Sony ringing teens only for 'Messengers'

December 27, 2006 Ultrasonic ringtones -- ringtones that are audible to teenagers but not adults -- are a featured aspect of the film's promotional campaign, which is geared toward a teen audience and inspired by the movie's story line about a young female protagonist insisting she hears voices that her parents cannot hear. "The fact that only kids can hear it winds up being a thematic fit with the notion in the film that her parents don't believe her," said Joe Epstein, executive director, worldwide digital marketing strategy, Columbia TriStar Marketing Group. True to real life in the digital age, the movie's Jess also engages in text messaging, AIM instant messaging and social networking sites -- digital aspects that Epstein said will be deployed and promoted through the film's Web site in the next few days and were created to make young movie consumers feel as though they're actually interacting with the film's fictional character.

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