Step Right Up Marketing Plan by Samantha Militante

Marketing Plan by Samantha Militante Entertainment Marketing

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table of contents Phase one Overview Executive Summary Positioning Statement Cast & Crew Synopsis Key Facts Target Audience Marketing Opportunities Marketing Obstacles The Big Idea

6 7 8-9 10 11 12-14 15 16 17

Phase two Festival Strategy Overall Strategy Target Festivals Festival Kit Festival Guerilla

19 20-21 22-25 26

Phase Three Distribution Strategy Overall Strategy Target Distributors Release Strategy Competitve Landscape

28 29-30 31 32

Phase Four Consumer Strategy Overall Strategy Campaign Timeline Creative Strategy Creative Materials Trailers Print & Outdoor Media Strategy Print Television Digital Media Publicity Promotions Market Research Budget

34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43-48 49 50 51 52

Phase one1 Overview

executive summary Young love, growing up, and living in someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s shadow are only a few of the issues that Step Right Up boldly tackles. As we witness our young protagonist, Bradley Byrd, redefine himself through a whirlwind journey to win over his crush, we are reminded of something that we have all experienced - being the underdog. This campaign will not only celebrate Bradleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s triumph as an underdog, but the idea of defying social norms as well. We will incorporate all aspects of the film, from its underdog theme to carnival setting, into an integrated marketing campaign that will focus heavily on digital engagement. By doing this, we will go beyond the walls of traditional marketing and instead enter Step Right Up into the cultural awareness of the millennial generation.

positioning statement Step Right Up is a raw and edgy coming-of-age comedy that follows the adventures of Bradley Byrd, a young man determined to prove his worth to the girl of his dreams. Bradley deals with the stigma of being a bona fide underdog and seeks to conquer his insecurities with the help of his best friend, Tanner Posey.

key crew Brand on Ka Direct pelow o Photo r of graph y

Levi Robbins Director

an i l a d a B Lauren ucer Prod

isky r B y Frisk s stupid e’ (Kyl ekick) sid sey o P Kyle ner’s (Tan ebag ch dou ro) b

key cast

Eric Byrd (Bradley’s Alex Os ) m o r b Laura Drake r perfect olde (Laura’s ond b*tchy Bradley Byrd (The love of friend) Bradley’s life) y e s (Our hero) Po Tanner ’s One-E yed Jo (Bradley e (Treac ) d u b t h s e rou be carnie s )

synopsis Twelve-year-old Bradley Byrd enlists the help of his best friend, Tanner Posey, in wooing the beautiful Laura Drake. Despite Laura being a devout Mormon, who isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t allowed to date until the age of sixteen, Bradley is unrelenting in his efforts. Together, he and Tanner attempt to impress Laura at the annual town carnival by playing the notoriously difficult high striker game. However, when they fail and inadvertently upset the treacherous clown carnie, One Eyed Joe, Bradley and Tanner must run for their lives.

key facts GENRE Action, Comedy, Romance RATING R TAGLINE Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fight the man. Be the man.

primary audience MILLENIAL TASTEMAKERS will best identify with the nostalgic coming-ofage theme in 15 Minutes. They will certainly identify and relate with the issue of self-worth that the film is rooted in and will appreciate the realistic portrayal of the adololescence world. Tastemakers will range from high school seniors to college graduates. They are very conscious of popular culture and are also the most likely to be early adopters of independent films, which means they would be willing to give the genre twisting Step Right Up a chance. As heavy users of social media outlets, they will be crucial in word-of-mouth marketing. Demographic: Ages 17-25; male and female

secondary audience RAUNCHY HUMOR FANS will enjoy the raw, physical humor of the film. The Raunchy Humor Fans usually watch commercial, wide release movies, as they are usually not as aware of independent releases. They regularly enjoy tonally similar films, such as Superbad and 21 Jump Street. Since the film is driven by a primarily male cast, young male audiences will be able to easily relate to the experiences of Bradley and Tanner. Demographic: Ages 26-34; male

tertiary audience ART-HOUSE LOVERS will be drawn to the unorthodox elements of the film. The fact that Step Right Up is a crude, rated R film that features a young cast makes it a unique film in the current marketplace. Art house lovers make an effort to seek out independent films either at film festivals or at art house theaters. They have been categorized as the tertiary audience since they are likely to be aware and seek out the film on their own as opposed to the Tastemakers and Raunchy Humor Fans, who will need to be convinced through our marketing efforts. Demographic: Ages 18-40; male and female

the pros OPPORTUNITIES • Realism - The film’s uconventional R rating allows it to portray its preteen and teenage characters in a realistic manner, offering audiences an uncensored look at their world. The realistic tone of the film will be emphasized throughout the campaign. • Carnival Setting - The film’s carnival setting allows for the use of festive imagery that will be utilized in all marketing executions. • Social Media - Since the majority of the film’s target audience falls within the millenial demographic, the heaviest social media users, Internet marketing will be a huge asset. • Battle of the Underdog - The idea of rooting for an underdog will be incorporated throughout the campaign.

