p>\n OurRitual\u2019s investors were also \u201cvery happy seeing us at the forefront and as a brand that is recognized and that other brands want to partner with,\u201d Yorkovsky said.<\/p>\n OurRitual promoted the giveaway primarily on its own social media alongside Neon and the actors\u2019 own accounts, and it didn\u2019t dip into paid media. Yorkovsky said he felt it resonated even without any ad dollars because it supplied the audience with something they actually wanted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen something provides value, it works regardless,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t OurRitual\u2019s first time working with Hollywood behind the scenes: it already has an existing relationship with the Showtime show Couples Therapy<\/em>, as the show\u2019s host, Orna Guralnik, also holds the company\u2019s chief clinical officer role. But this campaign was the first time OurRitual had partnered with a movie studio, and Yorkovsky said he\u2019s gotten the itch to see what else is out there in entertainment partnership\u2013land.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have our general collaboration agenda, which is mostly around influencers in the space of mental health,\u201d he said. \u201cThis was kind of a surprise and a very ad hoc one, but it gave us an appetite to do more things\u2026in a similar way.\u201d<\/p>\n Amid a sea of several summer horror releases, Together<\/em>\u2019s unexpected offerings have also prompted some fans to recognize Neon\u2019s broader marketing approach. As one Instagram commenter put it, \u201cEvery time I think the marketing team can\u2019t keep this up, you all deliver. Kudos to the whole team.\u201d<\/p>\n The film, which hit theaters on July 30, has so far raked in more than $21 million at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo<\/p>\n<\/div>\nTell me how you really feel<\/h2>\n
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