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Lights, camera, (call to) action: global public engagement in film launch campaigns

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Lights, camera, (call to) action: global public engagement in film launch campaigns

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Content LIGHTS, CAMERA, (CALL TO) ACTION: GLOBAL PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT IN FILM LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS by Latoya Holness A Thesis Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS (STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS) May 2012 Copyright 2012 Latoya Holness ii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my fellow strategic public relations colleagues at USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. You are the future of the public relations industry, and your talent and work ethic will shape the way the world communicates. Thank you for raising the bar and inspiring me to work hard to achieve my goals. I would also like to dedicate this thesis to fans around the world that love films as much as I do. Movies are powerful forms of entertainment that let viewers escape to a different world, walk in someone else’s shoes, learn a valuable lesson, travel through space and time, inspire change and experience powerful emotions. Let your imagination explore the impossible, and don’t ever forget that the magic of films is endless. As Humphrey Bogart said in The Maltese Falcon in 1941, “this is the stuff dreams are made of.” iii Acknowledgements There are several people that without whom this thesis might not been completed and to whom I am indebted. Burghardt Tenderich has been the best thesis committee chair that I could have asked for. Even while I was in London, his support, advice and patient encouragement did not waver. I would also like to thank the other two members of my thesis committee, Jennifer Floto and Matthew Leveque for their insightful criticisms. It was truly a privilege to work with each one of them. To all of the individuals who allowed me to interview them, thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge. I am grateful for each person who lent a helping hand in everything from brain storming to editing. Sarah Kane, Kaitlin Parker, Danae Melirrytou, Mary Beth Barker and Cari Gonzalez, this would not have been possible without you. Thank you for putting up with me through this process and helping me get to the finish line. Loving thanks to my sister, Loana Holness, for being my biggest fan and always believing in me. iv Table of Contents Dedication………………………………………………………………………………………..ii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………..iii List of Figures……………………………………………………………………………………v Abstract…………………………………………………………………………………………..vi Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1 Chapter 1: The Communications Discipline within the Film Industry ……………………..5 Chapter 2: The Current State of the Film Industry…………………….…………………...12 Chapter 3: The Audience………………………….………………………………………….17 Chapter 4: An Opposing View Point……………..…………………………………………..20 Chapter 5: Film Launch Campaigns………………………………………………………....22 Chapter 6: Emerging Trends in Film Launch Campaigns…………………………….…...34 Chapter 7: Social Media and Mobile Apps ……………………………….………………...40 Chapter 8: Public Engagement Case Studies …………………………….……………….46 Chapter 9: Public Engagement……………………………………………………………....56 Chapter 10: Global Campaigns……………………………………………….……………...63 Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………….69 Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………….75 Appendix A: Interviews………………………………………………………………………..80 v List of Figures Figure 1: Results of social media survey conducted by The Hollywood Reporter 40 Figure 2: Graph of The Long Tail Effect 42 Figure 3: International box office figures by region from 2007 to 2011 according 64 to the Theatrical Market Statistics released my the Motion Picture Association of America vi Abstract Captivating theatrical trailers alone are no longer sufficient to entice moviegoers to a new film. Currently there is a shift in film promotion. Traditionally, raising awareness for new films relied heavily on advertising campaigns targeted to mass audiences. Now it’s moving to include digital tools such as interactive websites, mobile applications and social media platforms, which have the ability to reach specific audience segments. This shift is a reflection of a trend some have coined “public engagement” and is the focus of this paper. Motion picture studios now have to budget and execute campaigns for film releases that create “the whole movie experience.” The art of storytelling through filmmaking is taking on new forms and expanding to include things outside of traditional screenings and distribution channels. In response, innovative motion picture studios are adjusting their engagement strategies in order to stay relevant and effective. It is all in the spirit of bringing the film to life for the audience and giving them the opportunity to share moviegoing experience with others. This paper is intended to be a snapshot of the current trends major motion pictures studios use to promote the launch of new films and explore the future of these campaigns. It investigates the rise of public engagement in film launch campaigns and examines how studios have adjusted to incorporate them. Results from case studies and other primary research reveal that film studios are expanding beyond mass- marketing campaigns to include strategies that engage consumers in conversation and encourage them to share their commentary and opinions with their peers. The principal vii conclusion is that the use of public engagement in film launch campaigns is not a short- lived trend, but rather a predictor of the future of film promotions. 1 Introduction “Welcome to Hollywood! What's your dream? Everybody comes here; this is Hollywood, land of dreams. Some dreams come true, some don't; but keep on dreaming.” –Pretty Woman (1990) Research Methodologies: The research conducted for this paper is a combination of primary and secondary examinations of information. Secondary research included scholarly articles, books, blogs, social media profiles, news articles, websites and studies that provide background knowledge and an understanding of historical precedents in order to analyze current trends. The selected case studies are a combination of primary and secondary research ranging from analytical figures to first-hand encounters. A thorough content analysis of the existing material for each campaign, including the strategies and tactics executed, was used to assess the success of each campaign. Qualitative data was collected on the number of moviegoers actively participating in the online campaigns of movies they watched in theaters. The qualitative primary research consists of a series of in-depth interviews with experts on the film industry, public relations and public engagement to fully understand the direction of the film industry and what role public engagement plays within it. Interviewees include: o Larry Winokur, Founder and Partner, BWR Public Relations o Christian Muirhead, Vice President of Corporate Communications, WME Entertainment 2 o Paul Pflug, Founder and Partner, Principal Communications o Rupert Goodwin, Senior Publicity Manager, DDA Public Relations o Alia Kahn, Director of Publicity and Marketing, LT-LA Consulting The interviewees provided an insider’s opinion on the film industry, its inner workings and what drives the decisions that create a change in trends. Introduction: The invention of the web has changed the way film studios distribute material to their audience. In addition, the emergence of social media is transforming the way society consumes information and how interacts with one another. These factors significantly affect the strategy behind the promotion of new films and cannot be ignored. It is still true that film launch campaigns are “about the masses,” but at the same time they are about “peer-to-peer interactivity” and “telling stories in a way that makes people identify with like-minded individuals to share information and build strong relationships” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. xx). The most effective way of reaching the target audience is by listening to their needs and understanding the market in which they operate. Films are more than just a form of entertainment. They can take their audiences through time and space, provoke emotion, teach lessons and inspire change. People are looking for a way to become more involved with the work they see on the big screen. With the emergence of public engagement as a discipline, motion picture studios now have a way to fill this need and simultaneously generate a financial benefit. In the past, motion picture studios focused on advertising and marketing based on a unilateral direction of communication. Similar to other industries, this is changing. Everything from the acquisition of new material to the methods of distribution needs to 3 adjust to keep up with consumer demands for higher quality material at a faster rate. This is also true of promotional strategies for film launch campaigns. The new trends shift away from mass-targeted, impersonal messages that are pushed onto consumers, and are moving toward public engagement with the use of conversations as a central method of communication. Public engagement is an emerging discipline that reaches and interacts with target audiences by “identifying the right groups of people, determining their needs, uncovering their channels of influence and using the tools and words that will reach and compel them” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 27). This increasingly focuses on online platforms to spark conversations that create and share information and opinions. It is “altering the entire media landscape, placing the power of influence in the hands of regular people with expertise, opinions and the drive and passion to share those opinions. This people-powered content evolution augments instead of replacing traditional media and expert influence” (p. 1). If film promotional trends continue moving in this direction, motion picture studios will “let go of the push and broadcast mechanisms associated with traditional marketing and message control, enabling customers to internalize information and, in turn, share their reaction and interpretation” (p. 38). This change can affect the film industry in a variety of ways and one recommendation is that “having dedicated social-media-friendly seats, or even entire theaters, can make the movie going experience more relevant and enjoyable for them” (Belloni, p. 64). Maybe this means the end of passive audiences who sit and watch films in a theater and the start of a new experience where moviegoers can engage in real time and post their thoughts online. 4 The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the increase of public engagement strategies in film launch campaigns and predict how these trends will continue to develop in the near future. 5 Chapter 1: The Communications Discipline within the Film Industry “What we've got here...is failure to communicate.” -Cool Hand Luke (1967) With the global film market near saturation, the need to gain a competitive advantage and establish a brand is more critical than ever. In order to garner attention, communication professionals must, “create a message that becomes entertaining in and of itself - one that creates its own ‘wannasee,’ buzz, word-of-mouth momentum” in order for audiences to recognize it in a sea of competition (Lieberman). On a global scale, the competition is even fiercer because the number of films battling for ticket sales becomes significantly larger and the audience is even more dynamic and complex. With subtitles and voiceover techniques, the global audience for films is soaring. A popular assumption is that the largest portion of a film’s profits comes from within the United States. The reality is that all of the regions combined outside of North America provide the largest contribution to a film’s overall box office performance. Regardless of the scale of the project, it all comes down to the content. Content is king in both films and communication campaigns. The best films have the best content, and the most successful film release campaigns start with a great product. All communications tactics require content that may include originally created, co-created or consumer generated material, which is used, re-used and repurposed across several platforms throughout the duration of a campaign. This includes material such as copy in websites, posts on social media platforms, stills from the film or quotes from the actors. Traditional film launch campaigns begin with the development of a strategic marketing mix that is created to best suit the needs of the film. Generally, a significant 6 amount of the attention and funding is geared toward traditional marketing similar to purchasing television spots, billboard advertisements and printed ads. The most important aspect of a release, which dictates the entire strategy, is timing. The number of moviegoers increases during the summer and holidays; hence large blockbusters are usually released during these times. The campaign is usually kicked off with exclusive screenings typically held for influencers in the industry and often takes place at festivals. This is followed by the release of the theatrical trailer to the general public while critics simultaneously review it. This development progresses while the campaign is tailored to reflect the numbers it is receiving in the box office and how the audience is receiving it. The problem with this approach is that it’s no longer relevant because the market is saturated with films that implement cookie-cutter campaigns. This makes it harder for one specific movie to stand out and resonate with consumers. Consumers are bombarded with information that stems from mass-marketing campaigns. Billboards, commercials, print advertisements and product placement all contribute to this information overload. The attempt to appeal to masses through massive exposure has led to a large amount of chatter that ends up reaching the target audience on a very limited and surface level. Therefore the challenge for film publicists and marketers is to get through the noise and motivate viewers to go to the theater, pay to see a particular movie and share their experience within their social circles. It is the difference between wanting to see a film and needing to a see a film. The sharing aspect is a major differentiator. Sharing means that you have connected with the film in someway and are invested enough to engage and inspire others to get involved as well. 7 Due to this mass and untargeted communication the audience is taking a stance. They are not going to sit back and consume marketing campaigns that are being pushed at them. Instead, they are slowly breaking the mold and becoming active participants in campaigns. Today, films released in theaters are ”just one part of a wider narrative jigsaw that stretches beyond the confines of the theatre and across other forms of media.” Consumers are demanding transmedia storytelling, which is creating a need to produce compelling and entertaining ways to present information and communicate with them (Jenkins, “If it Doesn’t Spread, It’s Dead). This creates an opportunity for “smart marketing and creativity to really take hold. Clients aren't always comfortable with risk taking, but as long as marketers can show them case studies of return on investment both financial and in terms of other cultural/social returns on investment” (Appendix, Kahn). Studio executives and communications teams were developed at a time where consumers trusted critics and film reviews could make or break a film’s launch. Consumers have since transitioned out of this process and are following the online social media trend and putting their trust in peer recommendations. This shift changes the role of communicators and their approach to film launches because the power lies in the hands of the viewer, not in the hands of the studio. Listening has taken a larger role than speaking. Knowing what is going on prior to getting involved in the conversation is just as important as the message being communicated. Blindly pushing messages out is a habit that communicators are quickly learning to move away from. Consumers are savvy and can easily spot marketing techniques. Research continues to become more 8 and more important when determining a strategy. Knowing the target audience well is an enormous asset to a studio. Online search engines are the go-to place for information, and this is no different for films. The online presence of a film is just as important as the cast’s performance on the big screen. Search engines present an entirely new world that communicators working in the industry ten years ago did not have to consider. Everything from the synopsis, to the trailer, to a list of times and places the film is being shown all stem from a search box. Search engine optimization heavily dictates the methods for which content is tagged, labeled and posted online. Studios are now responsible for having enough owned content online that search results quickly produce that information so that it is easily accessible to consumers. That’s not to say that people are not sitting at home watching television and reading the paper, because they are. The point is that there are an increasing number of people who spend more of their leisure time online than engaging in any other form of entertainment. Even news is derived from aggregator sites. Today’s consumer is looking for a quick summary of the day’s events instead of a lengthy investigative piece printed on a large sheet of paper. Filmgoers are becoming lazier and more entitled. They want to know everything about a film, and they want the information at their fingertips at the click of a button. In the past, they settled for a trailer or post. Now they want much more and are not willing to work for it. This demand has also contributed to the shift in the role of public relations professionals at film studios. Securing a front-page spread in a national paper is no longer enough. Success includes getting the placement and developing a conversation around it through numerous platforms including digital and mobile. Consumers want to 9 be able to type a movie title into Google and immediately have a link to the trailer and a list of times the film is showing at a nearby theater, all available on their mobile devices (Appendix, Winokur). Public engagement is the response to the consumer’s change in expectations and needs. The transformation in how film viewers absorb information and make decisions directly affect the role of public relations in the film industry and the marketing strategies used to launch films. Rising expectations mean public relations professionals in the industry have to evolve to stay relevant and effective. The film industry and its creative minds have always been innovative and leaders in social trends. It comes as no surprise that the film industry is leading the digital revolution and, in a sense, subconsciously demanding for public engagement campaigns to take the lead over marketing approaches of the past. As an important side note: The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) bill, if passed, will likely have a vast influence on public engagement tactics. The bill, which was introduced by Rep. Lamar S. Smith (R-TX), proposes the expansion of laws that support copyrighted intellectual property and flight online trafficking of counterfeit goods and content. Should this law pass, several websites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter will have to reassess and possibly censor the content that is shared by their users. This bill would allow the blocking of websites and criminal prosecution of those who post illegal content (SOPA Bill, p. 7-15). The goal of the bill is to protect the intellectual property of individuals and a majority of the entertainment industry is currently in support of it. At this time, it is unclear whether or not the bill will be passed, but websites like Wikipedia are taking a stance against it while Congress is responding 10 to their opposition. The majority of motion picture studios are in favor of increasing the amount of online restriction in regard to the use of their original material by third parties. But it seems to be contradictory due to the bill discouraging people from sharing content online. Studios could take a different approach and use this to their advantage by supporting online sharing and sparking conversations that promote the discussion of their material online. Instead of completely stopping the material from being able to appear online, they could use public engagement to steer discussions and use online sharing as a vehicle to reach a wider audience. Larry Winokur is a founder and partner at BWR, an entertainment public relations agency based in Los Angeles, with over 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry. In an interview, he explained that the financing of a project is directly correlated to the marketing budget and the amount of funds allocated for film launch campaigns. Studios typically spend half of their budget on film production and the other half on marketing. They also spend more time marketing the film than they do actually making it. According to the Motion Picture Association of America, “the average marketing budget for theatrical releases for major studios is $35.9 million.” Winokur has noticed that film budgets are decreasing, but the figures expected from promotional campaigns are not declining at the same rate. Studios want to spend less money and see more results. This is causing an increase in creativity and scalability of campaigns that reach the desired audience instead of spending a bulk of the budget on expensive commercials, which are blasted out on every television and computer that can possibly be reached. The film industry is in continuous flux. Trends in promotion strategies must change stay relevant and be effective. According to Winokur, innovative studios are 11 embracing new technology and using it to their advantage instead of fighting the change. The channels of distribution are widening and consumers can be engaged through several platforms. 