Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Media Promotion?

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Posted by Raymond Christie (Member # 4080) on 05-02-2008, 11:03 AM:

The movie companies used to send us shirts and hats for promotions. Now they are saying that I have to send them a media value and so on. How does this work? Is this like radio or tv spots? Newspaper adds? Here is a response that my rep. from Paramount sent:

quote:
Shirts and hats are media items and I would need you to fax me a media proposal (with number of spots and media value).

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 05-02-2008, 01:38 PM:

Gone are the days when the Film Company sent shirts and hats to the cinema for them to use in promoting a new film. Those items too often ended up in the hands of friends and employees and were not seen by the public, not much use to the film company in advertising.

These items are valuable to get exposure from local media by letting them "give away" the items from their broadcasts.

"The new film 'WHATEVER' is opening this week end at the BLANK cinema and we have a souvenir "WHATEVER" cap for the sixth caller to our hot line 1234567. Dial us up now and see the movie this week end at the BLANK cinema.

The station will gladly tell how much their time would have cost for that promotion.

NOTHING is ever FREE!

KEN

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 05-02-2008, 01:44 PM:

Your local radio sales rep should be able to help with that.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 05-02-2008, 02:18 PM:

I had a friend that would try and get all the media goodies and would actually setup what he could with local radio and newspapers (always funnelling a few neat things to himself). Sometimes he'd start doing a promo at my theatre JUST so he could get the shirt or hat for a certain movie... I HATED IT.

But he would basically call up the promotions department at a local radio station and ask them if they'd be interested in having some t-shirts for -MOVIE TITLE- and just drop that it's opening on such and such date at -THEATRE NAME-. They would often tell us we'd have to pay to have our name mentioned, he'd ask how much and then use that figure for the film company. Ultimately he'd send them shirts and tell them they didn't have to mention our name, just that the movie starts on whatever date. He'd get the shirt he wanted, the film company would get the free airtime and MAYBE the theatre got some patrons because they heard about the movie being played.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 05-02-2008, 05:11 PM:

But without free swag, how will the chain theatres incentivize their employees? [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 05-02-2008, 06:08 PM:

quote: Kenneth Wuepper
Those items too often ended up in the hands of friends and employees and were not seen by the public, not much use to the film company in advertising

Or worse, ended up being sold for profit. I once worked for a guy that basically made a second income selling promotional materials. He'd regularly request a boat load of promo materials for popular films, under the guise of conducting a "big promotion", only to turn around and sell the stuff. I was always waiting for the day when one of the studios would catch him, but it never came. At best, he had a couple of close calls.

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 05-02-2008, 07:41 PM:

quote: Mike Olpin
But without free swag, how will the chain theatres incentivize their employees?

I think Cinemark may have effectively made their employees never want to wear a movie t-shirt again by making it part of their uniform. Cinemark coordinates with one of the studios so they can put their movie title on the back of the Cinemark uniforms. Not a bad idea considering it gets the studios to pick up a good portion of their uniform expenses and ensure that their employees are always wearing fresh new uniforms.

Though I miss the vest and bow tie days... so much more proper.

Posted by James Westbrook (Member # 3690) on 05-02-2008, 09:01 PM:

The CineArts locations are not in the Movie-shirt uniform program, from what I understand.
The plastic concession aprons were what used to concern me: I had visions of a disgruntled employee setting fire to their plastic apron and killing everyone in the building with the toxic fumes.

Posted by Raymond Christie (Member # 4080) on 05-03-2008, 02:09 PM:

Thanks! This is helpful. I have only been in the theatre business for almost 3 years and I am still learning a lot of stuff! I always thought the shirts and hats they used to send were for the employees and some give a ways. Anyway this will help me in the future.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 05-03-2008, 07:49 PM:

Buena Vista sent us t-shirts, mini-one sheets, buttons, and trading cards for "Forbidden Kingdom" several weeks in advance without us even asking for them. The funny thing is though, we didn't even open the film on the break. We received it this week.

Posted by Mark J. Marshall (Member # 1409) on 05-04-2008, 06:54 AM:

quote: Kenneth Wuepper
Those items too often ended up in the hands of friends and employees and were not seen by the public, not much use to the film company in advertising.

So I guess the theater employees (who liked the shirts and hats enough to take them in the first place, and who presumably like the idea of going to the movies because they work in a movie theater) never wear the stuff in public? That's a pretty bone headed assumption by the studio's marketing group. I think they get plenty of mileage out of sending the theater free apparel whether it makes it to the public's hands or the employees take it.

Not completely related, but I just came across my "I Was There First" ticket T-Shirt for Dick Tracy. Remember those? And good news for me... it still fits! (Kind of.) The coolest part is the theater name printed (not hand stamped) on the shirt: "AMC Pleasure Island 10". Anyone else still have one of those? If I remember correctly, when we went to the show, the theater employees were wearing blue versions of that shirt.

Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 05-04-2008, 10:12 AM:

whats wrong with having employees wear t-shirts for a new movie as thier uniform? All the customers will see the shirts and that will promote the film?

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 05-04-2008, 11:25 PM:

It won't promote it as well as getting the title and theater mentioned repeatedly for free on the local radio or television news broadcast.

Posted by Raymond Christie (Member # 4080) on 05-05-2008, 12:39 PM:

The thing that sucks is the radio station would still charge us to run an add. We don't have much of a choice around here.

Posted by Kenneth Wuepper (Member # 1174) on 05-05-2008, 03:06 PM:

If you have employees wear the shirts and hats as uniforms, then your Customers see them only when in your theatre. Like preaching to the choir!

If you have them given away outside of your location, then you are reaching prospective customers, present customers and disinterested parties all at once. Since you are interested in getting more people into your establishment then that is a better form of promotion.

If you have to buy advertising time on the station in question, does that mean that they do not normally have give away promotions? The station has to have a dedicated phone number and somebody to answer it for give away times. Perhaps you would have to get to a disc jockey or talk show host to do the give away for you.

KEN [Smile]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 05-05-2008, 04:00 PM:

quote: Kenneth Wuepper
If you have them given away outside of your location, then you are reaching prospective customers, present customers and disinterested parties all at once. Since you are interested in getting more people into your establishment then that is a better form of promotion.

While this is what the studios want (since obviously you'd be promoting their movie) but me wearing a shirt for some random movie doesn't make people want to come to the theater I work at. You don't generally advertise for your establishment using something that makes no reference to your establishment.

Posted by Anslem Rayburn (Member # 1267) on 05-13-2008, 12:51 AM:

The shirts aren't the promotion. The shirts are what you use to get the radio to talk about your theater for free. We advertise on the radio, but we also give tickets or movie related items away via free mentions through the radio. Every time your theater is mentioned in a positive light on the radio, people hear it. They hear it enough, and they remember you when they decide to watch a movie. It's a win-win-win situation. The distributor gets the movie promoted, you get your theater promoted, and the radio station strengthens their relationship with their audience by giving them more than just something to listen to.