Movie Marketing

The Art and Science of convincing you to ‘buy’ movies.

What techniques can be used to market a film?

On the post it notes write down different techniques that can be used to market a film. Write ONE idea per post it note

Effective

Ineffective

The Basics

• Every major Hollywood studio/distribution has an internal department for promotion and the resources to promote (TV, Magazines, Radio)

• The marketing campaign will be cohesive across all media platforms

• Most common forms are teaser trailers, trailers, Adverts in News papers and Magazines, Television spots, Radio promo, internet (official websites, viral sites, social networking) and billboards

The Basics

• In recent years the general tactic has been to ‘go big’

• The movie business is cyclical and seasonal– Summer– Christmas– Long holiday weekends (USA)

• In recent years the general tactic has been to ‘go big’

The Traditional Campaign• Teaser Trailer – very little info but ‘cool’ looking• Theatrical Trailer – done by specialist production

houses• Official Website (with the Trailer), builds as release

date gets closes and is only the start of the internet campaign

• Press Junket• A few weeks before release - Publicity Blitz (esp

internet)• Product tie-ins and corporate partnerships (Happy

Meal)• Publicity Stunt (The Dark Knight, The Simpsons Movie)

Above, below or through the line marketing techniques? Impersonal

Mass market so mass media‘Traditional’ advertisingExpensive because wide audience (agency make money)

PersonalTarget a specific group so more direct More subtle – you may hardly even notice itDisguised as something else (look at Spectra at the moment)

Through the line = mix of both

Above-the-line costs

• These are for advertising • The distributor would pay a certain

amount of money to buy advertising space.

• On TV, Radio, Magazines, Newspapers, online

• They know what they are getting for their money.

Below-the-line costs • Publicity and promotions are below the line

costs. • Publicity includes bringing US stars across, in

hope of getting good coverage from the media. • Its not guaranteed though and it’s a risk. • Promotions are set up with another company,

called a tie in.

Positioning

• This is the most important decision made by a distributor

• It is the decision of how and when a film should be released

• If a film is released at a slow period or against intense competition, this will cause financial disaster

Why is Positioning used?

• Films rarely break even just from cinema release

• The success of a cinema release will rely on word-of-mouth to secure DVD sales

• Distributors will use target audience statistics and test screenings to do this

Film Reviews

• Film reviews now appear anywhere in media; TV, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio

• They can let certain audiences know what a film is about, who is in it, whether they think it will be an Award winner

• What are some of the common review sites used? Do you use reviews? Why/ Why not? How could reviews be manipulated?

Trailers

• Films that have a higher advertising budget will have teaser trailers as well as full-length trailers (how many has Star Wars had….)

• Trailers are given a classification, this may be different to the actual film

• They must include; the genre, the narrative, the star (if it is star driven) and a USP

The Internet

• The internet allows for a ‘buzz’ to be created before pre-release promotion

• This can be positive or negative ‘buzz’

• Some films have websites dedicated to it, either production made or fan-made

• These can also be real or fake

The Internet

Promotions

• This applies mostly to Big-Budget films

• This could be a display in a high street shop, tie in with fast food, (McDonald’s being the best example) competitions and events.

Merchandising• Merchandise that is connected with a film

is where real profit is made• This allows companies to use the images

and logos of the film in their own promotion

• Star Wars is the most famous for this• Our Case Studies–Marvel (Disney/ Amazon)– Harry Potter (Amazon/ Harry Potter Shop)– Kings Speech/ Imitation Game (Competitions)– The Goob/ Precious DVD only

Premieres• These are a carefully organised tool

for distributors • They help generate publicity through

newspapers, TV/Radio, and magazines• It is the official launch of a film, the

distributor has to make sure it gets the right attention

• The Goob • Age of Ultron• Harry Potter

• Precious• The Kings Speech• The Imitation Gam

e

Festivals

• They have a dual function

• They are competitions that can gain the film awards as well as publicity

• It is also where distributors can battle over gaining the rights for a film that has just been produced

Festivals

• Highest profile festivals:

• Cannes• Sundance• Berlin• Toronto• Venice

Posters

• Potential blockbusters have a ‘teaser’ poster campaign as well a main poster campaign

• Posters are full of generic elements to do with the film

• The USP is an element that appears different or special to certain audiences

How do they measure success?

• Gross box office sales from the first weekend– Direct reflection of the buzz/excitement generated– 40% of gross profit can happen in this time– Can mean that even a ‘stink’ film will make a small

profit (before word spreads)– Hulk (dir Ang Lee made 47% of its profit in the first

week, 69% less in the second week)

Where is the money spent?

• Newspapers: 10.1%• Network TV: 21.6%• Spot TV (individual stations) 13.9%• Internet: 4.4%• Theatrical Trailers: 4.2%• Other media (cable TV, radio, mags, billboards):24%• Other non media (market research,

promotion/publicity, creative services): 21.8%

Marketing Problems• Over done so need to be creative• Can make the film even more costly- can be equal to

50% of budget• Big Budget movies have the widest target audience

which means that the campaign could lack focus• Nichebuster – smaller movies marketed heavily to a

highly specific target audience• Moviegoers are more media savvy and don’t believe

the hype• Negative power of the internet (social networks esp

Twitter and film blogs)

Essay Questions• How important is marketing in influence people to watch films both at

the cinema and on DVD?• How important are film reviews in determining whether or not people

choose to see a film?• What are some of the ways in which audiences today benefit from the

online marketing and distribution of films on DVD?• How important is marketing in influence people to watch Hollywood

films both at the cinema and on DVD?• How are billboard posters and poster-style advertisements in

newspapers and magazines used to create audiences for films?• Compare the different factors that contribute to the box office success

or failure of a film• The internet is of equal benefit to producers and audiences' How far do

you agree?

Research Assignment

• Age of Ultron• Harry Potter• The Imitation Game and The Goob.• In teams you are going to produce a digital

presentation that summarises the marketing campaign of your case study film.

• Digital format can be Prezi, Emaze, ppt (loaded to Slideshare), powtoon, infographic etc