12 Chapter 2: The Current State of the Film Industry “I came to Hollywood over 60 years ago, and immediately fell in love with motion pictures. And it's a love affair that's lasted a lifetime. When I first arrived in Tinseltown, there were no cineplexes or multiplexes. I was here before conglomerates owned the studios.” – The Holiday (2006) The financial state of the film industry as a whole and that of each individual studio directly affect the budget for each film’s production and promotion. As production costs continue to increase to due to factors such as talent salaries, advanced digital tools and location fees, ticket sales are declining and there is a need to execute more cost effective launch campaigns. This reality has been a major reason behind the shift away from mass marketing and the increase in more personalized and engaging campaigns. Studios looking to decrease costs have found use for digital platforms and have leveraged social media to reach the target audience through tactics that are more cost effective. With the current state of the economy, major film studios are not willing to take as many risks on projects that may not materialize. Understanding the way a film studio operates and why business decisions are made a particular way helps explain the trends emerging for the execution of launch campaigns. Technological advances provided the tools to apply public engagement strategies, but the changes funding and budget allocation are what really inspired this exploration of other ways to generating awareness outside of traditional mass marketing. Box office numbers are the ultimate measure of a film’s success and are the final evaluation tool used by studios. Several films were extremely successful in 2011; 13 others failed to generate anything near the projected revenue. Last year’s numbers show a decline in the number of domestic moviegoers: “1.28 billion people went to the movies in North America in 2011, down 4.4 percent from 2010 and the lowest number since 1995; the good news: foreign box office revenues are at an all-time high” (McClintock). Global box office numbers show that the industry as a whole is growing and attracting a new audience. Foreign box office totals set a new record with the six major Hollywood studios “collecting $13.53 billion in ticket sales” last year (McClintock). These figures are up between six and eight percent when compared to the results from 2010. According to the National Association of Theater Owners, the attendance record was set in 2002 at 1.57 billion, while 2011 showed the lowest attendance record in 16 years (McClintock). L.A. Times columnist Ben Fritz attributes this decline to “more casual audiences [that] are becoming increasingly difficult to lure to the multiplex” as opposed to “die-hard fans [who] are still rushing to see a film in its opening weekend.” These die-hard fans are the reason behind the box office trend where a film makes a big initial splash, followed by a quick drop-off. It has “been the primary driver of a decade-long decline in movie theater attendance that continued to 2011.” Since 2002, the multiple, which can be calculated by comparing the final box-office total of a film to its performance during the opening weekend, has dropped by 25 percent. The decline in the opening weekend rush could be attributed to moviegoers waiting to hear peer recommendations. The difference-makers are the passive consumers who are interested but not fanatic about a film before it is released. Members of this group look up reviews to help them decide what film to watch. They wait for others to see it in order to get their feedback, and as a 14 group, they are becoming increasingly difficult to reach and influence. Avid moviegoers and film fanatics are still running to theaters to watch films, but in smaller numbers. This realization has contributed to the shift in promotional trends. Identifying the uncertain moviegoer and engaging them has become increasingly important. The six major motion pictures studios are Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox, Universal Pictures and Warner Bros. Together they set the standard in the film industry, especially in production and marketing. Today’s film industry differs from the culture that was established when the studios were first founded in the 1920’s. The old days where the studio had complete control over everything from actor’s career to which theaters showed their movies are over and things are in “a very different place, operating according to a very different logic” (Epstein, 2005, p. 14). This is partially due to the way films are funded and how the heads of each studio have decided to make decisions. The loyalty actors and directors once had to a particular studio no longer exists on the same scale. The ways films can generate revenue have increased, which has also contributed to the change in control and promotional strategies. This is partly due to the addition of several players that joined the industry since the time the original studios were founded in the early 1900’s and implemented various practices that differed from tradition. There is a demand in the market for at-home entertainment. Streaming services, DVD sales and licensing fees contribute to studio’s profits as well. These shifts create more opportunities for promotions. This paper will focus mainly on the promotional strategies used for film launch campaigns. The ancillary windows available for a film to generate revenue outside of the box office affect launch campaigns because they are the first 15 introduction that the audience has to the film and it defines the brand. Engaging consumers becomes very important, as people that feel connected to a film are more likely to watch it again. Passive viewers are not going to watch the film again and again. The active audience members will be the ones in line buying the DVD or paying to stream it from home. Either way, studios are taking advantage of committed customers and using engagement to involve them in the entire lifespan of a film. The film industry is “the fifth largest category for paid advertisement on a national basis with about the same spending as the department-store and fast-food-restaurant categories” (Nielson Monitor-Plus). The barriers of creativity continue to be tested, providing viewers with something to look forward to. Major and independent studios are nurturing young talent and giving seasoned filmmakers more flexibility. Budget allocation has shifted away from several risky productions to making larger investments in a smaller number of projects. While studios are continuing to support the exploration of creative ideas, generally executive producers are not engaging in the production of projects that seem unlikely to materialize. The size of the studio and the budget of the project dictate how a marketing strategy is outlined for the release of a film. This can range from wide release, to platform, to limited release. The public relations strategy is a direct reflection of the distribution strategy, and a major decision on behalf of the public relations executive of the team, who needs to be made a part of this conversation. Most of the passion projects are being funded and produced through independent film labels. The trends identified in this paper will focus solely on those of major motion picture studios. While independent distributors greatly affect the trends in the film industry, they operate on a completely different budget scale and structure that 16 will not be discussed in detail. Because they have less money allocated for marketing, they are more actively involved in social media and other tactics that require less of a budget. This directly influences the promotional practices of the film industry as a whole and contributes to the trends being identified and explored. 17 Chapter 3: The Audience “The audience knows the truth; the world is simple. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you got to see something really special- the look on their faces.” – The Prestige (2006) Each genre of films attracts a specific audience segment. The common thread is that each segment has its very own group of die-hard fans who are first in line to see a film on its opening day. That group is easier to engage and often, they become the evangelists that generate online conversations and spark the interest of those less involved in the day-to-day action of the film industry. The more “casual audiences, the type of people who read reviews and wait to hear what their friends say, are becoming increasingly difficult to lure to the multiplex” (Fritz and Kaufman). This group is the primary target of marketing campaigns. They are on the cusp and often easy to convince if they can be reached on a personal level. Audiences can grow exponentially, and the interest generated during a film launch is a direct reflection of its success at the box office. They also drive the industry and affect the way decisions are made. The shift in the way moviegoers communicate with organizations and their peers has played a role in the way film studios approach the promotion of films. Film fans include all demographics; the wealthy poor, young, old, all races watch movies. The two largest groups are teens/young adults and women over the age of 40. Things like “dating, hanging out and privacy drive the 12 to 18 and 20 to 25-year-olds to movie theaters. This had made the teen and young adult demographic the most sought after by movie studios and their marketing partners” (Lieberman, p. 45). This group is 18 tech savvy and active on social media. They have grown up with smart phones and expect to have everything at their fingertips. They are also very “image-conscious [and] don’t want to talk about movies that are a week old, so if [they] don’t see the movie at that first moment, then the desire to see it begins to fall away” (Fritz and Kaufman). These behaviors are being recognized and applied. Studios are not willing and can’t afford to miss out on this large and influential demographic. So, they have to reach them through their preferred methods of communication and engage with in ways that they are accustomed to. The most difficult task is getting them onboard. Once that is achieved, teens will share their opinions with their friends on social media and generate conversations by raising the online awareness of a film. The second group, women over the age of 40, have strong decision-making power. They can drag their husbands to the theater on the weekend and determine which films their children will be allowed to watch. Previously the belief was that the young, male audience determined box office numbers, but that has changed. Women are an important audience for film promotion, and they are increasing their online presence. For films that are not immediate hits, this audience is what drives their buzz and pushes them to the top of the box office charts. Women in this group have been exposed to numerous marketing campaigns and are not responsive to centralized messages targeting general audiences. They develop relationships with brands they identify with, and the same goes for the films they choose to watch. Effectively engaging this group is achieved by using content that appeals to them and people they know and trust. Personal recommendations go a long way, and bad reviews have a significant impact on their decision-making. The differences that are present in each group are 19 driving the creation of personalized content and online engagement. Motion picture studios are working to adjust their strategies and become more effective in reaching the target film audience for each film and then leveraging that group to expand and involve a new and often overlooked segment. 20 Chapter 4: An Opposing View Point "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." -Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) Trends come and go. New ideas spark change. Motion picture studios are currently investing in film launch campaigns that engage the audience. This trend is a positive response to consumer’s demands, and there are also professionals in the film industry who think this approach is a phase that will become irrelevant. Some believe that the strategy behind the launch of most films does not need to change. Paul Pflug, founder and partner at Principal Communications, is among this group. He believes that traditional marketing campaigns are working and, for audiences, the most important aspect is not how the information is communicated to them, but the quality of the actual film. Pflug explains that, “the most important component to being successful in the box office is actually having a good movie. When you have a great piece of work, it sells itself” (2010). Viewers who enjoy watching the film leave the theater happy and immediately start sharing their experience with friends. This is a great example of peer recommendations and the word-of-mouth phenomenon. While the initial method of introducing the film to the audience is still mass marketing, in this case, the actions that take place after watching the film are a form of public engagement. Even in the older, more traditional and centralized campaigns, different forms of engagement existed and had a significant affect on the decision making of other moviegoers. A majority of the time, viewers share their feelings and criticisms of a film through a Facebook status or a post on Twitter. According to a study conducted by Penn Schoen Berland for The Hollywood Reporter, 72 percent of the 750 social network users 21 ages 13 to 49 that were polled admitted to “posting about movies on social networking sites after watching a film” (Belloni, p. 64). In contrast, Christian Muirhead, Vice President of global communications at WME Entertainment, would disagree. He thinks social media is not making a significant difference in box office figures and the return on investment for digital campaigns has not been proven. For Muirhead, moviegoers share their information the old fashioned way, through talking to people and sending texts. That perspective is probably true for viewers between the ages of 40 and 60. For the younger generation, their mobile devices are more then just for talking and texting. They are for social media access. People are not shy about putting their thoughts on the Internet for everyone to see, and extreme opinions are usually the ones that make it onto websites. For example, if a person left a movie theater feeling like they weren’t particularly moved by the film, but also didn’t hate it, they are not very likely to share their opinion with others. In a different scenario, if that person really didn’t like the film or if they loved it and it really resonated with them, they would be more likely to share those feelings. This willingness to share is what drives the principals behind public engagement. A study conducted by The Hollywood Reporter found that one in three “social networkers has decided to see a movie in a theater because of something they read on a social networking site.” Actions that promote conversation about a film amongst a group of people are part of what is driving the latest trends in the strategies behind the promotion of film releases. 