the cons

OBSTACLES • Rating - Although the unique quality of Step Right Up being a rated R film featuring a youth cast is an advantage, it also works to the film’s disadvantage. Audiences under the age of 17, who are likely to identify with the film’s young lead actors, will legally not be allowed to view the film during its theatrical release. • Scare Factor - The film’s antagonist, One Eyed Joe, is a frightening version of the traditional carnie. This could potentially turn some audiences away if they aren’t fans of horror. The campaign will be sure to position One Eyed Joe in a more humorous light to avoid this problem.

the big idea

dare Step Right Up is driven by multiple plotlines: a boy becoming a young man, a young man pursuing the girl of his dreams, and the camaradarie between two best friends. The unifying element within each of these stories is the idea of having the courage to challenge the norm. Just as Bradley dares to defy the odds against him, this campaign will dare audiences to indulge in a film that breaks down the conventions of the traditional coming-of-age movie.

Phase two2 Festival Strategy

overall strategy The primary strategy for targeting film festivals will be to utilize Step Right Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unorthodox nature as a raw, comedic coming-of-age film by screening and competing at prestigious festivals with niche categories. In addition, we will target festivals in cities where the film is likely to begin its theatrical platform release, such as Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago.

first tier festivals January 22 - February 1, 2015 Ideally, Step Right Up will make its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Step Right Up is a perfect match for the out-ofcompetition “Park City at Midnight” category. This category typically features more experimental films that “defy any genre” ranging from comedy to horror.

September 10 - September 20, 2014 The 2014 Toronto International Film Festival is another target festival for Step Right Up to make its debut. TIFF is a public film festival known for its cinephilic audiences and high-profile attendees. TIFF’s vast international audience is the perfect opportunity for mass exposure.

April 23 - April 26, 2015

South by Southwest’s “Visions” category, dedicated to “risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape,” is an ideal fit for Step Right Up. The festival runs from April 23rd to April 26th, 2015 and is dedicated to helping emerging filmmakers.

second tier festivals June 10 - June 19, 2014

The LA Film Festival is the perfect platform to use before the film’s theatrical release. In addition, it will also give the filmmakers the opportunity to network with working professionals in Hollywood.

April 16 - April 27, 2014

The Tribeca Film Festival takes place in NYC, the hub of independent cinema. The festival has a history of honoring first time directors, which could be a great opportunity for director, Levi Robbins.

October 9 - October 23, 2014 The Chicago International Film Festival hosts a couple of categories that Step Right Up qualifies for, including the “New Directors Competition.”

May 13 - May 18, 2014

A lesser known yet widely attended festival, Little Rock Film Festival takes place in Robbins’ home state and celebrates regional independent cinema.

festival kit

the making of

From the start, Robbins always had a distinct vision for how he wanted both the characters and settings to look. The time and effort that went into executing this vision will be highlighted in the festival kit. Concept art and preliminary set plans will be included so that festivals can understand and appreciate the labor put into establishing the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visual aesthetic. 23

behind the scenes

festival guerilla POP-UP POPCORN At each festival that Step Right Up screens at, we will bring mobile popcorn booths to serve free popcorn to festival goers. This will both celebrate the carnival setting of the film while also promoting the festival screenings.

EYE PATCHES In addition, eye patches with the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title will be distributed to festival goers. This will serve as both a word-of-mouth marketing tool as well as a way of familiarizing audiences with One-Eyed Joe.

Phase three3 Distribution Strategy

distribution strategy Thematically, Step Right Up has something for everyone. From action to romance, it is a story filled with heart and is intended to make us reflect on our own adolescent experiences. Due to its genre transcending nature, however, it is imperative to find a distributor that has worked with similar films in the past. For this reason, the Step Right Up will ideally be distributed by an independent, art-house studio that will know how to enter the film into the marketplace.

primary distributor A24 is a film distribution, production, and finance company that was recently formed in 2012. Although they are a relatively new and small company, they have demonstrated marketing finesse in distributing independent rated-R films that targeted the millennial generation. Most recently, they distributed The Bling Ring, The Spectacular Now, and Spring Breakers. All three films featured young talent and dealt with socially relevant issues, such as alcoholism, drugs, and theft. A24â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy for these films was to concentrate on digital marketing as opposed to traditional. Doing this allowed them to speak directly to their millennial target audience and begin an online conversation about each film. A24 has claimed that they intend on bridging the gap between art-house and multiplex films by attracting both commercial moviegoers and art-house lovers. This falls perfectly in line with our marketing vision for Step Right Up.

secondary distributors

Based on Focus Featureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past success with distributing independent, quirky genre films, it is the most suitable distributor for Step Right Up. They recently had success with distributing Wes Andersonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critically acclaimed Moonrise Kingdom, a young, quirky romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a summer camp. This film is thematically and visually similar to that of Step Right Up. The Weinstein Company and Focus Features would also be appropriate distributors to consider after Focus Features. The Weinstein Company has successfully distributed independent rated R films in the past, such as Silver Linings Playbook and Fruitvale Station. In addition, Weinstein usually shops for such films at high profile festivals, like Sundance - a target festival for this campaign.

