fox

1. P & A : POS TERS A S PA RT OF
A N I NTEGRATED M A RKETING
CA MPAIGN
K A T E B R A D F O R D

2. THE KEY ELEMENTS OF PRINTS AND ADVERTISING (P&A)
THAT A DISTRIBUTOR MUST CONSIDER AT THIS STAGE
ARE: SOURCE: BFI SCREENONLINE
The quantity and production of release prints and trailers:
Specialised films will often be released with fewer than 10 prints into key
independent cinemas, with these prints subsequently 'toured' over a 6-
month period to all parts of the UK. On the other hand, commercial
mainstream films will often open on over 200 prints, simultaneously
screening in all major UK towns and cities.
Press materials, clips reels, images, press previews, screener tapes:
For the majority of releases, favourable press response is a key factor in
developing the profile and desirability of a film. Distributors consider
both the quality and breadth of coverage, and this is often inscribed into
the nature and scale of a press campaign.

3. • The design and printing of posters and other
promotional artwork:
The cinema poster - in the UK this means the standard
30" x 40" 'quad' format - is still the cornerstone of
theatrical release campaigns. Numerous recent
examples indicate that the poster design is highly
effective in 'packaging' the key attributes of a film for
potential audiences. Distributors will also consider other
poster campaigns, ranging from Underground
advertising to billboards.
• Advertising campaign - locations, ad size and frequency:
Advertising in magazines, national and local newspapers
works in tandem with press editorial coverage to raise
awareness of a release. Press advertising campaign for
specialised films will judiciously select publications and
spaces close to relevant editorial. For mainstream films,
scale and high visibility is the key. The cost of print
advertising in the UK is comparatively high, and is seen
as making distribution in the UK a riskier business than
in most other countries. In order to extend the reach of
advertising and develop more effective communication
with audiences at low cost, distributors are looking
increasingly to 'viral marketing' - different forms of
electronic word-of-mouth via the internet, email and
mobile phones.

4. • Press campaign / contracting a PR agency:
Many independent distributors in particular do not have press departments, and will consequently hire
a press agency to run a pre-release campaign. This is especially the case if the distributor brings over
key talent for press interviews to support the release.
• Arranging visit by talent from the film:
The use of talent - usually the director and/or lead actors - wins significant editorial coverage to
support a release. The volume of coverage can far outweigh the cost of talent visits.
• Other preview screenings:
A distributor will consider the use of advance public screenings to create word-of-mouth and advance
'buzz' around a film.

5. WHAT IS THE AIM OF A FILM POSTER?
Film posters are used to engage audience interest.
Film posters use a high ratio of photography to text to arouse audience visual interest –
they are marketing media forms that have to create an initial impact to ensure audiences
take a secondary look and to create a hook. This can either mean a striking central
image, creative use of colour, size and style of font or tagline. Due to the nature of the
sites of exhibition of film posters, this impact has to be immediate e.g. waiting at a bus
stop or turning the corner as a pedestrian, looking up to see a billboard. There are
various types of film posters that are used specifically with this in mind – the teaser
poster will have limited textual information while a character poster looks to
communicate with a knowing target audience who are familiar with the film. Larger,
framed film posters e.g. outside cinemas will have additional text at the bottom of the
poster to encourage more convergent links.

6. Convergent links on a film poster that engage
audience interest include the film website address
– here it is hoped the link will encourage a
potential audience to find out more about the film
by exploring rich media. Twitter and Facebook
links will encourage interactivity and hopefully for
the film, file sharing and viral marketing. This
references the personal relationships aspect of the
uses and gratifications theory. Some posters also
use escapism or diversion as a way of attempting
to offer entertainment values – this can be an
actor or character in a certain pose, or a
manipulated action screenshot.

7. Use of house style is often evident in film posters – the font and colour palette will
appear as the same across a range of marketing platforms while the central image will be
promoted in a range of media. Variations in typography will also attract audience
interest. Pull quotes are important to legitimise a film and many film posters include
reviews from carefully chosen publications that reflect the interests of their target
audience. Finally, synergy can be a factor in arousing audience interest with linking
wherever possible to other successful work but also selling the production values of a
film by including the production company, and/or distributor’s logo.

8. WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF FILM
POSTERS?
A dramatic tagline, also used in other
media as part of the campaign
A high ratio of photography to text (more
images) – one main image with 3-4 inset
images of other objects and visual
iconography
Textual information along the bottom of
the poster crediting the director, producer,
production company, distributor, leading
actors
Information on the release date of the film.

9. HOW IS A FILM POSTER IMPORTANT AS
PART OF AN INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN?
SOURCE: MEDIAEDU (ADAPTED)
Film trailers are high impact and the most dynamic part of any film marketing campaign – they allow
audiences to sample the audio-visual representations in a film. The idea of audio-visual media in a film
trailer selling audio-visual media is crucial as this cannot be achieved in print media marketing
communications like film posters or magazine and newspaper adverts. In terms of key appeals, audiences
can experience narrative action, be teased by narrative enigmas, introduced to characters, identify star
marketing and develop an idea of narrative.
They are also important in terms of generating initial interest and talkability via teaser trailers, often
shown in cinemas a few months before the film’s release but also using theatrical trailers to sustain that
interest closer to, and during the cinematic release. Film trailers can also be exploited on a number of
platforms by the distributor – this includes high production value trailers played in high ratings television
spots, continued cinematic exhibition and also online. Research indicates YouTube is the most successful
site for film trailers as part of an integrated marketing campaign in generating audience interest and
appeal in a film. Trailers that are played in cinemas often link to the following film in terms of having a
similar target audience by belonging to the same, or similar genre and having similar representations.

10. The fact that the BBFC are concerned enough
about the high impact of trailers to sometimes
award a different certificate to the film is enough
to explain in part their importance. Trailers can
also link to other convergent marketing
platforms in the campaign with the ability to
embed URL website links but also interactive
Twitter hashtags and Facebook links – audiences
like developing knowledge of a film using digital
platforms which can be evidenced as a form of
viral marketing via file sharing. A film trailer can
be integrated and evidence the house style of a
campaign but also have its own stand alone
unique selling points such as common use of
narrative voice over and high impact non-
diegetic music. These are features other media in
a film marketing campaign cannot offer with
these conventions often creating an emotive
response and offering entertainment values.