Film Marketing: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Case Study Example

Introduction One of the box office hits this year is the adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and inspired by George Lucas’, the executive producer, brilliantly written story. This is the fourth movie in the Indiana Jones sequel which brings back the glamour of the illustrious protagonist of the Indy franchise, Harrison Ford. This 2008 Indy movie occurred in 1957 which developed the role of Ford as an archaeologist adventurer wrestling against the rival force of the Soviet Union headed by Irina Spalko which is played by the Academy Award Best Supporting Actress for the movie “The Aviator” Cate Blanchett (Internet Movie Database, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, 2008). The star-studded cast of the movie proved to be a great advantage to the film’s costly marketing campaign which is shown by the positive turn-outs of movie reviews and both local and international cinema earnings. The marketing operation of the movie established its foundation on the people’s nostalgia for the series which is then further reinforced by various promotional techniques or promotion mix namely, visual aids such as posters, magazines and trailers; audio support such as the soundtrack; co-promotion or linkage to signature products; and press coverage. Aside from exploiting the possible concrete promotional venues, the marketing staff of the movie also stimulated the natural curiosity of the public through creating a heightened environment of confidentiality regarding the upcoming fourth Indy movie. Incidences of revealing the undisclosed development of the movie resulted to a non-disclosure agreement and even the imprisonment of an anonymous man for stealing a computer which is full of manuscripts connected to the on-going production. These occurrences amplified the excitement and the nosiness of the public to the rumored release of a fourth Indy film. On May 22, 2008, the most-awaited movie is finally released, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Ian Freer, “The Indiana Jones Diaries”, 2008). The marketing staff of the fourth Indy movie basically realized the importance of an integrated marketing communication or the combination of promotional techniques to form one comprehensive and systematic marketing approach. The main objective of this type of promotional strategy is to maximize company’s resources so as to establish a credible and interesting image of a particular product (William Nickels, “Understanding Business”, 2005). Aside from using the traditional approach to advertising, the marketing staff of the fourth Indy film takes advantage of the convenience and the inexpensive availability of the Internet through creating a website that pictures the exciting adventures of Indiana Jones and other appealing stuffs to expect from the movie. Apparently, the promotional strategy of the fourth Indy movie can be summed up into three categories, namely, advertising, public relations and infomercial which include the interactive promotion through the Internet. In advertising, the paid and non-personal communication media used by the film’s marketing campaign are the posters, trailers, magazines and soundtrack albums. Apart from capitalizing on the competency of the advertising medium, the film’s promotional movement made a bold move to stage the Crystal Skull at the Cannes Film Festivals which draw out a lot of skeptics and critics of the production. The major purpose of making the film’s premier a spectacular one is to evaluate the public’s attitude, expectation and perception of the upcoming fourth Indy movie by the influence of the promotional tools utilized by the marketing sector of the production; and the best way to assess the success of the movie is through the lens of the critics. This approach further strengthened the film’s marketing campaign because public relations are sufficiently established through press coverage and releases. Moreover, the promotion dig deeper than the worn out marketing lines of attack by exploiting the promise of an advanced promotional technique which is the infomercial or a full-length or a short-run TV program that would exclusively promote the movie. The infomercial made use of cross-promotion or product ties with branded goods such as M&M and Burger King (Chris Thilk, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, 2008). Integrated with the infomercial strategy is the internet through the official website of the movie where the public could browse on to gain knowledge on the bits and pieces of the fourth blockbuster Indy film. The promotional techniques selected by the people who are largely responsible for the remarkable success of the fourth Indy film, particularly the posters, can be analyzed on two aspects, the surface meaning or attractiveness and the semiotic or symbolical message of the promotional tools. The teaser poster of the movie is realized through hard work and much creativity of the Paramount and the Lucasfilm. Actually, there were two major posters that the movie makers released; however, the one that shows Indiana Jones in full human outline at the foyer of a prehistoric and spooky terrain is chosen to become the primary poster for the movie (Jim Windolf, “Keys to the Kingdom”, 2008). The secondary poster is preferred as an auxiliary because of its dullness and jam-packed facade heightened by the presence of some of the major casts in the movie. It appears that the poster showing the sole image of the protagonist Jones is preferred by the movie makers because of its mystifying symbols and implications unlike the other poster which does not leave much to the imagination of the viewers. The silhouette