Movie marketers aim to create marketing messages that elicit an emotional response from consumers, and “Joker” takes this notion to an extreme. A new trailer projecting film violence created a real-world uproar of worries that the Warner Bros. comic book adaptation of “Joker” will trigger unbalanced people to acts of mayhem. A New York Post story (see below) quotes … [Read more...] about ‘Joker’ Trailer Presses Violence Buttons
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Some Movie Trailers Skip Digital
Sidestepping the saturated digital landscape, movie marketers are screening some trailers only in-theaters. For example, Warner Bros. Pictures is making a 40-second teaser for "Birds of Prey: Harley Quinn" is seen only as attached to the studio's horror yarn "It: Chapter Two." Writes Richard Newby in the Hollywood Reporter: "Warner Bros. took a similar route with the … [Read more...] about Some Movie Trailers Skip Digital
‘Aquaman’ Makes Splash with Character-specific Posters
Here’s an attention-getting assortment of character-specific movie posters for “Aquaman,” which Warner Bros. Pictures yarn Dec. 21. The sci-fi fantasy drama is rated PG-13. “With the release of James Wan’s Aquaman a little over a month way, Warner Bros. has decided that it’s time for audiences to start familiarizing themselves with the main players in the underwater drama,” … [Read more...] about ‘Aquaman’ Makes Splash with Character-specific Posters
Warners Repositions ‘Meg’ as Horror Comedy
After finding early audience-tracking research weak for its shark thriller "The Meg," Warner Bros. Pictures punched up the comedy messaging, especially in digital media, over the final weeks before premiere. The 11th hour repositioning boosted "The Meg's" three-day opening to $45.4 million, from an originally projected $20 million opening, per a Deadline.com article by … [Read more...] about Warners Repositions ‘Meg’ as Horror Comedy
Analyst Blames ‘Poor Marketing’ in ‘Star Wars’ Stumble
A Wall Street stock analyst says "Solo: A Star Wars Story" stumbled at the box office because Walt Disney Studios didn't present a credible replacement to the Hans Solo character, immortalized by Harrison Ford in the early "Star War" movies. This most interesting film critic of "Solo" is Doug Creutz, who is a veteran media analyst at investment house Cowen & Co., and … [Read more...] about Analyst Blames ‘Poor Marketing’ in ‘Star Wars’ Stumble
‘Deadpool 2’ Humor Shines in 7-Eleven promo
20th Century Fox's "Deadpool 2" mounts a fun, bouncy tie-in promotion with the 7-Eleven convenience stores -- which number 9,700 in the United States and Canada. I saw a humorous in-cinema advertisement where the "Deadpool" character interacts with 7-Eleven cashiers in a mischievous, droll manner. The store chain wants customers to use their 7-Eleven rewards apps (if not … [Read more...] about ‘Deadpool 2’ Humor Shines in 7-Eleven promo
Dissecting ‘Geostorm’ Flop: Reshoots Couldn’t Save It
Warner Bros. disaster yarn 'Geostorm' bombed and a Deadline.com analysis lays the blame on an incoherent on-screen story that furious behind-the-scene scrambling did not completely repair. The $120+ million production grossed just $13.3 million domestically in its premiere three-day weekend to tepid reviews from critics and audiences exiting theaters. Warner Bros. Pictures … [Read more...] about Dissecting ‘Geostorm’ Flop: Reshoots Couldn’t Save It
Late-stage ‘Kong’ Surge Salvages BO Premiere
"Kong: Skull Island” opened to a so-so $61 million in domestic box office for its premiere three-day weekend, which trade publication Deadline says is a triumph. The $185 million-budget yarn was trending as a flop just a few weeks earlier. The Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures film was headed a mid-40s million dollars opening when it first landed in pre-release … [Read more...] about Late-stage ‘Kong’ Surge Salvages BO Premiere
Update on Faith-based Audience Marketing
The faith-based movie audience for Hollywood films gets star treatment in two articles with slightly different takes on the increasingly-important moviegoers influenced by their religious beliefs. Deadline.comís Michael Cieply notes that box office was soft for faith films in 2016. "The faith audience is clearly taking a break from the movies," Cieply wrote. "Actually, 2016 … [Read more...] about Update on Faith-based Audience Marketing
Lamenting the Sameness in Movie Posters
A well-illustrated Hollywood Reporter article laments repetitive key art for movies revolving around one of three themes: The big face (think of Matt Damon's mug in "The Martin" with text "Bring Him Home"); the big logo/key art; or the faceoff where opposing characters line up nose-to-nose. "There's comfort in familiarity," says the article by Tatiana Siegel. "That's why the … [Read more...] about Lamenting the Sameness in Movie Posters