As has probably been obvious from previous updates, I’m really interested in the ways Hollywood films and computer games are currently being promoted via guerilla and digital channels: as is the Contagious review that we should all be subscribing to! But it seems that films themselves could become feature length adverts of sorts.

 

Now it could be argued that films have been this way for a long time due to the amount of product placement in them: brandchannel handily lists the products featured heavily in current movies!

 

But the film Somers Town, due for release Aug 22, goes beyond that. It was completely funded by Eurostar and produced by the ad agency Mother. More surprisingly it is directed by Shane Meadows who is famous for gritty, social realist films such as This is England – a film about early 80’s skinhead culture. Many of his early films were set and filmed in Nottingham. See Trailer below

 

 

 

Without having seen it, it’s hard to see what this is actually meant to achieve. Eurostar deny it is an advert and that they provided the money to simply help produce something of cultural worth – Although it is the case Meadows was originally contracted to produce a short length ad for Eurostar.

 

The film’s plot does sound like the usual Shane Meadow’s fare – it revolves around a young runaway and immigrant in Somers Town, which is near our Kings Cross office (and believe me it is quite rough! Does Eurostar really want to advertise this fact?)

 

However (and I am sorry if I spoil the film’s ending here!) reviewers are already taking issue with the fact that the film ends with the boys making a happy trip to Paris via the Eurostar – cue the film switching from black and white to Technicolor. I would also imagine the kind of audiences Shane Meadows attracts would be very mindful, even resentful of a brand’s involvement in such a project. But that remains to be seen – and many are saying the film actually is quite good.