Online 'Oscar' for charity's video spoof that fooled the world

A SCOTTISH charity has triumphed over the world's leadingmarketing hotshots to land an internet "Oscar" for an online "viral"video that caused a global sensation among film fans.

Animal charity OneKind has come out on top in the annualMovieviral awards for a fake film trailer called They're Here.

Conceived by the charity's web manager, John Robertson, the faketrailer fooled millions of science-fiction buffs into believing thata major studio was about to launch an alien adventure film.

Starring Edinburgh-based actor Angus MacInnes, who appeared inthe 1977 film Star Wars, the internet-shared video - known as aviral - led to Mr Robertson being interviewed by sci-fi magazinesdesperate to speak to the movie's "director".

It was later revealed as a hoax trailer, designed to highlightthe work of OneKind, previously known as Advocates for Animals. Theviral received millions of internet hits and gave a big boost to thecharity's rebranding.

Now the viral has landed an international honour, winning theChristopher Johnson Prize in the Movieviral awards, defeating majoradvertising departments despite the fact that it was conceived in asmall office above a Chinese restaurant in Queensferry Street,Edinburgh.

Other winners of this year's awards - which are voted by industryprofessionals - include Tron:Legacy in the film category and Lost,Glee and Dexter in the TV category. The Johnson Prize is awarded forvirals outside the film and TV industry, and includes videosconceived by global advertising agencies.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles-based Movieviral awards, said:"OneKind's They're Here campaign had us all on the edge of our seatsthinking it was for an alien invasion film, then gave us a greattwist that shows that entertainment media don't have to be the onlykids on the viral marketing block."

The award came as a pleasant surprise to the Edinburgh-basedcharity. Mr Robertson came up with the idea over a coffee andconvinced some well-known figures - such as MacInnes and Baftawinning director Matt Brown - to take part.

"It was a lot of work putting together a Hollywood film trailer,but it was worth it as the response was fantastic," Mr Robertsonsaid.

"We think the trailer was as good as anything the big filmstudios could manage.

"Our desire was to make people reflect on just how incredible theanimals are who we share our everyday lives with, and the vital rolethey play in our world."

The video features strange creatures with superhuman abilities.The punchline reveals that the creatures are in fact animals, ratherthan aliens.

The charity were unapologetic about stringing along the world'ssci-fi movie fans.

Chief executive Fiona Ogg said: "We never expected to get such alarge audience for these trailers, but the whole point is tohighlight the amazing creatures we already have around us."