Some Tech Asshole Pitched Sony On Turning Spider-Man Into an EDM Bro
Amy Pascal made some mistakes. Nobody is going to dispute that. But here’s at least one good decision she made: turning down some aging tech schmuck’s pitch to turn Spider-Man into an EDM-loving, Tough Mudder-participating, humblebragging shithead.
In November 2013, as spotted by a Twitter user named @DukeLovesYou, Pascal and Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton received an email from Nick Shore, an ex-MTV executive who now helps run a new Sony venture called Astronauts Wanted: No Experience Necessary, which aims to help Sony reach millennials via Vine or whatever.
So, what happens when a middle-aged one-time television executive tries to figure out what appeals to teens? Why, how about making Spider-Man really into working out and Skrillex, plus having “him” create a “very buzzworthy and cool” Snapchat “circle”?
Spidey thought
Hey Amy - just a couple of rando thoughts from 35,000 LAX-JFK:
- A rising trend we see with Millennials are the really extreme forms of experiential exercise like Tough Mudder (a sort of filthy triathalon), the Color Run and even things like Hot Power Yoga, veganism etc. Millennials will often post “N.B.D.” on their social media after doing it , as in No Big Deal, also known as the “humble brag”.....wondering if Spidey could get into that in some way....he’s super athletic, bendy, strong, intense....and it’s all NBD to him, of course.
- EDM (electronic dance music) is the defining music for Millennials. Wondering if there’s an EDM angle somewhere with Spidey? His movements are beautiful, would be awesome with a killer DJ behind it
- Snapchat just launched a “story” functionality, which is sort of “day in the life of me” told in a series of snapchats that expire after 24 hours. It has a very VIP quality about it, since invitation only. Getting invited into Spidey’s Snapchat circle would be huge, and very buzzworthy and cool.
This entire email is a great argument for moving up the retirement age to 35.
[image via Sony]