4.3.2.1 Marketing Strategy (Universal)

Online

• Facebook Page and App (App had poor useage; only 1364 uses - 10% of the minimum 12000 as a target)
• YouTube
• Twitter
• Windows Live Messenger
• Advertising on findanyfilm.com, Google, YouTube, Myspace, MTV, w00t!Network, MSN messenger and Channel 4's 40D.

Offline

• TV Spots

http://www.ukfilmcouncil.org.uk/media/pdf/m/d/4.3.2.1_case_study.pdf

How did Momentum Pictures Market and Distribute the Film?

The King's Speech is not a mainstream film and is an irregular topic for a movie; it is not normal for the Royal Family to be a subject of the film. With a relatively low budget of £9,232,500, it was considered to be "art house". However, due to the film featuring well praised actors; Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce & Michael Gambon, it was considered that the film could be highly successful and worth the marketing.


Many TV interviews took place to help market the film; most being taken by Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter being the 3 most highly regarded members of the cast. By using such famous actors, it interests those watching the interview, making them want to go and see the film. This helps to spread the word about the film, before it is even released, increasing interest and making people keen to see the film.


This interest is carried through to when the trailers are released in countries worldwide to help promote the film even further, and create more interest for the audience, increasing popularity. The release dates may also be strategically placed so that it will coincide with award ceremonies and film festivals; in this case, it did, winning 121 nominations and 21 awards in total.


This interest will generate word of mouth online too, leading to the film becoming a popular interest on search engines such as Google. Reviews and articles will help this word of mouth; particularly with The King's Speech receiving such high ratings; such as 95% on rottentomatoes and 8.4/10 on IMDB. Such high reviews encourage people to see the film.
Most of the posters of the film show either Colin Firth or the 3 actors together, because they are the most well-known and help to generate word of mouth.

The King's Speech

• Momentum Pictures distributed the King's Speech
• Slumdog Millionaire was a massive British Film Industry hit having an opening gross of £1.3 million. Overall Slumdog Millionaire grossed £32 million.
• The King's Speech made £3.5 million in it's opening gross.
• On it's opening night it made £40,000 at London's Chelsea cinema, and breaking house records at the capital's Curzon Renoir and Richmond. The top six sites were all in London, led by Odeon Leicester Square (£106,000), Vue Westfield (£51,000) and Vue Islington (£45,000). Top regional site was Odeon Guildford, with £28,000 (a middle class british, target audience)
• The UK Film Council has been axed. BBC Films and Film 4 wouldn't fund the film; so if the UK Film Council didn't exist, the highest grossing British Film if all time would not have been made.
• 3 ways to guarantee success: Marathon Publicity effort, strong critical support and positioning by the distributor.
• The UK gross of a film in sterling will usually be around a 10th of the US figure in dollars.
• The Guardian's Blog
• The King's Speech was funded by 6 independent production companies.

5 Extra Facts:

• It had a budget of £9,232,500.
• It won 21 awards and 112 nominations.
• There are 2 versions in the US; Restricted & PG-13
• Writing for the film started in 2002.
• The UK Film Council offered £1million in production costs

Issues in the British Film Industy