The Marketing of Documentaries
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Festival Visions du Réel 2015 - With the multiplication of distribution channels and strategies, producers now play a key role in a documentary’s marketing and promotion. Identifying the right target audience and positioning strategy must be done in due time to allow successful audience reaching. Moreover a social media campaign has to be well planned to find answers to the key questions of timing, choice of network, community management and monitoring. All these points will be discussed through practical tips and case studies.
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The Marketing of Documentaries
- 1. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com THE MARKETING OF DOCUMENTARIES MATHIAS NOSCHIS VISIONS DU REEL 2015 20 APRIL 2015
- 2. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Mathias Noschis • Career start in independent film in Switzerland and the South Caucasus • InternaMonal experience in adverMsing, PR and social media for Toy Story 3, Black Swan, Piranha 3D, Let me in… • Today working with independent producers and tutoring for training programmes and workshops
- 3. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com CONTEXT1 MARKETING STRATEGY2 SOCIAL MEDIA3 BUDGET4
- 4. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com Why should producers and directors care about film marketing?
- 5. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Multiplication of distribution channels and strategies • MulMplicaMon of fesMvals • Theatrical is seen as a “loss leader” • OpportuniMes to break distribuMon windows • Development of VOD
- 6. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Anticipate the needs of the distributors and the sales agent • Prepare promoMonal assets during producMon • Make sure you agree on strategy • Be in a stronger posiMon to negoMate
- 7. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Social networks require time • A successful social media strategy lasts for the whole lifecycle • The community should be acMve at the Mme of release
- 8. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Film Marketing Genre PosiMoning Target audience SMlls Synopsis Trailer Poster Website Social media AdverMsing PR Partnerships Viral Assets AcMviMes Strategy
- 9. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Marketing Strategy PART 2
- 10. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com The SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
- 11. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Target audience • Primary target: • Demographics: age, gender, educaMon, income • Secondary targets: • Larger group • Market niches (place, interest, themes, demographics)
- 12. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Target audience Primary target Secondary target Secondary target Secondary target
- 13. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Positioning Arranging for a product to occupy a clear, disMncMve, and desirable place relaMve to compeMng products in the minds of target consumers.
- 14. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 3 hooks -‐ Audience
- 15. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Social Media PART 3
- 16. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Traditional film marketing Audience Pre- production Production Festivals Release Pre-‐ production Production Festivals Releases Public
- 17. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Film marketing in the age of social media Pre- production Production Festivals Release Fans Audience Viral Guerilla Social Media Public Relations Creative Partnerships Pre-‐ production Production Festivals Releases AdverMsing Outreach Viral InfiltraMon Fans Audience
- 18. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Which films for social media? Main criteria for documentaries: • Fame of the protagonists • IdenMfiable target or niche targets • Elements that create passion
- 19. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Promote a film vs. an experience? Product: • Two hours in a cinema vs. • Many months of interacMon and debates Audience: • Interested in some elements of the film vs. • Real passionate people Role: • Viewers vs. • Ambassadors for the film
- 20. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com The 6 steps to building an online community
- 21. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com
- 22. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com A 6 step process 1. Research 2. Database building 3. Choice of network 4. Outreach 5. Community management 6. Monitoring
- 23. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 1. Researching the audience
- 24. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Exploring the field through Facebook ads • Planning a fake Facebook ad campaign allows to compare target groups and to idenMfy trends • A powerful tool to challenge preconcepMons
- 25. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 2. Database building
- 26. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 5 tips to create a database • Allow enough Mme (minimum 2 whole days) • Use keywords in search engines • Organise the contacts in sites, organisaMons and individuals • Highlight the key contacts • Be surprised!
- 27. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 3. Choosing the right social network
- 28. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Alternatives • Facebook • Twiger • Blog / Tumblr • Instagram / Pinterest • Mailing list • ExisMng community • …
- 29. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Ask yourself 5 questions • What exisMng networks do I have? • What are the demographics of my targets? • What are my territories and languages? • How much Mme can I dedicate to this? • What do I like to do?
- 30. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 4. Outreach
- 31. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Outreach -‐ Definition Seeking out and contacMng individuals or organisaMons that have a shared interest in what you have to offer.
- 32. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Outreach -‐ A few advices • Be newsworthy -‐ the info should be relevant now • Adapt the message to the receiver • Give real content • NegoMate exclusive placements
- 33. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Infiltration -‐ Definition The act of joining the conversaMon in exisMng group, forums, communiMes, blogs or pages to iniMate a discussion around a specific topic.
- 34. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 5. Managing the community
- 35. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Community management A bit like being a good party host, but in an online capacity
- 36. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 4 tips for successful community management • Listen to your community • Plan regular updates • Encourage word-‐of-‐mouth • Organise compeMMons
- 37. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com 6. Monitoring
- 38. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Questions answered by effective monitoring • Which acMviMes are working? • Which websites are talking about the film? • What is my audience talking about? • What is their opinion on the campaign?
- 39. © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Budget PART 4
- 40. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Budget € 1,000 -‐ 2,000 MarkeMng strategy € 1,000 -‐ 10,000 PromoMonal asset creaMon € 1,000 -‐ 2,000 Social media strategy € 500 -‐ 1,000/month Community management Total: € 3,000 -‐ 14,000 one-‐off + € 500 -‐ 1,000 monthly
- 41. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com DOs • Do start your markeMng effort well in advance • Do allow a budget for markeMng • Do spend Mme researching your audience • Do use your fans as brand ambassadors • Do measure the effecMveness through monitoring
- 42. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com DON’Ts • Don’t think a great film is enough to be successful • Don’t just believe everyone is interested in the film • Don’t be afraid of simplifying the film for its posiMoning • Don’t start by opening a page on all social networks • Don’t leave it die at the end
- 43. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com Useful resources • Selling your film without selling your soul -‐ www.sellingyourfilm.com • iFilmFest app • FilmScopeWorldwide • Sheri Candler Blog -‐ www.shericandler.com • Alphapanda Blog -‐ www.alphapanda.com
- 44. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com ? Questions? www.alphapanda.com mathias@alphapanda.com LinkedIn: Mathias Noschis Twitter: @FilmMktg
- 45. © Mathias Noschis www.alphapanda.com © Mathias Noschis alphapanda.com The Small Print All informaMon included in this document is confidenMal and intended solely for the use of the individual or enMty to whom it is addressed. All materials are protected by copyright laws, and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmiged, displayed, broadcast or otherwise exploited in any manner without the express prior wrigen permission of Alphapanda Ltd.