….
The conference room at Red Studios was full, the atmosphere charged with quiet urgency.
Every chair was filled, marketing execs, social media leads, PR specialists. Laptops glowed, papers were strewn across the polished table, half-empty coffee cups teetered near the edges.
On the big screen, a digital countdown ticked toward February 18 - the official release date for Death Note.
Exactly one month away from the present, and to say promotions were at their peak would be an understatement.
At the head of the table sat Regal, composed but focused.
Regal had overheard bits and pieces of these strategies in passing over the past week, even contributed a few ideas himself, but now, it was time to go through everything.
Properly. Step by step, trimming the fat and tightening the plan.
Regal initiated. "Alright, let's break this down."
He went on mentioning the crucial parts first. "We want [Death Note] to be everywhere before release. We want it in conversations, in feeds, in minds. Something people can't ignore. But we do not want to overdo it. There is a fine line between attention-grabbing and obnoxious, and we are not going to be the next studio caught in a PR disaster."
He glanced around the table. "We want to live rent-free in people's heads, not get evicted by legal complaints. So, no unnecessary risks."
Angela Carter - the marketing director - expressed her commitment. "Understood. As you requested, the overall strategy is divided into four key components - Viral Marketing, Social Engineering, Live Immersion, and Traditional Advertising."
She then continued. "Let's start with the viral push. We are calling it: The 'Kira is Watching' Campaign."
Chris Delgado - head of social media - took the cue and held up a, jet-black envelope. "This is our opening move. We will be sending these anonymously to a curated list - film critics, journalists, influencers, anyone with a taste for mystery, thrillers, or cult fandoms."
He slid the envelope across the table toward Regal.
Regal picked it up, unfolded the flap, and pulled out a thick sheet of matte black paper. Written in bold red ink, centered perfectly, were five simple words.
[Your name has been written]
That was it. There were no other details like sender, name and not even a logo. Just the message.
"We send these out anonymously to select journalists, film critics, and internet influencers." Chris explained. "Not every recipient will post about it, but the ones who do? They will create curiosity. People will demand to know what it means."
Regal studied the tactic, nodded wordlessly, but pointed out thoughtfully. "And what happens if someone misreads this? We could be accused of harassment. A wrong recipient and this blows up in the worst way."
Samantha, sitting a few seats down, spoke up, her tone cautious but firm. "Yeah, how do we make sure this doesn't cross the line into… well, threatening?"
She was sharp, always quick to catch a blind spot Regal might overlook in the heat of strategy.
Angela answered immediately. "Valid question. That is why we will include a small QR code on the back. If they scan it, it leads to a Red Studios landing page explaining that it's part of our [Death Note] campaign."
Chris nodded. "And we are not sending this to just anyone. We will filter out anyone known for publicly slamming 'problematic' campaigns. Our targets are people who enjoy this kind of thrill."
Lisa - the event coordinator - added from across the table. "We are also vetting each recipient. No one with a history of paranoia, lawsuits, or bad press related to unsolicited materials. We are being as surgical as possible."
Chris smirked. "It will still spook people, but just enough to spark headlines, not lawsuits."
Regal finally set the letter down, satisfied. "Alright. As long as there is a safety net and we know where the line is... What's next?"
Angela was ready. "The next phase is Social Engineering. One week after the initial wave of letters, we go live with the website - www.kiraknowsyou.com."
Lisa chimed in, shifting forward in her seat. "The site will pose as an anonymous morality survey. It'll ask users for basic input - just their name, age, and then hit them with a provocative question. Something like: If you could remove one person from the world without consequence… would you?"
Angela picked it up from there. "Once they hit submit, the screen glitches. Their name appears on a digital Death Note page, burning in, stylized, and then the whole site crashes. White static. Total wipeout."
Samantha raised an eyebrow, ever the grounded voice. "And legal risks?"
Regal nodded. "Hmm… yeah. It's the same question again. So, Miss Angela, I am assuming you already thought that through?"
Chris leaned back, waving his hand casually. "We brought in the legal team early. No personal identifiers are actually stored, everything resets automatically after ten minutes. No cookies or logging. It's like an interactive haunted house, basically."
Angela tapped her tablet, showing the flowchart of user interaction. "It is ethical. No harm, just eerie fun we made sure of that."
Regal smiled, brief but genuine. "It's good to have reliable people."
Angela and her team blinked, momentarily surprised by the compliment - but accepted it with a quiet nod.
"We are just doing our job." Angela replied modestly.
"Modest, huh?" Regal said, amused. "Anyway. Keep going…"
But while Regal moved on, Angela had a different thought lingering.
If anyone here had the right to be called modest, she mused, it was Regal himself.
She hadn't walked into this project blind. When the president of Red Studios appointed her to lead marketing for [Death Note], she did her homework.
And what she found surprised her.
Working with Regal was, oddly, easy.
Quietly efficient. Rational. Open to feedback.
None of the chaotic, ego-driven energy she expected from a filmmaker at the center of a high-stakes release. And frankly, half their job was already done before her team even stepped in.
