Sony's Napoleon TikTok Ad Is The Weirdest Thing You'll See Today

Sony's "Napoleon" TikTok ad will leave viewers scratching their heads. After months of anticipation, Ridley Scott's biopic on the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte has finally graced cinemas. Starring the Oscar-winning Joaquin Phoenix in the titular role, "Napoleon" is taking a curious approach to its marketing. It's no secret that, as a historical figure, Napoleon has become a fascination for many, especially online. Take to social media, and it's difficult to not spot memes about the Frenchman, with many users likening themselves to Napoleon. Part of the "he's just like me fr" meme subculture, Napoleon continues to be a polarizing historical figure, and Sony's viral ad for his biopic strategically doubles down on this. 

Over on TikTok, Sony Pictures has debuted a hilarious and weird ad promoting "Napoleon." The ad starts off with a shot of Phoenix's Napoleon bantering in a jovial, comical state, with a text voiceover saying, "When I make a joke about myself." Napoleon's having fun and laughing, implying that he's self-aware and doesn't mind a few digs at himself in order to make others laugh. We then cut to a shot of an audience laughing, with the voiceover saying, "When someone else makes the same joke," with a dejected Napoleon looking angry. The ad ends with Napoleon yelling, "You have violated the Constitution." 

The strange ad is playing up how insecure the leader is, blending his self-doubt with contemporary meme culture. Honestly, it's a perfect ad that capitalizes on how popular Napoleon is online while still effectively promoting the picture.

Social media continues to be a pivotal part of how studios market films, especially to younger, perpetually online audiences. While it's difficult to know if quirky social media posts like the TikTok ad for "Napoleon" are actually helping the film, they're certainly making for quality meme content. That's not the only weird ad Sony has made for "Napoleon." Consider this video, which features Phoenix's Napoleon rubbing a letter from his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby), on himself, with the caption and visuals saying that he's in a perfume shop. The official Sony Pictures TikTok account is riddled with hilarious videos promoting the film, and per the comments, fans are loving the promotional strategy. 

Sure, the memes are great, but should audiences go out and rush to see "Napoleon"? The film, like the world leader it's based on, has proven to be divisive among both critics and audiences. Looper critic Audrey Fox was mixed on the film, awarding the Ridley Scott epic a 6/10 based on its performances and battle sequences. This mixed sentiment extends across the board — "Napoleon" has a 60% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a disappointing B- CinemaScore from polled audiences. 

Overall, the film is a mixed bag, with many critical of its pacing and narrative choices that don't fully highlight just how nuanced Napoleon was as a general. Despite the mixed reviews, audiences showed up in droves to support the picture over Thanksgiving weekend 2023, bringing in a five-day haul of $42 million. Maybe Sony Pictures has its TikTok meme campaign to thank for the film's stellar opening?