Social Media Walks the Red Carpet at Cannes

Weary film festival junkies are finally at the halfway mark in Cannes. But much like the parties on yachts, the marketing through social media at Cannes never stops.

Not one to miss an opportunity where booze and celebrities are so warmly welcomed, beer brewing company Stella Artois has launched a series of black and white films featuring the suave King of Cannes, Jacques D’Azur. In the films, the King of Cannes may be ruling in the swinging 1960’s French Riviera, but his campaign is totally now: It will be featured in exclusive web content tailor-made for the festival and spread using Twitter and Facebook while Stella’s website will play home to the films in their entirety. Stella will be bringing the beer to the festival, too. A Stella-themed lounge and bar is located at Cannes, and so is the bloggers’ lounge that allows film and celeb bloggers from around the globe to sit back, have a beer and do a little work.

Facebook is using all of its promotional powers and endorsements to provide social media users with the latest in breaking news from the south of France. From what Russell Crowe was wearing on opening night to where the dope parties are, Facebook is the “C’est Magnifique” site for those attending (and those who wish they were). The Facebook Cannes fan page gives users a chance to talk about the festival while reading up-to-the-minute coverage.

IFC, the Independent Film Channel, has been providing excellent Cannes coverage for more than a decade, so it makes sense that the network is using Twitter to get the word out. Tweets with film reviews, links to interviews with festival goers and movie news has been pushed out this year at a fast-moving pace by IFC.

Finally, those badge lovin’ rascals of FourSquare have been appearing all over Cannes this year. The brand has wisely used festivals in 2010 – from Austin, Texas, to the California Desert – as modern-day treasure hunts. FourSquare users in France are given the 411 as to who is at what party, what films to avoid and, most importantly, where to get the best swag. Ooh la la!