How is Social Media Changing the Way Movies are Promoted?

By Michael Wong | 0 Comments

From self-funded independent projects to big-name Hollywood blockbusters, the movie industry has embraced social media – big time.

Here some of the ways that social media is having an impact on movie marketing and promotion:

Crowdsourced Screening Locations: In the age of social media, studios can use the Internet to figure out where an interest in a film exists. Paramount used Facebook to promote Paranormal Activity, getting would-be fans to request a screening of the film in their area. The goal was to get 1 million fan requests for the film to enter wide release. That goal was met pretty quickly, but the real proof came via the box office receipts of more than $150 million. Impressive considering that the movie was made for less than $15,000;
Going Viral: One of the marketing trends of the past decade has been the rise of viral alternate reality campaigns, especially at the movies. For Toy Story 3, Disney and Pixar created vintage toy commercials for Lots-o’Huggin’ Bear, one of the new characters in the film;
Trailers & Poster Promotions: More and more studios are taking to Facebook and Twitter to debut their latest trailers. For example, Disney used Facebook to debut its first character posters from Alice in Wonderland and has also used Facebook to show off movie trailers;
The Age of the Facebook App: For movie studios, Facebook offers a way to engage audiences and even directly sell tickets. Fox included apps and promotional tie-ins for its Facebook campaign for Avatar. Disney offered movie tickets for Toy Story 3 via its Facebook Page;

Is your company embracing social media in your marketing mix?