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
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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
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
Confessions of a Horror Film Mogul
Horror filmmaker Eli Roth is a “brand” that he milks online and in other media. A creative force behind "Cabin Fever" and "Hostel," Roth provided a fascinating tour of the horror film genre in an interview at the Variety Film Marketing Summit last week. His big break came as director of “Cabin Fever” released in 2003, though that low-budget film that was a hit with $21 … [Read more...] about Confessions of a Horror Film Mogul
Raunchy ‘Ted’ Thrives Online
The marketing campaign for Universal Pictures comedy "Ted" emphasized online, where promotional content could be raunchy and outrageous like the R-rated movie. Traditional media such as TV doesn't allow swear words and overt sexual content, such as this Tweet credited to the teddy bear movie character, "Do I get to have sex with the chick from 'Brave' now?" in a naughty … [Read more...] about Raunchy ‘Ted’ Thrives Online
IWC Wristwatch Stars in ‘Bourne’
It’s no accident that Jeremy Renner is wearing a pricey IWC wristwatch in “The Bourne Legacy.” The Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen issued a press release saying the watch worn by the movie’s star is product placement in a “partnership” agreement with Universal Pictures, which distributed the PG-13 spy thriller movie. “IWC has a longstanding passion for filmmaking,” says … [Read more...] about IWC Wristwatch Stars in ‘Bourne’
Fanboys Hurl ‘Dark Knight’ Threats
Passions by some fans of the “The Dark Knight Rises” are getting a little too overheated. A blogger critic Marshall Fine received online death threats on film website Rotten Tomatoes for panning the PG-13-rated release that Warner Bros. will premiere July 20. Writing for “Time” magazine, Eliana Dockterman said that Fine generated the first negative review from professionals … [Read more...] about Fanboys Hurl ‘Dark Knight’ Threats
TV Shows, Females Jumping at Comic-Con
TV programs -- not theatrical films -- took the spotlight at the Comic-Con enthusiast convention July 12-15. “Other than a blow-out panel for the upcoming fifth and final movie in the ‘Twilight’ series, there didn’t seem to be a single movie event here that made a significant impact with the crowd of approximately 125,000 genre fans,” wrote Ed Martin in Media Post. The … [Read more...] about TV Shows, Females Jumping at Comic-Con
Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
The United States Postal Service adds Disney’s Pixar animation characters to the pantheon of Hollywood luminaries that have graced postage stamps. Some 125 million stamps in total will be issued with five different mixes of Pixar characters including Nemo and Squirt from “Finding Nemo," and Woody, Bullseye and Jessie from “Toy Story 2.” “These delightful stamps lift spirits … [Read more...] about Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
Unofficially Yours: Oscar Night Hanger-ons
It seems every Oscar season, corporate America entities without any formal association try to wiggle their way into Hollywood’s greatest night. Here are some outfits that jumped on the Academy Awards bandwagon without official status: *UK gambling site Sky Bet is laying odds and taking bets for all the Oscars categories. It’s got 10-to-1 odds for "The Descendants" to win … [Read more...] about Unofficially Yours: Oscar Night Hanger-ons