Film Marketing

Firstly let’s talk about the king of all horror films; ‘Psycho’. The marketing was new and innovative. In my opinion, Hitchcock changed the way people went to the cinema/theatre forever. Lets have a look at the different types of marketing and how advertising has evolved throughout time.

Traditional marketing:

• The use of word of mouth: this is an inexpensive marketing technique, modern publicising is constantly changing because the way we consume media is also changing, and this technique still remains.

Modern marketing:

• The use of the internet: ‘Online buzz’ now helps to advertise films; this is becoming a popular way to target an audience, especially teenagers who spend a considerable amount of time on the net. Take films such as ‘Paranormal Activity’ and the ‘Blair Witch Project’, the entire marketing campaign was inadvertently created online. Due to popular demand, consequently both films were released to cinemas across the world.

Advertising in the past:

• Time restrictions: Hitchcock developed a ‘time restriction’ at theatres that stopped the box office from selling tickets for ‘Psycho’ after the film had started. People were turned away if they were late.
• Trailers: In the trailer for ‘Psycho’, Hitchcock pleads to viewers not to reveal the ending. The mystery and secrecy created excitement, thus convincing you that you needed to see this film. This is why the film had such phenomenal box office success. Trailers are now faster in pace and are made up of quick cuts and dynamic music.