Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Music ads in trailers

This is topic Music ads in trailers in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=002301

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-16-2009, 12:50 PM:

Just saw the trailer for When in Rome and was shocked to see how blatently they promoted certain songs in the movie. They spent a good ten to fifteen seconds at the end of the trailer listing the songs AND actually displaying the artists that sang them.

Why would they do this? Do they think just because theres a certain artist on the soundtrack, I should suddenly go see this?

So they use their alloted time to promote their movie to show a picture of the artist that provides background music to the movie.

This is actually part of the trailer:

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-16-2009, 12:55 PM:

I'm pretty sure they want you to buy the soundtrack because of all the people on it.

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-16-2009, 12:57 PM:

Yea, but it just seems like shameless promoting. Customers are already spending time watching the ads of the studio's upcoming films, do they want another product pushed at them?

Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 12-16-2009, 01:04 PM:

Im waiting to see how long before we have TBS style pop up ads in movies [Razz]

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-16-2009, 01:53 PM:

quote: Alex Edwards
Yea, but it just seems like shameless promoting. Customers are already spending time watching the ads of the studio's upcoming films, do they want another product pushed at them?

You act as if the shameless promoters give a shit. [Wink]

Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 12-16-2009, 06:25 PM:

The trailer for the 1978 movie "FM" had a promo for the soundtrack album at the end, showing the cover of the 2-record set.

Posted by John Joseph Fink (Member # 3619) on 12-16-2009, 08:18 PM:

Pirate Radio had this in both the ads and trailers, however given that flick is a period piece and it uses music of the era that seems acceptable in marketing the film, in that music is for a certain audience (although the songs are played in the trailer as well). The When in Rome trailer (which I haven't seen yet) sounds really cheesy, but I suppose for a certain audience as well: teen girls. Given the story line though you'd think the film wouldn't have much of a problem attracting them.

What can we make of the 2012 teaser trailer that played like a music video for Adam Lambert's song that plays at the end of the film? Music videos have always been a way of cross-promoting films on MTV or as DVD bonus features, but as trailers? It feels little cheap, unless somehow the cost for these trailers is being co-subsidized by the label releasing the soundtrack. I think When In Rome may be a modest hit with it's core female audience with or without the soundtrack, but I also have to wonder does soundtrack matter in a film, in that do we go see a film because it has music we like in it? I some how think the answer may be yes, if that is an extension of our own identity as filmgoers: punk girls that saw Whip It, might also enjoy the soundtrack, or you might see a Wes Anderson film because in addition to his style you like his music choices.

Posted by Robert E. Allen (Member # 1351) on 12-16-2009, 08:21 PM:

When you finally realize the studio's only purpose in making films is to make money then it should come as no surprise that they promote the soundtrack. That's why they attach trailers to the first reel of movies whether or not you intend to play those particular films. I finally started cutting off trailers for films I had no intention of playing.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 12-16-2009, 08:41 PM:

quote: Robert E. Allen
When you finally realize the studio's only purpose in making films is to make money

And we should be glad they DO make money, because if they didn't we'd all be out of business.

I doubt any studio was ever formed without the purpose of making money.

Posted by Ron Curran (Member # 3631) on 12-16-2009, 10:54 PM:

I don't know what the world situation is but in Australia the owners of the record labels have a collective that charges cinemas for the use of music recorded on their labels. This is in addition to the performance rights fee.

So the fact that these companies feel that they have the right to free promotion on our screens and in our foyers is rubbing salt into the wound. If they did not feel that there was a financial advantage in this form of publicity they wouldn't bother.

Cinemas are not outlets for their CDs and music DVDs - there is no profit for the cinema in this promotional activity.

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-16-2009, 11:01 PM:

I guess I've always thought movies are something studios should promote as stories or experiences. The thing about movies is that during the film, there aren't any ads or (intentional) interruptions.

When they push their soundtrack during the trailer, for me it just seemed to highlight the commercialism that is becoming bigger and bigger in movies today. It would be like at the end of a trailer, they promoted who provided the "stylish" clothing for the main character.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 12-17-2009, 07:12 PM:

Sony are ridiculous when putting adverts in films. In the last Bond, DaVinci and 2012 there were maybe ten occasions where a Sony brand logo was on screen for about three seconds. Still, I can see why they would do it and I'm sure that is part of the attraction of vertical integration.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 12-21-2009, 10:13 PM:

quote: Alex Edwards
I guess I've always thought movies are something studios should promote as stories or experiences.

