Marketing 101: For Catholics
I've watched with amusement recently as the Catholic faithful have used the occasion of the release of the Da Vinci Code movie to make sure we all remember that they don't like the book and consider it heresy.
We get it.
In fact, I think you'll find out that lots of people get it. To the tune of about 80 to 100 million dollars worth of opening weekend...
The only people who don't get it are the Catholics themselves. Because say what you will about Dan Brown as an author (and I've heard everything from "he's the next King" to "he's a hack and appeals to the lowest denominator"), he's one hell of a smart marketer. Publish a book about a controversial religious topic that is clearly marketed as fiction (thereby giving a ready excuse for the people who complain about the historical inaccuracies) but write up a few pages of vague commentary about how some of the things contained inside "might" be true, then stand back and watch as the Catholic Church unwittingly sells your book for you.
Catholics have never been known for their keen sense of humour, but you'd think eventually they'd at least learn from their mistakes. It's become a booming business to release movies, books, and music that pisses off the Catholics and then stand aside as they protest, opine, and cry their ways into millions of dollars worth of free marketing for you.
But they haven't gotten it. So I'm going to try to help my Catholic friends out a bit.
STOP IT!
If you don't like The Da Vinci Code, don't go see it, don't read it, don't patronize movie theaters that carry it.
But do it quietly. Because every time the Pope or one of his goons goes on CBS News and denounces the book as heretical, little dollar signs flash in Dan Brown's eyes. He probably gets a woody. I know I would. Because money makes people happy and nothing is guaranteed to sell a book or a movie about controversial religious topics than having the Pope denounce it.
Especially if that book about controversial religious topics also portrays the Catholic church as trying to cover the controversial facts up for thousands of years. Then it looks like the fictional book with the vague hints of factual content might just *be* factual. After all, why would the Pope himself be so upset with a work of fiction?
So organize your protests Catholics. Picket outside the theaters and tell everyone you know that Dan Brown, Ron Howard, and Tom Hanks are going straight to Hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Cry, lament, and wail to the Heavens about the injustices done to your faith.
But take a second while you're doing it to pause, and listen. That laughter you hear? That's Dan Brown.
We get it.
In fact, I think you'll find out that lots of people get it. To the tune of about 80 to 100 million dollars worth of opening weekend...
The only people who don't get it are the Catholics themselves. Because say what you will about Dan Brown as an author (and I've heard everything from "he's the next King" to "he's a hack and appeals to the lowest denominator"), he's one hell of a smart marketer. Publish a book about a controversial religious topic that is clearly marketed as fiction (thereby giving a ready excuse for the people who complain about the historical inaccuracies) but write up a few pages of vague commentary about how some of the things contained inside "might" be true, then stand back and watch as the Catholic Church unwittingly sells your book for you.
Catholics have never been known for their keen sense of humour, but you'd think eventually they'd at least learn from their mistakes. It's become a booming business to release movies, books, and music that pisses off the Catholics and then stand aside as they protest, opine, and cry their ways into millions of dollars worth of free marketing for you.
But they haven't gotten it. So I'm going to try to help my Catholic friends out a bit.
STOP IT!
If you don't like The Da Vinci Code, don't go see it, don't read it, don't patronize movie theaters that carry it.
But do it quietly. Because every time the Pope or one of his goons goes on CBS News and denounces the book as heretical, little dollar signs flash in Dan Brown's eyes. He probably gets a woody. I know I would. Because money makes people happy and nothing is guaranteed to sell a book or a movie about controversial religious topics than having the Pope denounce it.
Especially if that book about controversial religious topics also portrays the Catholic church as trying to cover the controversial facts up for thousands of years. Then it looks like the fictional book with the vague hints of factual content might just *be* factual. After all, why would the Pope himself be so upset with a work of fiction?
So organize your protests Catholics. Picket outside the theaters and tell everyone you know that Dan Brown, Ron Howard, and Tom Hanks are going straight to Hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Cry, lament, and wail to the Heavens about the injustices done to your faith.
But take a second while you're doing it to pause, and listen. That laughter you hear? That's Dan Brown.
posted by Gryphon at 8:16 PM
4 Comments:
Amen! Two of my Catholic friends will not see the movie because "we are known Catholics in a small town, and can't afford to be seen seeing it". So sad. Frankly, I found the book unreadable. Can't imagine what the movie will be like, but do plan on seeing it. It's good to be Episcopalian!
I looked at the book and the "facts" were AFTER the title page. Doesn't that make them part of the work that is labeled as fiction?
Absolutely. It really was a brilliant piece of marketing by Dan Brown. He can say "FACTS" all he wants but the book as a whole is listed as fiction and that makes it all fiction. It kind of reminds me of when those guys doing The Blair Witch Project started the talk of it being "found tapes" and people got indignant when it turned out to be fictions.
I am one of Kates Catholic friends, who now attends the Luthern Church. I read the book, could not put it down, saw the movie with Kate, it was fabulous. My philosophy is if your faith is that shaky.....do not see the movie or read the book...AMEN !!!!
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