FILM MARKETING AND PROMOTION

- BRUNO CHATELIN - CEFPF E.N.A DECEMBER 11 1999

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Preview
Bio data : Bruno Chatelin Inside a major The 3 rules of marketing (only 3?) The marketing tools Selecting the right associates Things change A selection of movie launches
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Bio Data
HEC business school marketing major 10 years with international Ad Agencies on major consumer goods, Colgate, Lever, Mars, Kellog s, Mastercard, Lux and more 10 years with major companies: Columbia TriStar and UGC/FOX joint venture / start up, marketing director then general manager Consultant in communication and associate founder of Solo Connexions SA
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My movie background
A regular movie goer ! At the origin of a professional approach of my moviegoer passion : the research on Lux marketing case study the soap of the stars since 1923 in the world 200 movies, 33 over a million admissions, a few opening records T2, ID4 10 studio chiefs
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Inside a major
The one billion dollars game Production / Domestic 45% /Foreign 55% A matrixcial organisation : how many bosses can you have? Reporting Local Vs Global strategy The French subsidiaries i worked and operated
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Being distributed by a major : an advantage?

Powerful resources and marketing expertise Access to combined market information Harmonised distribution Bulk of material ready in time Tested campaigns : Latin version, Scandinavian, the French touch... Test market? Efforts > ROI Watch for the money! 6

The 3 rules of marketing

About getting an audience to buy your product with IMPATIENCE Is it still art or is it commerce ? Can marketing sell a bad product ? How important was marketing of Titanic? Rule 1 : positioning and targeting Rule 2 : communicate that positioning Rule 3 : the most important..
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Positioning
The positioning is written by the movie itself. But the desirable positioning builds on the values you identify as the movie strongest selling arguments Something unique to your movie Something that qualifies it into a genre The result of a unique combination of talents

Positioning examples
Mr Jones launch in France with a new positioning US domestic positioning : the dramatic love story between a maniaco-depressive patient and its psychiatrist starring Richard Gere and Lena Olin Domestic flop the french approach : Mr Jones is a feel good movie with R Gere as the irresistible seducer of all women capable of the wildest creative acts N 1 Box Office
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Positioning
10 movies open the same day: why should they come and see yours? How come the admissions figures of your first show are exactly in line with the final career? How do kids know ahead that they will like the movie? What makes buzz grow? (internet, word of mouth)

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Proper audience targeting gets you to success

Targeting the right audience ($) Males, females or both how old are they, what do they like, read, buy, play with, listen to, where do they go What movies will they like, did they like Which other actors, directors do they like
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Shrewd targeting
The right distributor (how many films a year ) The right date (competition, genre, holidays) The right exhibitor circuit (specialised, enough capacity) The right houses The right media to hit the target The right commercial associates

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What is the right date

A good date is a date where you ARE ready A large chunk of a small market or a smaller market share of a big market Summer attendance Profile of viewers in holidays Dating traditions : Woody Allen in february Mario Kasar lucky date october 16 (Rambo, T2) does it really exist?
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Dating
How much time do you want to have after the movie wrapped, opened in a territory (to capitalise on success or evacuate flop?) Festival diktats: open after the film is shown... Choosing the lead country to open Do we need the media publicity support, can we do without them (in holidays, in heavy competition) Last Action Hero vs Cliffhanger
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Positioning +Targeting +Dating...

After you finished your homework Positioning Targeting Dating

Dont change anything and begin the real promotion work

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Evaluating the potential

The film rental estimate (15F per admission) Admissions estimate Films comparison: B.O. career, openings of similar movies Foreign openings A team process Determine the launch budget
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Testing
Tests to help make the right decisions potential strategy tools : posters, trailers, title Screening tests with Holy NRG one company does it all around the world : 15 000 $

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Finding the best Film Title

Local language Vs. American What is a good title : short/long What is a bad title : out of sight How do you find the title ?
the script journalists reference to a code or genre : striking distance Who can help
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The poster
Obligations: billing block, above title, order and colours, logos, legal, censorship A strong title : compare the size with commercial ads Codes Quotes as a substitute to obligations Quotes as a media endorsement
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A powerful poster
Teasing Adapt to the format : bus flank or tails : talk to the cars ; twin sites teaser /revealing Select the media that allow most impact Show the audience that the poster is alive Think about timing summer, revealing... Remember that it is an element that the audience must appropriate and buy Poster in theatres may be different 20

Poster
Information retention Give the promotional partners visibility Pictures or illustrations Elements from the film are not always available

A job for professionals you must trust

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A good trailer
A true trailer, true to the movie ambience, dialogue, humour, effects A trailer that will stay young and evolves It will give progressive perspectives And focus (early source of word of mouth) It should not reveal everything of the movie (keep a few surprises for the longer version) Explain the title when it needs to 22

Marketing cookies in your trailer

Show the poster : it relates the film to its campaign The promotional partners at the end The partners might adapt and play it in their stores Some quotes can work in a trailer too (rarely used) Use the key soundtrack if you can in order to relate to the radio airplay A sustaining trailer might help after opening (quotes)
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Trailering strategy
Role of length to ensure your position ? Targeting the movies and the theatres it should play into Buy the space where you cannot get it Organise deals to get more : contests... Play the music video on screen Play in the lobby video monitors Tie in with programming Attach to another movie Technical Dolby, rotation,
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In theatres material
Standees Postering starting as early as you may (10 max !) different sizes Lobby display ;$ and front house Pictures Leaflets, magazine special, postcards, stickers, tattoos etc Quotes reproductions : they can read ! Volume 3D material Movie theatre magazines 25

