publicity budgets

I saw a little ABC video where they were talking about the practice of re-making movies that were either outright failures, or modest successes. They mentioned Overboard, Clash of the Titans, Real Genius, Tron and Dune. I have noticed that it also has become increasingly popular to remake TV shows that failed the first time around. The Witches of Eastwick has now failed three times as a TV series, never lasting more than one season.

Gladiator was cited as a re-make of a failed 60's film that was super successful.

One pundit suggested that marketing is so expensive today, that brand recognition is increasingly important. It doesn't even matter if it is not good recognition, but just so long as people recognize the "brand". So if you wanted to make a movie about a rich spoiled woman who gets amnesia and finds true happiness, you could literally write a script, but if you call it "Overboard" then there are tens of millions of people who know what "Overboard" is about.

I wonder why publicity is getting more expensive? It seems like you can make a trailer today, and circulate it on youtube or do viral marketing where all kinds of free outlets circulate your publicity photos, or video. Even some film directors blog about their production while they are still working on the film. There is also a seemingly endless amount of entertainment TV that seems to thrive on coming attractions material. About 60 years ago you had to rely on news releases, fan magazines, and movie trailers. For a long time after that you had to purchase TV advertisements on a limited number of networks. I thought we were in an age when someone with limited access to money or equipment could publicize himself in China if he is creative enough.


But I would like to think there is some artistic expression. Dune was one of the great novels written in the post war world. Wouldn't it be nice to see it made into a decent movie?

In the old days, there were a limited number of media outlets. That meant a limited number of places to put the ads, as well as a limited number of places that people can view ads at any one time.

Now there is a seemingly endless number of advertising options, each with their hand out, and each getting an ever decreasing number of eyeballs.

And those free / viral solutions you mention? It's still costly to get that ball rolling.

As someone who runs his own business, I can tell you that advertising is hugely expensive.

The truly sad part for me is when I get a new customer and ask how they heard about the business. The most common answer: from a friend. Word-of-mouth pays off way more than the huge dollars paid on advertising.

Unfortunately, it doesn't mean I can stop advertising.

Quote: konceptum

The truly sad part for me is when I get a new customer and ask how they heard about the business.

The most common answer I get, despite including the phrase 'Please be specific', is "The internet".

Well, DUH!

The only advertising I do is bridal shows (for which I get an atendee list, so I KNOW if that's where I got you), and the internet!

But I'm on SEVERAL Bridal websites, as well as Google Ads.

Sigh. Thanks for letting me rant.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

And those free / viral solutions you mention? It's still costly to get that ball rolling.

Indeed. It's also chancy. Your videos may go viral on Youtube, or they may not. Likewise for all other sorts of guerilla marketing campaigns.

The TV market is a great deal more fragmented than it used to be. Which means purchasing a lot more TV time over many, many channels (depending on the product or service being advertised, naturally).