CARU Asks Disney to Stop Advertising 'Pirates of the Caribbean' to Kids
According to Broadcasting & Cable Magazine, the Children's Advertising Review Unit of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has asked Disney to stop marketing the PG-13 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest' to children on Nickelodeon.
A self-regulating arm of the ad industry, CARU made a formal complaint about ads that ran in tandem with the film's theatrical release in June, three months after they had aired. Disney responded by saying they had no plans on rerunning the ads, and stated that they had relied on Nickelodeon's clearance department to ensure proper ad placement.
CARU frowns on advertising PG-13 films to children under 12 because the MPAA rating indicates the presence of content that "may be unsuitable." However, as the B&C notes, 'Pirates of the Caribbean' toys, games, food and a whole bevy of other licensed products are heavily marketed to children despite the film's rating.
It will be interesting to see how close and timely CARU's scrutiny will be when Disney launches the third installment of the franchise next year, and what changes Disney will make regarding ad buys on younger-skewing channels. As reported for Q3 2006, the Disney Consumer Products division’s income rose 70% over the previous year to $105 million, much of which was due to sales of Pirates-themed merchandise.
Sony Pictures Signs Promotional Deal with Heineken for 'Casino Royale'
 According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures Entertainment has signed a six-figure promotional partnership with The Netherlands-based Heineken Brewing Company to showcase the company's product in the upcoming James Bond action thriller 'Casino Royale.'
Promotional activities will include heavy product placement in the film, to include scenes with new James Bond actor Daniel Craig drinking the beer. While the on-screen placements seem to counter the "shaken not stirred" vodka martini image usually seen in Bond flicks, it may work well with the new tougher, "man's-man" approach the producers are taking with the Bond character. Plans are also in the works for a special tie-in commercial starring Bond girl Eva Green, which will be directed by Oscar-winner Stephen Gaghan ('Syriana,' 'Traffic'), who will have access to the actual production sets for the ad.
No word yet as to how this new beer-swilling, Bond will sit with fans, but the initial backlash to Craig's casting seems to be cooling. On the promotional side, the number of official partners has been cut back significantly from 2002's 'Die Another Day,' which was criticized for going over the top with irrevelant tie-ins. Smirnoff will remain the offical vodka for this installment, will produce a custom commercial, hold an on-pack promotion tied in with the film's release.
The James Bond franchise has grossed nearly $1.3 Billon dollars domestically since the release of 'Dr. No' in 1963, according to Box Office Mojo. 'Casino Royale' hits theaters November 17th.
Sony to Bow 'Spider-Man 3' IMAX Release Day and Date with Theatrical Run
Sony and IMAX announced today that ‘Spider-Man 3’ will be simultaneously be released at both conventional and IMAX theaters when the film debuts next year on May 4th, 2007.
According to IMAX co-chairman Richard Gelfond, the film will be available on at least 100 screens, a significant increase from the 63 screens that ‘Spider-Man 2’ debuted on during its IMAX run. This is the third IMAX release announced by Sony Pictures, with the third being the animated film ‘Open Season,’ which will bow in IMAX on September 29th this year.
In addition to adding valuable screens and significant revenue to a film’s launch, IMAX launches have also become an excellent marketing tool for the studios due to high-level of word-of-mouth that the format generates. For example, the IMAX release of ‘The Polar Express’ was widely credited with reviving the non-IMAX version’s fortunes in late 2004, which boosted theatrical revenues above $100 million and helped the title to become a smash hit on DVD.
Last year, the latest installment of the ‘Harry Potter’ series earned over $16 million in its IMAX run, and ‘Batman Begins’ grossed $15.9 million, according to the-numbers.com.
New Line Pulls Racy Viral Marketing Game for 'Running Scared'
Without an announcement, New Line has pulled the sexually-themed portion of the flash game on the 'Running Scared' website, according to Variety. The move comes amidst pressure from the National Institute on Media and the Family, who had made several requests to pull the game. While the game generated considerable buzz throughout the blogosphere (as can be seen here) those conversations didn't translate into box office dollars for the Paul Walker action vehicle -- 'Running Scared' generated a paltry $3.4 million during its opening weekend.