outline of Indiana Jones in the teaser poster is fortified by Jones’ trademark outfit which is consisted of the hat and the dependable whip in hand. The background motif which is accentuated by the vibrant shade of orange intensified its nostalgic countenance because of its reminiscent animation of Jones character and heart-pounding adventures. The solitary heroic image of Jones is sustained by the promotional trilogy DVDs which picture only the iconic posture of Jones. The visual aspects of the promotional tools indicate a traditional approach to a hero-adventure story because of its emphasis on the central character’s fight against the evil forces in the world. Symbolically, it appeals to the heart of the masses especially to those who are experiencing extreme difficulties in life because of Jones’ unrelenting resolve to dispose of the limitations restricting his existence through courageously battling with the perilous and the unknown. Moreover, the visual support of the film’s marketing campaign connotes a customary recognition to the superiority of the men in wrestling against the formidable forces of nature and destiny. Similarly, the trailers of the movie are created differently to show a variety of action-packed scenes and adventures. However, the teaser trailer grabbed most of the critics and the public attention because of its reminiscent ambiance. The first few portions of the trailer’s scenes are largely granted to the recollection of the previous Indy moves in the trilogy. In order to produce a dramatic effect on the introduction of the comeback character of Indiana Jones, the scenes meticulously eliminated the full outline of Harrison Ford in the different angular shots making his countenance more of a phantom or a shadow than a physically existent individual. The teaser trailer utilized the effectiveness of thrill through making the entire scenes slow moving hence extremely suspenseful. Then, a climactic scene will show Indiana Jones being thrashed to the ground but then successfully came back at his feet and bravely picked up his fallen sun-hat; this exciting part of the trailer further increased its intensity by following the trails of the running Indiana Jones, fedora already in place and bringing back the glamour of the first time he arrived at the big screen (Chris Thilk, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, 2008). Convincingly, at the last stretch of the trailer, the importance of relaying the movie’s story to the public is drowned by its overemphasis on the underlying objective of the trailer, which is to sell the excitement engendered in the movie. The thrill-filled character of the fourth Indy film is highlighted by the car chase, the escape from the evil villains and the encounters with unbelievable objects and events. As a finale, the trailer ends with the teaser poster that shows Indiana Jones standing against the scary backdrop of the crystal skull (ibid). Generally, the teaser trailer did not do anything but to arouse the awareness of the public that a well-written and spectacularly directed fourth Indy film will be released soon. The trailer first refreshed the memories of the Indy trilogy to condition the public’s mind on the context of a fresh movie being created with a star-studded cast and big Hollywood filmmakers. On the other hand, the film’s marketing campaign exploited other venues aside from the traditional posters and trailers by cross-promotions or creating a wide selection of marketing partners and signature products such as M&M’s and Burger King (ibid). This move is purely for promotional purposes, nothing else. Actually, linking M&M’s to Indiana Jones is like mixing oil and water. M&M’s symbolizes innocence, wholesomeness and childlike perception towards the world whereas on the contrary, Indiana Jones depicts matured decision making approach to life and broad awareness towards the intricacies of the natural world. Lastly, the film marketing campaign goes big time by including the power of the World Wide Web or the Internet in their objective to conquer the movie industry this year. The Indiana Jones website is actually a plethora of adventure objects, attractions and events. The loading page is very appealing because it shows an outline of Indiana Jones swaying his favorite whip. Also, the theme song of the movie playing in the background while a viewer browse on the content creates a nostalgic air of heroism exhibited by Indiana Jones in his chartbuster trilogy. The entire design and appearance of the website is enough to convince the public that the fourth Indy film is a serious enterprise created by big names in America’s movie industry. The main contributor in the success of the movie’s promotional campaign is the accomplishment in creating a sensation among the public that a fourth Indy film is upcoming and that it promises an adventure-ridden and jam-packed action scenes that would leave them hanging in their seats. Appendix 1 Questionnaire Marketing Campaign of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 1. Are you aware that there is a fourth Indiana Jones movie? ________ Yes ________ No 2. Did you watch the full-blown movie? ________ Yes ________ No 3. Among these promotional tools, what encouraged you to watch the movie? ________ posters ________ trailers ________ commercials ________ soundtracks ________ press release ________ website 4. Among these advertisements, what is the one that you weren’t able to see or did not bother to check out? ________ posters ________ trailers ________ commercials ________ soundtracks ________ press release ________ website 5. Why did you prefer this particular promotional tool? Why didn’t you like this particular promotional tool? 6. Which of these two posters is more appealing? Please explain your choice. ------------Thank you for your cooperation!