<p>The marketing ploy didn’t keep the film from tanking at the box office. </p>
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There were two things wrong with valedictorian Kenya Mejia’s speech at her recent high school graduation in Los Angeles, which she ended by announcing to the crowd, “I love you, Jake Minor!” Problem 1 – she was paid $1,800 by a marketing firm to say it. Problem 2 – Jake Minor was not her boyfriend, just a convenient former crush who was sitting in the student section wondering what the hell was going on. </p>
<p>According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), the stunt was part of a viral campaign to promote the film “I Love You, Beth Cooper,” from 20th Century Fox, whose studio is very near Mejia’s school…
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<p>[Valedictorian</a> paid to shill movie during graduation speech](<a href=“http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/29/valedictorian-paid-to-shill-movie-during-graduation-speech/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl3|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F07%2F29%2Fvaledictorian-paid-to-shill-movie-during-graduation-speech%2F]Valedictorian ”>http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/29/valedictorian-paid-to-shill-movie-during-graduation-speech/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl3|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F07%2F29%2Fvaledictorian-paid-to-shill-movie-during-graduation-speech%2F )</p>
<p>I’m not sure that I would have associated the movie with a line in the speech, so it would seem worthless as a publicity stunt. However, the news story about the payment itself seems to have gotten publicity. </p>
<p>I suppose in the movie business, any publicity is good publicity…</p>