Movie Marketing: Finding Your Career Niche Behind the Silver Screen

The initial release weekend for a movie will determine if the movie makes money or leaves a gaping hole in the studio's pocket. Several years of work all fall into play over three days, and that's why movie marketing to build buzz and hype continues to be of huge importance to big studios like Paramount Pictures, Warner Brothers, and Universal.

Set Sail for Movie History

The phenomenal success of Pirates of the Caribbean's sequel has a number of components, and undoubtedly their marketing campaign was part of that. The movie's film studio, Disney, teamed with MySpace to enhance their online marketing strategy and create an online profile for Dead Man's Chest. With more than 100,000 friends and 4,000 comments, this tact seems to have enjoyed a great deal of success. The movie also teamed with perennial movie-tie McDonald's to feature a promotion called "Are You Mac Enough" and, naturally, Happy Meal� toys including an inflatable pirate sword.

Shaking the Industry, Not Stirring

Partnering with specific product brands is also another key component to movie marketing. The upcoming James Bond movie, Casino Royale, renews its forty-year partnership with Smirnoff, which reportedly gets product placement in the movie when Bond breaks a bottle for a fight. The movie will only feature partnerships with 8 companies, which is a step backwards from the 20 partnerships that Die Another Day boosted. This appears to be a move in the direction of less is more for marketing needs.

Making a Marketing Move with an Online Bachelor's College Degree

So you love the movies and want to get in on the traditional or online marketing stuff? A Bachelor's of Science in Marketing degree should be your first step to get you in the door. A college degree can help you build a strong marketing knowledge base, and depending on your program, you could focus in on a specific marketing area such as product marketing or online marketing. A bachelor's degree is a good foundation, but if you already have an undergrad college degree you may want to consider a master's degree in marketing to further specialize your skills. An online bachelor's or master's degree could be a great option if you're trying to fit in a work schedule with your education.v
Regardless of the college degree program you choose, a marketing education could help you build the next big buzz for a film to be in theaters near you.

Sources

• Casino Royale To Feature Only Eight Marketing Partners
• Bond reunites with Smirnoff
• MySpace, Disney Mates for 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
• McDonald's Pirates of the Caribbean Toys
• McDonald's(R) Ties in with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest on Interactive Summer Promotion Offering Millions of Customers the Chance to Win Big!

About the Author
James Tolles is a freelance writer and holds two B.A. degrees, one in Creative Writing and the other in History.