Digital marketing plays an extremely prominent role in any successful marketing campaign, so it stands to reason that the movie industry is no different. Marketing a TV show or movie can make or break a project so ensuring you get it right from the very get go is imperative.
Creating a successful digital marketing campaign for a movie can range from building a database of fans and turning them into lifelong customers. Creating a social media buzz well before the movie is due to be released is a must as well as ensuring the online promotional content is primed for SEO. Let’s use the Movie ‘Serenity’ as our case study.
Digital Marketing Case Study: Serenity The Movie
Serenity the movie was released by Universal Pictures in 2005. The movie is a continuation of the sci-fi TV series from Fox, called Firefly which would already have had a decent digital marketing budget allocated for its own promotion. The action from the movie takes place after the events from the fine episode of the TV series. The movie is a catching, fun combination of a western, transported in the future. It’s the story of a space ship and its cruise taking a very strange passenger on board, a passenger mentally and psychically conditioned by the government (called the Alliance). The new passenger is the starting point of a whole series of adventures and surprises. Although human race moved to another solar system, their problems seem to look a lot like ours: corrupt governments, lies and betrayals.
Action and Plot Line:
We’re in 2518 and humanity moved to a different solar system. The main planets are controlled by the government, called the Alliance. When it comes to the outer planets, it’s frontier justice and the “Reavers” – very violent, almost sub-human groups, terrorize the population. When the starship Serenity takes two passengers along – Simon and his sister River – they will be drawn into a series of events that will finally uncover the dark secret of the government. The Reavers are actually the results or an experiment. A toxin was released on the planet called Miranda, which killed about 90 percent of the population, and the ones that survived became extremely violent. The members of Serenity crew, Simon and River (River being another victim or government experiments) decide to tell the world what they discovered, even if it might cost them their lives. Do people have life insurance in 2518? The end of the movie suggests a sequel. The sequel never turned into reality, much to the disappointment of the fans.
Consider who you are marketing to and your target audience? Is Serenity the movie suitable for a family night?
If you are planning a family night at home and you want to rent a movie, Serenity the movie might be a good idea, if your children are 12 years of age or older. The movie contains some rowdy action, specific both to western and science fiction conventions: fist fights, guns, explosions and so on. Also, there are some more mature type references and some mild cursing. Still, the film is suitable for children that are 12 years of older. The movie offers you the possibility to talk with your children about loyalty, devotion to certain causes, community and ideals. In the same time, the movie is a pretty entertaining science fiction movie, and it offers you the pretext for a great night with your entire family.
Setting a digital marketing budget.
Setting a digital marketing budget really depends on the cost that was involved to make the tv show or move, once this has been established you can then start to think about how you are going to divvy up that digital marketing spend. Sci-fi movies such as Serenity certainly have a lot of fans all over the world, so taking advantage of the buzz is a great place to start when creating your strategic marketing plan.