Lights, Camera, Publicity: How PR Can Make or Break a New Blockbuster Movie

When it comes to promoting a new blockbuster movie, it’s not just about the glitz and glamour of the red carpet premiere. Whether it’s Hollywood or Nollywood, the success of a new film often hinges on the effectiveness of its PR campaign. From leveraging social media to organizing unique events, PR strategies play a critical role in the success of a new film. In this article, we’ll explore the key tactics used by PR professionals to promote new blockbusters, with examples from recent premieres.

Building Anticipation

Months before the film’s premiere, the film’s public relations team works to generate buzz by releasing teaser trailers, posters, and social media posts. PR experts try to create enthusiasm and anticipation for the film with the use of savvy messaging and expertly created visuals.

One such example is the public relations effort for Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “Avengers: Endgame.” The PR team for the movie established a veil of secrecy surrounding it, which only heightened viewers’ interest. To deter fans from giving away spoilers, they introduced the hashtag #DontSpoilTheEndgame, which in only 48 hours generated over 2 million social media mentions.

Leveraging Influencers

In today’s digital age, social media influencers have become a strong instrument for film promotion. PR teams may reach a larger audience and foster more engagement by collaborating with influencers in the movie’s intended demographic.

A wonderful illustration of this strategy in action is the “Black Panther” PR campaign. To produce a “Wakanda-inspired” clothing collection, the team collaborated with fashion bloggers, inspiring over 200,000 social media postings with the hashtag #WakandaForever. The team also collaborated with food bloggers to develop “Wakanda-inspired” recipes, which were then posted on social media and increased conversation.

Creating Engaging Experiences

In addition to the typical red carpet premiere, PR teams can design interesting experiences that provide a distinctive perspective on the film.

One instance of this is the publicity campaign for the movie “Joker,” which produced a pop-up experience that let viewers explore the movie’s famous staircase scene. More than 40 million social media impressions were generated by the pop-up, which also gave viewers a sense of immersion in the world of the movie. Another such is the PR effort for “Merry Men 2,” which hosted a special Valentine’s Day screening event for couples. Couples were able to view the film in a novel way thanks to the event, which garnered a lot of social media impressions.

Managing Crisis Communication

The success of a movie might be threatened by unforeseen circumstances, even with the greatest efforts of PR staff. To control the issue and safeguard the reputation of the film under these circumstances, a PR crisis communication plan is essential.

A PR crisis was handled by the PR team for “The Interview” after the movie was pulled from theatres as a result of a threat from hackers. The team had to negotiate a media frenzy and make sure the reputation of the movie was safeguarded. Another instance is the media frenzy that followed the movie “Okafor’s Law” being yanked from theatres due to legal issues. To handle the situation and prevent the film’s reputation from being harmed, the PR team needed to act immediately.

The PR team’s work is far from done once the movie has been released. Utilizing data analytics and social media listening techniques to analyse viewer sentiment, they continue to keep an eye on the film’s performance. This feedback can then be utilised to modify upcoming marketing initiatives and offer insightful information to studio executives and filmmakers.

In sum, the importance of PR in promoting a fresh hit film cannot be emphasized. A new movie’s success depends heavily on PR specialists, who do everything from raising anticipation and utilizing influencers to developing engaging events and handling crisis communication. By utilizing these tactics and continuously adapting to the ever-changing landscape of the film industry, PR teams can help ensure that a new blockbuster movie reaches its target audience and achieves box office success.

A public relations and communications professional with expertise in managing communication and strategy for global brands like Coca-Cola, the Diageo brands, Hennessy, Prime Video, and more. Colin Apata has worked on global brand campaigns and upscale hospitality services in Nigeria. Projects include coordinating events such as an art exhibitions, press junkets, a watch party for a season premiere, wine tasting, chef’s table, launch event, cigar pairings, and more.

Colin is also a brand strategist and content writer who loves helping businesses communicate their brand stories through engaging content.