What are the most effective pre-release film promotion strategies?

1 Teasers and Trailers

One of the most common and powerful pre-release film promotion strategies is to create and release teasers and trailers that showcase the best aspects of your film. Teasers and trailers are short videos that give a glimpse of the plot, characters, genre, tone, and style of your film, without revealing too much or spoiling the story. They are designed to spark curiosity, interest, and excitement among potential viewers, and to entice them to watch the full film. Teasers and trailers can be distributed through various channels, such as social media, websites, TV, cinemas, and events, to reach a wide and diverse audience.

2 Product Placement and Sponsorship

Another effective pre-release film promotion strategy is to leverage product placement and sponsorship opportunities that can enhance your film's credibility, exposure, and revenue. Product placement is the integration of brands, products, or services into your film's scenes, dialogue, or props, in a way that is relevant, natural, and subtle. Sponsorship is the collaboration with brands, products, or services that can provide financial or material support for your film's production, distribution, or marketing, in exchange for recognition, endorsement, or access. Product placement and sponsorship can help you to create a positive association between your film and the brands, products, or services that your target audience values, trusts, or desires.

3 Social Media and Online Engagement

A third effective pre-release film promotion strategy is to use social media and online platforms to engage with your potential and existing fans, followers, and influencers. Social media and online platforms can help you to create a strong online presence, generate word-of-mouth, and foster a loyal and active community around your film. You can use social media and online platforms to share teasers, trailers, posters, behind-the-scenes, interviews, reviews, contests, polls, quizzes, and other interactive and creative content that can showcase your film's unique selling points, personality, and value. You can also use social media and online platforms to communicate with your audience, answer their questions, solicit their feedback, acknowledge their support, and encourage their participation and advocacy.

6 Publicity and PR

A sixth effective pre-release film promotion strategy is to generate publicity and PR for your film that can increase your film's awareness, credibility, and reputation. Publicity and PR are the activities that involve creating and managing your film's image, message, and reputation in the public eye, through various media channels, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, podcasts, blogs, or social media. Publicity and PR can help you to create a positive and consistent narrative, highlight your film's achievements, address any challenges or controversies, and influence your audience's perception and opinion of your film. Publicity and PR can also help you to attract and retain media attention, coverage, and endorsement for your film.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?