Movie marketers hold back on TV upfront buying
The movie industry has held back from buying TV commercial time after the conclusion of this year’s upfront network presentations. The main reason for the delay seems to be that the studios are waiting to see how the networks begin to integrate DVR playbacks into their ratings figures. That’s understandable since studios have a very time sensitive product they’re trying to sell and someone watching a show a week after the movie opens is going to be impacted less than someone watching it prior to opening. If the commercial is being watched four days after opening day then that person is also going to be influenced by reviews and other outside information.
Studios have typically been among the first to purchase TV time because of that time-sensitivity. They need to be sure they’re going to get placement where and when they need it and so have traditionally among the first to open their check books. But with DVRs they’re holding back because they can’t guarantee when their ads will be watched. Some network executives have refused to factor anything but the total number of viewers into their negotiations, regardless of time shifting. And the story says that when inventory begins to sell studios will likely panic and start buying even if the issue hasn’t been completely resolved.
I find it interesting that studios are still thinking about the Thursday before opening ad placement since just a few months ago a study was released showing that movie campaigns lost their influence and effectiveness three to four weeks before a movie opened. That means after that tipping point fewer and fewer people were actually moved to make going to see a particular movie a priority. At that point they had either already decided to see one movie or another or had made other plans. So why the continued emphasis on that one day?
Because all their money is poored into opening day marketing. There is absolutely no embracing of The Long Tail going on in movie marketing. A movie lives or dies by its opening weekend gross. There’s always something newer and flashier that’s going to open next weekend so a movie better make the bulk of its money in the first three days. And so they think that a heavy Thursday night presence will push those on the fence into the theaters when they’ve likely already decided on their weekend plans long before this.
Continued focus on TV commercials that air the week of a movie’s release only makes sense nowadays if you have embraced the windowless simultaneous release of a movie in theaters as well as on DVD and VOD. Last minute ads may not alter someone’s weekend plans but they might better change someone’s thinking as they’re relaxing in front of the TV or browsing the movie section at Target.
Technorati tags:
movie marketing
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Leave a comment