Family-audience “The Blind Side” achieved a rare feat of ranking #1 at the box office in its third week of release, helped by a massive specialty marketing campaign targeting the faith audience. Warner Bros. Pictures hired marketing agency Grace Hill Media to promote the film to consumers that actively pursue religious worship and an "Advertising Age" article by Andrew Hampp … [Read more...] about Faith Audience Propels ‘Blind Side’
messaging
Black Actors Erased from ‘Couples’
You have no idea of the hazards of being a film marketer! First studio brass and the stars blame you when their films flop. Now, there’s escalating media chatter suggesting that the removal of a black couple from the poster for the international version of “Couples Retreat” might be a racist move. You be the judge, but altering international posters is fairly routine (see … [Read more...] about Black Actors Erased from ‘Couples’
Hollywood Shuffle: Misleading Ads
The one-sheet movie posters certainly seem promising. There’s the close-up, tender embrace of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio that calls to mind their "Titanic" pairing. Separately, Clint Eastwood strikes a steely “Dirty Harry”-esqe pose grimacing with a hard-ass facial expression. Trouble is…the advertising doesn’t truly represent the films involved. Winslet and … [Read more...] about Hollywood Shuffle: Misleading Ads
Film Marketer Dials Up Bombast
Lionsgate’s chief theatrical film marketer Tim Palen gets a flattering profile in “New Yorker,” which pegs his style as hard charging. Palen blasts publicity at every opportunity and spares the subtleties. That's in contrast to most other film marketers who choreograph cinema campaigns into segmented waves that grow increasingly larger. “Many Hollywood marketers … [Read more...] about Film Marketer Dials Up Bombast
‘Eagle Eye’ Flies in Mobile Marketing
Paramount Pictures/DreamWorks breaks new ground with an elaborate, interactive cell phone campaign for mystery thriller “Eagle Eye,” a PG 13-rated movie. This is an early use of smart cell phones as a multi-media platform, coming months after Apple introduced its revolutionary iPhone. The Paramount/DreamWorks campaign “aims to build additional buzz about, and boost overall … [Read more...] about ‘Eagle Eye’ Flies in Mobile Marketing
Confessions of a Trailer Wizard
Benedict Coulter, who is head of creative marketing agency Trailer Park, booms film marketing messages in crafting movie trailers. While being obvious on some elements, Coulter will simultaneously present some mysteries to entice audiences with some not-fully-explained wrinkles. Trailer Park is largest of Hollywood’s 30 ad agency boutiques making two-minute previews … [Read more...] about Confessions of a Trailer Wizard
Oscar Noms Ignite ‘Gandhi’ Blitz
More than any other Best Picture nominee, "Gandhi" needs Oscar's help! For the Columbia Pictures release, the cornerstone of its marketing plan is the 11 nominations it received, the best of any 1982 picture. Moviegoers were barraged with “Gandhi” advertising ballyhooing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Awards’ nomination within hour of the Feb. 17 … [Read more...] about Oscar Noms Ignite ‘Gandhi’ Blitz