22 Chapter 5: Film Launch Campaigns “I’m here to help you make an impression.” –The Hunger Games (2012) Film launch campaigns are strategically devised and carefully planned over long periods of time. The studio determines a marketing mix that is best suited for each film. A significant amount of the marketing budget is normally dedicated to traditional marketing. While billboards, movie posters and trailers are extremely important, the real difference-maker in the success of a film comes from the way these assets are applied and leveraged. While certain genres of films appeal to specific audiences, they all share the common challenge of establishing a competitive advantage in a saturated market. Films also share similar points-of-parity, which are differences that are not unique and are likely to be found in most other films, but without them, viewers may choose to an alternative film to watch (Keller, 2008). These include having celebrities acting in the film, signing on well-known talent to work on the project and being backed by a major studio. While most blockbusters contain these elements, viewers would be hesitant to pay for a film that did not include them. There is an exception to this phenomenon when small independent films have risen to success without celebrity and studio involvement, but they are far less common and the absence of the aforementioned elements is ultimately their point-of-difference. Society’s obsession with celebrities has forced the studios to become heavily reliant on promotional campaigns led by the talent involved with the film. This normally includes the lead actor or actress, other well-known cast members and the director. Promotional tours are planned out months in advance and the talent strategically makes 23 appearances at various television, radio and print interview or photo opportunities. The brand of the film is developed through the spokespeople and relies on their personal likeability. Film launch campaigns are also heavily reliant on word-of-mouth and personal recommendations from viewers. A majority of the spending on film launch campaigns goes toward paid advertisements (Lieberman, 2002). Platforms such as television commercials, billboards and newspaper advertisements account for more than fifty percent of a film’s budget. The main vehicles for advertising target a mass audience and aim to spread general awareness more than develop relationships with viewers. Part of the reasoning behind this approach is that films generally have a short lifespan, and viewers quickly lose interest and move on to a newer film. The most important time of a paid-advertisement campaign is the two weeks leading up to the launch. An example of this type of spending is securing Super Bowl advertising spots. In 2012, Relativity Media stirred up controversy over the four 30-second spots it purchased during the Super Bowl to support its new film Act of Valor. The news was released around the same time they laid off 10 employees, which led people to speculate that the two were related. Buying advertisement time during the Super Bowl is extremely expensive, so securing four is a clear indication that a significant amount of money was invested. “In addition to business news reports speculating about Relativity Media’s financial health, there has been considerable executive roiling at the top echelon of the media company run by Ryan Kavanaugh” (Finke, 2012). The exorbitant costs of advertising spots must be offset by cutbacks in alternative areas. 24 Other forms of paid placement include merchandise partnerships and product placement. For example, the “Twilight” franchise has an exclusive partnership with Nordstrom for all apparel related to the films. Action figures are common physical products created in support of films, but more often the placement is a clip of the film. Part of the promotional tour includes the release of exclusive clips and sneak peaks at various part of the film and filmmaking process. Test screening and sneak previews are classic techniques that are included in launch campaigns. The screenings select either specifically chosen audiences or other randomly chosen audiences to gauge their general sentiment of the film. Questions like “Are they laughing at the funny parts?” and “ Are they crying during the sad parts?” are taken into account when testing the film and deciding on final cuts. This also gauges the way the film will be presented to the general public. Sneak previews are held to engage industry influencers early on and create buzz around the film prior to the release of the trailer. The theatrical trailer has been the center of a film launch campaign. It is the element that everyone waits for, and it sets the tone for what moviegoers can look forward to seeing. It also dictates the branding for all other collateral that is created in support of the campaign like the film poster. “The idea is to give moviegoers a taste of the laughs, special effects and plot twists of the studio's upcoming releases, while leaving them wanting more” (Roos, 2008). The trailer can sometimes be misleading and make films more appealing than they actually are. This approach is taken when studios know that they don’t have a good product on their hands and they want to generate as much revenue as possible during the opening weekend before the first round of viewers 25 are able to share their negative experiences with others. Websites dedicated to the film are now considered the norm. They generally include a synopsis, cast biographies, details about the filmmakers, the trailer and photos of the cast in costume. More advanced campaigns take their website to another level and include creative and unique elements that are used during public engagement campaigns. This could be similar to behind-the-scenes footage or exclusive interviews with the cast and crew. The shift to web-based campaigns has been a slow process. Currently, new media is not the major priority, but it is a part of the mix. The large media-buying campaigns play a significantly larger role in the strategy and budget of a film. Pamela Levine, co-president of domestic theatrical marketing at Twentieth Century Fox commented on the topic, “we are pushing for new ways to break through to audiences beyond the thirty-second television spot.” Studios are starting to become more vocal about the change in their approach. The need to invest in public engagement, to reach consumers and get them involved in multiple ways, is being acknowledged and incorporated into marketing campaigns. Levine’s statement is a great example of the new trend in film promotion and how studios are responding to meet their customer’s needs. A major focus for the publicity of a film are the premieres. They range from showings at festivals to red carpet events in major cities. There are two types of festivals: artistic and market. If a film is premiering at a market festival, such as Sundance, it is their hope to get purchased by a distributor. The producers of the film are looking to obtain buyers for distribution that will create a financial support system for the official launch campaigns (Winokur, 2011). If a film makes its big screen debut at an 26 artistic event, such as the Cannes Film Festival, the producers are making an appearance to screen the work in front of an influential audience and build a buzz. The latter of the two is a continuous communications decision. Festivals are filled with industry leaders and celebrities, which draw in media from across the globe. It is their feedback on films that the media is always looking to get. Film festivals are a publicist’s dream because they bring together all of the right people and generate a great deal of coverage. There is also a major international component to these large-scale events. This is partly due to the range of the media that is in attendance, but also because the dominant festivals are held in various countries such as France, Belgium and Canada. Through digital communication strategies, these exclusive festivals are able to stream live feeds online and allow viewers to comment and share their feedback from home. Outside of traditional efforts, the reviews a film receives are extremely significant because of the influence of third-party endorsements. The public relations team manages the reviews and media coverage. Previously, they would have reported to the head of marketing. Now studios are restructuring and giving public relations practitioners a more authoritative role that allows them to report straight to the executive vice-president. Compared to all of the other marketing departments, public relations often receives the smallest amount of the budget, but this is changing as public engagement campaigns continue to prove its effectiveness. Because film distribution is handled differently domestically and internationally, the two campaigns are also approached in different ways. In several instances, public relations agencies are involved in various countries. The general strategy and messaging remain the same, but the execution is different. In major film studios, the 27 president of domestic distribution and the individual overseeing the international distribution negations are separate positions, which causes variation in the guidelines. For example, a film might have a platform release in the United States and then a limited release in the United Kingdom. In other cases, films can be simultaneously released world wide, which changes the promotional approach. More often it is a platform release that allows the communications team to focus on a particular region before moving onto the next. The core promotions team at a studio will enlist local public relations firms that specialize in a particular region to lead the initiative and apply the strategy that has been outlined by the studio. Varied distribution timing does not necessarily have a negative impact on the synergy of a film’s release campaign. The film industry is oversaturated and viewers are savvy. There is heavy competition and a need for films to stand out and make a statement. Marketers have to give viewers a reason to choose one particular film over another. Because of new video production technologies, anyone with an Apple product can create a full-length feature making product proliferation a concern that must be addressed. With the standardization of products, the studio has control over the price, and often it can be the decision maker for consumers. However, in the film industry, theater prices are not determined by the studio and are standard, so in order to gain a competitive advantage, executives have to differentiate themselves. Films must develop a point of difference that achieves “strong, favorable, unique associations” (Keller, 2008). Part of determining the brand identity of a film includes tapping into a unique element that is going to offer a competitive edge. The growing psychological need for consumers to find meaning and attach themselves to a product or concept creates an opportunity for communicators to 28 capitalize on this need and execute elements of a campaign that resonate with consumers on a personal level. Garnering attention and engaging consumers is easier to do with an established brand. This concept remains true for films as well. Take The Dark Knight for instance. Batman is a well-defined brand with global awareness. The points-of-parity are: the famous actors, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Maggie Gyllenhall; the well-known director, Christopher Nolan; and the backing of a major studio, Warner Bros. So when the film was being launched, the focus was not on establishing brand awareness for the general concept because it was already there. Instead, the focus was on introducing the new characters in the film, such as the Joker, and creating a brand around him. Movie posters, trailers and websites all painted a picture of what viewers could expect to see in the film. This led to the creation of two separate audience segments and two different approaches of reaching them. On one side were the hardcore Batman fans who knew everything about the brand and were easily enticed through unique engagement strategies. On the other side were the general moviegoers who recognized the Batman brand, but knew very little about the film. For them, there was a greater focus on defining the brand in detail and establishing the look, feel and tone that the movie was going to depict. For a project like Avatar, the filmmakers used innovative techniques to create an artificial world that consumers knew nothing about, meaning a much larger focus on brand identity. The visionary behind the concept, James Cameron, was very involved in all of the film branding. Due to the nature of the story and the wide range of topics it touches on, several key audiences were targeted. The 3-D element resonated with 29 young children and adults alike. Both men and women would be interested in various plots of the film. There were fighting scenes wrapped around a love story, which also attracted both genders. Again the points-of-parity are the same for this film. Backed by Twentieth Century Fox, the project was led by renowned director James Cameron and included celebrity talent such as Zoë Saldana and Sigourney Weaver. One of Avatar’s major points-of-difference was the technology that was used to create the film and the experience that it would deliver to viewers because of the 3D element. Establishing a competitive advantage in the sea of films being released depends on the date the film is actually launched. Timing is a very important component in film release campaigns, and the two major elements that need to be carefully thought out are the release date and the peak time for the campaign. The number of moviegoers increases during the summer and the holidays. That’s why most major blockbusters are released during the summer and why major family movies come out during the holidays. Certain audiences are more likely to see a film during a particular time of year. Hence, large blockbusters are normally released during those times. So along with creating a brand identity, motion picture studios must consider what time of year the film will be most successful and what weekend during that seasonal time frame has the least amount of competition. Being ranked the top film during opening weekend sets the tone for the rest of the theater run and serves as a great marketing opportunity. For example, when The Dark Knight was released in the summer of 2008, its biggest competitor was Iron Man. The studios distributing the films were aware of this and consciously decided to release them weeks apart because they were targeting a very similar audience. Iron Man was released on May 2, 2008 and The Dark Knight reached theaters on July 18, 30 2008. They were both considered summer blockbusters, but they staggered the releases by almost two months so that they would not have to directly compete with each other. Award shows add another layer to the calculation of the release date. If the studio heads think that the film could be nominated or win an award, they will release the film later in the year so that it peaks at the right time during awards season. The award season starts around September and ends with the broadcast of the Academy Awards in February. During that time frame, critics and guilds announce the winners to their coveted awards. In doing so, they generate a large amount of coverage for the films in the running for major awards, especially for those going home with trophies. With “careful promotion and competitive tactics” a win “can add as much as millions to the [domestic box office] revenue and untold millions in foreign and supplementary revenues (Lieberman, 2002, p 57). The award shows themselves are some of the biggest events of the year, with the best of the film industry turning out and millions of viewers tuning in to find out if their favorite film was chosen. The most highly prized award that can change the course of a film and its performance at the box office is best picture at the Golden Globes and the Academy awards. For example, the winner in 2011, The King’s Speech, only became popular once it was in discussions to win the Oscar. “Everyone in the movie business knows the leverage a nomination at the annual Oscars can provide for a movie. The award ceremony itself is broadcast around the world; both live and taped for delayed broadcast, and is viewed by well over a billion people. This supports both Domestic Box Office and foreign distribution” (Lieberman, 2002, p 56) 31 Independent films follow a different format in establishing their brand identity. Because a major motion picture studio is not funding them, they don’t always have celebrity names to rely on, nor do they have the big budget for mass-market billboards. In the case of indie films, their timing is not centered on the time of year and the competition during opening weekend. Instead their major milestone, in regard to timing, is premiering the film at a major festival to garner attention from the industry, which will spill off to general consumers defining the film’s brand. Take for example the new film Pariah from first-time writer and director Dee Rees. It was an official selection of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and audiences’ positive acceptance immediately set the tone for the entire film launch campaign. Film festivals target individuals in the film industry and media that generally focus on the entertainment industry. This is not a major audience in film release campaigns, but getting an endorsement from these influencers and tastemakers goes a long way. The third-party endorsement that they offer resonates well with consumers, and consumers react positively to films that receive great reviews. MyYearbook, a social networking website, conducted a study that found 81 percent of the respondents said “they'd received advice from friends and followers relating to a product purchase through a social site and 74 percent of those who received such advice found it to be influential in their decision” (Williams, 2010). Content is king in films and in communications campaigns. The most successful film release campaigns start with a great product. While points-of-parity are established by traditional mass marketing techniques, points-of-difference are defined and communicated through brand engagement. Creating enticing content that sparks interest and engages consumers by appealing to them on a personal level is the 32 ultimate goal. Consumers who feel invested in a particular thing, for example a film, are more likely to encourage others to participate as well. Exclusive content generates the highest level of online traffic as web surfers flock to sites that are the first to post stills from the set or an actor in a well-known costume. For example, the first released image of Anne Hathaway in her Cat Woman costume for the new Dark Knight Rises film created an online stir as fans of the franchise were excited to see what they could expect the character to look like on the big screen. With all of the various channels and tools to promote a film, the success of a campaign is measured by the gross box office sales. At the end of all the pitching, interviews, stunts, photos, clips and online efforts, it all comes down to the amount of money a film generated in theaters. The success of a film and its campaign can be predicted very early on with experts using complex formulas to project the total revenue a film will bring in based on its opening weekend. That is why “one of the most important indicators of the success of a movie marketing campaign is the gross box office sales from the first weekend of a movie's release” (Roos, 2008). The opening weekend box office figures are a direct result of the awareness created by the film release campaign. Major blockbusters can generate up to 40 percent of their total profit in the first week they are released. Building awareness, defining a film’s brand and engaging the audience early is necessary to secure a successful opening weekend and set the tone for the remainder of the films run in theaters and later in home entertainment segments. Aside from reports that show sales and figures, the amount of coverage secured is still a measurement tool for public relations professionals. Copies of press clippings complied together into coverage reports are created and submitted with circulation 33 figures attached to each outlet. This is a rough estimation of the number of people that saw the coverage, but it is extremely unreliable and is not an indication of the way a film will perform. Just because the media picked up on a story does not mean that viewers are interested in the film. Success is measured through the level of engagement that was achieved throughout the campaign and the final box office figures the film achieves. The practice of cutting press clips and calculating value based on a calculation that multiplies the advertisement value of a mention are slowly dying. This type of reporting is unreliable and inefficient. 