Angry Bond Fans to Boycott 'Casino Royale'
According to the website craignotbond.com, an international group of James Bond fans is organizing a boycott of the next James Bond film, Casino Royale, due to the casting choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond. In a release posted on their website, the group gives a straightforward explanation for the boycott:
Even in the movie business, the old saying that 'the customer is always right' holds true. Since EON and Sony Pictures have chosen to ignore their most loyal customers, we have no choice but to boycott the 21st James Bond film, Casino Royale.
We call upon Bond fans around the world to join us in this boycott. If we all stand together, and stay home when this ill-conceived movie is released, it will send a message to EON [the production company] once and for all, that the sacred trust of Ian Fleming's iconic hero James Bond belongs not to them, but to all of the James Bond fans across the globe! There has not been a response from Eon or Sony regarding the boycott yet. These days, casting choices are an important part of the marketing game, and its hard to see how the choice of Daniel Craig, a rough-edged character actor, helps the Bond franchise. Will hard-core Bond fans really stay away, or are these empty threats? Our hunch is that EON will stay with Craig and milk the "controversy" for all its worth.
Bizarre Product Placement: James Bond to Drive a Fiat Econobox
According to an article on Bloomberg, James Bond will slip behind the wheel of, ahem, a Fiat Panda:
The Fiat Panda, one of Fiat SpA's cheapest models, will make its screen debut in the next James Bond film due in 2006, replacing the luxury cars typically used by the secret agent such as Aston Martin's V12 Vanquish.
The Panda, which is priced from 12,490 euros ($15,379), 21 times less than the Vanquish, will have cinema's most famous secret agent behind the wheel in ``Casino Royale,'' the latest installment of the James Bond saga.
According to the article, Fiat didn't have to pay any placement fees, and just has to provide multiple cars for the production. If this is indeed true, it looks like a major marketing coup for Fiat and a mjor miscue for whoever's marketing the Bond franchise. Any way you look at it, Q is going to have to work some major miracles to make this econobox look even half-way cool. [Via Bloomberg.com: Europe]
Sony Releases Extended 'Stealth' Preview for TiVo Users
According to Jaffe Juice, Joseph Jaffe recently discovered the first four minutes of 'Stealth' waiting for him in his "My TiVo" showcase:
My TiVo showcase offered me the opportunity to watch the first 4 minutes of the just released action movie, Stealth. Obviously the idea here is to show a bit of skin to the audience (and what better way than an action-packed opening sequence...remember Saving Private Ryan?) and have them salivating at the mouth wanting more....
Some of the comments following the entry note that if these recommended clips were tied in to the shows they actually watch, this might be a highly useful (and valuable) promotional tool for Movie Marketers (though we doubt anything short of cash incentives could have got audiences in to see this turkey). We hope, for Jaffe's sake, that 'Stealth' isn't a reflection of his TiVo habits! [Via Jaffe Juice]
Universal announces 'King Kong' Affinity MasterCard
According to the 'Kong is King' fan site, Universal is planning to issue a limited edition King Kong MasterCard on October 1st:
The new card, an illustration of Kong on the the front, depicting a poignant moment on Skull Island, is the ultimate design for fans eagerly awaiting the release of the movie. Consumers may pre-register for the card by visiting the official KING KONG movie website and clicking on 'Get the Card' - and in the months leading up to the film, have the opportunity to receive King Kong theatrical updates, sneak-peeks at Limited Edition Kong merchandise and much more.
Universal has had their branded card for several years now, but this is the first time an affinity credit card has been issued to promote a film. The card is part of a broader effort by Universal to cultivate long-term awareness for 'King Kong', and with over 300,000 monthly visitors and 65,000+ forum posts to the Kong is King site, they definitely seem on track. [Via Kong is King.net]
Sony Pictures teams up with Maven Networks to promote 'Stealth' via Broadband
According to a joint press release issued today, Sony Pictures is teaming up with Maven Networks, a company that specializes in broadband content, to provide high quality streaming elements to promote the upcoming release of 'Stealth':
Sony Pictures Digital's video content will include a series of trailers, games, and exclusive behind-the-scenes video content directly to consumers who opt-in at the film's Web site. With Maven's technology, Sony can reach consumers directly online and build a powerful, ongoing, and measurable relationship with movie fans.
