There is no getting away Fox's 'Alcatraz' blitz

Fox held an Alcatraz premiere party on Alcatraz Island a week ago. The show, which will come from J.J. Abrams, bows tonight. With the much material to utilize, Fox's marketing mavens could not help but devise a more sophisticated advertising campaign to tubthump the brand new mystery-thriller "Alcatraz." The show mines the stories from the well known federal prison situated on the rocky island within the Bay Area Bay. "Alcatraz," which bows tonight having a two-hour opener, also offers hefty built-in marketing muscle: It comes down from J.J. Abrams, along with other "Lost" alums, particularly co-star Jorge Garcia, will also be involved. Fox has seeded promotions for that show over the Internet, together with a top quality positioning within the popular Zynga-distribbed Facebook game "Empires and Allies" (featuring prisons like a major factor of their story). Another broadly seen viral vid continues to be the faux promo place for any book about Alcatraz compiled by the smoothness performed by Garcia. "Besides J.J. obtain that built-in fanbase, but add in addition an excellent cast and hang it somewhere known as Alcatraz. It is simply a present to entrepreneurs," stated Joe Earley, Fox's prexy of promoting and communications. The piece p resistance from the launch ballyhoo was Wednesday's premiere party held within the Rock itself -- filled with the arrivals line snaking with the prison showers and visitors eating spartan chow from metal plates. Most of the 400 participants were fans who won tickets through local radio and television promotions. Logistically, it had been challenging to drag off, because everything needed to be ferried to the area, and organizers had only two hrs to prep following the prison, now operated like a national park, closed to vacationers. Earley credits the resolution of the net's creative services to get it done for that sheer promo value because the event spurred a flurry of media attention. "It had been worthwhile to become relaxing in Cell Block D watching individuals moments shot within the cell block," Earley stated. "When it is dark and you are available on Alcatraz island, regardless of how jaded you might be (about premiere occasions), you realize it is a really awesome factor to see.Inch Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com