---------- Appendix 2 Transcript of the Interviews Female Respondents Question 1 Female 1: Yes Female 2: Yes Female 3: Yes Female 4: No Female 5: Yes Female 6: Yes Female 7: Yes Question 2 Female 1: No Female 2: Yes Female 3: Yes Female 4: No Female 5: Yes Female 6: No Female 7: Yes Question 3 Female 1: n/a Female 2: trailers Female 3: website Female 4: n/a Female 5: trailers Female 6: n/a Female 7: commercial Question 4 Female 1: website Female 2: press release Female 3: press release Female 4: all of the above Female 5: website Female 6: website Female 7: website Question 5 Female 1: I did not watch the movie because I am really busy at work. No time to go to cinemas or watch it at home. Female 2: I liked the trailers because it excites me. The premier night I heard is good but I did not bother to watch it anymore. Female 3: Their website is full of amazing stuffs and I was able to obtain an idea on the details of the movie such as the production, filmmakers, etc. I saw an advertisement about the upcoming press release of the movie but I was not interested so I didn’t watch it. Female 4: I am not a fan of Indiana Jones ever since. Female 5: While I was watching my favorite program “friends” the trailer of the Indiana Jones the movie flashed in the screen. It was really a nice production because it looks extremely adventurous. I wasn’t able to check the website because I don’t have time. Female 6: I saw the posters and trailers and they are really creative but it didn’t convince me to watch the movie. I didn’t bother to check out the website because I do not have enough interest to browse on it. Female 7: I am a potato couch and always see the commercials connected to Indiana Jones. I thought that maybe the movie is good so I watched it. My friends send the website link to Indiana Jones but I just deleted it because I’m not interested to see it. Question 6 Female 1: Even though I don’t like Indiana Jones, I think the second poster is much better than the other because it is scary but interesting. The appearance of Indiana Jones made the poster attractive. Female 2: The second poster is more attractive because of Indiana Jones’ handsome and firm posture. Female 3: The first one is better. The other characters in the movie are recognized. Female 4: I liked the first one more. It shows the adventure and the action of the movie. Female 5: Obviously, the second poster is much better. It shows the popularity of Indiana Jones. Female 6: The second one is attractive. The entire picture and color blended harmoniously. Appendix 3 Transcript of the Interviews Male Respondents Question 1 Male 1: Yes Male 2: Yes Male 3: Yes Male 4: Yes Male 5: Yes Male 6: Yes Male 7: Yes Question 2 Male 1: No Male 2: Yes Male 3: No Male 4: Yes Male 5: Yes Male 6: Yes Male 7: Yes Question 3 Male 1: n/a Male 2: commercial Male 3: n/a Male 4: trailer Male 5: commercial Male 6: commercial Male 7: poster Question 4 Male 1: press release Male 2: press release Male 3: press release Male 4: poster Male 5: website Male 6: press release Male 7: press release Question 5 Male 1: I am very willing to watch the movie because the promotions are good but I wasn’t able to allot time for it. Male 2: The commercials of the movie are hard earned and look very striking. I didn’t bother to watch the press release because I do not have time. Male 3: I didn’t really plan to watch the movie even though I have seen their advertisement because I can’t find someone who will watch with me. Male 4: The trailers are fantastic! I saw their teaser poster but I did not pay much attention to it because it looks ordinary to me. Male 5: I love M&M’s and the movie is just right to tie up with the chocolate company. I didn’t check the website because I always forget and I do not have the luxury of time to browse on the internet nowadays. Male 6: The commercials proved their effectiveness because they encouraged me to watch the movie. I don’t really pay attention to press releases; those are only for the media people. Male 7: The posters are absurdly creative and amazing. I remembered the Indiana Jones trilogy and it really brought back good memories. The press release needs time to see, I do not have that. Question 6: Male 1: I think the first one is better. It is colorful and full of actions. Male 2: Definitely, the second poster is more attractive. It has always been before, the image of Indiana Jones against the world. Male 3: The first one; it is more creative I think. Male 4: The second poster is much better. The skull and Indiana Jones looked good together. Male 5: I prefer the second poster because Indiana Jones looks cool. Male 6: The second poster is more appealing because it gives back the memories of the previous Indiana Jones’ movies. Male 7: I like the second poster. It is very ancient and very intriguing. Works Cited Freer, Ian. "The Indiana Jones Diaries." Empire (2008). Internet Movie Database. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/ Nickels, William. Understanding Business. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies., Inc., 2005. Thilk, Chris. "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Movie Marketing Madness (2008). http://www.moviemarketingmadness.com/blog/2008/05/21/movie-marketing-madness-indiana-jones-and-the-kingdom-of-the-crystal-skull/ Windolf, Jim. "Keys to the Kingdom." Vanity Fair (2008). Bibliography Ian Freer, “The Indiana Jones Diaries”, 2008 Internet Movie Database, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, 2008 William Nickels, “Understanding Business”, 2005 Chris Thilk, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, 2008 Jim Windolf, “Keys to the Kingdom”, 2008 Read More