Paramount Pictures Hopes Twitter Puts Butts in Seats

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Paramount Pictures is testing whether or not Twitter can drive direct tickets sales. The Hollywood company is the micro-blogging site's Promoted Trend today, utilizing the hashtag "#Super8Secret" to pitch a sneak-peek viewing of the movie "Super 8."

Twitter users can click a short link to buy seats to see the film in select theaters on Thursday, a day before it premieres nationwide. People can click through to either a MovieTickets.com or Fandango landing page, and enter their zip code to find the closest participating theater. Purchasers are offered free popcorn if they buy any other concession item while attending the screening.

Paramount also bought the Promoted Trend ad placement on March 11, employing the hashtag, "#Super8Movie" and offering an early look at the film's trailer. While other sites likely contributed significant traffic to the trailer's page on Twitvid.com, it's received more than 4 million views. In addition, since the ad ran in March, the movie's dedicated Twitter handle, @Super8Movie, has accrued 7,500 followers.

Twitter says it's asking $120,000 per day for the Promoted Trend buy.

Speaking with ClickZ on Tuesday, Twitter director of revenue Adam Bain gave an example that may show his company's platform can influence consumers to buy events tickets. He said the San Diego Chargers last November were having difficulty selling out their stadium for a game vs. the New England Patriots and turned to Twitter.

"The San Diego Chargers tweeted one tweet and only had 50,000 followers to their account," Bain said. "That same day, they sold out the game off that one tweet."