The Independent Spirit Awards cloaks itself with the aura of a maverick and virtue but is not shy about embracing the luxury side of corporate America. The independent-film awards counts as main sponsors luxury wristwatch Piaget, Jameson Irish Whisky, upmarket Lincoln automobiles, T-Mobile cell phones and indie film TV channel IFC for its Saturday awards, which come one day … [Read more...] about Sponsors Embrace Brash Spirit Awards
Lionsgate Consolidates Ads at Mindshare
Lionsgate consolidated its estimated $400 million domestic film advertising account with WPP’s Mindshare media buying agency, which handled Summit Entertainment that Lionsgate acquired a year ago. Interpublic’s Initiative unit—which bought adverising for Lionsgate pre-merger—is dropped. The assignment covers theatrical and home video ad spending. Kantar Media puts … [Read more...] about Lionsgate Consolidates Ads at Mindshare
Digital Projection Eclipses Mechanical In Theaters
In 2012, mechanical film projectors were supplanted by digital electronic projection equipment in movie theaters worldwide, according to researcher IHS Screen Digest. The researcher estimates 43,796 2-D digital electronic screens in 2012, 45,545 3D digital screens and 5,500 E-cinema screens in 2012. In contrast, there were just 35,087 mechanical projectors in 2012, down from … [Read more...] about Digital Projection Eclipses Mechanical In Theaters
Sundance Sponsor Nabs Fest Screening
A corporate sponsor at the Sundance Film Festival created content that unspools in a sidebar of the fest, in a bid to escape the NASCAR-like clutter of overt promotions, notes a Variety story. The Captain Morgan brand of rum, which is part of the Diageo spirits conglomerate, received choice placement for its 30-minute documentary showing at Sundance titled “The Unsinkable … [Read more...] about Sundance Sponsor Nabs Fest Screening
Oscar TV Ad Sales Sizzle
Advertising sales for the Feb. 24 Oscar telecast are brisk, according to trade newspaper Advertising Age, which attributes strong demand comparison to recession-depressed rates in the past year and a belief a revamp this year will pull viewers. The performance of the Oscar telecast is of keen interest to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) because it … [Read more...] about Oscar TV Ad Sales Sizzle
‘Django’ Slavery Action Figures Irk Activist
-“Django Unchained” action figures are drawing criticism for satirizing America’s sensitive slavery era. An activist, who says he saw and liked the movie argues the plastic action figures are "a slap in the face of our ancestors," he tells the Associated Press. "We feel that it trivializes the horrors of slavery and what African Americans experienced." The plastic … [Read more...] about ‘Django’ Slavery Action Figures Irk Activist
Mercedes Drives Palm Springs Fest Sponsorship
Mercedes Benz embraces movie glitz and star talent in a sponsorship of the gala awards ceremony of the 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. The German car maker is connected to a rare film festival that is part of the Oscar awards season calendar because of its early January date (most other fests are outside awards season). Mercedes also trots out celebrity … [Read more...] about Mercedes Drives Palm Springs Fest Sponsorship
‘Hobbit’ Merchandise Comes Cheap & Also Pricey
With “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” now in theaters, Warner Bros. revealed details about its “Hobbit” licensed merchandise and a Wall Street Journal article describes bidding for pricey items and prop replicas from that movie and its precursor “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. Here are some of the movie’s licensees for standard merchandise: * Co-master toy licensees The … [Read more...] about ‘Hobbit’ Merchandise Comes Cheap & Also Pricey
ThinkGeek Beams Up ‘Star Trek’ Merchandise
"Star Trek” fans can slice their pizzas with a U.S.S. Enterprise Pizza Cutter from ThinkGeek, which is a licensed merchandise outfit based in Fairfax VA. A press release says that the $99.99 cutter, which is in the shape of the space ship, is "limited to 1,701 units and each will feature a unique number laser etched onto the blade. Under license by CBS Consumer … [Read more...] about ThinkGeek Beams Up ‘Star Trek’ Merchandise
AMC Publicizes Apatow Film
AMC Theatres is mounting a movie publicity event connected with “This Is 40,” which ties into the circuit’s loyalty program. AMC is hosting a question-and-answer session Nov. 28 with director Judd Apatow at its AMC NorthPark 15 in Dallas. Members of AMC Stubs—which is the circuit’s loyalty program—are given tickets to see “This Is 40” for a by-invitation-only screening prior … [Read more...] about AMC Publicizes Apatow Film