Marketing a Small Business Like a Hollywood Blockbuster

Question: What was the first film to gross $500 million worldwide in a single weekend and the fastest film to earn $1 billion? Answer: Jurassic World, which since its June 12 premiere, has also become the second-highest-grossing film of 2015, the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time, and the highest-grossing film in the Jurassic Park series.

But while we all watched in awe as the genetically modified dinosaur wreaked havoc on the island, nobody was thinking about the marketing behind the blockbuster, which undoubtedly helped it achieve those killer earnings. In truth, however, marketers not just of movies, but of all manner of goods and services can learn a great deal from blockbusters like Jurassic World.

Each year, the movie industry produces a line-up of blockbusters and then markets the heck out of them. The hype, in turn, draws the crowds. Now the infographic “Blockbuster Marketing: Lessons from Hollywood’s Mega-Earners”, created by Column Five for in marketing automation software company Marketo, explains in detail how movie marketers succeed:

• Blockbusters keep their audiences engaged and fixated on a strong lead: the hero. Marketers should follow suit and give their content a hero with whom audiences can connect and relate. One way to do so is to use case studies to show how the marketed products and services have helped customers become heroes.
• Movie producers take advantage of everything the movies have to offer from soundtracks to merchandise to fan clubs and more. Businesses can make the most of their marketing, pulling from their own content to create infographics, minigraphics, links to blog posts in emails, and more.
• Blockbuster movies are all about ubiquitous promotion through YouTube video ads, guest appearances on the late night shows, and even ads on your fast food. Marketers should also get creative with their promotion strategies by putting their content everywhere their audiences are.
• Since the early 2000s, blockbuster movies have been giving their theater audiences a little something extra like bonus scenes, deleted scenes and bloopers. Marketers can give their customers something extra as well, awarding and engaging them for viewing content with bonus reels, bloopers or sneak peaks of what’s next.
• For the makers of blockbusters, one of the best ways to keep the gravy train rolling is to create sequels. Similarly, content that proves to be a hit shows marketers what their audiences respond to. Marketers can then create their own versions of sequels, building upon content that the audience enjoys.

Check out the full infographic below for more strategy lessons!

Republished by permission. Original here.

Image: Marketo

This article, "Marketing a Small Business Like a Hollywood Blockbuster" was first published on Small Business Trends