34 Chapter 6: Emerging Trends in Film Launch Campaigns "This is our world now. The world of the electron and the switch; the beauty of the baud.” -Hackers (1995) As the number of films in the market increases, the competition is becoming tougher. Public attention is thinning as new information sources emerge and the traditional news cycle is a luxury of the past. Visibility depends entirely on “frequency and the frequency have radically shortened the time span between communicating news” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 231). To win the audience over and sway them to see one film over another, studios and marketers have to “make them notice, make them wonder, and get them to follow their curiosity right into the tent. “ Traditional media outlets cannot be relied on to achieve this (Barnum). The age-old need to get people “into the tent” is changing as the need for actual theaters is declining due to at-home entertainment opportunities. To combat this, studios are investing in 3D and IMAX. Establishing a brand for the film as early as possible and getting the audience engaged with that brand is extremely important. The goal is to make sure the right people get the information in the fastest way possible and disseminate it in a way that is most likely to resonate with the audience over time. One extremely effective strategy is to create a platform for conversations to organically happen between consumers. A sense of involvement needs to be established in order for a film to resonate with consumers and gain a competitive edge in a saturated market. The content shared with viewers, both online and offline, integrates various communication techniques and engages audiences by creating a 35 complete immersion into the story line, which ultimately leads to success at the box office. Film studios are using new technologies, such as social media, to create a relationship with customers using tactics such as setting up interactive Facebook pages, creating hashtags and hosting Foursquare-based scavenger hunts. They are also tapping into mobile apps to draw audiences into cinemas and generate larger profits in order to offset the increasing cost of making movies. A significant amount of a film’s budget is allocated to marketing spending. In the past, these figures have soared due to the high cost of securing advertisements in outlets that are guaranteed to attract a great deal of attention. Public engagement strategies can be applied to film launch campaigns to offset some of the cost and reach an even larger audience. The cost of maintaining a social media profile is cheaper than placing full-page advertisements in a national paper, but the difficulty in assessing this value are a challenge to evaluating the effectiveness of public engagement. Regardless of the cost, the audience that is reached through public engagement is actively participating and not just passively watching. Public engagement techniques, such as online competitions, are being deployed on a global scale to attract moviegoers and propel the success of a new film, even before it is released. Films are no longer just about viewers sitting and watching them. Consumers expect to be active participants in campaigns and want to be engaged with a film before ever going to a theater. Going to the cinema has become an interactive experience that includes two-way dialogue and, above everything else, circular conversation. Brand identification and brand engagement have found a new approach to tapping into the heart of filmmaking through storytelling. A majority of the campaigns 36 recently executed take a very limited approach, by centering on mass marketing techniques. On the other hand, innovative studios are exploring alternative methods of including storytelling in a variety of marketing techniques that are used in their film release strategies. Public engagement tactics include an array of platforms to help motion picture studios engage with audiences and deliver messages through interactive and provoking strategies. The days of generic posters and trailer advertisements on television are becoming a thing of the past. As the trend continues to develop, posters are still being put up in major metropolitan areas, but they are including an engagement piece as well, such as QR codes that link to social media. An interview with Alia Kahn, director of marketing and publicity at LT-LA Consulting, describes her frustrations with some campaign practices. She said studios need to do more than just “slap on a QR code that links to a website.” They need to have more creative ways of follow up and continue to keep the audience entertained and involved. For example, an effective way of using a QR code to engage consumers would be to have the link lead to a game or contest that includes a call to action, instead of just directing them to a stagnant website that quickly loses their interest. The need for film release campaigns to add public engagement to their strategies in addition to traditional mass marketing practices is a result of consumer demands. Moviegoers are no longer satisfied with just a catchy trailer. Motion picture studios must now budget for and execute campaigns for film releases that create “the whole movie experience.” As social media continues to gain momentum, with Facebook at 845 million monthly active users in December 2011 and Twitter at 300 million users, studios are realizing that in addition to marketing and communication strategies, “listening and 37 engagement is quickly becoming pervasive and necessary to compete for precious yet thinned and distributed attention” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 187). The stories that films tell are being taken off the big screen and customized for use on other platforms such as websites, social media channels and mobile devices. Consumers expect to be active participants in campaigns and should be invested in a film before ever stepping into a theater. Future film launch campaigns will need to provide an interactive experience that includes circular communication. Traditional push strategies are no longer effective in garnering attention for a film. Film audiences want to be a part of the movie magic. This is achieved through public engagement techniques that build a community for the film and motivate the audience to be a part of the conversation by sharing their opinion with others and being a part of the dialogue. There must be a sense of involvement in order for the film to resonate with consumers and gain a competitive edge in a saturated market. The content shared with viewers both online and offline integrates various communication channels and engages audiences by allowing them to be completely immersed into the film’s story line. Storytelling is taking on new forms and innovative motion picture studios are adjusting their strategies to incorporate them in order to stay relevant and effective. For example, when the film Avatar was released, the characters were introduced online and through visual images that started the flow of the story before the audience even stepped into the theater. Innovation comes from listening to new ideas and public engagement is “taking the challenge of integrating different pieces to define value beyond marketing” (Comstock). The communication field has roots that trace back to general advertising 38 aimed at mass audiences. From there, the focus shifted to traditional media outlets, which mainly included print and broadcast. This meant outreach to newspapers, magazines and broadcast networks. Presently, the public relations field includes a dynamic blend channels that promote relationship building and interaction through various forms of discussion and participation. The goal is no longer just to attract and maintain the attention of the consumer, it is “to motivate and facilitate efforts of fans and enthusiasts to spread” the message (Jenkins). The public engagement discipline stems from this very concept. It takes traditional communications practices, merges them with marketing techniques and takes them to new platforms. Previously, public relations strategies focused on a one-way push to distribute information. Through the years, it evolved into a bi-directional conversation and now the emergence of public engagement is introducing a circular method of communicating. This universal approach takes topics and assets that already exist and leverages them in a different way in order to gain better traction and results. All communication is based on assembling and nurturing shared interests, because nothing exists independently and everything is somehow related. Public engagement seeks out these connections and uses them to join the audience to the subject. Public engagement techniques are being deployed on a global scale to draw audiences into cinemas and drive up profits in order to offset the increasing production and marketing costs that large scale projects incur. For studios, this means finding and creating connections between viewers and a film. The types of connections are endless in range across the globe through various cultures. All public engagement concepts and techniques can and should be applied on a global scale or recreated in different 39 regions. Depending on the type and scale of a campaign, a plan can be launched across the globe at a single time, or it can be rolled out to various locations and customized to uniquely fit each demographic based on the type of approach the studio is taking for a film. Regardless of the scale of a film’s promotional campaign, they all center on trying to reach a target audience. The methods of reaching this audience are shifting to incorporate digital platforms. Mass marketing is being abandoned for more engaging techniques that provide compelling messages directly to consumers and spark conversation. Studios are making strides and these trends are evolving as they continue to discover what is working. Those that are struggling to catch up are “underestimating [social media] and are applying the same old-school approach of ‘marketing at’ people instead of engaging in conversations that will enhance the brand and customer relationships” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. xviii). Success is being achieved by those who are leveraging the connections that social media offers and are making genuine connections with consumers. Sophisticated studios are executing public engagement campaigns that are spreading content online and across the globe. The campaigns distribute information to influencers, who are then sharing with their networks and sparking relevant conversations that raise awareness and draw audiences to the film. 40 Chapter 7: Social Media and Mobile Apps “Facebook me.” –The Social Network (2010) Along with financial drivers, online and mobile platforms have been a strong force influencing film launch campaigns. The web provides an opportunity to connect different people and concepts around the world. For motion picture studios, this means they can extend conversations by engaging people with content and motivating them to share the information with their communities. Through “proactive and consistent listening, measurement and refinement,” a public engagement campaign will, “not only justify its role in social marketing, but also more effectively enhance relationships, build trust, cultivate communities and increase sales” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 267). The popularity of smart phones has also been beneficial in promoting films. New campaigns include custom mobile applications and even interactive games that can be downloaded and played on the go. Figure 1: Results of social media survey conducted by The Hollywood Reporter Social media is the newest and most popular method for spreading information via word-of-mouth. Its popularity and influence is forcing studios to embrace and navigate the complexities of film launch campaigns by “ listening with new intelligence, 41 participating in genuine conversation, creating and co-creating content with a target audience, socializing, openly advocating through transparent techniques and partnering with others” (Taylor Amaro, 2011). The term “social media” is applied to and referenced in just about everything, and while most people know the basics of how to update their profile, few know the extent of its reach and the opportunities that it offers for communications professions. Social media platforms are scaleable, customizable and cost effective. The biggest benefits social media offers is that it can quickly send information to millions of people at one time as events unfold, it can categorize the audience and give access to niche markets that would otherwise go untouched and it provides valuable information directly to the audience. It can also be used as a test site for ideas and messages before applying them on a large scale because online feedback is instantaneous, allowing corrections and alterations to be made immediately. The rise of social media has created a new community of influencers and a new, cheaper channel for paid media. Celebrity social media profiles are most often the main target for reaching audiences, but there are online influencers that have more friends and followers than the famous faces attached to a film. There are bloggers online that get more hits than most news sites. For example Nikki Fink’s Deadline Hollywood blog averages 1.5 million hits per month and is ranked 3,792 on Alexa, while Variety is at number 11,517. Alexa is a web traffic reporting system that stores and analyzes browsing behavior and uses this information to rank websites. This influential blogger audience can open the doors to niche communities that are often overlooked, also known as the long tail: The theory of the Long Tail is that our culture and economy is increasingly shifting away from a focus on a relatively small number of ‘hits’ (mainstream 42 products and markets) at the head of the demand curve and toward a huge number of niches in the tail. As the costs of production and distribution fall, especially online, there is now less need to lump products and consumers into one-size-fits-all containers. In an era without the constraints of physical shelf space and other bottlenecks of distribution, narrowly-targeted goods and services can be as economically attractive as mainstream fare. (Anderson, 2006) Figure 2: Graph of The Long Tail Effect This approach combines “the art of personalized mass marketing with the individualization of distinct, vertical and smaller markets [creating] the socialization of media, the amplification of word-of-mouth marketing and the engagement between companies and people” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. xx). In the past, smaller audiences were not a priority in launch campaigns because they were cost prohibitive and the results did not justify using the resources. Social media is empowering leaders in niche communities to become influencers and, in doing so, they are making themselves a powerful tool in communication. Many niche markets provide stronger long-term support, which is the inverse of mass marketing that reach larger audiences, but achieve shallow attachments. 43 Successful public engagement campaigns are using social media in multiple other ways. Online profiles can be used to reach a broader audience as well as the long tail. Along with creating and maintaining profiles and engaging in online conversations, digital strategies also include online buying plans. Facebook has the highest number of website visitors, which makes paid placement extremely valuable. Digital advertisement allows for a more detailed level of customization, and because Facebook has data on each of their users, ads can be targeted to very specific groups. These types of placements also provide an interactive element as users can click through to get more information. Paying for space on social media websites is cheaper than television and billboard advertisements. The audience demographic is also being reached in a more accurate method that is easier to record using tools such as click-through counts. These advantages are driving film launch campaigns and studios are responding to the power of social media. Facebook and Twitter are the most popular social media platforms and several others are fighting to rise to the same level. Investing in both platforms is beneficial because, as tools, they can be used in very different ways and offer access to different types of audiences. The best practice is to make sure they interact with each other and that all posts deliver the same key messages. Twitter posts give followers a quick update in less than 140 characters. Tweets have a short lifespan and quickly scroll to the bottom of timelines within 2 hours, so posts have to be short, informative and attention grabbing. Facebook is a place to run more lengthy campaigns. The popularity of the website seems endless and it recently surpassed Google as the number one most visited website in the world. With all of that traffic, there are pages that exist for 44 just about everything, making it harder to attract attention or ‘likes’ on a page. The number of likes is currently the top indicator for how successful the page is. Other forms of measurement are the number of comments that Facebook posts receive and the number of times the profile is visited. Previously, studios held back on spending large amounts of money on social media sites because the return on investment could not be proven. But with the emergence of the measurement tools described, resources allocated for social media purposes can prove their value. The increase of hybrid content over owned content is creating a challenge for social media campaigns. There is always a downside and for social media, the ability for everyone to have a voice means that not every opinion and review is going to be a positive one. In an interview, Rupert Goodwin, senior publicity manager and DDA Republic Relations, shared his opinion on the concept. He said, “the accessible nature of the internet allows the individual to express an opinion and have a debate – but the nature of that debate, simplistic or high-flown is uncontrollable” (Appendix). This means all profiles need to be carefully monitored around the clock and every response that is posted needs to be tailored for each specific situation. Online users can easily pick out generic responses and don’t favor them. Being genuine goes a long way. Pages and profiles that are not monitored can quickly become hijacked and taken over by negative content. This is congruent with the concept of a deadline in journalism hardly existing anymore, and the 24-hour news cycle requiring around the clock surveillance and correspondence on social media pages. Without careful and constant supervision, a news stream can be flooded with posts from users that can be damaging to a campaign. The individual involvement and direct contact with the audience introduces a certain 45 level of customer service that social media users have come to expect. When a person has a complaint about something, the first place they go to share their frustrations are their social media profiles. Venting negative feelings must be dealt with in a strategic manor so that the situation does not escalate. The possibility of experiencing negative backlash on social media significantly decreases when public engagement campaigns are implemented properly. Most of these issues can be easily avoided through careful monitoring and strategic planning. Mobile applications, video games and interactive plug-ins are other platforms that are available for public engagement campaigns. Today’s consumers want things immediately because they