Well, "story" and "experience" are very different. If it was just the story they were promoting, then they would not mention the name of the actors or filmmakers either. But if it's the experience, then the soundtrack is definitely part of that experience! It seems that showing Jason Mraz is indeed the advertisers promoting a part of the overall experience... some may not think it's a necessary part of that experience to be included in the theatrical trailer, but that's different than whether it's part of the experience or not.

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-22-2009, 02:04 AM:

I agree that the soundtrack is part of the movie experience but there is no reason to show full album ads at the end of the trailer. It feels like they are trying to say that if the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, heres some popular singers that are featured in the soundtrack. Credits like these belong at the end of the movie, not with the top billing.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-22-2009, 08:32 AM:

quote: Alex Edwards
It feels like they are trying to say that if the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, heres some popular singers that are featured in the soundtrack.

Didn't he point out that this is like saying "If the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, here's a list of the actors"?

And I don't see at all how you feel that advertising the singers is saying what you've just said. Again, advertising the singer is just a way to help make money. Someone in the record company told someone at the film studio "Put my client's name on all your advertising or he doesn't participate at all" and then it happened.

Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 12-22-2009, 11:18 AM:

quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
Sony are ridiculous when putting adverts in films. In the last Bond, DaVinci and 2012 there were maybe ten occasions where a Sony brand logo was on screen for about three seconds.

AT&T has done this for years. Where else do you see a telephone handset with their logo on it but in the movies and on TV? It hasn't been that many years since manufacturers started putting their logos all over the headsets that the NFL coaches wear (Motorola... Telex)..

NASCAR has done this forever... these other guys are just catching up.

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-22-2009, 02:56 PM:

I guess I feel like they shouldn't be promoting album covers that blatently on trailers. I know it just gets them some extra cash but then whats to stop them from getting a sponser for the whole movie? Could you see them announcing the movie title and then saying "brought to you by Coca-Cola"?

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 12-23-2009, 03:13 PM:

How about Hasbro?

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-23-2009, 08:34 PM:

In the G.I. Joe trailers they didnt say at the the end of their ads to go purchase the toy. It would be so weird to see at the end of a Transformer trailer the announcer say "you can find Transformer toys at your local Wal-Mart!" Theres a difference between promoting your movie and blatently promoting a product within the movie.

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 12-25-2009, 07:31 PM:

I guess we're just talking about different levels of blatancy. I don't think anybody believes that Hasbro got into the business of making feature films simply to add to the art of cinema.

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-26-2009, 12:23 AM:

Yea I think we all realize that studios are almost always advertising something, its just how they do it. It could be anything from Hasbro to this guy:

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 12-26-2009, 08:23 PM:

Jack, it's more that Sony are doing it so obviously within their own films.

I always assumed AT&T was a monopoly phone provider like BT here, they must have done the in-movie advertising well!

At least in the NFL you advertise everywhere but the jerseys. On the coverage we get so much sound gets cut or logos blurred because you just can't advertise that much in the EU, but in our Football we have logos on the front, back and bottom of the shirts, and even on the shorts now.

Alex, have you seen the Avatar Coke Zero t-shirts that were produced for cinema staff? I'll try and take a picture, pretty certain the Na'vii or whatever they're called are drinking the stuff in the image!!!

Posted by Alex Edwards (Member # 5413) on 12-26-2009, 10:29 PM:

Yea, I figured Avatar and Coke were in cahoots after I saw this:

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 12-26-2009, 11:34 PM:

I think Pepsi is also running Avatar promos, could this film have ended the cola war?

Posted by Geena Phillips (Member # 3726) on 12-28-2009, 07:08 PM:

Our digital Coke ads for last month were an Avatar tie-in.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 12-28-2009, 08:12 PM:

Advertising music in trailers is nothing new. Watch the end of these...

Saturday Night Fever
Staying Alive

Posted by Paul J. Neuhaus (Member # 3205) on 12-30-2009, 03:29 PM:

quote: Todd McCracken
Im waiting to see how long before we have TBS style pop up ads in movies

Or pop stuff like VH1 pop up video [scream]