Promoting a film with cash giveaways has become the latest attention-grabbing tactic for studios. In the weeks before their shared November 13 release in North American theaters, Paramount Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios staged money-themed campaigns for “Ebenezer” and “How to Rob a Bank.”
For “How to Rob a Bank,” a branded ATM moved between multiplexes across the Los Angeles area over four days. The film’s social media accounts provided clues to its location and a PIN, allowing people who found the machine to claim cash prizes. The promotion’s website listed ten $100 bills and twenty $20 bills at each location, for a total of $1,400, along with theater-provided prizes such as gift cards. Amazon MGM declined to comment, and the agency that sponsored and administered the promotion did not respond to a request for comment.
“Ebenezer” took a more playful approach, promoting a Venmo account for Johnny Depp’s character, described as a Christmas crab apple. Users could request money, but the account’s completed payouts were for just one cent. It was active for only a few hours, and a Paramount Instagram post later urged followers to check back in case Ebenezer became generous again.
Film-news accounts reported that the Venmo account had crashed under the volume of requests. Paramount declined to say whether that description was accurate, and Venmo did not respond to a question about whether it partnered with the studio. The account could also receive payments from users. Paramount returned the money through private transactions, according to a person familiar with the account.
One participant, Los Angeles-based actress and video editor Krystyna Ursta, said she sent the account about $30 and received a full refund a few days later, along with an extra penny and an invitation to a New York screening. She said she was a fan and was happy to support the film.
The campaigns connect to their films’ themes: “Ebenezer” draws on the miser in Charles Dickens’ Christmas story, while “How to Rob a Bank” follows thieves who teach online subscribers how to take money back from financial institutions. But the stunts also attracted people who were simply amused by the premise or drawn to the possibility of receiving cash, generating social media posts and fan reactions.
The promotions required relatively little spending compared with some past movie campaigns. The article notes that Lionsgate reportedly gave away roughly $250,000 in a 2025 promotion for “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” while Neon’s “I Love Boosters” campaign offered free fuel to the first 70 cars at a Los Angeles gas station.
Sources: IndieWire.