MediaPost | Marketing: Entertainment

Off The Red Carpet, Movie Studios Are Driving Revenue

Wed, 13 Sep 2017 13:00:04 -0400

There is never a lot of industry buzz around the movie studio's on-demand rental business. This is when audiences at home are prompted to rent and/or buy a film through their television provider via pushing a button on their remote control. While the rental window lacks the sex appeal, budgets and the excitement of opening weekend at the box office, studio executives are now starting to pay more attention to monetizing the digital distribution of their releases.

Why Voice Will Make Your Brand Heard

Tue, 08 Aug 2017 13:00:04 -0400

As new platforms go, voice is making itself heard. Loudly. Voice-enabled units are projected to be in 45 million homes by end of 2017. So the question for brands now, is: if you're not speaking for your brand, who is?

The Princess And The Pee: Caesars, Zappos Clean Up On The Concert Porta-Potty Experience

Fri, 04 Aug 2017 13:00:04 -0400

The last rock concert I attended as a fan was probably Rod Stewart at the Orange County Fairgrounds in the early '80s. I've seen a lot of amazing artists in my time-including Elvis, the original Beach Boys, and KISS-but eventually the thrill of seeing the performers live got drowned out by the negatives: the cost of the tickets, the crowds (who always seemed to be drunk or high), and worst of all, the disgusting outdoor toilets. Who knew that 30 years later, the online retail geniuses at Zappos would manage to turn the infamous porta-potty into an experience that's truly a "head" of its time?

The GIF Trend Is So Hot Right Now

Fri, 28 Jul 2017 13:00:04 -0400

When it comes to marketing trends, you're either right there with them as they happen, or you're left trying to sort out ways to coast a bit on their fumes. Right now, there's a trend that's just gearing up and seems to have staying power: GIFs. And it's a trend that's so hot right now even Hansel would stop and take note.

The CEOs We Love To ... Like?

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 13:00:05 -0400

I once handled PR on the West Coast for the most-hated man in Hollywood. That would be Ted Turner, founder of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. and the visionary behind such now-ubiquitous brands as CNN, Cartoon Network, and TCM, among many others. While Ted was revered and respected by most of his employees and partners at the time, he was shunned by Hollywood because he was an outsider who bought the treasured MGM library of film classics but then decided to colorize them. (Suffice to say that he knew what he was doing-but let's not rehash that old controversy!)

Your Unhelpful Help Desk Hurts Business; Time To Spice Things Up

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 13:30:04 -0400

You're only as good as your last success. The customer you're helping right now doesn't care about your track record; they care about resolving their problem. And some of you are messing it up - big time.

Getting The Goods On Google

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 12:00:10 -0400

When I interviewed for my first PR job, I never worried that an employer's Google search would turn up incriminating evidence about me. Not because I led such a spotless life (we'll just leave that subject there)-but because Google was a couple of decades away from being invented. So I have to smile and shake my head (sorry, SMH) at the origin story of BrandYourself, the online reputation management company whose youthful executives have, in just five years, raised more than $5 million in investment funding, hired 80 full-time employees, been honored as one of the top young startups of 2012 by the White House, and appeared on "Shark Tank."

Your Marketing Spend May Require Readjustment

Thu, 25 May 2017 11:39:03 -0400

Video is the buzz for marketers, with the next generation absolutely obsessed with YouTube, Facebook Live, Snapchat and everything else that's visual and in the moment. But most marketers are still running two steps behind, and with virtual reality and augmented reality on the horizon, those "couple of steps behind" are about to become a couple of miles.

A Happy Medium

Fri, 19 May 2017 13:00:07 -0400

Teens' entertainment diet is eclectic, particularly compared to other generations when they were teens. Teenage Xers didn't have social media vying for their attention; they just wanted their MTV. As teenagers, Millennials were just being introduced to the concept of DVR and media on-demand, and only the youngest portion of that generation experienced any form of social media during their teen years.

What Brands Can Learn From Summer Blockbusters

Fri, 12 May 2017 15:16:03 -0400

With summer around the corner, marketers are deep into their campaigns to promote their seasonal blockbusters. These films are the signature of summer with people turning out in droves to see their next installment of their favorite franchise and remakes of old films during the warm season. With an overwhelming amount of new movies releases, how can studios distinguish themselves when communicating with audiences?

It's A Mad, Mad Augmented Virtual World

Thu, 04 May 2017 10:00:07 -0400

How artificially intelligent are you? Sorry, let me put that another way: How smart are you about artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), the latest tech trends in entertainment? I recently had my knowledge (not to mention my comfort level) put to the test for a new business proposal and quickly realized that I was in a new reality of my own.

WWE WrestleMania Knows Marketing & Media, Show & Sell

Fri, 28 Apr 2017 15:32:03 -0400

WrestleMania 33 presented by Snickers aired Sunday, April 2, in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl (aka Camping World Stadium).

