Marketing Campaigns

What is the purpose?

The purpose of a marketing campaign is to present a good or service to make it appeal to people and entice them to buy it. This is done by using specific activities designed to promote your product in a variety of steps using different types of platforms, these could include: television, radio, print, online etc. However, the campaign doesn't have to rely solely on advertising, it can also include demonstrations, words of mouth and other interactive techniques.

CASE STUDY : EPIC

The movie Epic (2013) has used a variety of different platforms to advertise the film. Their main advertising technique is the internet creating a variety of different sites to promote the film.
They have designed and set up their own website devoted to the entire film : www.epicthemovie.com/

Homepage - 

The website provides information about the characters, how to buy tickets, videos and photos from the film etc. The website also includes activities such as games to appeal to young children. They have also used the internet to set up...

• Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/EpicTheMovie

• Twitter account - https://twitter.com/epicthemovie

• YouTube channel - http://www.youtube.com/epicthemovie

• Instagram account - http://instagram.com/epicthemovie

They have done this so that they can target a variety of different audiences. Using social networks such as the ones listed above makes it easier for them to reach younger audiences such as teenagers or young adults. Also information about the film can be shared and liked on sites such as FaceBook and Twitter making news of the film spread quickly. The social networking sites are used to provide updates about the film to a variety of different audiences.

Campaign Posters - 

some examples of the campaign posters designed and used for epic are:

For these campaign posters you can see that they have structured each one the same, with a large image of a character with the main title 'Epic' with a smaller picture of other characters positioned at the bottom and then the actor who's voice is the character positioned above. Also the colour scheme is the same in each poster. They have been designed this way to make them memorable, therefore when people glance at them they will instantly know they are for Epic the movie.

The Trailer -

Epic the movie released 3 main trailers. Those being:

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6Nwdpa5PcU\
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tD5itOMWqg
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3z2ryJ2960

These 3 trailer differ from each other, this is because one consists of only the soundtrack, a variety of shots and inter-titles, no dialogue is used in it. Another is created through the main character's (M.K) point of view. The last one is just dialogue, music and shots taken from different points in the film mashed together. 3 different trailers have been made to excite the audience and keep them interested. 

Epic the movie used synchronisation with Snow Patrol as a way of promoting the film. Snow Patrol produced a song known as 'The Lightning Strike (what if the storm ends?)' -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RijUVrVx-hE

which is used as the soundtrack for the movie's trailer. This not only promotes the movie but also the band therefore working in favour of both of them. This has been done so that when the song is heard people will instantly think of the movie.

Beyonce Knowles, the voice of the character Queen Tara, has also produced a song known as 'Rise Up' which is played throughout the movie - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANH0oH9ksIY

Both songs are also now available to be bought on iTunes.

Epic the movie used synergy as a method of advertising the film. Mcdonalds joined forces with Epic the movie by creating and releasing toys from the film with every happy meal.  This worked in both Mcdonalds and the films favour as people would spend money by purchasing happy meals but it also made sure people saw and heard of the film.

Reaching Audiences -

Although Epic used the internet as their main platform for advertising they could have also used magazines to expand their target audiences. As the creators of Epic the movie are trying to target children they are also trying to target parents. This may be one of the reasons they selected certain stars to play characters in the film, for example Beyoncé who plays the voice of Queen Tara is a very popular star and is idolised by many, this
shows that people can expect a good performance of her, thus making the film appeal more to the older audience.

They could also reach their older audience (parents) by advertising the movie not only in children's/teenage magazines such as Shout, Bliss etc.

They could advertise the film in women's magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Glamour etc. To reach an older audience. 

Advertising the film in a women's magazines is probably a safer way of reaching an older audience as stereotypically it is women who spend more time with their children than the males, therefore if they see and hear about the film there is a chance that they will decide to take their children to see the film.