I saw an ad for Bros for the first time on Hulu during Reservation Dogs on Friday. As a general rule the ad placements on that show are a mess, featuring gambling, psychiatric medications, car...
I saw an ad for Bros for the first time on Hulu during Reservation Dogs on Friday. As a general rule the ad placements on that show are a mess, featuring gambling, psychiatric medications, car insurance, and an incoherent assortment of other Hulu shows. I just mentally blank them out as much as possible.
In that “can we please get back to the program I paid to watch” mindset, I binned Bros as yet another “men acting badly yet mysteriously things turn out OK” Bachelor Party-type vehicle. Though truth be told, I’d have veered off even harder had I pegged it as a rom-com, regardless of the genders involved. I had no idea it was a gay romance from the ad, and didn’t understand a thing until I read the Guardian review the next day.
Catastrophic marketing failure doesn’t even begin to describe the situation. I don’t know who’s the target audience for most of Judd Apatow’s inane, juvenile work (excepting 40-Year Old Virgin, which was saved by the cast), but it’s a set that doesn’t include me, regardless of whether I approve the social purpose. [I’ve curmudgeonly said the same thing about Taika Waititi’s output, but Reservation Dogs is the work of a grownup, Sterlin Harjo, and Waititi is just producing.]
Like u/Loire, “Bros” just isn’t a movie I’d watch at theater prices during the best of times, if at all, let alone with COVID circulating.
Yes! It’s definitely the fault of You Straights™ that the movie grossed… what was it... 5 million dollars?! In only three days?! Is that what we’re calling a “flop” now? In all seriousness,...
Yes! It’s definitely the fault of You Straights™ that the movie grossed… what was it... 5 million dollars?! In only three days?! Is that what we’re calling a “flop” now?
In all seriousness, inflammatory takes on Twitter are often just marketing at this point. Those tweets are probably Eichner trying to get headline coverage for his film, and theyarealmostcertainlyworkingasintended.
The movie certainly wasn’t polarizing but I’d say this is a mischaracterization of the reception it got. Critically, at least, Bros got many raves. Calling it one of the best romcoms in years etc etc.
That discourse can help if it’s polarizing, but no one’s saying it’s the best or worst movie ever, just another romcom except gay.
The movie certainly wasn’t polarizing but I’d say this is a mischaracterization of the reception it got. Critically, at least, Bros got many raves. Calling it one of the best romcoms in years etc etc.
Yeah Eichner’s press tour certainly didn’t help. The marketing was also heavily criticized. What essentially happened was a Charlie’s Angels 2.0. Where Elizabeth Banks kept saying if men don’t see...
What essentially happened was a Charlie’s Angels 2.0. Where Elizabeth Banks kept saying if men don’t see this that’s problematic and whatnot.
Crazy Rich Asians had some of that “important” aspects in its marketing. But largely the marketing focused on the escapism of the film (also helped that it was based on a best seller).
As films themselves, CRA was less… preachy. Bros has a lot of monologues about the discrimination that LGBTQ people face. Which when you’re trying to sell this as a fun romcom probably not a great route to take.
I saw the trailer for this, found it funny, and plan to watch it. ...but, being a rom-com I didn't actually pay attention to release date because I just kinda expected it to be on a streaming...
I saw the trailer for this, found it funny, and plan to watch it.
...but, being a rom-com I didn't actually pay attention to release date because I just kinda expected it to be on a streaming service and I'd run into it there. Even before 'rona showed up I didn't go to the theater often, I think I've been once (maybe twice) since, but even then...
If it's not a film that demands a big screen I'm not going.
....is my exact same stance as well and has been for ages.
Rom-coms are meant to make you laugh and have feelings. I'd prefer to do that in my pajamas with my wife on one side and my pupper on the other. Not in a expensive theater, with overpriced food/drinks, with people I probably don't want to be around, and in this age where truly massive televisions can be purchased for relatively little money the need to go to a special box across town to get a big screen experience is a hard sell.
Interesting. For the past month or so, I have been inundated with ads for the movie. My feelings about the movie are complicated, but I have been given significantly more time than I would have...
