Movie Trailer Marketing: Trailers That Are Catching Our Eye

A few days ago, we talked a little bit about the art of Movie Trailer Marketing.

Movie trailers are marketing originals. At their very core, trailers were designed to build enough interest in a film to bring in an audience in to watch it upon release.

However, over the years, movie trailer marketing has evolved to be something different than it was in the Hollywood Golden Era. Like all forms of marketing, the movie trailer has had to constantly reinvent itself over the years.

Here are a few recent movie trailers that have relied upon old marketing tactics and new marketing strategies to pull themselves towards box office gold in the past few months.

1. The Theory of Everything (2014)

The story: “This film chronicles the life of world-famous physicist Steven Hawking, who, despite being diagnosed with a rare form of early onset ALS, went on to pen one of the most widely regarded physics theories in the field. It primarily focuses on his relationship with his first wife, Jane, and the struggles they encounter (and persevere through) despite his condition.”

The old marketing tactic: Appeal to the emotions.

The new marketing strategy: Though a mere 2 minutes and 46 seconds, this trailer manages to achieve a whole lot. We learn who Hawking is, how he met (and fell in love with) his wife, the beginnings of his disease, his discovery of the aforementioned physics theory… and that’s just the half of it.

But why is this trailer so successful? It’s the play on emotions. Watching the trailer, we feel something for Mr. Hawking-- whether it’s sadness when he falls upon hardships or joy when he overcomes them. This pathos route is a classic marketing tactic, appealing to the human in all of us.

2. Wild (2014)

The story: “With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddens, strengthen, and ultimately heals her.”

The old marketing tactic: Brand a lifestyle.

The new marketing strategy: How many times have you purchased something because it inspired you to pursue something more? Brands such as REI, Fodor’s, Cadillac (or any car manufacturer for that matter) do a great job of producing content that makes you want more than just the product at hand. In fact, marketing campaigns by these companies play upon the desire for the entire lifestyle that their product promotes. This is called Lifestyle Branding.

This movie trailer markets Wild in that same way. The audience that watches Wild is an audience who wants to feel more than just emotion for Strayed’s character—they want full blown inspiration from her to take their own lives by the reigns. Wild speaks not only of a character, but a lifestyle.

3.Selma (2015)

The story: “This unforgettable true story chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history.”

The old marketing tactic: Employ a powerful influencer.

The new marketing strategy: If there has ever been a more powerful motivator than Martin Luther King Jr. please let me know. MLK’s levelheaded push and achievement of equal rights for all American citizens makes him a figurehead in American history. So it’s no surprise that when this film dropped its trailer in 2014, it brought forth flocks of attention for the spotlight on this celebrated American history figure.

Without doubt. The portrayal of Martin Luther King Jr. is the draw for this film. And Selma’s trailer does anything but sell that short. In fact, by the end of the trailer, it feels like the fourth wall is removed and the Civil Rights Movement is just as much our struggle as it was his.

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Movie trailers are obviously a powerful marketing tool. And though we may forget their true origins as marketing ploys, we can see that despite having undergone various phases of evolution throughout the years, their marketing tactics remain the same.

What are some movie trailers that are catching your eye? Can you identify any old-school marketing tactics within them? Share them below so we can chat :)