Today, of the 49% of moviegoers who admit to researching films before they decide to see them, 70% use the internet to for this information. This means that studios are budgeting more and more money for online ads and campaigns, to be focused on the film's key demographics.
Now, in the past, we have seen this strategy fail (everyone remember "Snakes on a Plane"? Tons of internet hype, terrible box office turnout). But recently, advertising agencies seem to be getting the hang of it. This year's "The Hunger Games" was a huge financial success, and their marketing campaign was largely internet-based. This campaign included virtual tours of the capitol where users could register as citizens in Panem, as well as aligning the film with non-profit organizations that fight hunger (smart!).
This is where the distinction between paid and non-paid search comes in, which we discussed in class today. Paid search is usually only utilized for major releases from big studios, or at least that has been the trend so far. Perhaps this is where "Snakes on a Plane" fell behind, and where "The Hunger Games" had the advantage. Lionsgate shelled out the money for clips and teasers to show on Youtube and other video-sharing sites. They hit the social media sites with everything they had (see the NYT video for details). The very loyal existing fanbase from the book trilogy helped spread the hype for Lionsgate for free.
The future of marketing for traditional media (going to see a film at the movie theatre is very traditional by today's standards) lies on the internet. Consider that almost a million people are currently registered as citizens of Panem. That is the result of a marketing campaign that has created lasting investment in the series.
Think of all the data collected by agency behind The Hunger Games. The members of Panem may not have realized they contributed to a massive CRM database. What the agency does with all that data has yet to be seen.
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