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When it comes to promoting movies and series, influencer marketing is the go-to strategy for production companies for a number of reasons.
Of the many innovations that the 90s gave us, the internet is probably the most iconic. This new online world was exciting and the possibilities were endless but as time went on, the internet started to affect and disrupt multiple industries, the film production industry being one of them.
This meant that businesses from various sectors had to innovate and find new ways to grow and excel. Influencer marketing is just one of the strategies that have been adopted by the movie production sector in order to rebound and keep the culture of cinema alive.
The impact of influencers on cinema
Even though word of mouth remains a highly effective way to market movies and series, the internet and specialized content has taken a leading role in promoting the latest work of production studios across the globe.
Blogs and YouTube videos that speak to the latest films or works of cinematographic art have become a lot more common online. Influencers and movie lovers, in general, are constantly reviewing movies and series online and their peers and followers pay attention because it’s personal and engaging.
When fans of a specific movie genre band together, the effects can be quite powerful and the internet is one of the easiest and most powerful mediums for reaching out to them. It simply starts with finding that one person who you know your audience will respond to.
“Success in the film industry has always been reliant on who you know and how you leverage those connections” – David M Kirby
With film being such a creative field, there’s so much room for inspiration and creative ideas when it comes to creating content to promote your latest film, series or documentary. Here are just a few basic examples of content pieces that could be produced:
- “My Top Movies of 2016.”
- “Why You NEED to Watch the Latest M. Night Shyamalan Movie”
- “Exclusive Interview: Why the Joker Was Jared Leto’s All Time Favorite Role.”
Along with video and written content, social media is another really effective platform for working with influencers to spread the word about your latest work. Top influencers have a large following on more than one social media platform and one tweet or Instagram post from them has the potential to reach thousands of potential viewers. When an influencer speaks, their followers sit up listen because they value their thoughts and opinions and will always grab the chance to add their two cents’ worth too.
[Tweet “Now, we are seeing that influencer marketing is having its own allocation in digital budgets”]
“Social media ad spending continues to increase, and for 2015, we are seeing that influencer marketing is having its own allocation in digital budgets, making it a separate category in itself.” – Eric Dahan, CEO of Instabrand.
There are, however, businesses that feel influencer marketing is just another drop in the social media ocean and not really worth their time but these earning potential figures say otherwise:
Influencer marketing works so well because it’s built on a foundation of trust and open communication.
According to a 2015 Nielsen survey, 66% of consumers trust recommendations from online influencers because they have a deeper, more intimate connection with them.
At Upfluence, keeping track of influencers is a big part of what we do. Our software recently counted over 55,000 influencers who are interested in cinema in the US alone, which proves just how many opportunities are available to production studios looking to boost their brands through influencer content and marketing.
How to use influencers to promote your work
There are various ways that you can work with influencers to promote your latest film or series. What’s most important is that the connection between your work and an influencer should look and feel natural, especially to your target audience.
Here are a few ways that you can use influencers to promote your latest movie:
1 – Gift baskets
Hype up the launch of your film with the perfect movie gift basket. Include some information on your movie, some memorabilia and of course, some great snacks. If you know that your influencers are really active on social media, include a hashtag in your note so that you can track who’s speaking about the movie as it gains momentum online.
2 – Premiere invite
There is always a lot of publicity around a movie premiere or event so why not rope in a few influencers to pick up the marketing pace. Set your influencers up in a classy hotel, make them walk the red carpet and give them the chance to meet the actors. The influencer can share their entire experience on their social media pages to get their fans involved and excited about the film or series.
3 – Run a competition
Everyone loves a good competition and it’s another great way to promote your studio’s latest movie. Give your audience the chance to win a VIP experience with your influencer and watch the word spread online.
4 – Make it fun
If there’s room for you to get a bit playful with the promotion of your movie, bring some of your actors or actors and influencers together to play a game or to create a fun interview about the movie. A good example of fun, engaging content is the Playground Insults game that was created by BBC Radio.
5 – Get your audience to generate content
The more you can get your audience involved the better. Find ways to get online users to create content in conjunction with your influencer to create hype and spread the word about your movie or series. An example of a movie that did this really well is Pitch Perfect. The film promoters approached acapella singer/songwriter Mike Tompkins because he had a whopping 1.5m YouTube subscribers and was well suited to the movie itself. Followers were asked to send in clips of themselves singing Nicki Minaj’s Starships. Their performances were then mixed in with Mike’s performance and those of the film’s stars to create an amazing video that was shared right before the movie launched.
Successfully marketing a brand, product, service or movie in today’s day and age is a whole new ball game. Consumers are always more willing to support brands that offer them a more personalized and engaging experience, which is why it’s so important for all sectors to keep this top of mind as they plan their marketing strategies.
