When Movie making is Marketing
It's only once in a while we experience what comes close to marketing perfection. That once in a while is happening now, and its called '2016: Obama's America'.
Consider its accomplishments. With a near zero marketing budget 2016 has made money five times more that its next in line documentary, 'Bully'. Last weekend, it was playing on 1747 screens across America.
Its official. '2016' is a box office phenomenon!
In marketing terms, '2016' got almost everything right. The Product was perfect! A movie that traced Barack Obama's past and explained why he is who he is, was bound to be a surefire draw. After all, once you pulled the perceptual nonsense of 'Yes We Can' aside, what presented itself was a near unknown. Dinesh D'Souza did well to peel away perceptions and reveal the real Barack. A documentary that positioned itself as a 'revealer' carried with it enough traction to lure in viewers. When it came to communication, 2016 got the word around via publicity, and of course via the most potent communique network, word of mouth. The documentary also got its timing spot on, opening with the republican convention.
Funny thing is, 2016 happened precisely because it wasn't a marketer who was trying to make things happen. 2016 was the outcome of an academic's search for answers, and his desire to take those answers to fellow Americans. There's enough proof now to show those answers were ones the rest of America wanted.
Tell you what, that in a way is what Marketing is.
Consider its accomplishments. With a near zero marketing budget 2016 has made money five times more that its next in line documentary, 'Bully'. Last weekend, it was playing on 1747 screens across America.
Its official. '2016' is a box office phenomenon!
In marketing terms, '2016' got almost everything right. The Product was perfect! A movie that traced Barack Obama's past and explained why he is who he is, was bound to be a surefire draw. After all, once you pulled the perceptual nonsense of 'Yes We Can' aside, what presented itself was a near unknown. Dinesh D'Souza did well to peel away perceptions and reveal the real Barack. A documentary that positioned itself as a 'revealer' carried with it enough traction to lure in viewers. When it came to communication, 2016 got the word around via publicity, and of course via the most potent communique network, word of mouth. The documentary also got its timing spot on, opening with the republican convention.
Funny thing is, 2016 happened precisely because it wasn't a marketer who was trying to make things happen. 2016 was the outcome of an academic's search for answers, and his desire to take those answers to fellow Americans. There's enough proof now to show those answers were ones the rest of America wanted.
Tell you what, that in a way is what Marketing is.
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