can access almost everything from their mobile phones including social media profiles. iTunes is the leading store for mobile applications (apps), offering apps for just about anything. Among these are applications for consumers to engage with their favorite films where they can have direct access to controlled content such has the Avatar and Harry Potter apps discussed in the next chapter. The key to launching a successful mobile application to support the promotion of a film is to ensure that it is easily accessible and that it offers unique and interactive content that is shareable. The possibilities are infinite. New technologies emerge everyday that introduce new and compelling ways for studios to connect with their audience and promote the release of a new film. Social media is leading the trend by involving fans in campaigns and turning them into advocates of the film, which then turns the film into a brand. This is setting the stage for the future and what sort of tools the web will offer next. 46 Chapter 8: Public Engagement Case Studies “Look beyond the paint. Let us try to open our minds to a new idea.” –Mona Lisa Smile (2003) “Worldwide scavenger hunts, comic book prologues, flash-mobbing, alternate- reality games and iPhone apps – just some of the tools used by studios in a bid to prize the cost of a cinema ticket away from your pay packet” (The Independent, 2010). In the past few years, several films have emerged with innovative release campaigns that encompass many of the brand engagement strategies discussed. Warner Bros. released The Dark Knight on July 18, 2008 to the largest number of screens in cinematic history, totaling 4,366. Then on July 16, 2010 they released Inception, which went on to win four Academy Awards. Twentieth Century Fox released Avatar in December of 2009 and it went on to become the number one film of 2010 and gross $2.7 billion worldwide (Motion Picture Association of America Theatrical Statistics, 2010). All three films have broken records and succeeded beyond imagination. The other thing they have in common is that each one had a unique brand engagement campaign that was executed in addition to the traditional marketing plan. The studios and executives running the projects understood the value of engaging with consumers and reaped the benefits for it. Each of the films took different approaches to engagement and created campaigns that uniquely fit their brand and would best resonate with their target audiences. The Los Angeles Times described The Dark Knight’s campaign as, “one of the most interactive movie-marketing campaigns ever hatched by Hollywood” (March 2008). Directed by Christopher Nolan, the summer blockbuster’s estimated budget was $185 47 million and grossed $1 billion worldwide, with $522 million coming from the U.S. (IMDB). Referenced as a “multifaceted promo push [that] transcends marketing to exist as a stand-alone cultural event,” the campaign is technically considered viral marketing, but at a closer look, it is actually “an engrossing experience,” in which “you’re not a passive onlooker; you’re taking an active role. And any time you take an active role, you’re emotionally connecting. That’s why people keep coming back: You make personal connections with others, and a community gets built” (Lee, 2008). The campaign was based online, included real-life components and is a complex form of public engagement. When compared to Iron Man, which was also released in the summer of 2008, The Dark Knight achieved much higher numbers in the box office. They are similar types of films and share several points-of-parity, but The Dark Knight stands out because of its unique public engagement campaign that reached consumers and motivated people to get out and see the film. The strategy for The Dark Knight started with a teaser and gradually shared more information to maintain interest. Content that was available from the film included little actual footage and left the details of the plot up to the imagination. In an effort to remain mysterious, the website that went online brought Gotham City to life and focused on the characters of Harvey Dent and the Joker. In addition to the official website, Warner Bros hired 42 Entertainment to launch 30 different micro-sites, like whysoserious.com where fans where challenged to a scavenger hunt with clues starting online and leading to actual locations around the world. 42 Entertainment said the social media campaign executed for the film reached 10 million people in 75 countries. 48 The first website appeared on the Internet nine months prior to the film’s release and enticed fans across the globe to embark on a scavenger hunt to become a member of the Joker’s gang. The scavenger hunt started online and included mobile phones, emails, physical locations, videos and unique collector items. One hint required the players to go to a bakery and pick up a cake that had a phone inside of it. Eventually the clues led to the release of the trailer and a few online followers even received an email with an invitation to a private IMAX screening of the film. This particular aspect of the engagement strategy was effective in getting consumers directly involved with the brand. The stunt also generated a large amount of traditional media coverage, with various outlets reporting on the details of the scavenger hunt and how dedicated the fans were. Simultaneously, one of the other web pages dedicated to the film focused on Harvey Dent’s campaign, Ibelieveinharveydent.com. It started with a teaser message and slowly released exclusive trailers and new posters. Alex Lieu, the chief creative officer at 42 Entertainment explained that the goal of the campaign was “to extend the epic themes of the film beyond the screen and into people’s everyday lives. We gave people a chance to become a Gotham citizen and the response was overwhelming” (PR Newswire). The campaign also included an alternative reality game that gave users a real-life experience in Gotham City. The game attracted 10 million unique visitors. A combination of these techniques directly resulted in the film selling the largest number of advanced tickets for an opening night and going on to become the highest grossing film of 2008. Warner Bros. wanted to recreate the success they achieved with The Dark Knight’s campaign with Inception by launching a mysterious and interactive website that 49 set the tone for the entire campaign. Also written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the film stars Leonardo DiCaprio and was released in theaters on July 16, 2010. By the end of its cinematic run, it grossed $817 million worldwide. The film takes place in a time where technology exists that has the ability to invade people’s dreams. The theme of the film is the basis for the online engagement campaign. In a true grassroots effort, posters directed consumers to a website, www.mindcrime.com, through a QR code. The posters drew consumer’s attention by staying away from the look and feel of a traditional poster with a large image and celebrity names and instead went with something plain that included large copy. One poster read, “Thought theft is real…learn the truth about mind crime,” and another said “protect your thoughts…learn the truth about mind crime” (screenrant.com). The mind crime website shifted through four phases, with the first starting at the beginning of the public relations push, which included the mind crime maze game. In the game, players interact with mazes that lead to dead ends. As the campaign progressed, different parts of the website started working, revealing additional content including the inner workings of the film. This built anticipation for the release of the film and gave consumers clues as to what they could expect to see. Avatar’s public engagement campaign was based on the film’s interactive trailer that was launched on “Avatar Day,” August 21, 2009. A trailer for the film’s videogame was also released and action figures inspired by the film’s characters were shown for the first time by Mattel. The day should be “remembered as one of the most comprehensive digital marketing campaigns ever developed to support a film” (Mendoza, 2010). Fans were notified via Twitter that the trailer was on Apple’s website 50 and “it broke a record on Apple.com after being streamed more than four million times on its first day” (Mendoza, 2010). The trailer included 11 touch points that linked directly to social media outlets and even included options to purchase tickets. The team executing the strategy was extremely active across all social media platforms and was proactive in responding to fans and participating in online conversation. The campaign also included a Facebook app that gave fans the opportunity to “Avatarize” themselves, meaning they could upload a photo and see themselves as an Avatar. The user was then encouraged to share their new photo via social media channels in an effort to make a larger audience aware of the film and build involvement. A philanthropic element was added that asked fans to donate trees on behalf of the film. The message targeted a niche audience that is environmentally conscious and was heavily promoted online (www.avatarmovie.com/hometree). The website was a portal into the world of Pandora, the film’s planetary backdrop, and allowed users to explore the magic of the Hometree, a dwelling on Pandora. Fans were also given the opportunity to ask James Cameron, the genius behind the film, questions about Avatar, which gave them the opportunity to gain rare insight and feel personally invested in the film. The interview questions were answered on a webcast coordinated by mtv.com. Blogs and websites such as “Pandorapedia,” a Wikipedia for all things included in the film, showcased fan dedication and covered topics such as why Avatars are blue. The campaign even included a mobile element with an application that allowed players to be their favorite character in the film and explore Pandora while fighting for the safety of the planet. The webpage received an average of 850,000 unique visitors per month, the Facebook page attracted 1,445,000 51 fans and the trailer received 2,636,020 views on YouTube before the film was released in theaters (Mendoza, 2008). In an effort to digitize even the most exclusive aspects of the film’s launch, the red carpet premiere was broadcast live on Ustream so that fans could witness the grand event. With the help of its public engagement campaign, Avatar grossed $2.7 billion worldwide and won 3 Academy awards (IMBD). Fans flocked to theaters in support of every film in the Harry Potter franchise and when the last installment was finally ready for release, Warner Bros. wanted to treat their faithful audience to unprecedented access to the characters and story. They achieved this through a large-scale public engagement strategy that aligned with the plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. The film was released in 3D on July 15, 2011 and earned a total lifetime gross of $1,328,111,219 worldwide (Box Office Mojo). The estimated budget for the entire project is $125 million (IMDB). Combined with the first film’s campaign, Warner Bros. won the UK Theatrical Campaign of the Year award at the Screen Marketing and Distribution Awards (Wiseman, 2011). The interactive website was the first touch point to be launched. It was the hub for all online marketing efforts and included unique sections such as a the Muggle Hub, where fans can watch videos, learn about each character, download wallpapers and screensavers, and most importantly, share this information through social media. The Quest is a microsite that allows users to play games, interact with other fans and compete to win prizes and gain access to exclusive content. The film’s official website includes links to its various social media profiles including, Facebook, Twitter and easy sharing links to Digg, Delicious, Reddit and StumbleUpon. These features promote the 52 sharing element of social media and encourage users to start conversation around the film online. The social media pages included layers of content, games and applications. For example, the Parseltongue Facebook applications is accessible through a link on the film’s official website as well as on the Facebook profile and gives users the opportunity to translate the spells used in the film. The Harry Potter Facebook page has 43,441,259 likes on Facebook and 382,927 mentions, making it one of the most liked pages, trailing closely behind Lady Gaga who has 49,560,814 likes. On Twitter, the film is followed by 524, 109 people and provides information on upcoming events and competitions that followers can get involved with. Leading up to the premiere, “the Facebook page was gaining nearly 100,000 new fans per day,” which was “spurred by a page that frequently posts images, behind-the-scenes tidbits, interviews with stars, link to coverage on other media outlets and movie trailers” (Warren, 2011). Warner Bros. recreated the page in various languages to engage fans in different countries. The theatrical trailer was released online on April 28, 2011 and instantly went viral. Initially, the footage was placed simultaneously on the film’s Facebook page as well as on Yahoo! for the worldwide release. The studio added a public engagement element to the 1 minute 58 second teaser by hosting live chats that gave fans the opportunity to share their initial reactions and discuss other elements they anticipated seeing in the film. When Warner Bros. uploaded it on YouTube, the video quickly reached over 10 million views. The world premiere took place on July 7, 2011 in London’s Trafalgar Square. According to the Guinness Book of Records, it was the longest red carpet in history. Over 20,000 fans were in attendance and for those who 53 could not make the trip, Warner Bros. held a live podcast of the event and encouraged fans to have conversations with each other about it online (Goodwin). By leveraging video technology, streaming services and the Internet, marketers turned a local event into a worldwide engagement tool. At the 2011 Screen Marketing and Distribution Awards, the film won for best premiere (Wiseman, 2011). Even though it is no longer in theaters, the public engagement campaign is continuing to bring fans closer to the film. On March 31, 2012 Warner Bros. London will open its doors for fans to explore the world of Harry Potter through a special studio tour that goes behind the scenes of the entire franchise. The launch campaigns of The Dark Knight, Avatar, Inception and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II are amazing examples of public engagement campaigns that successfully communicated the film’s brand identity and found a way to resonate with consumers. Studios that found success with these types of campaigns are continuing the adoption of similar strategies. In order to develop an effective public engagement campaign for a film, touch points have to exist either online or offline that interact with consumers. The unique thing about engagement is that it has to be customized to fit the needs of each specific film launch. While these types of promotional tactics can’t be duplicated, they can serve as reference points that provide a list of recommended practices. All four films are examples of public engagement at its very best. The Dark Knight’s scavenger hunt was absolutely genius and the positive response from fans was immediate feedback that it was a good decision. Avatar’s campaign included a variety of tactics that reached several audiences, but the most impressive part is how they all tied together. When the campaign was introduced, 54 James Cameron said, “We’re going to do something unprecedented. It’s a social marketing experiment,” and the result reflected that statement. Inception did a great job with the timing and unveiling of promotional material and information. Buzz for the film peaked at the perfect time and ticket sales soared. The only room for improvement was in the amount of engagement opportunities that were available to consumers. The mind crime game was a creative idea, but it was limited to a specific audience. Campaigns require creativity. An unconventional approach to the promotion of a film can make a difference to consumers when deciding whether or not to head to a theater and watch a specific film. The Dark Knight capitalized on stunt marketing. It earned attention by doing something novel and provoking a positive emotional response from fans. Creativity that reaches the film’s target audience and delivers a piece of the film that draws consumers in is a major part of the emerging trend in the way studios are promoting films. However, strong public engagement campaigns do not guarantee that a film will be successful at the box office. There are recent films that included the implementation of a public engagement strategy and went on to deliver very poor results following their release in theaters. One good example of this is Snakes on a Plane. In early 2006, the film’s digital campaign swarmed the Internet and created a large buzz prior to its launch. Even with the online competitions and user generated content, the film failed to meet expectations when it was released on August 18, 2006 to disappointing box office figures, earning only $15.25 million in the U.S. during its opening weekend. Including a public engagement element to a film’s launch strategy does not replace other promotional tools, and it does not provide a guaranteed formula for success. What it does do, thought, is offer alternative ways for studios to engage 55 their target audience, get them involved with material from the film and build awareness that could potentially lead to consumers watching the movie and sharing that experience with their peers. 56 Chapter 9: Public Engagement “I have to believe in a world outside my own mind. I have to believe that my actions still have meaning.” –Momento (2000) In a Wall Street Journal article, journalist Peggy Noonan argued, “People believe nothing. They believe everything is spin and lies. When people believe nothing, they believe everything” (Edelman, 2011, p. 3). Today’s society is made more complex by online communication channels working to attract consumers who already have a rooted distrust toward marketers. This sentiment decreases the effects of traditional marketing techniques that were once extremely successful and clears a path for an emerging discipline that does more than push messages at consumers: Public engagement reflects the evolution of business as a positive force in society and calls for businesses to participate meaningfully in the continuous global conversation. [It] takes policy and communication unified to realize the full aspiration of public relations. The outcomes of public engagement are increased trust, changed behavior, deeper communities and commercial success. (Edelman, 2011) Complex societies require precise research and a deep understanding of the audience and the way they think. Circular communication and repetition through various channels are the best methods of capturing today’s audience. Content may be infinite, “but attention is finite. More than ever before, stories need to be repeated [and] available where people are spending their time reading, watching and participating” (Edelman, 2011, p. 6). Edelman’s 2011 Trust Barometer shows that the “increased skepticism [from the audience] requires multiple voices and channels.” A single mass-market message is no longer effective, and the film industry is responding to this shift in the best way to reach consumers. 