We're only about a couple of months away from the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the advertising is starting to trickle slowly but surely into the public consciousness. The most recent example of that marketing would be a recently released set of eight different posters that are part of the advertising as well as the merchandising end of the film's business portfolio. What's represented are two different approaches and two different art styles for two very different sides of the market this film hopes to capture.
Paramount shared these pics, and it looks like the folks down at marketing have their stories straight as to how they want to approach this film's target audiences. For the kids, we have wall posters like the one at the head of this piece. They're pretty standard, showcasing all four turtles ready for action. There's even your standard roll call poster that shows each turtle identified by name, in case you're not a parent or child who's previously enjoyed the franchise. Considering how long it took for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to land on its feet, it wouldn't be a surprise if there's a good number of people who aren't so familiar with any of this.
On the other side of the spectrum, you have your hardcore fans and adult spectators who are interested in what the film has in store for them. Not to leave those fans out in the cold, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and their nemesis, The Shredder, are displayed in the style of spray painted graffiti. These posters have been spotted out in the open, and even have the typical paint trails that would be present on standard street art, as if to say that while they understand the Turtles have become known as more of a kid's show than anything else, this movie is going to still kick some ass. Or in the case of The Shredder, this movie is going to give us a villain to fear once more.
There's also a cool Turtle.
While I can understand that both sides of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles audience need to be catered to, I don't think they should have showcased the kids' posters at the same time as the street art posters. The kids' posters are bound to pop up on toy store websites all across the internet, but when you're dealing with movie news sites like ours, you're going to want to put your best foot forward. The kids are a lock with this film as, again, Nickelodeon is currently running a television show with the Ninja Turtles on it. Not all of the more mature fans are going to watch that show, partially because they want to remember the ass kicking side of the Turtles and not the toy shilling half that they've (mostly) out grown.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fights for truth, justice, and your box office dollar on August 8th.