Most stars in the WWE universe were there. That includes Goldberg, Roman Reigns, Brock Lesner, Chris Jericho, The Undertaker, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, Sasha Banks, Nikki Bella, Alexa Bliss, John Cena and the anticipated return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, who has transitioned from WWE star to the highest-paid star in Hollywood.

It also means activation from such marketing partners as Snickers, DiGiorno, Cricket Wireless, 5-Hour Energy, Mattel, Foot Locker and Puma.

WWE said sponsorship revenue has increased four times since 2010.

Snickers, which said it received about 1.5 billion media impressions from its sponsorship of WrestleMania 32, returns with a campaign anchored by “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” TV spots (via BBDO NY) with such WWE stars as Rusev, Bayley, Seamus, Ric Flair, The Miz and Maryse.

Snickers is also supporting with POP, a “complete brand takeover” of WWE’s YouTube channel on April 2 and other “custom digital and social content.”

WWE star Sasha Banks will appear in a TV spot as part of DiGiorno’s multi-platform alliance with WrestleMania 33.

Cricket Wireless has been running a WrestleMania sweepstakes and will have TV and other activation around the event, as will 5-Hour Energy.

WWE is not just targeting its core audience. Among others, WWE personalities have been on NBC’s “Today” and various ESPN platforms.

In addition, marketing partners will have a presence on WWE programming the week before (on USA Network and WWE Network) and then at live events in Orlando the weekend of and days after WrestleMania 33. That includes WrestleMania Axxess (a four-day, interactive fan festival), the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (sponsored by Mattel), NXT TakeOver, “Monday Night Raw” and “SmackDown Live.”

Via a new licensing and distribution deal with Foot Locker and Puma, WWE created a footwear and apparel collection that features such icons as "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Ric Flair, André the Giant and The Undertaker. The items will be available in limited edition beginning April 1.

The Orlando Citrus Bowl seats about 70,000, but the record attendance for the venue is 74,635, set in March 2008 during, of course, WrestleMania XXIV. WrestleMania 33 could top that mark.

It would, however, fall short of the all-time WrestleMania attendance figure, 101,763, set last year in AT&T Stadium — home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys — the highest-grossing and best-attended event in WWE history.

Spending by visitors to the Dallas/Arlington region for WrestleMania 32 generated more than $170 million, the fifth consecutive year that WrestleMania generated $100 million-plus in economic impact for its host region, according to a study conducted for WWE by the Enigma Research Corp.

Over the past 10 years, WrestleMania has generated almost $1 billion in cumulative economic impact for the cities that have hosted the event.

Even Florida Gov. Rick Scott knows WWE gold when he sees it. “Florida set a tourism record by welcoming (113) million visitors in (2016), and WWE will help bring even more visitors to Florida in 2017.”

“This is the intersection between sports and entertainment,” John Brody, evp-global sales and partnerships for WWE, tells Marketing:Sports. “It is resonating with fans, marketing partners and the media.”

*****

Editor's note: This article originally appeared on March 28, 2017, in Marketing:Sports.

Netflix's 100 Millionth Customer Will Be Acquired By Data As Well As Content

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 10:00:06 -0400

We've swiftly entered an era where consumers are always-on and perpetually streaming content. That trend created new opportunities for marketers to interact with their target audiences in more interesting and personalized ways, leading to deeper insight and greater returns.

Amazon, NFL Partner To Stream Thursday Night Games; Adios, Twitter

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 12:00:07 -0400

Tim Cook once opined "The Future of TV is Apps" and those words were proudly displayed on a screen behind him when he introduced the updated Apple TV back in 2015. Just a week after the fourth-generation Apple TV went on sale, Apple commanded 31% of the streaming market, well ahead of Amazon and Roku, which at that time were the leaders. Two years on, we haven't seen much new innovation from Apple TV but we have certainly seen a lot of content development, innovation and marketing and licensing leadership from Amazon.

The Message On Voicemail: Do It Right Or Not At All

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 10:00:06 -0400

Apparently, there's something that people find more horrifying than the IRS, back waxing, and the "Jackass" movies. That thing would be voicemail.

To Be Entertaining, Relevant And Engaging, Hit Refresh

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 10:00:07 -0400

Consumers have high expectations for marketing content from entertainment brands, especially when it comes to being entertained. This is why social channels can be a marketer's best friend, especially if they are savvy enough to leverage new features and channels as they are introduced.

Holiday And Event Marketing Madness

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 14:00:06 -0400

The major gift-giving seasons certainly make sense for brands to focus on selling all sorts of merchandise, so having solid holiday marketing plans in place by the end of the summer is essential.