57 Public engagement campaigns share a film’s story through methods that spark interest, reaction and involvement across several different platforms. The retelling and repurposing of the story is more than just a generic regurgitation of the film’s plot; it must include a unique perspective and personalized content that shares opinions and insights that the audience is unable to get at a movie theater. Those elements make the content of the campaign as important as how it is delivered. All assets, from videos to written copy, should be informative, provoking and shareable. Film launch campaigns should include these features in order to maximize the potential that a public engagement campaign can achieve. The “new law of digital relativity (e.g., the relationship between time and space) means the end of scarcity. This was the currency that, for years, powered marketing budgets, filled media coffers and drove the information economy. Now that scarcity is gone, however, we will need to adopt a new set of skills” (Rubel, 2010). These skills have developed, and those who have developed them are being seen as more prestigious in the field and can leverage their knowledge to lead the new discipline and apply it across all industries. Each film is a unique project. It can be categorized into a certain genre, but no two are the same. Having a differentiating element is essential when building a competitive advantage. Creating a standard package for a public engagement campaign simply is not possible. Today’s consumers operate in a world where customized content is the norm. Every film is “a standalone product with its own potential market segment and just because a certain type of movie was a hit doesn’t mean that audiences will come in droves to the next one. There’s no formula for success, so marketers must be creative to grab the public’s attention” (Roos, 2008). 58 Custom approaches are becoming more popular as studios realize their audiences are begging for a higher level of engagement from film launch campaigns. Technology is playing a large role in new campaigns, and the Internet has provided a magnitude of possibilities for the creativity surrounding films to thrive. “If studios play their cards right, they can capitalize on social networks, viral video websites and other online communities to sell their movies for them. The next generation of moviegoers are much more likely to trust their friends’ opinions than a host on a television show” (Roos, 2008). By leveraging various channels of reaching consumers, public engagement strategies “can spark conversations, elicit feedback and generate significant awareness” leading to increased awareness for films prior to their release (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 238). Once an audience base for a film is established, it only multiplies from there. Avid fans turn into ambassadors and begin to recruit their friends and communities to get involved with the campaign. The rise “of ‘regular’ people as trusted sources has taken over” (Amaro, 2011). Campaigns don’t make themselves viral, “people make them viral. [Public engagement campaigns] can empower people to help carry the word to others,” allowing the growth of peer-to-peer influence, which helps sell “products and services quicker than many other forms of marketing” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 240). Public engagement strategies include the design of a brand identity system for a film by integrating a variety of marketing and communication vehicles. While mass marketing, like paid advertisements, is a part of the communications strategy: Engagement refers to the amount of time a person either participates within a dedicated or hosted web community or service related to your brand, or interacts with a representative of your company online. Engagement can also refer to the 59 reach of your story - the process of spreading word-of-mouth referrals and sparking new and related conversation threads. (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 254) It is a growing piece of the pie. Innovative studios are starting to allocate more of the budget to emerging brand engagement strategies, and they are seeing higher box office numbers as a result (Solis and Breakenridge, 2011). An effective marketing mix must include several engagement strategies and tactics in film launch campaigns in order to compete with the newer and more innovative promotional trends surfacing in the film industry. The production of a film requires the unification of various departments and third- party organizations. This collective effort must also be demonstrated in the film’s public engagement campaign. While it is necessary to have genuine opinions and personalized content, the tone and theme of a campaign must remain consistent across all platforms. Details regarding the messages and tactics must remain aligned among the studio, director, talent and any outside public relations agency handling the launch or related events. Every individual involved must understand the strategy and disseminate the same message. For example, the posts on Facebook should match the tone and goal of those on Twitter. Because films are not like ordinary products, where the consumer purchases a tangible item, the direct connection to them is achieved through online platforms and the talent involved with the project. The faces of the film are the actors and directors. In terms of internal communication, they are the most important audience because they are making appearances to promote the film and engage fans. They are ambassadors for the film and act as spokespeople who can be leveraged in public engagement campaigns. Internal communication and engagement is a very small portion in the larger scheme of promoting a film. 60 For most film campaigns, the focus is on external engagement and creating a connection between a film and the audience it is trying to reach. This engagement is achieved through various platforms, techniques and touch points. External brand engagement includes a mix of formal and informal communication methods. While movie posters, trailers and official websites are formal means of reaching the audience, other things such as social media pages facilitate conversations that are executed in a more informal way. The informal methods are continuing to grow as consumers are attracted to genuine conversations relating to something that interests them. They prefer to be reached on an individual level or through someone they personally know instead of an unknown company or organization. Effective external communication that captivates the target audience is achieved through an emerging discipline called public engagement because it ‘encourages collaborative communication, enabling people to find, enjoy and share useful information” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 46). Public relations strategies went from a one-way push, to a bi-directional conversation, to a circular method of communicating. Classic push strategies in marketing are being taken over by interactive and continuous public engagement strategies. Sophisticated communication plans include a diverse combination of strategies that maximize various channels to support and promote relationships through discussion and active participation in order to reach objectives. The goal is no longer just to attract and hold the attention of the consumer, it is ”to motivate and facilitate efforts of fans and enthusiasts to spread” the message (Jenkins, 2011). In communications tactics, there is a need to create and co-create content that will be used across several platforms. The voice of the consumer is becoming a powerful tool 61 that has the ability to influence campaigns and extend messages to new audiences. Motion picture studios are beginning to acknowledge this change and are adjusting to incorporate new strategies that encourage participation from the audience, which provides a foundation for building and maintaining valuable relationships. Public engagement is about generating content that compels consumers to start conversations and cultivating those relationships to promote an online presence and build a brand for the film. At its best, the discipline creates: Matrices of interrelated, active and bi-directional relationships with their stakeholders or groups of stakeholders, in pursuit of organizational goals. At a macro-strategic level that consists of an organization-wide commitment to a multidimensional, multifunctional, full harmonious strategy of engagements. At a micro, tactical level, it consists of the specific operational processes and practices- as determined by each unique set of stakeholders needs- utilized to create and maintain those engagements. (Swirling, 2011) The most successful engagement campaigns create a new reality based on shared interest where nothing exists in isolation and everything is in an interdependent world. Sharing is no longer looked down upon; it is encouraged. All online efforts must be flexible and able to be repurposed. As Henry Jenkins said, “viral is a thing of the past. If it doesn’t spread, its dead.” Public engagement campaigns begin with thorough research and an in-depth understanding of the audience so that a strategy can be determined. This outlines the methods that are going to be taken through the campaign to achieve the communication goals for the project. Next, the creative ideas are developed and the content to support and execute them is produced. The materials are distributed to various media channels, which is then reused across multiple platforms. A successful campaign lives on through conversation and evolves (Tenderich, 2011). Messages can be multiplied, slightly changed and 62 repurposed, as long as they don’t contradict each other (Jenkins, 2011). Motion picture studios and the professionals that work on film launch campaigns are beginning to “produce a stronger signal with less noise as [they] embrace one-to-one communications over broadcast spam, groundswells over top-down marketing, real- world benefits understood through psychographics over spin and messages to general audiences, and relatable stories over snake oil sales” (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 277). This shift in the approach film studios are beginning to take toward promoting films is only beginning to become apparent, but as public engagement continues to grow as a discipline, the industry will produce more campaigns that provide an interactive experience that resonates with consumers and promotes sharing. 63 Chapter 10: Global Campaigns "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." -Casablanca (1942) Regardless of the country, entertainment is still one of the primary opportunities to accomplish the social goal of congregating with one another because “in our present- day culture, movies still offer the chance to sit in the dark with strangers and participate in laughing, crying, thinking, and generally being swept away by the experience” (Lieberman, p. 44). Global opportunities for films are growing in scale. Everything from the number of viewers to the number of theaters is increasing, which means demand is rising and creating more opportunities. Worldwide “digital screens have increased dramatically. More than 36,000 screens, nearly one-quarter of the total, are now digital, and over 60% of digital screens are now 3D-capable” (Motion Picture Association of America Theatrical Statistic Report, 2010). To cope with the growing size and diversity of the audience, studios must consider strategies that incorporate a global perspective. The positioning of a film during its launch must be distinctive, yet easily communicable to different audiences. Films are global commodities, and the industry reaches a wide variety of people spanning numerous countries. Like its industry, film brands must maintain a global consideration. The business of making films has taken on an international presence. The days of solely focusing on domestic box office numbers are over. Films generate more revenue outside the U.S. than they do domestically. The combination of all regions outside of North America contribute the most to a film’s overall box office performance. The below figure outlines the international box office landscape: 64 Figure 3: International box office figures by region from 2007 to 2011 according to the Theatrical Market Statistics released my the Motion Picture Association of America The worldwide audience simply can’t be ignored. It is a major contributor to the profit that a film draws for a studio. The best brand identities and brand engagement campaigns consider the global market and acknowledge that an international audience must be taken into account when determining a launch strategy. Hollywood may be in the United States, but the film industry is flourishing around the world. Markets in various countries are continuing to fund more projects and produce larger numbers of films each year. The major studios in Los Angeles tend to set trends mirrored around the world. This is true of marketing and communications strategies as well. As Los Angeles studios extend global reach through public engagement, international studios are beginning to explore and apply the same key tactics that are being successfully executed in the U.S. The key to reaching each audience is to: 65 Remember that customers need to hear things differently across each market segment, demographic and psychographic—people need to hear things front- loaded with the benefits and painkillers that will compel them. Reaching the masses is still important, so casting a wide net doesn’t necessarily go away, but focusing on specific niche markets is also critical to creating groundswell. Those customer groups respond to only unique and dedicated storylines. The requirement of engagement is that you participate according to the rules and terms of the community and as defined by the group’s culture across each network, forum, blog and so on. (Solis and Breakenridge, p. 220) These principals can be applied to the various markets around the world to engage them in the online discussion of a film. This allows campaigns to reach a larger demographic and unite film fans by giving them an opportunity to interact with a topic they are passionate about. In a global campaign, sub-campaigns may be necessary. Sub-campaigns encompass a parallel strategy and communicate the same messages. They also take the different territories and customs of each culture into consideration by applying that information to the basics of the campaign in order to better resonate with those audiences. One example of this technique, which has already become a standard practice for studios, is cutting several versions of a trailer in order to appeal to various markets. This provides exclusive content to key countries, where the timing of the release is staggered. For example, if a film is being released in the United Kingdom a couple weeks after it has showed in the United States, the studio will release a U.K. exclusive trailer for that audience so that new content is being circulated. Demographic and psychographic trends change from country to country. This provides an opportunity to leverage those differences and apply them to the campaign, rather than allowing them to become burdensome or harmful. 66 As the film industry is expanding to include new markets, several countries have taken great strides in their growth, specifically the United Kingdom, India and China. British lawmakers are supporting these initiatives by supporting the funding to build and refurbish studios and stages for the industry. British officials have also increased tax incentives to attract filmmakers to the UK and increase the number of projects being filmed there. The Film Tax Relief is helping “to sustain the competitiveness of film production in the UK” because without it, “film production would be 75 percent smaller” (“The Economic Impact of the UK Film Industry”, 2010). On March 21, 2012, George Osborne, the chancellor of the exchequer of the UK, announced a “Wallace and Gromit tax credit aimed to stop film companies from going abroad,” which could “provide up to 5,000 jobs and contribution to UK GDP by £283 million” (Dewsbury, 2012). This growth is stimulating film fans and creating an active audience for other countries to tap into. For the U.S., British and Canadian fans are the easiest audiences to reach because they generally speak the same language and have similar cultural influences. Historically, the UK has strong ties with South Asia, particularly India, which is home to the growing film culture of Bollywood. Countries with strong film growth are strengthening their social media scene to keep up. Profiles dedicated to a particular region are becoming more popular. The global element puts everything on a “faster, more wide reaching track from the get go. It forces marketers to actually have a roll out plan if they want to be internationally successful. It is important however to remember that not all markets are the same and to have market specific initiatives that draw on initial research about that particular market” (Appendix, Kahn). 