Over the years we've seen some bizarre viral marketing, but this new campaign may be the most intriguing yet.
Yesterday I checked my mailbox to find a strange black envelope with no return address. It looked like an invitation and had a red seal with the letters "TB" on the back. Inside was the letter you see to your right (click to see it bigger)...
I received word from Bloody-Disgusting and Horror.com about a strange ad that appeared on their websites, and sure enough, the banners had the same logo. The ad led us to a Japanese website - www.chishio.jp - where my letter is shown alongside three others. There is no more information, but the ads have since disappeared.
Frantic for answers, I sent the site to the UCLA Linguistics Department. Hours later, I got this response:
"Hi Mr. Kasch,
We've determined that the scripts on the website are actually all from different ancient languages. The first is Akkadian. The third is Greek. And the fourth is Sumerian. The second (which you received) is Hieratic.
Unfortunately, I don't know anything about what it is that they say. Also, it is very strange that they are all on a Japanese webserver whose name (chishio) means "blood cirulating within the body (often as a metaphor for strong emotion or hot-bloodedness)" according to my dictionary.
All very strange."
A further Google search has indicated that numerous bloggers, journalists, and pop culture genre personalities have received similar letters. One such account is detailed by author J.C. Hutchins here.
The big question is: What is this all for? Cloverfield 2? The Dark Knight? The Mummy 3? Or is it some film yet to be announced? Keep it here for more details as the mystery unfolds...
Discuss your theories in the Dread Central forums!
Submitted by Andrew Kasch on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 12:51am.
The countdown just ended.
Submitted by RingoJ on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:24pm.
Chainsaw: Don't you do reviews for your site?
Nah, now I'm at Cinema-Crazed.com.
Submitted by thedudeabides on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 9:07pm.
Perhaps it's all connected to the supersecret sequel to BABEL! ;-)
Submitted by Messiahman on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 7:17pm.
Don't you do reviews for your site?
Submitted by Chainsaw on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 6:33pm.
I got one of these.
I didn't know I was part of the horror biz.
Submitted by thedudeabides on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 6:18pm.
First off - theres another Viral Site in the mix now:
http://revenantones.com
A countdown clock will hit zero in about 6 hours. The look of that site has nothing to do with the Mummy or Hellboy - that's for certain. The "TB" appears as an icon in the url bar.
But, there is a chair in the middle, and the framing is very "video" much like something from...say...the SAW series? If that's the case, that would be an easy explanation for them using my home addy - but I don't know about any of you.
Like Sirand said - it's "awkward"
Submitted by James on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 5:22pm.
Not just journalists, but filmmakers have been getting them too. All have ties to the horror industry though. Very awkward.
Submitted by Sirand on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 4:47pm.
That background looks like it could be the outline to a map of something... either that, or the 'face' on the right hand side looks like a cartoon thug with a wart on his nose!
Submitted by PelusaMG on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 1:44pm.
The connection has to be that logo there. It's all over the site, and on each of the letters posted to the site.
Hmmmmmmm...
Submitted by Chainsaw on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 12:49pm.
Well, they're all languages that came from roughly(very roughly)the same area, but i'm not all that sharp on the timeframe.
Submitted by RingoJ on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:56am.
I got the fourth one, apparently it's in a language that's not been used in centuries.
I have to think the different languages has something to do with it...
Submitted by Johnny Butane on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:20am.
I got one as well. The third from the left on the Japanese site. I was more intrigued by the fact it came to my home address instead of P.O. Box.
Submitted by James on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 8:17am.
I’m thinking it’s a movie that hasn’t been announced yet, if it’s a movie at all. After fallowing the links and getting a better look at the other pics, it’s got me thinking it might be something else. But at this point the only thing we can do is wait and see what happens next.
Submitted by ki11raven on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 5:06am.
For that matter, maybe it's something we don't know about yet.
Submitted by Hunter1006 on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 4:56am.
Hellboy II is Universal.
Submitted by Hunter1006 on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 4:22am.
Nah, Mummy 3 is Chinese-themed. Plus I've never ever received anything from Universal.
Submitted by Sirand on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 3:12am.
Yeah, it sounds like Mummy 3 territory!
Submitted by PelusaMG on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 3:06am.
I'm guessing Mummy 3 unfortunately.
Submitted by Hunter1006 on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 2:37am.
Probably Hellboy 2.
Submitted by Terminal on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 2:10am.
I vote Hellboy 2.
Submitted by Nomad on Fri, 05/23/2008 - 2:05am.