We’d like to highlight a piece about the nation of New Zealand’s decision to hang all its PR/tourism hopes on Peter Jackson’s upcoming Hobbit trilogy. We can certainly understand the logic behind this BFF relationship: As our friends at AgencySpy put it last week, “when you account for tourism dollars, the LOTR trilogy basically single-handedly boosted New Zealand’s entire economy”. As the managing director of Hobbiton tours puts it, “We are a small country and that brand awareness, how do you buy that? That’s what a movie does.”

But while we’re at it, we’d really like to review Air New Zealand’s incredible PR campaign: Middle Earth characters already dominate the Auckland airport, and we saw both of these videos for the first time today. First is a clip of the airline’s new Hobbit plane (though we can’t see anything special about it beyond the awesome paint job):

Here’s the real gem, though: a truly excellent in-flight safety video for all Air NZ travelers complete with “Elvish” codes allowing viewers to enter to win a free trip to the film’s New Zealand premier.

Read more

We’re not going too far out on a limb when we predict that Peter Jackson’s upcoming “Hobbit” trilogy will be one of history’s biggest franchises—we’ll almost definitely end up seeing it this Christmas. But the series may have to forgo the usual “no animals were harmed in the making of this film” claims, because several wranglers who worked on the New Zealand production before quitting in protest now blame the production company itself for the deaths of dozens of barnyard creatures.

While the American Humane Association claims that no animals were harmed during filming, Jackson’s spokesperson acknowledged that “horses, goats, chickens and one sheep died” at a farm used to house wildlife actors with bit roles in the movie, calling the horses’ demise “avoidable” but claiming that producers worked to improve safety measures after the deaths (most of which occurred due to the sinkholes and steep cliffs surrounding the farm).

Will any significant changes come of this incident? In a statement, the AHA acknowledged that “what happens off-set remains a blind spot in its oversight” and that it may need to review the system it uses to approve practices on various productions.

Will it create a PR headache for “The Hobbit”? PETA plans to protest premieres in New Zealand, The US, and the UK, but we can’t see the story doing too much damage to the Hobbit brand—these films are far too big to lose any real box office over a few protests, no matter how well-organized they may be.

But it may damage Hollywood’s sometimes-shaky reputation as an animal-friendly town. And this isn’t a trivial issue; remember that HBO cancelled its brand-new horse racing show “Luck” earlier this year after several animals died on set.

Rejoice, ye fans of Bilbo, Frodo, Gandalf and “second breakfast”! Thanks to Denny’s, you no longer need to live in The Shire to eat like a Hobbit. As part of a joint marketing effort with the upcoming flick The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the restaurant chain is about to launch a special, limited-time-only menu chock full of Middle Earth-inspired delights.

Beginning November 6, Tolkien fans can choose from 11 breakfast, lunch, and dinner items including “Hobbit Hole Breakfast”, “Frodo’s Pot Roast Skillet,” and “Gandalf’s Gobble Melt”. Denny’s offers plenty of options for any mealtime, whether you’re sitting down to enjoy breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner or supper.

In support of its promotional menu, the company will launch an accompanying ad campaign including a full TV spot (sneak peek below) set to begin airing on November 12–roughly a month before the movie’s December 14 release. Denny’s hopes to cash in on fans’ growing anticipation by offering trading cards with each special entree; the chain also plans to print QR-coded place mats that enthusiasts can use to unlock movie-related content like videos and online games.

If you just can’t wait till December to take a trip to The Shire, Denny’s has you covered. If the below video is any indication, however, we recommend ensuring that your dining companions understand proper Hobbit table etiquette–you never know who you might offend.

Hey, did you know that September 22^nd of each year is designated “Hobbit Day” and that this week is officially “Tolkien Week?” Consider yourself informed! And now for a gratuitous viewing of the latest trailer for Peter Jackson’s upcoming film “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.”

To be honest, we mostly put this post up so readers can check out the excellent trailer, marvel at the pitch-perfect casting of Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, and get even more excited about the movie–but we’d like to ask a few PR questions while we’re at it:

Read more