67 The level of interest and financing of films is picking up speed. “As India’s economic growth has accelerated and its international profile has increased, there has been a rapid rise in interest and awareness of the Bollywood film scene” (“The Economic Impact of the UK Film Industry”, 2010). In terms of box office revenue, the U.S. ranks first with India coming in second and China following closely behind (Dasgupta, Saibal, 2011). The growth of the film industry is generating an audience that is ripe for promotional campaigns that are going to get them involved with upcoming productions and give the audience opportunities outside of their own country to be a part of the world of films. The near future will likely show that these regions are next in adapting the promotional trends that are sweeping film studios in Los Angeles. There are a few roadblocks that are yet to be solved. Technology has provided means that the rest of the world has not caught up to. Films and film promotions have taken advantage of the web and other forms of distribution and communication that allow them to move and change freely around the world. These advances also present some difficulties when implementing public engagement strategies. Even though the global audience can be seen as a whole, everyone does not speak the same language. Advanced websites provide translation tools, but messages can be easily misconstrued. Culture is another factor. For example, American and British films push the envelope with how far they are willing to take nudity, but Indian films do not include any content that shows actors without clothes. This difference reaches further than just content preferences and includes communication methods and conversation topics. Although India is much more socially conservative, public engagement strategies can still be applied with caution for respecting the traditions. This allows films to use that 68 information to their advantage. The trends in film promotion are not being applied in precisely the same methods, but remain strong influencers and predictors of what the future of film launch campaigns around the world will be. 69 Conclusions “Cut and print.” –The Artist (2011) Photographer Diane Arbus famously said, “The camera gives you a license to look.” In that sense, films are art forms that use visual and audio technologies to share a story with people. Public engagement is an extension of that story because it gives viewers a license to get involved. It provides a variety of platforms that engage with audiences and helps deliver messages through interactive and intriguing strategies, which simultaneously promote conversation. Trends in film launch campaigns show that there is a place for public engagement within studios and agencies. As new technologies emerge that persist in transforming society and the way people make decisions, spend their money and enjoy their free time, public engagement will become more and more important. The most successful film launch campaigns require cross- platform integration and unification through all communication channels involved in each stage. Studios are beginning to realize this need and are implementing synergistic strategies built around concepts and tools that promote engagement and encourage direct involvement. This trend is not the end of mass marketing. Studios are simply decreasing their dependency on centralized and detached push strategies as they move toward customized content and circular communication. Audiences are going to become more skeptical of traditional tactics as the veil around advertising is lifted. This change is already happening and consumers are responding by taking a stronger stance against manipulative marketing messages. The new-age consumer expects personalized 70 content that is tailored to their preferences and captivates them. This demand is creating a path for public engagement strategies to increase reach in promotional campaigns. Motion picture studios are catering to consumer feedback and have begun to approach audiences in smaller, more targeted segments. Small changes in their approaches are begging to surface, such as releasing multiple targeted trailers for online platforms as mentioned in Chapter 10. The question plaguing studios regarding the emergence of new methods of distribution is, will social media erode the theatrical audience as films are released through different functions? The reason behind this concern is “the constant flux in the media landscape due to the explosion of media channels that are delivered through TV’s, PC’s, cell phones and slates” (Taylor Amaro, 2011). As Facebook’s new video streaming feature attracts more users, what will that mean for theaters or even other online video-hosting platforms? The shift in the way media is consumed is beginning to affect the film industry. As box office figures continue to decline, theaters are seeing lower ticket sales directly affect their business profits. Video streaming and sharing options create an opportunity to give audiences easy access to other types of content, including live footage from film premieres. The concept of having copyrighted content online seems like a risky concept, but it can be used as a vantage point for studios able to leverage these tools correctly. If studios use public engagement to provide exclusive content and interactive concepts, online users will become so involved with a film that they will want to consume as much about it as possible. Newer film launch campaigns are starting to show examples of these concepts. Live events are becoming online affairs as digital fans are finally getting the opportunity to experience the parts of 71 filmmaking that are usually reserved for industry members. Red-carpet ceremonies are being streamed to online communities who are then taking part in live chats and sharing their opinions with people around the world in real-time. There is something special about the way technology allows fans to be a part of an important event in real time. It builds a community willing and able to engage as brand advocates. Public engagement strategies and techniques are not only affecting the way messages are communicated and how conversations are facilitated; they are influencing the future of how films are being screened. The digitization of media allows for a new and larger market and additional channels to consider in the distribution process. Mobile devices are emerging as platforms for screening films instead of going to the theater, and social media video streaming services are starting to gain traction. The “theater experience” will have to compete with the “at home experience.” The expansion in the ways films can be accessed has effects on the design of a launch campaign. The possibility of being able to pay to stream a film at home when it is released instead of having to wait in line and go to a theater segments the market in a new way. “The marketing of entertainment, from this point on, will be affected more than ever by the means of distribution, international laws and treaties and the continued development of technology” (Lieberman, 2002, p 299). The preference of the audience will determine the method in which they are engaged. “The use of digital media will lay the foundation for video on demand, which will allow the consumer flexibility of getting a film when her or she wants it, rather than waiting for release window” (Lieberman, 2002, p 303). The fluidity of a public engagement campaign allows for quick adjustment to address and incorporate the demand and distribution changes that are taking place. 72 As these trends continue to evolve, studios will begin to adapt more digital and engaging strategies in promoting films. Regardless of the distribution, successful public engagement campaigns will capitalize on the story a film is telling and share that with consumers by involving them in compelling conversations and encouraging them to share with others. Filmmakers are constantly introducing new and creative possibilities for entertaining audiences. Studios are finally starting to cleverly implement this innovation in their promotional campaigns. Leaders in the technology industry are providing different and exciting ways for people to share and connect with one another, which means there are endless possibilities for the public engagement discipline and how it can be used to increase the awareness of new films. Consumer research is becoming more important. A thorough understanding of the target audience is priceless. There are various groups of film fans and each prefers to communicate in a specific way. The same online platforms that are used to reach and engage consumers are proving to be very helpful resources in providing data. Accessing this data and leveraging it to create customized messages creates effective means for interacting with niche markets. Studios finally have the means to know the millions of moviegoers that flock to theaters to watch their films. This knowledge provides insight to the individual interests of various audience segments that can then be used to implement highly targeted campaigns. This allows for the direct interaction between a film and its audience. This is what builds trusted relationships and creates evangelists that continue to spark messages and carry conversations to other places. Eliciting responses is accomplished through a call to action. The engagement element of a film launch campaign is not just an online strategy; it can and should be 73 added as a component to traditional marketing plans. Studios are already beginning to take action on this concept. Expensive billboard buying is turning into an interactive tool through the addition of a QR code or by adding compelling copy that leads consumers online for additional methods of engagement. These tradigital efforts that combine traditional and digital content are being used to captivate casual audiences and turn them into active participants. Suddenly, a person walking down the street, passively looking at a movie poster can be turned into a person who sees something visually appealing and immediately goes on their mobile phone to find out more. QR codes and website URLs are a fast and easy way to get direct access to information. These technologies are engaging audiences and adding layers to traditional tactics that are motivating people to get involved and encouraging them to share with their online communities. Making these tools convenient and easy to access will increase the level of usage by consumers. The use of consumer advocates creates credible online sources as the information is coming from a third-party endorsement. Studio executives that are aware of these trends and are taking steps to cater to consumers by taking advantage of recent tools are leading the film industry. They are using public engagement strategies to build a positive image and reputation by interacting with their audiences and creating a presence that provides ways for them to get involved in conversations and share their experiences. The implementation of these types of campaigns is creating its own trend in the communications discipline. It is not possible to measure engagement through traditional methods because it “favors interaction more than hits, referrals more than eyeballs, activity more than ad value, sales more than mentions, and market and behavioral influences more than the weight 74 and girth of clip books”(Solis and Breakenridge, p. 250). Success is “rooted in conversations, participation and engagement,” that introduce “new trackable elements: conversations or threads by keyword, traffic, leads or sales, calls to action, engagement, relationships, authority, education and participation, perception, registrations, membership and community activity,” which are ultimately priceless for studios trying to reach audiences. “A great film is very hard to describe and is always mysterious. It sticks to you forever. It never leaves you and it becomes a part of your existence” said Robert Downey Jr. about what makes a great film (The 84 th Annual Academy Awards Broadcast). Films provide a portal to a different world. They can take the audience out of their seats and transport them around the globe. Films teach lessons and provoke emotion. They inspire and allow people to dream. No mater the trend in the film industry or the promotional strategy behind a movie, it all comes down to the audience and their connection to what they see on the screen. In the past, that connection was limited. Now there are numerous ways for moviegoers to engage with a film and experience some of the magic. The future may hold even more ways to get involved with the larger- than-life characters and action in films. The story does not have to end when the credits roll. 75 Bibliography "2011 Edelman Trust Barometer Global Results." Edelman . 19 January 2012. Web. 11 February 2012. < http://trust.edelman.com/trust-download/global-results/>. “Avatar.” Box Office Mojo. N.p. 8 October 2012. <http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=avatar.htm> “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.” Box Office Mojo. N.p. 2 January 2012. <http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=harrypotter72.htm>. “Inception.” Box Office Mojo. 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Web. 12 March 2012. <http://www.screendaily.com/5032579.article>. 80 Appendix A: Interviews The following transcriptions summarize the interviews conducted with industry professionals and experts on the topics discussed in this paper. Larry Winokur, Founder and Partner, BWR Public Relations Interview Date: September 26, 2011 Interview Channel: In-person List of preliminary questions: 1. What are your general thoughts on the direction of the film industry? 2. What do you think the main influencers of changes in the industry are? 3. How have technological advances affected the means of distribution in the film industry and how do these changes affect approaches to promotion? 4. What role do award shows and festivals play in the strategizing of film launch campaigns? 5. How do you incorporate integrated marketing into your campaigns at BWR? 6. How do you measure the success of your campaigns? 7. What are you general thoughts on the direction of the public relations industry? 8. Have you heard of the concept being coined “public engagement,” and what are your thoughts on it? 9. How has social media shaped the way organizations communicate with their audiences? 10. What do you think is the future of film launch campaigns? 81 Summary: • Film studios have always been innovative organizations. The first thing to understand is how films are financed. This plays a major role in every single decision that is made regarding production and marketing. Generally, half of the total budget is allocated to production and the other half is spent on marketing. The thing most people don’t know is that more time is spent on the marketing a film than actually shooting it. Look at the average marketing budget numbers that the MPAA releases. I think it’s around $40 million. • Marketing budgets are decreasing. Film financers want to achieve higher profits and if they can’t decrease the production costs, than they are going to have to take the money from marketing. Today’s marketers are in a tough place because they have to reach higher numbers at a lower cost. It comes down to studios wanting to spend less and get more. • The trends in film promotion are results of decreased budgets that are making marketers find newer and more creative approaches to increasing the awareness for their film. • The smart studios are embracing the new technologies that are being released and are finding ways to incorporate social media. They are making Facebook profiles and sending Tweets. • Think about mobile devices and how they are changing the way people consume media. Before you know it, they are going to watch movies on-the-go and completely forget about the theater. The channels of distribution are widening and are including more platforms. 82 • Film festivals are powerful tools, but there are two different kinds. One type is more for financing. Independent producers take their film and shop it around to get a distributor to sign on. The other is for arts sake. Cannes, for example, is where Hollywood royalty goes to show off their creative side. Distribution deals are made there as well, but the focus is on the quality of the work. On the other hand, take the Sundance festival. Great works come out of there and film makers can go there to sell their project and secure financing. • The future of public relations is an integrated approach. At BWR we are advocates of integrated product placement. For PR, the future is less obvious stories and media placement and more organic partnerships. 83 Christian Muirhead, Vice President of Corporate Communications, WME Entertainment Interview Date: October 4, 2011 Interview Channel: In-person List of preliminary questions: 1. Tell me about your role at WME. 2. How important is the film industry in relation to the entire entertainment industry? 3. How do you think studios have changed the way they market films? 4. What are examples of the most successful film launch campaigns that you have seen? 5. Did any of those campaigns incorporate a digital aspect and if so, how do you think it made an impact on the success of the film? 6. What is the main influencer of how filmgoers choose what they watch? 7. How do you think social media is changing the way films are being promoted? 8. What is the future of film launch campaigns? Summary: • As the VP of Corporate Communications, I oversee everything and anything dealing with our organization and any of our clients. My team coordinates with studios, labels, agents, managers and various media outlets. • Film is a major part of the entertainment industry and I think it is the most profitable and influential. What the studios decide to do plays a significant role in what happens throughout the entire industry. 84 • Studios are still focusing on mass advertising and just trying to create general awareness. I have noticed an increased in the importance of recommendations and studios are acknowledging that. • Social media is great, but it’s still a really new concept and as of now, it’s not making a significant difference in box office figures and the return on investment for digital campaigns has not been proven. Studios are creating them, but success is hard to measure. The good thing is that they are cheap and easy to include. • Moviegoers share their information the old fashioned way, through talking to people and sending texts. They may have social media profiles, but for the most part, they walk out of a theater and pull their phone out to share their thoughts with close friends and family. • The future of film launch campaigns will absolutely incorporate digital tactics and other integrated approaches. Promotional campaigns are not going to completely steer away from advertisement driven strategies, but they will use that as a base and add other elements to it. • Take a look at the campaign for The Dark Knight , Avatar and the Blair Witch Project. They all had very creative campaigns that went viral. 85 Paul Pflug, Founder and Partner, Principal Communications Interview Date: October 4, 2011 Interview Channel: In-person List of preliminary questions: 1. Tell me about your experience working on film launch campaigns. 2. What kinds of changes have you noticed in the film industry? 3. How have these changes affected the way studios approach the way they market films? 4. How do studios measure the success of their campaigns? 5. What are your thoughts on public engagement? 6. Has traditional media lost its importance? 7. How important do you think online communities are? 8. How are digital elements being included in launch campaigns? 9. What are a few examples of unsuccessful digital campaigns that were used for the launch of a film? 10. What do you think is the future of film launch campaigns? Summary: • I founded Principal Communications with my partner Melissa Zuckerman and we work with a variety of clients. In the film industry, we service the likes of Marvel Studio and Summit. I have been involved in everything from corporate communications to dealing with the creative details involved with the release of a specific film. 86 • Traditional marketing campaigns are working and for audiences the most important aspect is not how the information is communicated to them, but the quality of the actual film. • Studios are spending money on online efforts, but their value has yet to be proven. Measuring their ROI is still a tough thing to do. Success for campaigns is ultimately measured by the film’s performance at the box office. No matter the size of the marketing campaign. If people aren’t going to the theater, none of it matters. • The most important component to being successful in the box office is actually having a good movie. When you have a great piece of work, it sells itself. • Word-of-mouth is a powerful tool. Viewers who enjoy watching the film leave the theater happy and immediately start sharing their experience with friends. This is a great example of peer recommendations and the word-of-mouth phenomenon. • The campaign for Snakes on a Plane had a really strong start and then flopped at the box office. The studio spent a significant amount of money on the marketing and prior to launch it had a huge online presence. • The future of public relations in film launch campaigns really depends on the audience and how they choose to share their opinions. It’s transitioning from in- person to online and that is a difference maker in how studios will approach promotional strategies. 