Deceptive Marketing and Odd Tie-Ins
I wish the studios would stop lying. Let's examine some things, shall we?
Closer debuted last week in 400-some theatres. In the tv spots for the film, the studio explained "Starts Friday in Theatres Everywhere." Even currently, we get "Now Playing Everywhere." The film expands to 600 theatres tomorrow and an additional 400 more theatres the 17th. So when its playing in 1000 theatres next Friday, will Columbia explain on the ads "Now Playing In Theatres Everywhere..like for real!"??? Perhaps the studio was taking a cue from the film's ruthless characters. Miramax also marketed Finding Neverland as Now Playing Everywhere when it opened in 500 theatres over Thanksgiving. The studio also plans a roll-out to 1500 theatres over Christmas. Columbia & Miramax are lying. Proof: Phantom of the Opera opens December 22 in 600 theatres. Warner Bros. has the kindness to market that as "Opens December 22 in Select Cities." Why do studios continue to toy with an already vulnerable audience? Shouldn't someone stepup and determine what a wide release is and isn't? Oh, wait! Variety and BoxOfficeMojo.com and almost every other organization tracking the release of films already consider a wide release to mean a film is playing in 1000+ theatres. Therefore, anything less is not everywhere. Is this false advertising? Should studios be held accountable? However, to back the studios, they say "Now Playing Everywhere," not "Now Playing In Every Theatre." Small progress, but not enough.
Moving on to an odd cross promotion...
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events has a promotion going with AFFLAC the insurance company. Now this is interesting. The ads say something along the lines of "Don't get caught in a series of unfortunate events unprepared." While this is mildly clever, its also a bit much for a family film. They couldn't just get Jim Carrey on a cereal box? More odd marketing: What's with the ads saying Jim Carrey's name over EVERY character he plays in the film while no mention of Meryl Streep also being in the film or Jude Law narrating?
Rant over.
Closer debuted last week in 400-some theatres. In the tv spots for the film, the studio explained "Starts Friday in Theatres Everywhere." Even currently, we get "Now Playing Everywhere." The film expands to 600 theatres tomorrow and an additional 400 more theatres the 17th. So when its playing in 1000 theatres next Friday, will Columbia explain on the ads "Now Playing In Theatres Everywhere..like for real!"??? Perhaps the studio was taking a cue from the film's ruthless characters. Miramax also marketed Finding Neverland as Now Playing Everywhere when it opened in 500 theatres over Thanksgiving. The studio also plans a roll-out to 1500 theatres over Christmas. Columbia & Miramax are lying. Proof: Phantom of the Opera opens December 22 in 600 theatres. Warner Bros. has the kindness to market that as "Opens December 22 in Select Cities." Why do studios continue to toy with an already vulnerable audience? Shouldn't someone stepup and determine what a wide release is and isn't? Oh, wait! Variety and BoxOfficeMojo.com and almost every other organization tracking the release of films already consider a wide release to mean a film is playing in 1000+ theatres. Therefore, anything less is not everywhere. Is this false advertising? Should studios be held accountable? However, to back the studios, they say "Now Playing Everywhere," not "Now Playing In Every Theatre." Small progress, but not enough.
Moving on to an odd cross promotion...
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events has a promotion going with AFFLAC the insurance company. Now this is interesting. The ads say something along the lines of "Don't get caught in a series of unfortunate events unprepared." While this is mildly clever, its also a bit much for a family film. They couldn't just get Jim Carrey on a cereal box? More odd marketing: What's with the ads saying Jim Carrey's name over EVERY character he plays in the film while no mention of Meryl Streep also being in the film or Jude Law narrating?
Rant over.
posted by Darren at 6:31 AM
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