Marketing Preparation List
When it comes to creativity in movie marketing, as David Stern, owner of Culver City-based Create Advertising Group said, “You want to hit an emotional chord” […] “Can you get someone to feel something?” People attending cinemas want to be told a story. 3D, sound effects, stunts, known actors, car races etc. will not have an effect if there is no plot to back all those things up. That is why the following list is crucial for marketing know-how when preparing a major studio (and not only) release:
• Are there well-known stars-actors and a director, for example-and do they have an audience that will show up opening weekend? The latter point – whether the audience will really follow the stars-is crucial because some actors may be familiar faces but are not necessarily audience magnets.
• Is the story intriguing and unusual, which can be a selling point?
• Will the film be dependent on opinions of film critics, and are the critics’ reviews expected to be positive? The art-film audience is driven by reviews, while the youth audience is not.
• Does the film’s title communicate what the film is about? If so, ads can build up other aspects of the film. If not, the ad message will have to position the film in its genre so that the audience is given a starting point of reference.
• Will the audience take a rooting interest in a sympathetic character? Is this character experiencing a crisis that should be presented in ads?
• Are there subplots that can be highlighted to attract a broader audience? Advertising for Rocky in 1976 emphasized the romantic travails of the Sylvester Stallone character in what was a male action film set in the boxing world.
• Does the film transport the audience to some magical place that could be a selling point?
• Is the music memorable and a selling point that can be used in the trailers and television advertising?
• Are there colors, backdrops, or props that are signatures of the film that should be carried over to advertising?
• If a film carries or is expected to carry a restrictive audience rating, is the creative aimed at an appropriate audience?
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