Smurf Village reports boost in happiness, dreams.
Six months ago, the Spanish village of Juzcar was painted entirely blue for the filming of The Smurfs 3D, clocking over 1000 gallons of blue paint, making it the world’s first official Smurf Village. (Yes, as if there will be more.)
Sony had planned to make the houses white again following filming and promotions. But last Sunday, locals voted to keep the houses blue, in part because the village has become a huge tourist attraction (drawing over 80,000 visitors since its paint job), but also because “it’s given a boost to the local economy, it’s increased our happiness, our dreams and our levels of employment,” says Mayor David Fernandez Tirado, who’s been nicknamed Papa Smurf.
“Thanks to being painted blue we are known throughout the world,” he beamed.
Flagrant sideshow marketing: improving brand equity and boosting states of joy one execution at a time.
