There are multiple different techniques that are used in order to market films. Here is a list of just a few of them:
Film Trailers: Possibly the most iconic marketing technique, they are displayed before cinema showings of films. Film trailers are strategically shown before films that are matched to their genre and that have the same target audience. With large budget films, trailers can be shown on TV, and will be shown on the right channel and at the right time for their target audience. Film trailers are also shown on YouTube, which is a free platform, and is used by millions of people, which allows a mass audience to view the trailer.
Film Posters: Film posters are a traditional way of marketing films, and have always been used as a means to promote films. They typically include the main characters of the film, or a key scene from the film, to help draw interest. They include the name of the film in suitable typography, and will have the tagline of the film, and the release date. Film posters are not only placed in cinemas, but in places that will reach the target audience of the film, such as in schools, for films that are aimed at teenage audiences. I studied film posters as part of my GCSE Media Studies course.
Social Media Platforms: With modern day society, social media platforms are an increasingly popular method of marketing films. As a means of marketing, not only can social media platforms be used to reach an extremely large market, but are also a free method of marketing. This means that it is a very appealing form of marketing for distribution companies currently. Social Media platforms are very useful for reaching teenage audiences, as they are the age group that use social media most.
Film Websites: Film websites are an interesting form of marketing for a film. Not only do they just feature the film trailer, but they also have lots of information about the production of the film, and sometimes give an insight into the behind the scenes work. Film websites sometimes include games that are developed based around the film, and give an insight into the narrative of the film.
Word of Mouth: The most very basic marketing technique of all, it simply involves people talking about the film and recommending it to others. As a result, it is nothing to do with the distribution company, and it costs nothing. This technique can often draw in people that would not typically watch the film, and therefore extends the audience that the film reaches.
Merchandise: Merchandise is an effective method of advertising for films, particularly for films that are part of a franchise. Not only does merchandise earn the company money, but it also helps to increase awareness of the film and entice people to watch the film. Merchandise is particularly effective for a film that is part of a franchise, as there are already established fans of the universe and characters that the film is based around.
Extravagant Marketing Campaigns: As a means to reach out to the biggest audience they possibly can, and as a way to attract people that they may not have otherwise reached, film companies with large budgets often invest in extremely big, unique and effective marketing campaigns.
When conducting research into some extravagant marketing campaigns, I found an article called '10 Films with Amazing Marketing Campaigns (2016)' - http://burningred.co.uk/2016/07/10-films-amazing-marketing-campaigns/. In this article, it mentions the marketing campaigns of 'Deadpool' and 'The Dark Knight', and here is what it said about them:
Deadpool
The Dark Knight
Here is a useful presentation on film promotion and marketing that I found when conducting my research:
Hii Nice Post,
ReplyDeleteFilm Promotion