Warner Bros. has integrated negative critical reviews into its marketing campaign for Digger, a film from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. By juxtaposing disparaging remarks with praise in a promotional video, the studio is framing the polarizing nature of the film as a central component of its appeal.
Marketing Digger with Critical Dissent
The promotional campaign for Digger, which features Tom Cruise as an oil magnate, explicitly highlights harsh assessments from film critics. In a video advertisement, the studio contrasts labels such as "unpleasant" and "baffling"—terms used by critics Mike Ryan and Hoai-Tran Bui on X—with descriptors like "masterpiece" and "brilliant." The ad also incorporates a clip of Cruise’s character shouting, "F**k those people!" in response to his detractors, effectively aligning the film’s narrative voice with the studio’s marketing strategy to embrace controversy.
Precedents for Negative Review Campaigns
This strategy of utilizing unfavorable press has historical precedent in Hollywood. In 1997, David Lynch’s Lost Highway was marketed using a poster that featured the words "Two Thumbs Down" from critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, positioning the negative verdict as a compelling reason for audiences to experience the film themselves. Similarly, the 2017 marketing for Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! placed negative reviews alongside positive ones on promotional posters, leaning into the film’s reputation for being divisive and provocative.
The Role of Provocation in Modern Film
The use of negative reviews appears most common for films that aim to challenge or enrage audiences. While studios typically avoid highlighting critical failure, films from directors such as Iñárritu, Lynch, and Aronofsky often rely on intense audience reactions as part of their commercial identity. In contrast, mainstream or genre-specific films—such as the 2022 adaptation of Persuasion—do not typically feature negative critical reception in their promotional materials, suggesting that the "brave" marketing tactic is reserved for projects designed to polarize.
Warner Bros. Uses Negative Reviews to Market Digger
Why did Warner Bros. choose to include negative reviews for Digger?
The studio is positioning the film as a polarizing experience, suggesting that the disagreement among critics is an invitation for potential viewers to decide for themselves. The marketing juxtaposes conflicting opinions to frame the discourse around the film as part of its inherent value.
Has this marketing strategy been used successfully before?
Yes, most notably with Lost Highway in 1997, where the film’s distributor turned a negative review from Siskel and Ebert into a marketing hook. The campaign framed the critics’ disapproval as an endorsement for viewers seeking unconventional or challenging cinema.
Are all films marketed with negative reviews?
No. This strategy is generally reserved for films that are intentionally provocative or surreal. Standard releases, such as literary adaptations or romantic comedies, rarely highlight negative critical feedback in their promotional campaigns.