The Fifth Estate is a film based on WikiLeaks that was distributed globally in 2013. It focuses on Julian Assange and the organization's quest to expose corruption through leaked documents. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Assange. The film relied primarily on traditional marketing techniques like movie posters and trailers featuring Cumberbatch. It also created a website and Facebook page but lacked unusual marketing. Due to the lack of effective marketing globally, especially in introducing Cumberbatch, and no unusual techniques, the film significantly underperformed at the box office.

1. THE FIFTH
ESTATE
BY IMOGEN, JAMIE &
CALISTA

2. About the film
Summary
The Fifth Estate is a dramatic thriller based on real events that show the quest to expose deceptions and corruptions of power that
turned an internet upstart into the 21st century's most fiercely debated organisation.
Director
Bill Condon (Also known for directing Chicago and Dreamgirls)
Writer
Daniel Domscheit-Berg
Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch
Daniel Bruhl
Carice van Houten

3. RELEASE
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures distributed The Fifth Estate globally through its
Touchstone Pictures label, except for territories in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, where
the film's rights were sold by Mister Smith Entertainment to independent distributors, including
Entertainment One Films in the United Kingdom. DreamWorks' financial partner, Reliance
Entertainment, released the film in India.

4. Traditional
marketing
techniques
The movie poster is basic and
contains the face of the main actor
and star (Benedict Cumberbatch).
The only trailer is the main theatrical
trailer which highlights the plot line and
shows who the actors are - mainly
Benedict Cumberbatch as he is the
most popular and so will entice fans of
his to view the movie, even if they are
not interest in the film itself.
The well-known empire magazine did
Empire film review of the fifth
estate

5. NEW MARKETING
TECHNIQUES
The film has its own website that was used throughout the build up to the
release date and still is up and running now. The website contains info on
cast, trailer, synopsis, a gallery and links to get tickets. The film also created
a facebook page connecting and grabbing the attention of their younger
audience as this is what the younger generation are seen to connect with the
world through.
http://www.thefifthestatemovie.com

6. USE OF STARS
Benedict Cumberbatch was the main star used in the
Fifth Estate in an attempt to gain a wider audience.
Using a well-known actor in a film will not only make
people who like the actor go to see the film but will
also be great for marketing as the film will become
more widely spread and their will be more interest
and curiosity e.g magazine/news articles of films the
actors will be featuring in and this might actually
make people want to go see it in cinemas.
However, in regards to the Fifth estate, although they
had intentions of using a star to draw in a new
audience the possibility that Benedict Cumberbatch
was not as widely-known or popular most definitely
affected the films success - especially the global
market at the time might not have known who he
was. Maybe as well as using Benedict Cumberbatch
they should've used a more widely known global star
to attract other countries to view the film, not just the
british audience - using the star now though would
be more effective as he has now reached the
american audience.
Benedict Cumberbatch

7. Unusual marketing
The Fifth Estate didn't really get much marketing at all whether that be
traditional or new techniques. Therefore there were no unusual marketing
techniques used, whereas there really should’ve been seeing as this is a film
to do with high levels of technology, so some interesting and unusual
marketing really could have helped with the advertising of the Fifth Estate and
could possibly have engaged people with the film and as a result more people
would have gone to see it in the cinemas.

8. Overall
effectiveness
Due to the way that the Fifth Estate was
market it did not appeal to the audience or
reach the audience's awareness. As well as
this the attempt to target a global market was
unsuccessful as even the star actor - Benedict
Cumberbatch was not as well known an actor
at the time as he is now. The overall
effectiveness is clearly shown in the box office
figures, with a $28 million budget and only
making $8.5 million, therefore the marketing
and advertising for the Fifth Estate drastically
needed improving.