On the side of the world’s largest building – the half-mile-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai – a colossal pink doll box appeared one day in July 2023. From the Mattel box, a woman with long blonde hair emerged: Barbie. It was an ambitious CGI promotion created by a creative content agency for the not-yet-released film. It sparked a viral pink sensation worldwide, trending on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
It was also the perfect catapult to bring back the wonders of Hollywood for the masses, helping to make Barbie the smash success of the year. “Barbie” surpassed $636 million at the US box office and $1.45 billion worldwide.
But could it save Hollywood? That’s a tall order. The rise of streaming services and COVID-19 changed the culture of filmgoers who stopped going to theaters, choosing to watch on their televisions or computer screens.
Ticket revenues in the US and Canada dropped significantly from 1.23 billion tickets in 2019 to just 221.7 million tickets in 2020, an 81% drop, raising concerns about the financial sustainability of major films. The post-COVID recovery was underwhelming with only 492 million tickets sold.
“Hollywood is not a democracy or a meritocracy. It’s a business,” said indie filmmaker and actress Jules Bruff.
In the streaming world, the glut of new films makes it hard for worthwhile films to grab the attention of potential viewers and get a real chance.
For example, Peacock, an American streaming platform, expanded its content range from 759 films in 2021 to almost 4,000 films in 2023. In the same year, US theaters released only 107 films.
Succeeding in this business requires answering a simple question: How can filmmakers cut through the clutter and convince people to give their films a chance?
The average cost of production for a major studio film is $65 million — with tent-pole films costing several times that much — while another $35 million goes into marketing — advertising, promotions, public relations, and distribution costs, according to Gitnux Market Data Report 2024.
Amid declining cinema attendance, such investments require savvy marketing strategies in the real world and on social media.
Pink was the most delectable breadcrumb of the “Barbie” franchise. Former digital marketing manager at Warner Bros. Elisa Flores, continued the breadcrumb trail by leveraging the pink identity into partnerships with Spotify, Candy Crush, and Pinterest.
How do partnerships, AKA breadcrumbs, drive audiences to the box office?
Spotify, a music streaming platform, added a pink play bar, with an exclusive Barbie Official Playlist and Spotify Canvas featuring scenes from the film.
Candy Crush Saga, an addictive mobile video game, launched a limited-period “Barbie’s Journey to Candy Kingdom” version. It screened an exclusive featurette named “A Candy Exclusive: We Are Barbie,” starring filmmakers and talent talking about the film.
Pinterest, an image-sharing site, curated a board named “Not Just Ken” as an extension of its “It’s Possible” campaign. With Mattel, it launched an ad spotlighting Ken.
Flores integrated “Barbie” within such brands and branded Barbie’s signature pink logo on every digital screen. AI filters even “Barbified” the user by inserting them in the film’s poster like one of the characters.
A novel rivalry added fuel to the fire. As big-budget films from major studios with strong star power in their casts, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” didn’t have much in common. After all, the World War II-era film follows the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in developing the first nuclear weapons. But the winking competition, known as Barbenheimer, worked and helped to generate plenty of hype around both films, which opened in theaters on the same day.
No one knew the premise of “Barbie.” It was an iconic plastic doll mass-produced by Mattel. How could it be a film? A trail of pink partnerships was an invitation to find out until they saw the gingerbread house of a teaser.
The initial teaser trailer paid homage to the film “2001: A Space Odyssey,” leaving audiences in awe. Children smashing stereotypical dolls after gazing up at a giant Barbie doll offered an effective advanced look at the film.
The trail of breadcrumbs played its part.
A breadcrumb trail worked for “Barbie.” “Wonka” found something sweeter and more timely for the magical world of chocolate. Warner Bros. Global Digital Marketing Manager Adrianna Garcia curated the perfect Christmas story void of music but full of familial warmth.
Willy Wonka has been played by a trio of beloved stars— Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and now, Timothée Chalamet. They all played a different Wonka. The question for the new “Wonka” was how to bridge the gap between those films — the first came out in 1971 — and draw audiences of all ages.
“Bring in families,” said Garcia. “Create a whimsical experience for children so they beg their parents to take them to theaters.”
The generational bond honored Gene Wilder’s legacy. Chalamet was not the new Wonka, he was a younger, goofy, charming version. “Wonka” portrayed his magical journey before the chocolate factory. It didn’t replace the previous films, it told the story of his growth.
Warner Bros. didn’t promote “Wonka” as a musical because they learned from “West Side Story” and “Dear Evan Hansen” that musicals turned audiences off. Exit polls from screenings of “Mean Girls” (2024) revealed that 16% of theater audiences were disappointed in the sudden singing. TikToks showed collective groans in theaters when dialogues transitioned to lyrics.
The strategy for “Wonka” focused on the chocolate-coated magical story. Then, Warner Bros released “Pure Imagination,” a song by Timothee Chalamet as he builds his chocolate factory, a few weeks before its theatrical debut.
This release weaved a magical journey with a subtle melody. “Wonka” placed first at the box office, earning $142 million domestically.
After “Wonka,” Chalamet reappeared in “Dune: Part 2” alongside Zendaya, Florence Pugh, and Austin Butler. What better way to generate buzz for a film than an amazing cast? Content creator Jon Cruz kept it real by blurring the lines between marketing and the cool stuff.
A recap video reel capturing the month-long press tour in Mexico, South Korea, and the UK, was cool. Cruz marked Mexico City for the film’s launch in Latin America, London for the European premiere, and Seoul for the Asian audience.
