How The Life of Chuck turned billboards into real-world farewells

In a year dominated by spectacle-driven blockbusters and digital-only trailers, The Life of Chuck quietly took a different route. Directed by Mike Flanagan and based on a lesser-known Stephen King novella, the film leans heavily on emotion, reflection, and mortality. Fittingly, so does its marketing.

Instead of flooding feeds with viral stunts or influencer tie-ins, distributor NEON opted to replicate one of the film’s most poignant visuals in real life: a billboard that simply reads—

To casual viewers, it might appear to be a local retirement message. But to those familiar with the story (or curious enough to look it up) it becomes something deeper. That subtle curiosity has fueled one of the most emotionally effective and conversation-starting campaigns of the year.

Beyond billboards: Where other OOH elements appeared

• Posters and flyers: A variety of posters and tear-away flyers appeared around the world, with user-generated content amplified by NEON’s Instagram account:

• Skywriting and digital integrations: At Coachella, the vague message appeared as skywriting, making festival-goers wonder, “Who’s Chuck? And what did he do for 39 great years? Should I know him?”

• Flyer downloads: NEON created printable versions of the billboard for fans to post in their own neighborhoods. Each flyer includes a phone number where fans can leave voicemails for Chuck.

The result? A campaign that feels like part of the real world, not just the film world.

Why OOH works for movie releases

In the digital era, out-of-home (OOH) advertising might seem like a relic. But data tells a different story:

• A 2024 study by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) found 76% of consumers have taken action after seeing a DOOH ad, and 66% feel more positively about brands that use OOH innovatively.

• According to WARC, OOH advertising delivers 382% more online activity per dollar than TV, and over 2x more than print.

• Marketing Analytics firm Neustar found that brands increasing OOH spend in 2023 saw a 17% increase in ROI versus prior campaigns.

Why does it work? OOH is interruption-proof. You can’t skip a billboard. You can’t fast forward a subway ad. And when the creative is unexpected (or emotional like Chuck), it triggers curiosity and organic sharing. People stop. Snap a photo. Google the name. That “what is this?” moment is marketing gold.

When done right, OOH isn’t a spend. It’s a spark.

How The Life of Chuck's OOH campaign stands out

Most OOH movie marketing is about scale and spectacle dominating Times Square, wrapping buses, etc. Chuck flips that. It’s small. Minimalist. Personal. A farewell ad with no call to action, no streaming date, no studio logos. That restraint is the point.

It’s storytelling as marketing. You feel like you’ve stumbled upon something intimate.

Even better, it invites participation:

• Posting your own “Thanks, Chuck” flyer.

• Leaving voicemails at the hotline.

• Sharing sightings with friends.

These mechanics turn a passive viewer into an active participant. That intimacy creates connection, and connection creates anticipation.

And while it might not generate $50M opening weekend headlines, Chuck is playing the long game. A24 proved that emotional connection and word-of-mouth are box office drivers (Everything Everywhere All At Once). NEON is applying that same logic with Chuck.

The bottom line: Is OOH worth it for movie launches?

Yes, but only when it fits the film. OOH works best when the creative message is:

1. Emotionally resonant (like Chuck)

2. Unexpected (like Smile’s ballpark grinners)

3. Publicly immersive (like Nope’s cloud installations)

It doesn’t need to go viral to work. It just needs to make people care enough to wonder, share, and search. For prestige indies and emotionally charged stories like The Life of Chuck, that kind of curiosity is more valuable than 10M views on a trailer no one remembers.​

Movie marketing intel: This week in trends

BOX OFFICE BUMPS 🎟️ AMC reports weakest Q1 box office since 1996, but April shows recovery (MarketWatch)
AMC posted revenue of $862.5M in Q1 2025, down from $951.4M last year, marking the lowest Q1 performance since 1996 (excluding pandemic years). However, April box office is rebounding sharply - up 104% YoY. Studios are now expected to ramp up summer marketing earlier to avoid Q1 drop-offs in 2026.

FRANCHISE STRATEGY ⚡ Marvel’s Thunderbolts tries A24 playbook to combat superhero fatigue (Business Insider)
Rather than heavy CG and noise, Thunderbolts leans into indie aesthetics, stripped-down trailers, and character depth. With an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score, Marvel is proving it can pivot, and possibly reclaim cultural cachet among lapsed fans.