87 Alia Kahn, Director of Publicity and Marketing, LT-LA Consulting Interview Date: December 15, 2011 Interview Channel: Email Transcription of questions and answers: 1. Could you give me a brief background of your work experience in film PR? I started in PR working at the Just For Laughs International Comedy Festival, I have always loved film so the next logical step was to work at a Film Festival! I worked at the Montreal World Film Festival and the Montreal Film and New Media Festival. That solidified my film PR experience and led to a position at the National Film Board of Canada (specializes in Animation and Documentary Film) and eventually led me to the US where I worked at the LA Film Festival, AFI, Variety Conferences, Strand Releasing and ultimately my present position as Director of Marketing and Publicity at LTLA Communications an firm specializing in awards film publicity & marketing. 2. What do you think is the most important aspect of a film launch campaign? The preparation phase. Research about logical partnerships, potential sponsors, and festival opportunities, marketing research about new and dynamic ways to engage with audiences is key for a successful and fully integrated launch. 3. The internet has made the global audience more easily accessible, how do you think this has changed the approach marketers take to international film launch campaigns? Campaigns are no longer confined to local scale first and then later expand internationally. Everything is on a faster, more wide reaching track from the get go. It forces marketers to actually have a roll out plan if they want to be 88 internationally successful. It is important however to remember that not all markets are the same and to have market specific initiatives that draw on your initial research about that particular market. 4. How do you think social media has changed the way studios market films? To be honest I feel it has made certain studios complacent. They think that they can just apply a cookie cutter formula to their films, slap up a Facebook page and twitter account and voila— a film is marketed online. That just isn't so. The new platform that social media provides for film marketers needs to have a corresponding budget, thoughtful and creative plan and the human resources to create audiences, manage interactions and drive that group to theatres for sales. 5. Have you noticed any recent trends in techniques used to promote films? For example using websites or stunts. One of my favorite new trends is logical social activist partnering ex. An on the surface pop-corn fair film like The Hunger Games paring with the World Food Program to do some good in the world--- using Participant Media's online platform Takepart.org. Logical partnerships that advance both the film's agenda of audience building and the organization's of building awareness. Love it. 6. Do you think studios have taken advantage of the new technologies that have emerged like QR codes and interactive websites to engage their audience? QR codes were one of my favorite marketing trends last year. But similarly to Facebook/twitter some companies just chose to slap on a QR code onto their posters linking to their website. There ends the interaction. Some more creative ways to use QR codes were used by corporations like Starbucks pairing with 89 Lady Gaga for a QR scavenger hunt! http://semiswissmiss.tumblr.com/post/5639149698/starbucks-scavenger- hunt-lady-gaga-qr-codes 7. How much of an effect do award shows have on the timing of a film's release and the strategy behind the marketing campaign? It depends on what the end goal is— if you are aiming for increased sales #s then awards can help a little but they can't be counted on as the sole driver of box office #s. They have to be part of an overall marketing strategy. Having laurels accompanying your film is a good talking point with press but needs to be backed up with additional outreach to raise awareness with audiences. If the aim is the Oscars, award shows are an integral part to that track. Having a well planned out festival strategy to try and garner as many awards as possible to build buzz and traction with larger award shows like SAG, PGA, DGA, End of Year 'Best of Lists' is crucial. 8. What do you think is the primary method in which viewers share their opinion of a film? A Facebook post— that can very much affect the first week box office #s. As a viewer I definitely have key Facebook friends who's opinions I trust. If they give it a thumbs down, I will think twice about seeing it on the all-important opening weekend… 9. What are the top things that influence viewer's decision making in regards to what films they choose to watch? 90 See above— I call them my Facebook film advisers. Throw in some reviewer's from key publications and how much visible advertising & press the film garners— if I haven't already made a snap decision based on the film's trailer. 10. How important do you think online reviews, personal recommendations, and ranking are to a consumer in deciding whether or not to watch a particular film? Again I believe we trust our friends first, then reviews factor in and also the extent of the film's visibility through press coverage/ads. 11. What do you think the future of film launch campaigns holds (in terms of promotion and marketing to consumers)? More than ever this is the time for smart marketing— a great opportunity for creativity to really take hold— clients aren't always comfortable with risk taking, especially in this economy, but as long as marketers can show them case studies of return on investment both financial and in terms of other cultural/social returns on investment. 91 Rupert Goodwin, Senior Publicity Manager, DDA Public Relations Interview Date: March 20, 2012 Interview Channel: Email Transcription of questions and answers: 1. Could you give me a brief background of your work experience in film PR? I began working in the film industry and in publicity specifically in 2002. I took myself to the Cannes festival having contacted UK based PR companies I knew to work at the festival. I was lucky enough to have contacts that put me forward which resulted in my working for the domestic (US) publicity team at Miramax. Having made further contacts I was soon offered a job at what was then McDonald & Rutter, one of the better ´boutique´ London agencies. I started at the bottom on reception and worked my way up. M+R as they were known merged with Premier PR, at that time a larger agency with funding from banking. I left to go freelance in order to live abroad part of the year, working during that time in- house at Twentieth Century Fox. At the beginning of the financial crisis I opted to take a higher-level position at DDA, one of the longest establish independent PR agencies in the UK. 2. What is the most important aspect of a film launch campaign? The easy answer would be to have a film worth publicizing! That is not always the case. There are multiple factors one would have to consider prior to strategizing a campaign. The release date and the landscape at that time, i.e. other titles being released; the time of year, be it the Awards season (Autumn/Winter); coinciding with an international film festival and the impact that 92 could have on secondary publicity surrounding such an event, the media awareness, kudos derived from a festival screening or simply availability of film talent to promote the title; blockbuster season (Spring/Summer) – all of which play into how, when and where an audience as consumers watch films. Identifying and understanding the films audiences (plural) and how they consume media, hence what media one should target to reach them – what one would call ´positioning´. Understanding what your assets are and how best to use them, be that the film talent (the primary and traditional means of promotion), publicity and marketing material. 3. What is the most successful campaign you have worked on and what do you think made it so successful? Successful campaigns may not always be quantified by a film being a financial success, but The Kings Speech was both. The longevity and sustained awareness of the campaign meant it was one of the most successful UK films of all time. The theatrical box office resulted in a significant home entertainment success. The European premiere in the Venice Film Festival immediately followed by its UK premiere during the London Film Festival, generated significant awareness and anticipation three months ahead of its actual UK release in January during the Awards season. That interest was reignited during the Christmas/New Year period ahead of release just ahead of an intense period of awards campaigning and post-release publicity that kept it in cinemas up until the BAFTAs and Academy Awards, during which time it benefited from continued exposure up until its home entertainment release. All of which would not have 93 been possible had it not been a critical success also. The film struck a very particular cord with audiences and the publicity campaign both engendered and exploited that. 4. What were the most memorable parts of the Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part II world premiere? I’ve never worked on anything like it. There were well over 20,000 fans screaming in excitement. The premiere was on Thursday 7 July 2012 at London’s Trafalgar Square. The Guinness Book of records later confirmed that it was the longest red carpet in history. 5. Do you think mass-market advertising strategies like billboards and television placements are effective? Mass marketing is incredibly important for some films, namely blockbusters and titles that appeal to broad audiences. The impact can be tangible (mirrored in the cost). The ability to reach a significant portion of the populace may not ensure box office success, but it can galvanize a mass-market audience where other advertising may not. A trailer during the X-Factor can reach millions after all. There are other titles, independent films, perhaps with an Art House audience where such advertising is both pointless and even counterproductive – such an audience is more likely to want to ´discover´ a film or be influence by other types of media and the opinions of those they respect such as the national critics. 6. What are the major challenges of working on films outside of the U.S.? I’m not aware of there being specific challenges; the UK is a market like any other with its own nature. If you refer to American films in the UK, then the 94 challenges depend on the product, will the film translate to a UK audience, some do not, and others are more universal or work at least partially as well for a UK audience as its domestic audience. 7. How do you handle campaigns for films that have been releases in other countries well before they have in the UK? Do you think the audience is less engaged because of its prior exposure to other markets? With regard American films - the US market and that in the UK are very closely linked, for many studios the UK is the most important territory outside the US. In recent years our release dates have become closer, often being ´day and date´. One of the reasons being lowering the piracy issues, but also the advent of online marketing, publicity and discussion within social networks. This in itself can have a negative impact on UK publicity plans if perhaps talent are tied to commitments in the U.S. and cannot travel. Difficulties in releasing an American film after the U.S. would mainly come into effect if the film is badly reviewed or does badly at the box office, this would immediately impact the perception ahead of a UK release. For European films and those from other territories it is a very different scenario. Being foreign language they might have a very different audience, one that consumes film differently. Critical acclaim at an international film festival an in the country of origin is likely to translate to such a film having a UK release and its UK audience receiving it well through traditional media. 8. The internet has made the global audience more easily accessible, how do you think this has changed the approach marketers take to international film launch campaigns? 95 The internet and social media have impacted the way in which films are released, not only the way in which they are publicized, specifically when they released. Online presence is used to maximize awareness within an international release window as well as local campaigns, ideally not to the expense of the local campaign. The online campaign (for a studio film) might start during production, with the controlled release of images and other assets, generating early anticipation – this is less likely to have happened prior to the internet. 9. Have you noticed any recent trends in techniques used to promote films? For example, the use of video games or mobile applications. Difficult to say – yes there are always new ways to market a film, generally within the changing media available and technological changes. Publicity is still about communication of ideas fundamentally, it’s a much simpler human engagement in my mind based on one person wanting to say something to another. 10. Do you think studios have taken advantage of the new technologies that have emerged such as QR codes and interactive websites to engage their audience? Studios are always looking for new ways to use and influence technologies. How that is done I can’t comment on fully. Certainly new technologies have impacted the way in which we all work, how we reach the press, how materials are distributed. Certainly interactive websites have become a means by which distributors will engage an audience and ensure they return to the site, so as to maintain interest until and beyond a release. 11. How do you think social media has changed the way studios market films? 96 Social media requires a studio to inform the public – that is both a positive and a negative in an industry that is desperate to control perception, it’s direct and immediate and once information is released it has a life of its own. Studios hate what they can’t predict and social media entices and scares them. In short, Studios are paranoid and quite rightly so. 12. What is the most effective way of incorporating social media into a film’s campaign? Users of social media will often be targeted with marketing materials and ´insider´ information or special opportunities to entice them to discuss a film and share information with others, to generate a community or reach existing communities and social interest groups. That will happen often early in a campaign in conjunction with offline positioning, generating anticipation which can be used to fuel interest and thus assist the ongoing campaign. The mass of more significant or traditional online publicity within magazines, newsletter and blogs tend to be focused on providing content immediately ahead of release in conjunction with targeted offline coverage. 13. What do you think the primary method in which viewers share their opinion of a film? Different audiences communicate and share experiences in different manners and within different media. Social networks are ever more integral to everyone’s lives, but none more so than the young. Social networks are an important arena for discussion, but not the only one. Older generations still opt for personal interaction, the chattering classes still chatter. 14. What are the top factors that influence a viewer’s decision making, in regards to what films they choose to watch? 97 The majority of cinema-goers are influenced by the marketing - trailers, TV spots and posters – thus, what they are told they should watch (perhaps I’m too cynical!). Creative marketing, clever advertising works in the same way but hopes to engage the audience in the decision-making. The more discerning cinemagoer might rely on what the independent media suggest through editorial, interviews and criticism both on and off line. Association is also an increasing important factor in the age of celebrity – if so and so says go see it there are those that take their word for it – one might look up to certain celebrities (and thus what they say) when they appeal to ones specific aspirations. Publicity will tap into that by ensuring a film becomes associated with certain celebrities. Similarly for promotional team association with brands is key in positioning a film to an identified demographic. What make cinemagoers chose one film over another is a different matter. Actors are top of the agenda when deciding which film to spend money on, so too directors. 15. How important do you think online reviews, personal recommendations and raking are to a consumer in deciding whether or not to watch a particular film? I would like to see the system of star ratings abolished – but unfortunately people are lazy and it’s an easy system. Reviews are important, but often some films are review proof, which begs the question, is there a point to reviews? A review is a recommendation, hopefully by someone a reader/user has come to trust and therefore they will take advice rather than be sold a film through marketing. Are online reviewers valid? Are bloggers just film geeks (yes, some are) or are do they have journalistic credentials (yes, some so) – does it matter? The quality of 98 online reviews varies wildly whereas national critics have an editorial benchmark to answer to. The current consumer can make up their own mind whose opinion to trust, they’re the ones doing the reading. The accessible nature of the internet allows the individual to express an opinion and have a debate – but the nature of that debate, simplistic or high-flown is uncontrollable. 16. What do you think the future of film launch campaigns will entail, in terms of promotion, marketing and public relations strategies? I think it will become increasingly difficult for publicists to use print media to engage potential audiences. Competition between publications and exclusivity is ever more important, also readerships are dwindling. However, in my opinion quality journalism belongs to print media and where traditional outlets embrace the internet we will see the innovators in that sector (online counterparts to national newspapers) come out on top and transfer their readerships to non-print formats. The battle between off an online will continue for some time yet. The future has as much to do with how exposed the key commodity is, by which I mean the actors. Publicity for a film relies on them, their careers rely on the publicity, but it is far from being an easy relationship. Promotion, publicity, marketing all become increasingly standardized and dependent on consumer culture – hopefully the demand for creativity and art within filmmaking will always ensure the people publicizing will have opportunities to be creative in the way they present a title to an audience and the audience will engage accordingly.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Holness, Latoya (author)

Core Title Lights, camera, (call to) action: global public engagement in film launch campaigns

School Annenberg School for Communication

Degree Master of Arts

Degree Program Strategic Public Relations

Publication Date 05/04/2012

Defense Date 05/04/2012

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag communications,film launch campaign,film marketing,film promotion,global strategy,OAI-PMH Harvest,public engagement,Public Relations,social media

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Tenderich, Burghardt (committee chair), Floto, Jennifer D. (committee member), LeVeque, Matthew (committee member)

Creator Email holness@usc.edu,latoyaholness@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c3-28089

Unique identifier UC11289265

Identifier usctheses-c3-28089 (legacy record id)

Legacy Identifier etd-HolnessLat-754.pdf

Dmrecord 28089

Document Type Thesis

Rights Holness, Latoya

Type texts

Source University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the a...

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA