In Sony Studios' latest -- and priciest to date -- effort to transform a classic comic book hero into a mainstream box office hit, Spider-Man has never before been so embedded with digital media assets, using a broad range of social media perks to bolster the marketing of the studio's third installment of the arachnid superhero's latest adventure ahead of its May 4 U.S. release.
In keeping with the vastness of the "Spider-Man 3" franchise, Sony worked with Google Earth to bring the superhero's Manhattan world to fans around the globe with a "Spider-Man 3" layer for the popular mapping application.
The "Spider-Man 3" layer takes users on a virtual tour of the city, complete with detailed imagery, popup windows for the movie's more recognizable locations and still photos from the film.
In addition to the Google Earth project, Sony reached out to its legions of online fans through its official site, which entices visitors to join the "Spider-Man 3" movie network. The free membership provides updates on the film's news, access to the official fan community, and an invitation to participate in beta testing for upcoming "Spider-Man 3" internet games.
Hoping to arm fans with an arsenal of promotion tools, Sony took fans inside the marketing machine, releasing still photos from the film for use on "Spider-Man 3" blogs. The fan community also allows users to spread their artistic wings by accepting fan challenges such as submitting artwork for fan art assignments or creating original videos for members only content.
Next: Spinning the web
