PPB April 2015

ROM PLASTIC FANGS promoting the lat-

est vampire flick to whoopee cushions dec-

orated with the title of an upcoming slap-

stick comedy, product advertising opportunities exist

for nearly every film.

The seven major Hollywood studios, including

Warner Bros., Universal Studios and Walt Disney

Pictures, each spent between $300 and $600 million on

advertising in 2013,

Adweek

reports. For independent

films not backed by studios with deep pockets, PR pro-

fessionals recommend setting aside 10-20 percent of a

film’s total budget for marketing and distribution

expenses.

The goal for most film productions is to spend just

enough on promotion to make the project appear suc-

cessful without cutting into the project’s profits. As a

result, advertising campaigns for movies often serve dual

purposes: informing moviegoers about the project and

generating enough attention to validate its cinematic

worth.

Promotional products can help with this by building

buzz among fans, impressing members of the media and

attracting attention at film festivals and screenings.

“Audiences also enjoy souvenirs they can bring

home as a reminder of the film or to give to someone to

help them remember to watch the movie,” explains

PROMOTIONS

Off Camera

BEHIND THE SCENES, PROMOS WORK TO REEL IN MOVIE FANS

BY TAMA UNDERWOOD

72 •

PPB

• APRIL 2015

THINK