The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences disqualified the official Israeli entry in the Foreign Film category because its inclusion of English dialog. However, “The Band’s Visit” later managed decent boxoffice and was even transplanted on Broadway as an acclaim musical. Producers of “The Band’s Visit”-a quirky tale about a small orchestra of Egyptian policemen … [Read more...] about ‘Band’s Visit’ Thrives Despite Oscar Snub
Hollywood Stumbles in Foreign Affairs
As legendary Hollywood mogul Samuel Goldwyn once said, “If you want to send a message, call Western Union.” These days, a slew of pricey movies set against the backdrop of the Middle East/Afghanistan cauldron and that project distaste for the U.S. are falling flat at the box office. More such films are in the pipeline, and so worried film distributors are crafting marketing … [Read more...] about Hollywood Stumbles in Foreign Affairs
‘Magorium’ Gimmicky Scented Advertisement
“Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium” employs a marketing stunt placing a scratch-and-sniff fragrance embedded the ink of “Los Angeles Times” advertisement for the movie. “Magorium” is a G-rated family film scheduled for domestic premiere Nov. 5 from 20th Century Fox Pictures and producer Fox Walden Media. In overall movie marketing, newspaper advertising is in decline because … [Read more...] about ‘Magorium’ Gimmicky Scented Advertisement
Indie Snags Prints & Ads Funding
Prints and advertising funds provide marketing expenses for films financed with other money. Indie film company Regent Releasing says that its $50 million P&A fund hired Proud Mary Entertainment to find and contract marketing deals for its financing vehicle. Says a Regent press release, “The fund was established through Merrill Lynch to provide strategic print and … [Read more...] about Indie Snags Prints & Ads Funding
Official Websites No Longer Epicenter
Marketing movies via the internet across cyberspace is still relatively new, but there are already some significant twists in strategy. The official website is no longer the automatic centerpiece of a new media campaign and—in something of an irony—there is a budding trend to launch more than one website for the same movie. All this is a break from the strategy of … [Read more...] about Official Websites No Longer Epicenter
Toy Brand Screens in Cinema
A popular pre-schoolers toy brand books a one-time special movie screening "Thomas & Friends On The Big Screen" via Fathom Events. It’s part of a budding trend of non-theatrical audio/visual content showing one or a few times, mostly in slots when cinemas would otherwise be dark. "Thomas & Friends" played once at a 10 a.m. Saturday screening time with its … [Read more...] about Toy Brand Screens in Cinema
Goofy ‘Simpsons’ Promotions Multiply
The theatrical film adaptation of “The Simpsons” carries over the goofy TV animated property into product placements and promotions. 20th Century Fox is scheduled to premiere “The Simpson” in domestic theatrical July 25. The PG 13-rated animated film reportedly cost $70 million to make. Normally, product placements insert familiar corporate brands in a movie, but in a … [Read more...] about Goofy ‘Simpsons’ Promotions Multiply
Cell Phone Marketing Gains Traction
Movie distributors have placed ads and promotions on mobile telephones only sparingly, emphasizing Internet websites patronized by consumers using a PC. But mobile looks to shake off its backwater status as cell phones become more sophisticated with web browsing, voice messages blasts and video. Theatrical marketing campaigns for mobile include voice messages from stars such … [Read more...] about Cell Phone Marketing Gains Traction
Mystery Trailer for “Cloverfield’
Paramount Pictures’ unconventional cinema trailer that is attached to its “Transformers” blockbuster got moviegoers talking the next day around the water coolers at work, according to “USA Today.” The trailer, which doesn’t name the film (“Cloverfield”), presents a rooftop party populated by yuppies in urban Manhattan in documentary style that is disrupted by fireballs in … [Read more...] about Mystery Trailer for “Cloverfield’
MySpace Creates Cinema Trailer Hub
While riding high in 2007, social media website MySpace creates a movie video trailer community with indie distributor Lions Gate as its inaugural promotional partner. The cinema section is dubbed MySpace Trailer Park. A press release quotes MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe saying that the trailer community “speaks to users who want to discover and virally share these videos.” … [Read more...] about MySpace Creates Cinema Trailer Hub