UPDATE: Bell’s Bloody Poster

UPDATE: You can now check out the poster BELOW. Click on it for your chance to snag a copy!


This may be the coolest – and all out weirdest – marketing campaign I’ve ever heard of. Just when you think the folks behind the marketing train behind the SAW series had outdone themselves with putting on blood-drive’s in conjuncture of the film’s opening day, they go out and do something that takes it to the next level!


Variety reports this morning that new posters for SAW III have been made… from a vial of star Tobin Bell’s blood… mixed with red ink, and ready to be sold/ auctioned for the ultimate in movie promotional material. That’s right. A poster printed from the blood of Jigsaw. Tim Palen, marketing ninja for Lionsgate, had this to say about the idea:

We decided to do a poster and he’s wearing a red cloak. I was talking to the printer and asked what we could do to get the deepest blood red. I asked if it would be possible to use actual blood. There was silence. He said, ‘We could try, but are you serious?’ I said I was dead serious.


And even though Bell thought it was a weird idea, he was game and gave his blood for the campaign. I doubt there’s a case in history where an actor actually gave blood for the marketing materials of their movie- how cool is that?


Everyone involved with the printing of the posters had to follow strict guidelines set by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), which involved wearing gloves. I guess I figured they’d wear gloves anyway, as to not smear the ink with oily hands, but apparently they only do that when dealing with ink mixed with blood. Who knew?


They’re making about 1,000 posters in all, which you can snag for about $20, or you can scoop them up at an auction that will be held to benefit the Red Cross. See that? Bell gives blood to promote a movie that sheds blood, in hopes to promote others to give blood too. That’s some hardcore marketing right there. SAW III hits theaters everywhere October 27th.