Yesterday I saw something I've never seen before. I saw a movie star credit his film's marketing team for their opening weekend success.

It's no secret that marketing (particularly entertainment marketing, my old haunt) has gotten increasingly creative over the years. The conversation between marketer and audience is more sophisticated now. In order to understand and appreciate a modern marketing campaign, you need to have years of background knowledge on advertising history, sales clichés and storytelling arcs. I first noticed this trend in this 2010 Old Spice commercial. This 32 second video is complex! In order to fully appreciate the joke, the audience has to accept the fact that this guy is trying to sell them something (which he does directly by breaking the fourth wall), have a base knowledge of the clichés marketers use to try and reach women (horses, diamonds, an attractive shirtless man), and be ok with the mechanics of film-making (he changes sets blatantly and in front of your eyes). The first time I saw this ad I laughed out loud and then sighed with relief because advertisers were finally addressing me like the intelligent consumer that I am.

That's the type of marketing campaign that Deadpool just ran. Take a look at this promo video and tell me it doesn't strike all of the same cords as the OldSpice commercial.

Fourth wall breaking? Check.

Stereotypical advertisement appeals? Check.

An required understanding of the mechanics of film making? Check.

And there were dozens, of promos, like this.

The entire marking campaign for Deadpool was done with a wink and a nod. The promotion was aim at....well.....me. A 26 year old professional millennial with some disposable income and a frightening knowledge of pop culture. These ads get me. It's clear that there is artistry in marketing now-a-days. I think this Hubspot article sums up millennial marketing really well. We want to be involved, we want the messages to be authentic and we don't want to be pandered to. Unlike the generations that proceeded us, we don't see advertising as someone attempting to pull the wool over our eyes. When a clear message that resonates with our personalities makes it through all of the babble out there on social media, in commercials and on billboards, we find it impressive rather than obnoxious.

And guess what? Ryan Reynolds gets that too. That's why he posted this selfie with the entire Deadpool marketing team, crediting them with the film's explosive success.

I think this marks a pretty important change in both the marketing and entertainment industry. "Too cool for school" is a thing of the past. Complex marketing efforts are impressive, not tacky, and success is celebrated across all verticals. So thanks Ryan Reynolds. With one photo you communicated what I've been saying for years.

Clearly the marketers are the real stars here, so we will be seeing YOU at the Oscars.