Walt Disney Studios arranged for a whopping 20 book tie-ins to the last installment of the “Star Wars” saga. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” is scheduled to premiere Dec. 20 and is not yet rated, but expect a PG-13/Parental Guidance for ages under 13 as the audience classification. “While these titles will include some hints and Easter eggs for the new film, the majority … [Read more...] about New ‘Star Wars’ Prepares 20 Book Tie-ins
branding
Carmaker Flakes Out on ‘Blade Runner’
The company behind “Blade Runner 2049” is suing French automaker Peugeot alleging it reneged on a big tie-in promotion with the sci-fi movie from 2017. Alcon Entertainment filed the legal action asserting that Peugeot failed to perform on paying a promised $500,000 cash fee and accompanying advertising support of $30 million. The complaint said that another unidentified … [Read more...] about Carmaker Flakes Out on ‘Blade Runner’
Pepsi investment in ‘Uncle Drew’ pays off
Soft drink marketer Pepsi seems to have hit the jackpot producing urban basketball comedy-yarn movie “Uncle Drew,” which cracked the top 10 grossers in two consecutive weekends and rolled up a respectable $30 million in domestic box office June 29-July 8. That’s for a movie, which is distributed by Lionsgate, costing only about $20 million to produce -- cheap by major-studio … [Read more...] about Pepsi investment in ‘Uncle Drew’ pays off
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
Star Power Wanes for Leading Men
Movie audiences used to revere male movie stars as god-like, but today's movie stars have meltdowns in public, showing clay feet that pierces their aura. This relates to movie marketing because star-power is diminishing as a draw, and it's no surprise why. "It's curious to see so many male megastars -- so good-looking, wealthy, undeniably privileged -- unravel so … [Read more...] about Star Power Wanes for Leading Men
Product-Placement Guru Recounts Evolution
Product placement veteran Brad Brown recalls the obstacles and patchy nature of product placements in movies and TV shows from past decades in a BrandChannel.com profile. Brown, who is quoted in all three “Marketing to Moviegoer” books, placed Pepsi soda in movies ranging from early Tom Hanks hit “Big” (a Pepsi vending machine is prominent in the lead character’s memorable … [Read more...] about Product-Placement Guru Recounts Evolution
Warners Wins Dispute Over Old Marketing Materials
Major movie studios are belatedly asserting copyright control over images in marketing materials from old films. A legal summary from a Warner Bros. Entertainment studio lawsuit in U.S. federal district court against a nostalgia-products marketer indicates Warners won a $2.57 million copyright infringement award. "In dispute over merchandise with images taken from old … [Read more...] about Warners Wins Dispute Over Old Marketing Materials
The Fall of ‘Saint Angelina’ (Jolie)
With the Brangelina "brand" in tatters, the New York Post published an informative dissection of how actress Angelina Jolie constantly reinvents herself and her divorce from Brad Pitt blows up one of her incarnations. “Jolie carved her own niche, controlled her own narrative, and it was impossible to look away,” notes New York Post journalist Maureen Callahan. But with her … [Read more...] about The Fall of ‘Saint Angelina’ (Jolie)
‘Avatar’ Ecosystem To Help Drive Sequels
Filmmaker Jim Cameron is laying the groundwork for sequels to 2009 blockbuster “Avatar.” New York City-based SapientNitro will create an Avatar “ecosystem” in pre-release marketing to warm up audiences for theatrical sequels distributed by 20th Century Fox. “Publicis Groupe agency SapientNitro has entered into a multiyear deal with James Cameron’s Lightstorm … [Read more...] about ‘Avatar’ Ecosystem To Help Drive Sequels