Interesting. For the past month or so, I have been inundated with ads for the movie. My feelings about the movie are complicated, but I have been given significantly more time than I would have liked to consider them. I think I saw 2-3 different trailers for it. Bros is the first movie in quite a while that I have seen enough ads of it to (a) remember the movie exists (b) remember any details of what the movie is about and (c) have feelings about the movie.
That said, there are so many factors that could cause two people to see completely different ads online that I don't know if my experience is normal or not.
I saw an ad for Bros for the first time on Hulu during Reservation Dogs on Friday. As a general rule the ad placements on that show are a mess, featuring gambling, psychiatric medications, car insurance, and an incoherent assortment of other Hulu shows. I just mentally blank them out as much as possible.
In that “can we please get back to the program I paid to watch” mindset, I binned Bros as yet another “men acting badly yet mysteriously things turn out OK” Bachelor Party-type vehicle. Though truth be told, I’d have veered off even harder had I pegged it as a rom-com, regardless of the genders involved. I had no idea it was a gay romance from the ad, and didn’t understand a thing until I read the Guardian review the next day.
Catastrophic marketing failure doesn’t even begin to describe the situation. I don’t know who’s the target audience for most of Judd Apatow’s inane, juvenile work (excepting 40-Year Old Virgin, which was saved by the cast), but it’s a set that doesn’t include me, regardless of whether I approve the social purpose. [I’ve curmudgeonly said the same thing about Taika Waititi’s output, but Reservation Dogs is the work of a grownup, Sterlin Harjo, and Waititi is just producing.]
Like u/Loire, “Bros” just isn’t a movie I’d watch at theater prices during the best of times, if at all, let alone with COVID circulating.
Eichner himself on the box office performance of Bros
Yes! It’s definitely the fault of You Straights™ that the movie grossed… what was it... 5 million dollars?! In only three days?! Is that what we’re calling a “flop” now?
In all seriousness, inflammatory takes on Twitter are often just marketing at this point. Those tweets are probably Eichner trying to get headline coverage for his film, and they are almost certainly working as intended.
The movie certainly wasn’t polarizing but I’d say this is a mischaracterization of the reception it got. Critically, at least, Bros got many raves. Calling it one of the best romcoms in years etc etc.
Yeah Eichner’s press tour certainly didn’t help. The marketing was also heavily criticized.
What essentially happened was a Charlie’s Angels 2.0. Where Elizabeth Banks kept saying if men don’t see this that’s problematic and whatnot.
Crazy Rich Asians had some of that “important” aspects in its marketing. But largely the marketing focused on the escapism of the film (also helped that it was based on a best seller).
As films themselves, CRA was less… preachy. Bros has a lot of monologues about the discrimination that LGBTQ people face. Which when you’re trying to sell this as a fun romcom probably not a great route to take.
I saw the trailer for this, found it funny, and plan to watch it.
...but, being a rom-com I didn't actually pay attention to release date because I just kinda expected it to be on a streaming service and I'd run into it there. Even before 'rona showed up I didn't go to the theater often, I think I've been once (maybe twice) since, but even then...
....is my exact same stance as well and has been for ages.
Rom-coms are meant to make you laugh and have feelings. I'd prefer to do that in my pajamas with my wife on one side and my pupper on the other. Not in a expensive theater, with overpriced food/drinks, with people I probably don't want to be around, and in this age where truly massive televisions can be purchased for relatively little money the need to go to a special box across town to get a big screen experience is a hard sell.
Interesting. For the past month or so, I have been inundated with ads for the movie. My feelings about the movie are complicated, but I have been given significantly more time than I would have liked to consider them. I think I saw 2-3 different trailers for it. Bros is the first movie in quite a while that I have seen enough ads of it to (a) remember the movie exists (b) remember any details of what the movie is about and (c) have feelings about the movie.
That said, there are so many factors that could cause two people to see completely different ads online that I don't know if my experience is normal or not.
The marketing for this was about 40 million dollars so someone should be seeing ads
I literally never heard of Bros before today so I'm guessing the film had a marketing problem.