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‘Dexter’ campaign gets away with murder It’s not just kids who are freaked out by Showtime’s advertising for Dexter, the program about a forensics expert who moonlights as a serial killer. A new viral campaign is scaring the bejeezus out of plenty of adults. Those with a macabre sense of humor should visit SliceoflifeTV.com, where you can enter a friend’s name and a few other details. Soon enough, the friend gets an e-mail link to a video news report that makes it look like he or she has been targeted by a serial killer. Of course, the most successful virals are often the ones that either humiliate or terrify (see the old Ring Two viral from the U.K.). For the easily gullible, this Dexter effort more than fits the bill, as New York Times ad writer Louise Story found out when she sent it to a few friends and family (some of whom may have stopped speaking to her). The campaign was produced by London-based digital agency Ralph, which happily reports that in the U.K. it “proved so controversial that Ralph received calls of complaint from the public and London’s Scotland Yard Police.” —Posted by Tim Nudd UPDATE: David Gianatasio chimes in: “OMG. I got one of these e-mails, but I thought it was saying there’s a serial killer out there who has my name. I’m like, ‘David Gianatasio,’ spelled exactly the same, what are the odds!? I’m all like, ‘Now, when people Google me, they’ll think I write for AdFreak and I’m a serial killer.’ Then I thought...which is worse? Which!?”

October 10, 2007 in Showtime | Permalink

Comments

It's bad enough every person under the age of 30 starts a conversation with, "I'm like" or " I'm all like" or "I was like", now editors at Adfreak are, like, all writing like that.

Someone stop the madness.

Posted by: rich Siegel | Oct 10, 2007 4:33:11 PM

speaking of madness

I absolutely hate hate hate that eyewonder ad on the right side of the page and I swear if it pops out and starts talking interrupting my reading or ad video watching I'm going to snap and find that guy and punch him right in the testicles.

Posted by: Neesh | Oct 10, 2007 4:39:11 PM

Sorry. that was uncalled for.

I won't punch him in the testicles. No matter how annoying he is.

I'm going to get his email address and make him believe there's a serial killer after him.

Posted by: Neesh | Oct 10, 2007 4:54:47 PM

Nice. Too bad I don't have Showtime.
I'd like to watch this show.

Posted by: Bobby | Oct 10, 2007 7:16:09 PM

If the show can capitalize on gruesomeness, why not get it into the ads too?

Posted by: sonya | Oct 11, 2007 3:25:38 AM

I'm going to get his email address and make him believe there's a serial killer after him.

Posted by: markus | Oct 11, 2007 7:40:14 AM

Madness? Like ... as if! It was one of my patented James Joyce allusions that once again shot over everyone's head. That guy was, like, so kooky-crazy-Hey, Nice Lady! wild with the vocabulary and syntax.

(Please note, this response was a Jerry Lewis allusion.)

(Q: We have "editors" at Adfreak?)

Posted by: dave gianatasio | Oct 11, 2007 8:39:50 AM

They is so as not make to me sound dumb.

Posted by: DavidGriner | Oct 11, 2007 8:41:31 AM

Ralph must be loving the longevity of this, having released it in the UK back in June. I'm guessing it was designed with the dual use in mind.

Posted by: Rachel Clarke | Oct 14, 2007 5:24:49 PM

1) The Eyewonder ads are AWESOME (and it doesn't 'pop out', it's a rollover- totes opt in)
2) Jason Sperling is a hottay
3) No, I don't work for Eyewonder
4) I am like totally sending this Dexter email to like all my friends

Posted by: kate | Oct 16, 2007 8:26:08 PM

This was actually very creepy and extremely effective....fantastic!

Posted by: Jimay | Dec 14, 2007 11:49:56 AM

Sorry, I have Firefox. What eyewonder ad? :)

For those who don't have cable, I use bittorrent to download episodes, although I don't specifically watch this show. Google it.

Posted by: James | Dec 17, 2007 3:50:04 PM

Just sent it to an old high school chum and one to my 80 year old neighbor.

I'm waiting for the fall out from it.

Posted by: Phil | May 7, 2009 3:54:17 PM

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