Warner Bros. is one of many studios in the midst of
Oscar campaigns right now, promoting
The Dark Knight and its
actors, hoping for an Academy Award nod. But Warner Bros. is also getting the added bonus of a grassroots campaign started by a fan,
Blair Erickson. His Web site,
DarkCampaign.com, has been
catching the
attention not only of fans who have joined the cause on
Facebook and
YouTube, but also the
media.
"I started it because I was a passionate fan of
The Dark Knight and I thought it was a pretty groundbreaking film," Erickson told
PRWeek. "I saw it as a really good example of when Hollywood studios got it right." Erickson, who works as creative director for interactive agency
Millions of Us, previously launched a similar campaign for 2006's
Children of Men.
The goal, Erickson said, is to get the film nominated for an Oscar, and to have a place to discuss the film and its merits. He has just been spreading the word through fellow fans, encouraging them to pass on the site and tell their friends.
Warner Bros., which wouldn't comment on its Oscar campaigns, has been promoting Heath Ledger, for his role as The Joker in the film and even plans to
re-release The Dark Knight in theaters starting January 23, the day after Academy Award nominations are announced.
"From what I can tell, Warner Bros. is doing a great job with their tradition Oscar campaign," Erickson said. "I think they are taking the traditional route, where they take out print ads. It's a good campaign and I think they are putting their weight behind it. I think it's great to see that they are supporting the film."