Initial Research (Methods Of Promotion): What different techniques or forms of marketing do we see?

Techniques of film promotion and marketing

In theatres:

• Trailers -  a main way of promotion a film as they are directed specifically to people who watch TV and are movie-goers. They screen in theatres before the showing of the movie.
• Film posters
• Cardboard 3D displays
• Standees - Life size cut outs of characters within the film, gaining attention from people in the theatre.

In print

• Paid advertisement in newspapers, magazines and sometimes in books - gaining attention through people who like to read.
• Cross promotion of novel to books.
• Comic special editions of episodes.

Television and radio

• 30 second commercials on TV - Hollywood movie distributors spend about $4 billion a year to buy advertisement on Television. This is affective as it is the same medium as film.
• Product placement - Paid active or passive insertion of film brand in drama or sitcom shows, or as passing mentions in dialogue.
• Longer advanced commercials - Behind the scenes footage, gives audience a better understanding of the film.
• Extended placement - revealing the film on talkshows (Ellen) to show clips, actors and interviews with the actors that are in it.

Internet

• Viral marketing - Free distribution of trailers on movie-oriented websites. Offering articles about the film for interest of others.
• Virtual relationship hyperlink marketing - A popular search engine (Yahoo) presents relating articles to your film, gaining attention from internet viewers on your film.

Merchandise

• Merchandise giveaways - This involves toys for example within fast food meals. For example McDonalds, in happy meals providing toys to promote a film.
• Paid co-branding or co-advertising of a film.