Trade Marketing
Advertise the date and campaign in the trade press Use the conventions to show your trailer film marketing plans... Involve the circuits and the exhibitors in the marketing Menus Exhibitions of pictures props Debates with the audience Bring them the cast Organise contests (sleepless in Seattle, Id4give them prizes)
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A striking radio campaign

A world apart from commercial radio campaigns A special tone that tells MOVIE Bring variety : the cast, the story, the angles, the experience the viewer will live Use crowd reactions or quotes The only medium where you can play with the movie
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Media Tie Ins

Radio sponsorships : when, which one Negotiation process Groups Logos value. More ad space, editorial Contests : write, call and win T shirts, spend a night in count Dracula castle, free tickets, premieres and parties, interview Tom Hanks 28

Media Tie Ins

Contests goodies : piece of ID4 mother ship T2 pinball, books, video games, trips Gifts as a way to get more space or communicate your target and positioning (kids media) Contests as a way to exist in the media when they are reluctant to review the movie
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Commercial Promotions
The licensees The promotional partners : Zorro Interact, inform, exchange Mutual marginal benefits new places... Screenings and tickets : J.Park Limits : product endorsement... How vital is that really?
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Tie Ins with the music

A powerful way to hit the target Timing (record/film) are different, spending too Music movies the Doors, La Bamba, That Thing you do Movies with music colour : R&J Musicals : Evita Music history : Ludwig van B. 31

Music Tie Ins

An added access to publicity in magazines, TV (clip) and radio (the soundtrack of) A combined effort to get POS in record shops, Hi Fi shops An easier access to discos and clubs An easy trade tickets / CD

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Usual Tie Ins

Books and novellisations Video Games when timing allows Toys a strong but seasonal way to reach kids and mothers in hypermarkets Fast food chains Cerruti Clint, Jack Nestle (Disney) and cereals : kids teenagers products and family products 33

Create and develop your own by products

Telephone and minitel Dracula watches, 3D objects, wood medals Books of pictures from the movie and more

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Screening the picture

Work on opinion leaders to make your movie the talk in town Senate, parliament, ministers, President, princes, key journalist or media Jet set and marketing community Let those do the PR job and exploit it (radio interviews, quotes and sell for 2M $ a year)
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Screening to public audience

Get advance word of mouth and awareness when you trust the movie to be n1 salesman A few cases : the truth about cats and dogs Sleepless How wide

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Different ways of selling tickets

The price as marketing element is solely in exhibitor hands Eventful : premiere strategy day before morning, night Pre selling as a concert : Evita Pre selling as a product : Star Wars re issue A ticket for 2 romantic movies A ticket for the pregnant look whos talking A ticket to donate to charities : Philadelphia Work with the exhibitor 37

Buzz with @ ?
Create a site for your movie and talk to your audience. 60 000 new webers a day in the states How, how much Make sure you communicate about it online and with main media Feed the beast web cam, live interview, contests, gather all your partners
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@ few good sites

The majors and keys players have US based sites The trade press Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood online, Aint it cool news Imdb, ACNielsen, Allocin Starwars
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Publicity
The N1 marketing tool Publicity strategy and media planning : comedy, romantic, kids The media interest : journalist, promotion and advertising The standard tools : press kit, EPK, APK, pictures selection, clips and excerpts Feeding the media with relevant unique angles : the true story, the place, the sociological, the figures, yourself as a spokesman... Co produce the TV show
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Work with talent

On location publicity for early breaks Set visit (Hook) and interviews International press junkets Talent touring blood sweat and coverage Exclusivity, one to one, press conference, national vs..regional Can you bring them to the crowds and in the province Jane Fonda or Mr X? Handling the Go Between The 10 000 $ suite
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Publicity handling
Evaluate the dosage and the progression Show or not show the movie When the journalist does not like the movie can you find another one Can you fight back: My example with Libration /Doors made Variety front page Is there something to say about the movie
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The Film festivals

Cannes Deauville Venice Berlin Costs and stress : mostly both Be ready for the race for publicity World-wide benefits : Boyz n the hood 20 M$, Cliffhanger, LAH
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Advertising Strategy
Amount 2 to 9 MFF Timing : create anticipation climaxing at opening day Prior opening 80 % , 20% sustaining Media selection : mass media Posters and TV if you may buy it : 60 %, radio 20 %, dailies and guides15 % cinema 5 %
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Film promotion partners

Advertising Agencies Trailer makers Poster makers Media buyers Hot shops studios and free lances Product placement companies Promotion and tie in companies
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Art of buying
Making deals : partnership, screening, volume buy, exclusive buy, floating, last minute poster buy, provincial buy Buying the right media, at the right time:merry Christmas and right place (concerts), centre of interests

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Things change
Media spending have grown Media promotions and tie ins become standards Competition grows tougher Number of prints soar : spending follow Pioneer area is over? Role of multiplex
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Some figures behind the changes

Print numbers 1994 : 14 movies with more than 300 prints 1997 : 50 movies Individual print costs decreased by a 30 % from 10 000 FF to 7 000 FF average Total release costs for a 300 prints movie approx. 10 MF Admissions 1994 : the 14 movies generated 36 M admissions. 1997 : the 50 generated 65 M admissions Industry revenues in the same time grew 20 %
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The strategy behind a few movies

Addams Family Baron Munchausen ID4 Star Wars Philadelphia Lock up Woody Allen Alice...
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THE END

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION And good luck to you all

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