release strategy July 1, 2015

Step Right Up will receive a platform release. After the film finishes making its rounds on the festival circuit by the end of April 2015, it will be in the perfect position to receive a platform release in our target cities: Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. These cities are the ideal locations to begin Step Right Upâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s theatrical release, as they are where the majority of our target audience is located, particularly the Tastemakers and Art-house Lovers. July 1, 2015 is the Wednesday before the July 4 holiday weekend, which will give the film the advantage of opening during one of the most popular box office weekends of the year. Ideally, the film will be successful enough in its platform opening to screen in more theaters over the course of summer 2015.

competitive landscape

Ted 2 Release Date: June 26, 2015

Terminator 5 Release Date: July 1, 2015

Despicable Me: Minions Release Date: July 10, 2015

We will face competition from several blockbuster franchise films over the course of the month, including another rated-R comedy, Ted 2, which opens the weekend prior to July 1st. However, we believe that Step Right Up differs enough from Ted in style, tone, and theme and can still attract our target audiences. Furthermore, a fair share of people find Seth MacFarlaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s humor in Ted to be polarizing, which means that there is an opportunity to market Step Right Up to this audience. Furthermore, the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carnival setting and all-American characters match well thematically with Independence Day.

Phase four 4 Consumer Strategy

overall strategy As previously mentioned, our Tastemaker target is incredibly Internet savvy and active on social media outlets. For this reason, we will place an emphasis on digital marketing so that we may speak directly to the millennials. Our goal is to introduce the film through online outlets in order to make Step Right Up become a part of the cultural consciousness of our target audiences. Then, we will continue to remind and engage the consumer through the combined use of traditional, such as television and nontraditional marketing methods. The result will be a fully integrated marketing campaign that will appeal to both independent cinema lovers as well as the more traditional moviegoers.

campaign timeline INTRODUCE August 2014 - December 2014

The Introduction phase will take place as the film makes its rounds on the festival circuit. This period of the campaign will concentrate on building awareness and interest around the film.

Captivate

January 2015 - April 2015 As the film finishes it’s festival run and approaches a limited release, we will engage audiences with more aggressive tactics.

blowout May 2015 - August 2015 The Blowout phase will expand the campaign’s reach to multiple audiences through the use of traditional and nontraditional outlets. The primary goal will be to drive audiences to the film’s premiere.

• Launch official Step Right Up website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages • Official poster release • Early publicity from select media outlets

• • • •

Relase teaser trailers online Social media promotions and partnerships Traditional online advertising In-theater marketing

• • • • •

Television advertising and publicity Outdoor marketing Social media and online efforts continue Promotional screenings Official release on July 1, 2014

creative strategy Big Idea

dare Tagline Don’t fight the man. Be the man.

Color Palette

Visually, the campaign is heavily influenced by the film’s carnival setting and nostalgic theme. The color scheme embraces the aesthetic of the film’s actual set design, while the use of vintage photos highlights the nostalgic aspect of the film. These creative elements will be implemented in all creative executions.

creative materials Trailers • Teaser trailer • Official trailer • Internet trailer

Television

• :60 second spot • :30 second spot • Countdown spot

• Newspaper ads • Magazine ads

Online

Outdoor • • • • • •

Billboards Bus shelters Bus wraps Wild postings Key art posters Theater standees

• • • • • •

Facebook sponsored ads Promoted Tweets Promoted Instagram posts Banner ads Online radio ads Website takeovers

trailers

print & outdoor

media strategy In order to effectively reach all three of our target audiences, a combination of traditional and digital media outlets will be utilized. Our media strategy will include a variety of activities, including paying for traditional television spots during primetime viewing hours, as well as website takeovers.

print Our print media strategy will focus on more magazine outlets rather than newspaper. Regional newspapers in select cities, particularly those where the film will be initially released, will be targeted. In addition, we will place print ads in national magazines that have varying degrees of reach. While Variety and Vanity Fair appeal specifically to entertainment industry professionals and art-house film lovers, People and Rolling Stone have more mass appeal and reach a more general audience.

television

• The Voice Season Premiere • Community • Parks and Recreation

• Awkward • Teen Wolf

• Family Guy • Raising Hope

• The Walking Dead

• It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Despite the everchanging media landscape, traditional television remains the outlet with the largest overall reach. During the Blowout phase of the campaign, we will target both broadcast and basic cable networks in order to reach all three of our target audiences. We will implement a reach strategy instead of frequency by targeting programs that have a history of high viewership numbers, such as AMC’s The Walking Dead.

digital media

Digital media plays the most crucial role in the overall campaign. In terms of media buys, banner ads, online radio ads, web takeovers, and promoted social media posts will be purchased. Additionally, multiple online outlets will be utilized for publicity and promotions.