Amazon is giving an entire town free Prime membership because marketing is out of control
Amazon is ready to celebrate the streaming debut of its very own Oscar-winning film Manchester by the Sea in true Amazon fashion -- through self-promotion.
This week, before the movie launches on Prime Video May 5, the company is giving residents of Manchester-by-the-Sea -- the scenic town in Essex County, Massachusetts, that provides the film's setting -- one year of Amazon Prime for free.
In a press release on Monday, Amazon said it would give "every home in the town" one year of Amazon Prime plus three packs of Wickedly Prime Popcorn from Amazon's own it private label brand.
"... We wanted customers in the town to enjoy popcorn and a movie on us," Greg Hart, Vice President of Amazon Video, worldwide, said. "Manchester by the Sea is a masterpiece representing the best of cinematic storytelling. In other words, it is wicked awesome." Get it? Massachusetts? Wicked?
Aside from streaming access to the Amazon original starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams and other films and TV shows, the one-year, $99 membership includes free two-day shipping or one-hour delivery on certain orders. "One mailer with one membership is going to each house in the town," an Amazon spokesperson told us via email. Manchester had 2,394 homes at last Census count, which would cost Amazon a bargain $237,006.
Though this may seem generous, Amazon uses Prime perks to encourage additional shopping on-site, and it's likely some new members will renew at the end of the year, so the promotion could wind up securing the company even more future business. Not to mention the extra free advertising and general goodwill it drums up for the ecommerce giant.
At the 2017 Academy Awards, Manchester by the Sea took home two Oscars for best actor and best original screenplay, so there's certainly reason for the company to celebrate -- but it's not the first time an Amazon Studios production has inspired an exclusive promotional deal.
Back in 2015, after winning several awards for its show Transparent at the 67th Emmy Awards, the company dropped Prime memberships to $67 for a day.
Stay thirsty, Amazon.
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
