The distributor is responsible for getting the film out into the public eye. Whether it be putting the film into the cinema or making DVDs and downloads available, it's their job to do so. There are a number of different techniques to market and promote a film and it is very important for the distributor to understand the target audience, therefore, audience research is crucial. A distributor is responsible for this marketing and may decide to use billboards and posters to do this. These sorts of advertising are usually placed where a lot of people in the general public will see them such as in public transport stops and stations, on motorways or other busy roads, shopping malls and other such places.
All sorts of films are advertised through billboards as they are seen by all sorts of people when they are travelling between places.
Public transport adverts also see a large range of genres due to the types of people that use this kind of transport being quite varied.
Posters in cinemas are also very commonly used as they will be seen by many film fans in particular due to their setting. Advertising isn't just limited to this one platform though. Adverts can be put online on websites where the target audience are known to visit. These types of adverts target a much more controlled audience as through the use of modern technology we are able to find out what sorts of people view certain websites, which is very helpful to distributors of films. Another possible platform is television. Distributors are able to pay to get the trailer for the film on TV. This is also a good way to target the intended audience as you can place the trailer in the ad breaks in programs and films that the target audience would watch. Magazines are also an option for advertising and, once again, with this you can advertise in genre specific magazines to target a niche audience or just general magazines to reach a wider range of people. All these ways of advertising will get people talking about the film which will increase interest and therefore lead to more ticket, DVD and download sales. A good way to promote a film is through the use of merchandise. This is particularly effective with children's films, maybe not so widely used for horror films. Fast food chains in particular promote children's films. McDonald's Happy Meals often include toys related to films, which is an example of merchandise. Even without the physical merchandise, fast food chains still promote films. For example, Subway currently have meals inspired by the new Muppets film. Here is a screenshot of the website promoting the film:
This kind of promotion is good for both companies as people seeing these products in the restaurants raises the publicity of the films but fans of the films will be more likely to buy from the restaurant, so both parties benefit.
Some films create viral campaigns in order to raise the publicity of their product. These are often set up events in public which are filmed and uploaded to YouTube to get people talking. An example of this is the coffee shop prank carried out by the people behind the film Carrie. Here is the video of the prank:
Viral campaigns such as this are a very effective way to get out word of your film. If someone sees this video and likes it, they are likely to go and tell their friends and family about it. This particular video had this effect with me. I was shown it by a friend and then after seeing it I told some other friends and members of my family about it. This means the video was successful. It is important for ancillary texts and trailers for a film to share similarities in order for them to work together and gain the most possible interest in the film. Also, placing good reviews, ratings and awards on adverts, trailers and posters will make people more likely to want to view the film as it proves that other people have enjoyed the film.
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