Guerrilla
marketers push Brokeback DVD

A Web-based guerrilla marketing group known as the Ultimate Brokeback Forum has started an ambitious campaign to place the Brokeback Mountain DVD in 2,000 libraries throughout rural America and in gay-repressive countries like the Bahamas. The forum's campaign, titled "2,000 DVDs to Libraries," has already received commitments of acceptance from 200 libraries in 12 states and Canada. A dozen libraries have rejected the film, however, citing policy restrictions.

The unofficial Brokeback-boosters group, which has raised over $30,000 in three months, made headlines in March when it purchased a $24,000 full-page ad in Daily Variety thanking the writers, producers, and cast of Brokeback for making the film after it lost the coveted Best Picture Oscar to Crash.

"The ad campaign ignited a wealth of enthusiasm to make a difference," said forum organizer Dave Cullen. "It has been an incredible outpouring of Internet activism, and it is all due to Brokeback Mountain."

Next on the forum's agenda: phase 2 of its advertising campaign. Banner ads proclaiming Brokeback as the consensus choice for Best Picture will hit at least eight Web sites next month and feature links to the group's site, www.davecullen.com/brokebackmountain. (The Advocate)