Entertainment companies are now able to offer full-screen, highest-quality video content to promote their films. With more than 58% of U.S. online households(1) now accessing the Internet via broadband connections, former barriers to receiving high-quality, full-screen videos -- such as download time and illegal sharing -- now can be surmounted technologically. Movie studios are among the first to embrace broadband video to showcase their products.
With all the debate surrounding the box office performance this year, there's little doubt in everyone's mind that actual attendance numbers are down. Because of the myriad of home entertainment choices and rising ticket prices, consumers are more apt to explore movie websites in order to choose what films to see -- providing the highest quality of marketing materials is part of this equation.
[Via Marketwire]
Warner Brothers promotes 'Batman Begins' with Yahoo Takeover Ads
Warner Brothers has purchased massive takeover ads on the Yahoo homepage, which includes heavy flash animated bats and sound effects. If anyone else spots a major 'Batman Begins' online ad buy, post where you saw it as a comment.
[Thanks to Adrants]
NY Post Distributes Free 'Batman Begins' Comic Book
Fast Company alerted us to another Batman Begins promo and giveaway -- basically, the New York Post is giving away free copies of a special 'Batman' comic book with each newspaper. As Warner Bros. parent company Time Warner owns D.C. Comics, this isn't surprising. Fast Company notes that there's a saturation level of outdoor advertising on the streets of Gotham, and we're battening down the hatches for the maelstrom of 'Batman Begins' TV ads this week.
Seems that the MSM has pegged Batman as the last hope for a decent theatrical take at the box office this season. If the early reviews are any indication, that won't be a problem.
[Via Fast Company Now]
Flashback -- Hear the Original 'Star Wars' Radio Spots from 1977
If you want to see just how far ad creatives have come in the last 30-odd years, listen to these original 'Star Wars' radio ads from 1977. Quaint by today's production standards, the constant "Don't be afraid - it's only a movie" seems like it was culled from the the horror genre playbook. It's amazing that these ads are still kicking around -- get 'em before they're gone.
[Via A Small Victory]
20th Century Fox Jumps on the UMD Bandwagon
Per Retail Merchandiser, 20th Century Fox has announced a slate of five UMD titles to bow this Summer:
Targeting the platform's core demo of men ages 18-34, the first five titles to be released by the studio include 'I, Robot,' 'Napoleon Dynamite,' 'Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story,' 'Super Troopers,' and 'Predator.' The initial wave of titles will hit retail shelves in July, with a catalog of releases immediately scheduled for subsequent waves.
No prebook, street date, or SRP were announced, but they will more than likely be in-line with other studio's offerings. This Announcement comes on the heels of Universal's announcement yesterday. How long before we see the independents join the game? That's dependent on how rich the licensing scheme with Sony is -- right now, it might not pay to release titles that won't move 50-75K units. However, I think that an independent could really clean up by releasing martial arts and extreme sports content (skateboarding, snowboarding, motorcycle racing).
[Via Retail Merchandiser]
Studios Clamoring For Trailer Slots in Front of 'Star Wars: Episode III'
Posted on Tuesday May 17, 2005 Filed under 18-35 Males, 20th Century Fox, Action & Adventure, Dreamworks, Lionsgate Films, Movie Advertising, Movie Trailers, Paramount, Theatrical, Universal, Warner BrothersAccording to the Los Angeles Times, the highly-anticipated 'Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith' is bowing in 3,700 theaters, and movie marketing executives are jockeying for coveted trailer slots. Further exacerbating the demand is Lucas' demand that no more than five trailers bow before his feature. Given how lackluster the box office has been so far this year, many films are banking on this added push to help get butts in seats:
Others in the mix, according to another studio: New Line's 'Wedding Crashers,' DreamWorks' 'The Island,' Universal's 'Cinderella Man' and Warner Bros.' 'Batman Begins.' And some studios are also sending trailers for other films directly to exhibitors in hopes of screening with 'Revenge of the Sith.' Sony, for example, is distributing a new "teaser" trailer for 'The Da Vinci Code,' even though the movie doesn't come out for a year
The article mentions that the only film guaranteed placement is 'The Fantastic Four.' Of all of these films, the films that probably need the marketing boost most are New Line's 'Wedding Crashers,' and Universal's 'Cinderella Man.'
