"They're Here. We're Gone."

[Outlander]

About a week ago on my drive to work these posters had gone up all over town. They featured the sun (or some light source) cresting over a darkened planet earth. The words "They're Here. We're Gone." were printed in large letters above the planet.

I immediately understood that this was a movie poster; most likely for some alien invasion type movie. But the actual text of the posted stuck with me. "They're Here. We're Gone" carries with it an assumption that Them and Us can't co-exist. At first I chuckled about it. It was like "there goes the neighborhood", but on a cosmic scale. Then I realized that the whole notion of invasion by aliens (outsiders/foreigners) has a more timely, deeper and more immediate meaning.

It turns out that the movie is a remake of the old sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. Though what I'm focused on is the sociological meaning of the catch phrase. Perhaps it was an accident, but I think it could have just as easily been clever marketing. Presently in America immigration is a big issue. And the current administration and the media have been reminding us for years now that terrorists could strike at any time. I can't help but thinking that the "They're Here. We're Gone." language doesn't speak to a growing xenophobia in many people. Right at this moment the future seems very uncertain to many Americans, people feel powerless and threatened.

Could this movie poster be targeted to connect with people's fears and even xenophobia?

[Avid]

Sounds totally reasonable to me. Outsiders "invading" seems to be on many people's minds and could possibly be tapped into in order to sell movie tickets.

*Welcome. :)

[Bioplasmoid]

Yes Welcome. Interesting post. The issue you raise is one that is so relevant to our time.

[Frag]

Marketing gurus finding a way to market stuff.... what else is new...

[Valiyn]

Well, to be fair, if humans found life on another planet we would probably eventually invade. Might not be with military force...but in some way shape or form, we'll take their land and drive them off with the short end of the stick. Human beings cannot co-exist peacefully together, and they can't exist peacefully with most animals unless they've completely dominated the animal ((dog, cat, horse, etc.)), what makes you think they'll exist with another sentient race? Humans are a very violent race, why the hell would you want to ally with them when not fighting a war against a third party they also hate? Even their reproduction is violent: the stabbing of a fleshy dagger again and again into a pinned down and helpless mate. Very violent people.

Also seem to have a thing for anal probes from us so their also a very .."disturbed"? and violent people.

[PHS Philip]

Makes sense.

Now, keep in mind, the way humanity's headed, the "we're gone" part isn't looking too unlikely. That's a topic for another thread, though.





PHS Philip added to this post, 1 minutes and 29 seconds later...

Well, to be fair, if humans found life on another planet we would probably eventually invade. Might not be with military force...but in some way shape or form, we'll take their land and drive them off with the short end of the stick. Human beings cannot co-exist peacefully together, and they can't exist peacefully with most animals unless they've completely dominated the animal ((dog, cat, horse, etc.)), what makes you think they'll exist with another sentient race? Humans are a very violent race, why the hell would you want to ally with them when not fighting a war against a third party they also hate? Even their reproduction is violent: the stabbing of a fleshy dagger again and again into a pinned down and helpless mate. Very violent people.

Also seem to have a thing for anal probes from us so their also a very .."disturbed"? and violent people.

Well, I disagree to an extent. Humans have the capacity for tremendous violence and cruelty, but in those very same individuals is the capacity for the opposite.

[Outlander]

Sounds totally reasonable to me. Outsiders "invading" seems to be on many people's minds and could possibly be tapped into in order to sell movie tickets.

*Welcome. :)

Thanks for the welcome Avid. :)

I think there are two different alien/invader narratives at work here.

1) Is the general fear and worry about international terrorism present in the post-9/11 world. Active political efforts by the current administration as well as media sensationalism and fear mongering feed this narrative.

2) Another narrative is more xenophobic and politically conservative, it is the fear/hostility towards illegal immigration. It is embodied by the reactionary Minute Men and those American workers who feel their jobs are threatened by immigration.

It raises a few questions:
a) Does the connection for one or both of these seem plausible?
b) How effective could this form of marketing be?
c) Is this kind of fear mongering in advertising harmful or not?

[enWTFp]

Right at this moment the future seems very uncertain to many Americans, people feel powerless and threatened. Not only to Americans, it's the same around the globe.

Your observations are valid, and yes, it is effective trick.c) Is this kind of fear mongering in advertising harmful or not?Excellent question.

I generalize it. In so many ways what improves a business strategy is against the common use - whether it be pollution of nature, or pollution of the mind environment. The effect is slow decrease in the average intelligence, and not surprising at all.

[lancelot]

About a week ago on my drive to work these posters had gone up all over town. They featured the sun (or some light source) cresting over a darkened planet earth. The words "They're Here. We're Gone." were printed in large letters above the planet.

I immediately understood that this was a movie poster; most likely for some alien invasion type movie. But the actual text of the posted stuck with me. "They're Here. We're Gone" carries with it an assumption that Them and Us can't co-exist. At first I chuckled about it. It was like "there goes the neighborhood", but on a cosmic scale. Then I realized that the whole notion of invasion by aliens (outsiders/foreigners) has a more timely, deeper and more immediate meaning.

It turns out that the movie is a remake of the old sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. Though what I'm focused on is the sociological meaning of the catch phrase. Perhaps it was an accident, but I think it could have just as easily been clever marketing. Presently in America immigration is a big issue. And the current administration and the media have been reminding us for years now that terrorists could strike at any time. I can't help but thinking that the "They're Here. We're Gone." language doesn't speak to a growing xenophobia in many people. Right at this moment the future seems very uncertain to many Americans, people feel powerless and threatened.

Could this movie poster be targeted to connect with people's fears and even xenophobia?

I found the movie title boring!, I reminded me of so many things I have seen before.

The old move "The day the earth stood still" was such a good movie, it's hard to believe they could improve on it!

[rewhu]

I agree. You made a totally reasonable correlation.