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- Psycho Was Movie Marketing Done Right
- ’90s & Aughts Tie-In Marketing Campaigns
- Viral Marketing in The Dark Knight and Blair Witch Project
- Stunt Marketing in Films Like Smile and IT
As a film enthusiast who’s spent countless hours immersed in the silver screen world, I can wholeheartedly attest to the transformative power of innovative marketing strategies in cinema. From the enigmatic allure of *The Blair Witch Project* that blurred the lines between reality and fiction, to the captivating speculation stirred by the intricate web spun around *The Dark Knight*’s Joker, these campaigns have left indelible marks on my movie-going experiences.
In essence, contemporary film marketing strategies for years like 2024 and those that have passed often focus on providing a broad overview of the storyline, some appealing dialogue from prominent characters, and jam-packing the poster with as many celebrities as possible. However, there’s been a trend to disclose more and more in trailers, which unfortunately turns a movie into something already familiar to viewers rather than something intriguing and new. These marketing campaigns could take a cue from past strategies.
As a cinema enthusiast, I firmly believe that an impactful marketing campaign has a twofold approach. Initially, less is often more – subtly piquing interest in even the grandest and priciest productions can be incredibly effective. Secondly, expanding beyond mere trailers and posters can leave a lasting impression on audiences before the movie even graces the big screen. The examples that follow underscore this point.
Psycho Was Movie Marketing Done Right
When Alfred Hitchcock chose to bring Robert Bloch’s novel “Psycho” to the screen, he aimed to keep the story’s surprises a mystery for the audience. To achieve this, he purchased as many copies of the book as possible. Then, he made cast members take an oath of secrecy and was careful himself about revealing the ending of the story to them.
When the movie was about to begin, he maintained the trend by enforcing a strict policy in theaters. This meant that once a film started playing, no latecomers were admitted. If you arrived even a minute late, you had to wait for the next showing. This rule turned the movie into an exciting experience, with the intrigue surrounding this broad policy change being something worth experiencing on the big screen before it was spoiled by word of mouth.
’90s & Aughts Tie-In Marketing Campaigns
Product placements within films can sometimes feel a tad intrusive or cheesy, like the conspicuous town fight scene in “Man of Steel”. However, from a marketing standpoint, it can be executed effectively. A classic example is McDonald’s, which has been linking up with movies since 1979’s “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” through the “Star Trek Meal”. But it was during the ’90s that this practice really took off, with numerous fast food chains following suit.
An illustration of Roland Emmerich’s film, Godzilla, didn’t quite bring in the money the studio hoped for, but it managed to perform satisfactorily on its own. Part of its success can be credited to its inventive marketing strategies, such as billboards that highlighted the monster’s immense size using catchy phrases like “His foot is as long as this bus” and “He’s twice as tall as this sign.” Moreover, their Taco Bell advertisements were also quite smart, serving as a blast from the past for those who came of age in the ’90s.
2007 saw the height of product placement with The Simpsons Movie, where no less than a dozen 7-Eleven stores were transformed into Kwik-E-Marts as part of an innovative marketing strategy. Given that the fictional convenience store was based on a real-life store, it’s challenging to recreate this kind of promotion.
Despite initial reservations, the idea proved so popular that Kwik-E-Mart gift shops were eventually established in Universal Studios Florida, followed by Universal Studios Hollywood and Broadway at the Beach in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. This strategy would likely succeed for a project involving a store modeled after a real business, especially considering the increased profits reported at 7-Eleven stores (as mentioned in The Hollywood Reporter). It’s a win-win situation.
Viral Marketing in The Dark Knight and Blair Witch Project
One way to rephrase the given text is: “The Blair Witch Project was revolutionary for its time, as it managed to make viewers question the authenticity of the events portrayed on screen. It’s fascinating to consider whether this impact would have been as significant if not for the marketing efforts that preceded it. Remarkably, a film made with limited resources became just as popular as some of the biggest blockbusters during that era.
In essence, the promotional strategy for “The Dark Knight” bore some resemblance to that of “The Blair Witch Project,” both using the internet as a key tool. Unlike “Blair Witch,” which left audiences guessing about the authenticity of the characters, “Dark Knight” sparked curiosity about the actions of its villain. To briefly mention another example, “Paranormal Activity,” also highly acclaimed by Entertainment Weekly, shares similarities with “Blair Witch.” Both were low-budget productions, but unlike “Blair Witch,” which premiered in multiple theaters all at once, “Paranormal Activity” adopted a more gradual release approach, fueling anticipation by allowing viewers to request the film in their local area.
Stunt Marketing in Films Like Smile and IT
Stunt marketing is interesting, often memorable, and sometimes risky. For instance, the LED placards were used to promote Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters in Boston. People didn’t know what the characters were and thought they were related to a terrorist plot. Yet, the movie made $5.5 million on a budget of just $750,000, so perhaps the unintentional scare tactic gave it enough clout to turn a profit. Speaking of risky stunts, there was the one for Josh Trank’s Chronicle, which had RC planes shaped like humans flying above New York City. Thankfully, that one scared people a lot less than the Boston incident.
Stunt marketing only works for certain movies, of course, but a clever mind can make it work for many studio projects. A fairly recent example was 2017’s It, which proved to be a box office smash. Here’s an example of the It storm drain marketing in Sydney, Australia.
It appears that unconventional marketing strategies, such as those used for horror films, tend to yield impressive results. For instance, last year’s unexpected success, “Smile,” saw people gathering in groups and eerily grinning, a strategy that was quite effective. Interestingly, the makers of the sequel are employing a similar ingenious tactic for “Smile 2,” making perfect sense given its predecessor’s impact.
In an innovative twist, the final installment of Toy Story 3 created a number of vintage commercials starring the film’s antagonist, Lots-o’-Huggin Bear. As merchandising often plays a crucial role in a movie’s long-term success, this approach could easily be repeated. Essentially, there are proven strategies for effective movie marketing, and we eagerly anticipate seeing more of them applied in the future.
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2024-10-06 20:31