Forget Brackets. March Madness Predictive Analytics Are Most Useful For Marketers

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 10:00:07 -0400

There's never more interest in predictive analytics than around March Madness, when fans are looking for whatever edge they can get in filling out the perfect bracket. There are also few uses of predictive analytics that are more Sisyphean; according to DePaul University professor Jeff Bergen, the odds of having a perfect March Madness bracket are 1 in 9,223,372,036,854,775,808.

Are TV Companies Adapting Fast Enough To The Changing Entertainment Landscape?

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 12:00:07 -0500

Facebook and Twitter have been pounding the pavement in Hollywood in an arms race to acquire rights to stream live television programming.

Whatever Happened To VNRs? The Original Fake News

Thu, 02 Mar 2017 10:00:07 -0500

Okay, I admit it: I recently struggled to get television coverage in Los Angeles for one of my projects. Granted, it was a feature story and it was on a busy news day, but still-I'd hoped at least one of the local news stations would come out and cover my event.

When Brand Ambassadors Alienate Your Customer Base

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 14:39:02 -0500

Is anyone not politically polarizing these days? The Oscars are upon us and, if you listen closely, you can hear advertisers that have cast their lot with celebrity frontmen/women collectively wringing their hands in anticipation.

Will Politics Trump The 2017 Oscars? What Does That Mean For Brands?

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 10:38:02 -0500

The 89th Academy Awards will soon be upon us and if the final of the trifecta of awards shows follows the path of the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards, politics will be present in this year's ceremony. Although the 2016 Oscars did reach an eight-year low in terms of viewership, the award show still remains the second-most watched TV event, so the question for brands looking to reach the estimated 34+ million viewers will be how can they engage in this current dialogue, if at all, without losing authenticity?

Times Are A-changin' For Premium Entertainment Players

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 10:00:05 -0500

Over the past weekend, I was back in my hometown for some family events. I stayed a night with my folks. As I was pulling into the driveway, I couldn't help recall a Comcast commercial that was airing during the holidays. The spot, "Hooking up Grandma's House" is a funny and heartwarming vignette about a grandchild that tweets about entering the "gates of hell," a/k/a her grandparents' home, where there are no wi-fi and no premium channels.

Awards Season 2017: It's What You Say, Not What You're Wearing

Mon, 06 Feb 2017 14:34:02 -0500

I think people will be looking beyond the dresses this year and will be more interested in the words spoken on stage and trending hashtags in social media.

Tostitos Campaign Scores A Touchdown (But Not A 2-Point Conversion?)

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 10:00:06 -0500

Mashable called it a "stunt." "Adweek" said it was a "neat party gimmick." And the "Washington Post" deemed it a "nifty innovation." I'm talking about the new Tostitos chip bag that can detect alcohol on a person's breath when you blow into it, announced to much fanfare last week. Tostitos is also offering 25,000 $10 discounts off Uber rides on Super Bowl Sunday, helping to ensure that football fans get home safely after celebrating the big game.

Lessons From The City Of Nets On How To Avoid Being Blindsided

Tue, 31 Jan 2017 11:45:04 -0500

Unsuspecting Angelinos awoke New Year's Day to find their iconic "Hollywood" sign altered to read "Hollyweed." Amidst the coverage, an astute few noted the exact same stunt had been pulled on Jan. 1, 1976. In Hollywood these days, it seems, even the pranks are reboots.

The Super Bowl Cometh. Help Your Brand Win By Ignoring It

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:00:06 -0500

There are no fewer than 1,500 posts circulating online around the best marketing campaigns to create to capture your share of the Super Bowl frenzy that is now upon us. This is NOT one of those posts.

What The Future Will Sound Like For Entertainment Brands

Fri, 13 Jan 2017 13:00:07 -0500

I just returned from CES and it is abundantly clear that audio is well on its way to becoming center stage for marketers. Music and podcasts are cornerstones to smartphone usage, for some users, it is up to 80% of their weekly activity, and if last week's showing in Vegas is any indication, audio will be a key delivery vehicle in our homes, cars, stores, and other places people move through throughout the day.

AI Assistants Battling For Your Entertainment Pleasure Or At Least A Place In Your Home

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 10:00:06 -0500

I vividly remember the scene in Star Trek IV, The Voyage Home, when Scotty sits down at the computer and says in his thick Scottish accent "Computer, Computer," gets no response and then tries speaking into the mouse, again with no success. He finally resorts to using the keyboard and remarks how quaint it is to use the keyboard. While I laughed at the scene, I knew that one day in my lifetime we would be giving verbal instructions to computers and other devices.

2017 - The Year Of The V's

Tue, 10 Jan 2017 14:45:03 -0500

Every year we try to anticipate what new ideas will have cultural impact that entertainment brands and brands in all categories can leverage. We believe that brands and their agency partners must "Move at the Speed of Culture," with speed driving the urgency to act today.