Director/filmmaker Casper Kelly has a niche in the vast popular culture, but that proved enough to propel his horror film “Buddy” (central character above) to a modest hit in cinemas. Digital-centric marketing leveraged Kelly’s fans from his anti-comedy "Too Many Cooks" on the Adult Swim programming block on basic cable TV's Cartoon Network. “Buddy” is also another … [Read more...] about ‘Buddy’ Lifted By Small But Potent Fandom
BMW Rides ‘Spider-Man’ Tsunami
German carmaker BMW rides the coattails of the “Spider-Man” blockbuster with a product placement and also peripheral tie-in marketing for its new iX3 midsized vehicle and 5 Series midsized sedan. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is delivering blockbuster boxoffice since its July 31 premiere domestically; boxoffice is $2 billion worldwide. With that, BMW piggybacks a cinema … [Read more...] about BMW Rides ‘Spider-Man’ Tsunami
Par-WB: Merger Meddling Gone Awry
Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery shouldn’t be held up by regulators because it won't entrench a monopoly. Here’s why: The $81 billion merger is stalled at a U.S. federal court over monopoly concerns. The two entertainment giants are parents of two of Hollywood’s five major studios. Netflix is so large at $45.2 billion in film/TV program … [Read more...] about Par-WB: Merger Meddling Gone Awry
Mood Swing: Cinema Is Cool Again
Though underappreciated, movies in cinemas are again top of the Hollywood food chain (cinema’s appeal illustrated in AI-generated image above). “The big screen’s obituary has been written so many times — even by the people who make films,” writes entertainment critic Johnny Oleksinski in the New York Post. “When ‘The Sopranos’ and 'The Wire' were airing on HBO (Home Box … [Read more...] about Mood Swing: Cinema Is Cool Again
Samsung Ignites ‘Spider-Man’ Glow
Samsung rolls out a multilevel promotional tie-in with “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which audience tracking says is poised for a blockbuster run. Sony Pictures premieres “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on July 31 in domestic cinemas (U.S. and Canada). The marketing campaign plays out with these interconnected strands: In a product placement, the Samsung logo is visible in the … [Read more...] about Samsung Ignites ‘Spider-Man’ Glow
Minions Drop ‘Easter Eggs’ on Hollywood
Hollywood’s silent film era is remembered lovingly and humorously in “Minions & Monsters” with “Easter eggs” stuffed in the animated film (above a trailer screen grab). An “Easter egg” is an embedded element that conveys hidden meaning, and those nuggets ignited a social media buzz for “Minions.” For example, Cartoon Clubhouse on YouTube posted a 20-minute ”30+ CRAZY … [Read more...] about Minions Drop ‘Easter Eggs’ on Hollywood
Films Starving for Restaurant Tie-ins
Family- and kids-oriented summer movie tie-in promotions with restaurants used to saturate media, but it appears there's a diminishing appetite for them. In a sign of the times, there's a short list of big promotions with major chains this summer. Warner's "Supergirl hits theaters June 26 with KFC restaurants providing promotion. The Wendy’s restaurant chain is partnered … [Read more...] about Films Starving for Restaurant Tie-ins
Horror Rebounds via Surprise Blockbusters
The revival of cinema boxoffice now includes the horror genre, after being mostly missing in action during the pandemic and its aftermath. Two unheralded scare flicks — “Obsession” and “Backrooms” — just blossomed into genuine blockbusters. Focus Features distributed “Obsession,” which rolled up $169 million in domestic boxoffice (U.S. and Canada) since its May 15 … [Read more...] about Horror Rebounds via Surprise Blockbusters
Warner Taps AI for Ticket Sales
Warner Bros. Pictures mounts a tie-in with artificial intelligence service ChatGPT promoting “Supergirl” that also enable moviegoers to directly buy cinema tickets (ChatGPT movie screen-grab above). Online ticketer Fandango is part of the promotion. A press release hails the marketing initiative as a “first-of-its-kind ticketing promotion.” AI is washing across film … [Read more...] about Warner Taps AI for Ticket Sales
Restaurants Supersize Movie Roles
Two movies headed to cinemas are connecting to restaurants in unconventional ways. “Toy Story 5” is planting some pop-up restaurants, which are purpose-built publicity vehicles, with Papa Johns Pizza (image of restaurant above). Also, the “Fast and Furious” franchise is being adapted to the themed restaurant at Universal Studio Hollywood Tour. Walt Disney Studios will … [Read more...] about Restaurants Supersize Movie Roles