[Via the Los Angeles Times]
Dreamwork's 'Madagascar' trailered on a Paramount DVD
According to Video Business, the upcoming Dreamworks film 'Madagascar' has been trailered on Paramount's DVD release of 'Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events'. Although header trailers of new releases have been on DVDs for some time, this is the first instance of a competing studio's trailer on a DVD.
The unusual move is due to pre-existing promotional agreements between Dreamworks and Paramount:
This unusual case of a studio promoting another's fare came about because Lemony Snicket is a Paramount and Dreamworks co-production and thus the two are splitting domestic and international DVD revenue. The CG-animated Madagascar, however, is not a co-production.
DreamWorks and Universal Studios Home Entertainment discs often include cross-promotion of each other's movies, but that's attributable to the fact that Universal is DreamWorks' distribution partner. Paramount entered the mix back in November 2004, when DreamWorks' Shrek 2 DVDs featured a trailer for Lemony Snicket.
There just happens to be another great article in VB today discussing the inevitability of third-party studio commercials on DVDs. Today, a partner trailer, tomorrow, a Pepsi ad? Is this the opening salvo towards greater ad exploitation of the DVD platform?
[Via Video Business Online]
Warner Bros. to promo 'Batman Begins' during 'Smallville' Finale
According to Brand Republic, Warner Brothers will promote the upcoming release of 'Batman Begins' during the season finale of the hit series Smallville.
The finale, which will air on May 18th, will be showing an exclusive clip at some point during the show:
The eight minutes of footage will air within the 90-minute season finale of 'Smallville'. The two [Batman and Superman] have always been linked in comic book fiction and bringing the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight together is designed to further explore the relationship on the screen of two most popular superheroes in the history of American pop culture.
We've seen the broadcast of exclusive clips become an integral part of the movie marketing process over the past year, but none have been so topically on the mark as this one.
Batman begins is due out in theaters on June 17th.
[Via Brand Republic]
Marketing Preview: Superman Returns
Super Hero Hype is giving a brief overview of the advance marketing strategy behind the upcoming Superman Returns movie. Even though its coming from "anonymous sources," it looks in line with what we would expect from Warner Brothers:
The marketing will begin over a year in advance-starting with the teaser trailer that is now scheduled to air with Batman Begins, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Word is Sony Pictures Imageworks is about to start work on about 10 special fx shots that will be featured in the trailer. The official website is also scheduled to be activated around this time, as well, a teaser poster. Then in November, the second trailer will be released with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Rumor is W.B. wants to have the same trailer with King Kong as well. W.B. is also currently shopping for movie tie ins and product placement, and it comes as no surprise that the companies are lining up.
That's nearly 12 months of constant PR and marketing activities leading up to the theatrical, and almost 18 for the DVD release.
Superman Hype! - The latest Superman news and rumors
Sony Will Release Four Movies for the PlayStation Portable
According to CIO Today, Sony has announced that they will release four movies in the UMD format. The titles will street on April 19th following the PlayStation Portable's release in late March.
According to the article, Sony will use UMD-formatted movies to expand the adoption of the PlayStation Portable beyond young males. However, the initial slate doesn't look like it will deviate from their device's core user base:
The movies the company has chosen, however, may not do much to expand that demographic out of the gate. The four titles -- "XXX," "Hellboy," "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" and "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" -- have a fairly limited appeal. They do add to the device's reputation as a viable video viewer, though.
Sony already has announced that it intends to include a copy of "Spider-Man 2" in the first one million PSP units to be sold in the U.S. There is no word on whether or not the movie will be available for separate purchase.
So which titles should Sony release? I would personally like to see more sophisticated fare like 'Closer' or 'Monster' -- what would you movie marketers out there like to see?
CIO Today - Worldwide Technology - Sony To Release PSP-Compatible Movies
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