From the Roundtable to the surprise appearances in the L.A. Got Talent, Hollywood Reporters Interview to some extent, and finally the Golden Globes stage.
Regal had been marketing [Death Note] in plain sight, sometimes loud and direct, other times with the stealth of a chess master.
The roundtable panel? There weren't many expectations from it. However, people liked how he spoke and presented himself, and the output was clear in the sudden surge of interest in Regal himself and the film's boosting buzz.
But at the Golden Globes?
He didn't even mention the title [Death Note] once.
He didn't need to.
Because on that stage, Regal wasn't promoting the film - he was promoting himself.
And in doing so, the film became unforgettable.
Then there was the L.A. Got Talent stunt - utterly wild.
A man like him actually auditioning for a live talent show, making it to the semifinals, all just to promote a movie?
It was ridiculous. And it worked.
The internet buzzed for days. Social media exploded with speculation and memes. People didn't just talk about the film, they searched for it.
Angela had been floored when she first heard about it. Thought it was insane.
But looking back, it spoke volumes about Regal's resolve.
Determined doesn't even begin to cover it, she thought.
….
As the meeting pressed on, the next item on the agenda flashed onto the screen behind Lisa.
"Live Immersion." She announced. "'Kira in the Real World.'"
She clicked to the next slide.
The screen displayed a digital rendering of Times Square at night. A massive countdown timer loomed across the billboards.
23:59:58… 23:59:57…
"A countdown timer will appear on digital billboards in New York, LA, Tokyo, and London." Lisa explained. "With no branding, just a clock counting down. When it hits zero-"
She clicked again. The countdown was replaced by an ominous flash, and then, Ryuk's glowing red eyes consumed every screen in the mock-up.
"-Boom. Ryuk's eyes take over every screen. Then the message appears: Kira is Watching. And just like that, the screens cut to black."
Regal observed with curious eyes. "And this is all pre-approved?"
Angela nodded. "Everything's pre-approved. The whole point is to create a sense of unease, something that feels like an urban myth. Someone walking through Times Square at night sees it… and they're not sure if it even happened."
Regal folded his arms. "And everything's cleared with the billboard companies?"
Samantha leaned slightly toward Regal, her pen pausing mid-note. She was clearly thinking the same thing.
Regal pressed, "And the billboard partners are okay with that kind of interruption?"
"Completely." Lisa assured. "We're using pre-booked time slots and protocols similar to flash mobs or New Year's countdowns. With no security risks and illegal hacks, just a tightly coordinated spectacle."
Angela added, "We're also staging minor 'Kira events' in those cities. Brief, controlled flickers on other digital screens. No more than five seconds. Just enough to stir talk and make people question what they saw."
Regal nodded slowly. "Good."
He flipped through the pages of the report in front of him. "That brings us to Traditional Advertising, talk shows, cinema promos, media appearances."
Angela pulled up the next slide. "Right. This is where we go wide. We have got a spot lined up on The Night Show with David Reynolds. Our leads, Stephen Jr. and Timothée Chalamet, will be the guests."
She continued. "It starts as a normal interview. Stephen and Timothée come out, they joke a little, talk about the movie. Then, mid-conversation, Stephen suddenly grabs his chest… and collapses. The camera cuts out with a smirk on Timothée."
Lisa laughed. "Of course everything is staged… After a few seconds, the studio lights flicker, and a distorted voice plays: 'Justice has been served.' Then, the screen goes black."
Angela clicked to the final beat.
"When it comes back, Stephen along with Timothée are sitting together, laughing, and says, 'That, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call a Death Note moment.'"
Regal exhaled, nodding. "Alright. This is good. Smart and clean execution."
He turned to Angela. "You're personally monitoring for PR fallout. Any red flags, pull the plug, no hesitation."
She nodded. "Of course."
….
Two Weeks Later
It began.
Chris rushed into the office, breathless, laptop in hand. "We're trending!"
Angela spun her monitor toward him. Twitter was blowing up.
@JakeTheCritic: Just got a creepy letter in my mail… "Your name has been written." WHAT THE HELL IS THIS??
@FilmInsider: The Death Note marketing campaign is messing with my head. Whoever planned this deserves a raise.
@MovieNerd101: That Death Note trailer?? That was some legit horror movie level mind game. Who the hell is Kira?!
Lisa burst in from the hallway. "Times Square countdown just started!"
Regal turned on the TV.
A live feed showed the billboards in Times Square. The final seconds blinked down.
00:00:05… 00:00:04… 00:00:03…
Hundreds of people had stopped to watch. Some had their phones out, recording.
00:00:02… 00:00:01… 00:00:00.
The moment it hit zero, all screens flickered.
Then, Ryuk's glowing red eyes filled the entire space.
"Kira is Watching."
The screens went black.
For a few seconds, the square was dead silent. Then, an eruption of voices. People shouting, laughing, speculating.
Lisa let out a low whistle. "That's the kind of marketing you don't have to pay for twice."
Regal stared at the screen a few moments longer, eyes flickering with silent calculation.
"…I hope so." He said.
.
….
[To be continued…]
★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★
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