The document discusses and analyzes various marketing strategies used to promote the horror film "The Descent", including the movie trailer, original billboard campaign, reinvented poster campaign, and website. The trailer focused heavily on action and suspense clips from the last 30 minutes of the film to generate interest. The original billboard featured the lead actress appearing trapped with little chance of escape. The reinvented poster campaign depicted the leads forming a skull shape with their silhouettes. The website provided links and downloads but initially had slower access due to broadband being new. The original campaign was later changed after an explosion on a bus dressed with the film's billboard in a sick coincidence.

1. Marketing
Descent trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSYg7Z1KS_I
The trailer to “The Descent” used a lot of fast cut clips from the
movie, 90% of which belong to the last 30 minutesof the film. They
focusheavily on action and suspenseas wellas tryingto incorporate
quick cut jump scares which are there to give the audienceas small
taste of what is to come and makethem wantto see more. There is a
heart beat that playsin the back ground and gradually getsfaster as
the pace of the trailer increase, this increases suspense. The trailer
seems to accurately portray the genreof the second half, as an
action/monster survivalbutit does not show any of the build up
because that’s notwhat peopleexpect from a horror trailer, they
wantto see action and attractive people. Throughout the trailer text
appearsin a chilling white font, the wordsused are emotionally
provocative, these include “Claustrophobia”, “Fear”, “Hallucinations”
and “Disorientation”, for the majority of people these are very
unsettling things. There are also variousquotes towardsthe end
from critics who have seen and reviewed the moviein lieu of its
release, these quotes include“The best thriller since Alien” this is a
very bold statement, its linking it to a very well known movieand
comparingit to moviesreleased afterwards, this is a very good way
to get a wide rangeof peopleinterested because popularity makes
money. Any spoken dialoguethat is used is carefully selected to give
both a good idea and as little away about the movie. The access price
for this would have either been the cost of a cinema ticket or the cost
of buyingthe DVD and watching the trailer that way.
The original billboard campaign featured Sarah staring up at a light
source, which is out of her reach; it is there to representher being

2. trapped with little change of escape. In a way you could relate this to
the movietheory that she is dead throughout most of the most of the
movie, the white light being that in which you go towards after death.
The water vapour and the dustthat is being lit up by the light doesin
fact resemble a crawlersface, this is a very good use of photo
manipulation and workswellfor the poster. There is a lot of darkness
and black used which is used well to show the darknessand lonely of
the caves. The access cost for this would be nothing at it could be
seen around on buses and billboards but it could also cost that of an
internet connection as it would be needed to view it online now.
The re-invented poster campaign featured the leadsposing together
over a heavy yellow light to form a skullshape with their silhouettes.
It is an incredible image however it does not expressso much the
idea of the movie but wasa wellmade and thought outcampaign.
The fact that Sarah’s face is the only one that can be seen is kind of
foreshadowingthe events of the movie. Again this would require
either going out and spotting the ad on a billboard or at the cinema in
the lobby or the cost of an internet connection to view it online.
Website Link: http://www.thedescentfilm.com
The web site for the decentwould havea lot less accessible when it
was released, at this pointin time broadband wasa new thing and
most peoplewho had access to the internethad dial-up which was
incredibly slow. Now however because of technology advancesthe
website is easy found and accessed, it features the re-invented poster
design and provideslinksand information about the moveand
allows you to download thetrailer which came in very handy. When
you first open the site you are greeted by screams and images from
the movieand the skip intro button movesaround the screens, which

3. could make you feelkind of trapped in a way. This would be the price
of an internet connection.
The original campaign was respectfully changed after the bus that
exploded, as partof the 7/7 bombing in London wasdressed with the
descents billboard. It had a very sick irony to it as the explosion
caused peopleto become trapped in the underground. Thisterrible
coincidence wasmore than enoughto promptthe marketingteam to
change to the most recent poster set.