He captured global fan reactions, fashion, and cast quotes. His unique editing style built momentum for this sequel film using dynamic transitions and rapid camera movements, backed by sound bites from the cast, fans, and natural sound from the premiere.
Cruz used storytelling through celebrity voices and fan reactions to keep it real.
Independent filmmakers compete in a league of their own. In addition to competing with a wide range of content, they require potential investors and audiences to fund their projects.
“Marketing is often overlooked when budgeting an Indie film,” said actress and filmmaker Jules Bruff.
Outreach to investors for funding also draws potential audiences, creating a greater marketing effect.
An indie film is a Sisyphean effort. “It’s like pushing a stone up the hill and then it rolls back down on you,” said Bruff. How does one lodge the stone in place? Niche tricks like befriending film festivals, reading social issues, and outreach work.
With “Good Side of Bad,” a film about a dysfunctional family helping their sister with schizophrenia, Bruff targeted Mental Health Awareness Month in May, drawing awareness to its relevance. She handed flyers at festivals and enlisted on their database, building rapport for future outreach.
“Marketing is largely dependent on cast and crew and their ability to reach online audiences effectively,” said Elena Hansen, founder of social media agency Swim Social.
This outreach is reposting from the official film account, engaging with fans with personal stories, and filming behind-the-scenes content.
“Sometimes people will be talking about the film on your behalf, and that's a big win for indie films,” said Hansen.
Crowdfunding is like jumping out of a plane without a parachute. Actor Maury Sterling and Director Joe Marconi had no choice but to make the dive when they launched the campaign to fund the feature film “Wild Animal.”
Getting the name out to an online crowd was easy. It created momentum because the sense of urgency elicited interest and built a supportive audience. Funding was a different matter.
No one was donating money.
Sterling and Marconi condensed their contacts on Instagram and Facebook. Marconi also shared the synopsis and trailer for visual support on the crowdfunding website. Did it work?
Crowdfunding was useless when it came to tangible help. More funding came through backchannels and side conversations with close friends than from anonymous donors intrigued by the campaign.
It was uncomfortable and time-intensive, according to Marconi. They couldn’t build the parachute so they did damage control by leveraging private contacts instead.
“I would never go through it again,” said Marconi.
A trailer, a rave review, or a banner ad can be the “Third Impression” to draw an audience. Founder Matt Delman coined the name of his data-driven digital marketing agency following the traffic of comments and likes garnered by this third impression.
How do indie films create this impression?
Most impressions, views, and likes for a post, are paid for by a film’s promoters. Third Impression analyzes target audiences and works on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok ads. They customize social media toolkits including captions, photos, and links, for influencers and casts to post to their social channels, leveraging audience engagement.
“Amerikatsi,” about an American-Armenian man who returns to Armenia under Soviet rule as he searches for a connection to the land he fled during the genocide there, peaked with “organic posting” on Instagram.
This involves cross-posting, posting simultaneously from two or three Instagram accounts, which drives traffic to a single post and increases engagement. Delman also used Advantage+ Ad Placements, a feature that automatically sets up ads on Facebook and Instagram.
Finding the right target audience for “Amerikatsi” was important. The filmmakers wanted to target the Armenian community and connect with Armenian Americans. They included Armenian-related keywords, on Google search and social media, like Armenia, Armenian language, and Armenian cuisine in the targeting strategy for an audience ID.
An “audience ID” is an Excel sheet that categorizes different keywords of various demographics and interests that might connect with the film.
Third Impression then pivoted to selling banner ads across websites, enabling clients to purchase affordable ads to appear on their websites as paid media.
Delman leveraged the third impression with strong social media placements.
Student projects build networks for creative experimentation despite the low budgets. They focus more on learning from other student films than on gaining profit like box office or indie films.
Jacqueline Lo was the marketing director and social media coordinator for “JJAN,” a USC student production about alcoholism and multi-generational trauma in an Asian American household. It targeted audiences with the same ethnic background who shared similar experiences.
“JJAN” primarily used Instagram and TikTok to speak to audiences and communicate the film. It differentiated from other student projects that oversaturate social media by creating an aesthetic and interactive social image to cultivate a community.
Social media postings of a logline, theme, and introduction also create a form of accountability. Curating a deck based on the mood board of the film, set by the director in advance, clarifies the creative direction and introduces the essential drive of the film. Sharing the experience creates a vicarious opportunity for other students to learn the process and expand their cinematic interests.
“Once we establish the beginning of a project by tagging a crew and cast on an Instagram post, we’re obligated to complete the film,” said “JJAN” producer Amanda Chen.
Student films are grounds for experimentation and a safe space before entering the extensive film industry.
“The market is saturated because there’s so much content,” said actress and filmmaker Jules Bruff.
The key to marketing a film amidst the expanding industry is capturing an audience at the right time with an appealing digital strategy – but it’s not one size fits all.
“There is no definitive answer or cookie-cutter to digital strategy,” said Garcia.
Whether the film is a box office film, an indie film, or a student project, the convergence of digital media and entertainment creates vast opportunities for all genres. Box office films may have a wider reach, but the art of marketing is a gamble.
Cruz said, “We live in a time of attention economy where our attention is the most valuable thing.”
Elena Hansen is the founder of SWIM Social, a full-service social media studio based in Los Angeles. She shares her insights into film marketing and talent branding on social media.