Allan Freeman, Pioneering Movie Marketer for ‘Superman,’ ‘Star Wars,’ Dies at 88

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Pioneering Hollywood movie marketing strategist Allan Freeman has died. He was 88.

It was confirmed that Freeman passed away on June 7, though the specific reasons were not disclosed. Martin Lewis, a previous friend and collaborator who specializes in marketing for movies and music, and worked with Freeman on United Artists projects as a consultant, shared this information with The Hollywood Reporter. Additionally, Sid Ganis, a former executive at Paramount and Columbia, chairman of Lucasfilm, and president of the Motion Picture Academy, released a statement expressing his admiration for his late colleague and friend.

Allan Freeman was a groundbreaking figure, as he was the one who initiated movie research,” Ganis noted. Freeman, who was instrumental in the backstage work of film releases such as Superman, Star Wars, and Rain Man at Warner Bros., served as an early research director. He introduced title testing and research strategies for films, ensuring that major release titles would resonate with audiences by minimizing any pre-release uncertainty about a movie’s storyline or characters.

As a dedicated fan, I’d share that back in 1978, I learned from Freeman that we test all our titles not because there’s an issue, but so we can understand any potential problems it might present, even if we don’t plan to alter it. This knowledge helps us tailor our advertising strategies effectively to mitigate these issues. The strategies he introduced in Hollywood, a blend of Madison Avenue and political polling techniques, have significantly influenced the promotional tactics of the movie industry for decades.

He analyzed the impact of famous movie marketing campaigns such as those for “Dances with Wolves,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” “The Shining,” and “Splash.” His goal was to understand how a film’s title, trailer, and poster could resonate with viewers, similar to how market researchers use data analysis to sell products like soap or toothpaste.

As a gaming enthusiast, I strive to revolutionize the world of cinema, where for decades, the bigwigs in the studio system relied mainly on their intuition about what viewers might enjoy. My aim is to shift this industry towards one that values market research and data over gut feelings and speculations.

Freeman initially kicked off his professional journey by creating marketing campaigns for big brands such as General Foods and Bristol-Myers. Later on in the 1970s, he transitioned from pharmaceuticals to the film industry by working with Palomar Pictures, a production division that was owned by Bristol-Myers at the time.

Freeman started a unique consulting firm to design marketing strategies for the films “Sleuth” (1972), “The Heartbreak Kid” (1972), “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” (1974) and “The Stepford Wives” (1975).

1975 saw Twentieth Century Fox hiring Freeman, initially as a consultant, then later as their in-house vice president of market research, after being impressed by his innovative movie promotion strategies. This was overseen by studio chairman Dennis Stanfill and president Alan Ladd Jr.

At Fox Studios, Freeman devised marketing strategies for numerous successful movies such as “The Omen” (1976), “Silent Movie” (1976), “Star Wars” (1977), and the Academy Award-winning “Julia” (1977). By modifying one of the original titles, “Birthmark,” Freeman played a key role in transforming “The Omen” from a low-budget horror film into a box office hit.

A suitable title should grab attention on its own. For instance, “The Omen” was found to be both chilling and a high-quality movie. The perfect title should instantly place the film in a viewer’s mind, eliminating the need for extensive advertising clarification. For example, “Sorcerer” had no connection to the film and misled people into thinking it was about magic, which it wasn’t. Ultimately, the ideal title should function as its own advertisement – it should already be conveying the right message,” Freeman stated in a 1978 New York Times article.

At that significant studio, Frank Wells, vice chairman at Warner Bros., introduced Freeman to his workplace. There, Freeman teamed up with a fellow marketing expert, Andrew Fogelson, who is the father of the current chairman of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, Adam Fogelson. In his role as president of marketing for multiple studios such as Warner Bros., Columbia, and United Artists, Fogelson acknowledged Freeman’s impact on transforming the methods by which Hollywood promotes films.

Allan entered the movie advertising industry during a period when traditional marketing hadn’t yet been applied to films. When I encountered him, I discovered he was remarkably intelligent, professional, and believed we could greatly benefit from adopting practices from other industries. Initially, my higher-ups (or ‘bosses’) were skeptical, but they allowed us to try new approaches. Quickly, his work on Superman, Oh God, and The Goodbye Girl proved incredibly effective. As a result, those who were doubtful disappeared, making way for studios inquiring about investing in the innovative system we were developing,” Fogelson stated in his own account.

Today, this massive enterprise involves almost everyone, and its success is largely due to the intelligence and insight of Mr. Freeman. Fogelson concluded by expressing his gratitude.

Freeman also supported various advertising campaigns driven by research, including those for Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose”, Burt Reynolds’ “Hooper”, “Capricorn One” directed by Peter Hyams (which marked the start of a long-term collaboration), “Monty Python’s Life of Brian”, and Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”.

Or, in an even simpler form:

Freeman supported various marketing campaigns for movies such as Clint Eastwood’s “Every Which Way But Loose”, Burt Reynolds’ “Hooper”, “Capricorn One” directed by Peter Hyams, “Monty Python’s Life of Brian”, and Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”. These projects marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration with director Peter Hyams for “Capricorn One”.

In 1980, Freeman resuscitated his independent agency and over the subsequent seven years, he played a significant role in promoting films such as “Inside Moves,” directed by Richard Donner, “First Blood,” “This is Spinal Tap,” “Tron,” “Never Cry Wolf” and “Splash.

As a gamer, I found myself reconnecting with Frank Wells, who took over as studio president following my partnership with Disney. In 1985, during the promotional blitz for The Emerald Forest, I utilized countless phone conversations with focus groups to polish the movie’s storyline and pacing.

Instead of relying on focus group tests, some critics argued that studio executives were shifting their creative duties when producing and distributing films, but Freeman defended the importance of hard data in convincing major studios and connecting with moviegoers at cinemas.

Or:

Focus group testing faced criticism as it seemed like studio execs were avoiding their creative responsibilities while making and releasing movies, but Freeman stressed that solid data was necessary to persuade major studios and resonate with cinema-going audiences.

1987 saw me, as a seasoned marketing executive, being welcomed into United Artists by Fogelson. With this new role, I had the privilege to work on some blockbuster releases like “The Living Daylights”, “Baby Boom”, “Overboard”, “Child’s Play”, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka”, “Rain Man”, and “Road House”. What an exciting time that was!

In the promotion for “Rain Man”, Freeman intentionally hinted at the movie’s plot without revealing crucial details before its release. As he explained to a December 9, 1988 article in the “Los Angeles Times”, their aim was neither to perplex nor deceive but rather to preserve the delight of gradually unveiling the story on the big screen. The charm lies in experiencing it unfold for yourself in the theater, he said.

Allan was incredibly innovative and knew exactly what strategies were effective and which weren’t. A few competitors tried to imitate his methods, but no one could match Allan’s research-based creativity approach. He encouraged his team and external consultants to be bold and strive for greatness. If you produced something impressive, he would commend you. If you occasionally strayed off course, he would correct you firmly yet humorously. I learned a great deal from Allan, as he was a creative thinker and an original. He stood out distinctly, like a prominent thumb,” Lewis, known for his promotional campaigns such as those for ‘The King’s Speech’, ‘Crash’, ‘The Secret Policeman’s Other Ball’, numerous Beatles and Monty Python projects, stated in a press release.

Following his departure from United Artists, Freeman shifted his focus towards independent films and played a significant role in promoting the Oscar-winning best pictures, namely “Dances with Wolves” in 1990 and “The Silence of the Lambs” the following year.

Freeman is survived by his wife Barbara and his children Joanne, Richard and Marc.

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2025-06-19 21:25