The Simpsons invade...

Simpsons the movie is hitting the theaters today and I have been counting down the days. And hopefully this weekend or sometime very soon I will go see it. It looks awesome.

Well, the thing I want to talk about is more the leading up to the week of the movie's release. I mean, Fox really made an effort to have every corporate tie in that the marketing department could think of. I thought Transformers marketing was bad!

First I saw Homer at Kwik Mart, formerly known as Seven Eleven. Then at Springfield Airline, formerly known as Jet Blue. And then I read about Ben & Jerry's new beer and honut ice cream called Duff & D'oh-Nuts. Just when I thought I felt maximally abused by Homer humor, the most unbelievable happened. Bazaar Magazine had a mock photo shoot with Marge and Homer. What the hell? I mean, I understand that they are trying to promote the movie but could you please stay within your target audience? Or do you really think that practically everyone is your target audience?

Well, maybe everyone does love the Simpsons but cool off the advertising will ya? I mean I have been watching the Simpsons since I was ten. I have determined over the past 20 years that I am into them and been waiting for this movie since South Park the movie came out... Now that Fox is trying soooo hard to push it down our throat, I can't help but speculate whether Simpsons have gone too Hollywood. Maybe this is why Matt Groening was hesitant to make this a movie, knew that the line between essential promotion and pimping out Homer is blurry...

Village Voice's commentary about the movie is encouraging. It is a well done Simpsons episode without pushing it too far. If only they had done the same thing with the marketing... I think we have entered a new era of Movie promotions. Corporate tie ins are becoming more and more acceptable. I would say watch out. If you do it too much, the audience will tune out the ads, like we do on TV.