A promotional package aims to attract an audience's attention to a product being promoted through a collection of media like magazine reviews, trailers, and posters. It helps build hype for films before their release. Elements of a film promotional package include premiers, social media, merchandise, posters, trailers, reviews, and interviews. Magazine reviews are important for giving readers opinions on films. Trailers aim to intrigue audiences about a film's plot without revealing too much. Posters are essential for providing information to those who haven't seen trailers.
2. Promotional Package
• A promotional package is a collection of media products
formed to attract the target audience's attention to the
product being promoted. There are varying factors
involved in a promo package, so what is being promoted
will reach a vast rage of the target audience. Examples
include, magazine reviews, trailers and film posters. The
purpose of a promo package helps films get recognized
before they are released in movie theaters so a hype is
built among the audience which helps with the
distribution of the DVDs.
3. Types of Film Promotion
• Premiers
• Social Media
• Merchandise (e.g. toys)
• Film Posters
• TV Trailers
• Cinematic Trailers
• Online Reviews
• Cast interviews
• Live Q&A - Comic Con
4. Magazines
• Magazine reviews of films are of high importance as the
readers are able to find out what others thought of the film and
their opinions of it. Thus giving the readers a glimpse of what
the film is about and whether or not they may like it. The most
commonly known review magazines would be 'EMPIRE' and
'ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY'. Some other film review
magazines include 'SLANT', 'LITTLE WHITE LIES', and 'FILM
COMMENT'. Entertainment Weekly features articles on TV
Shows, Movies and music so it has a wide target audience. It
also features interviews, reviews and sneak peeks (as shown
in the Walking Dead cover image). The sole purpose of a
magazine review is so that the audience/readers can get a
recommendation on the film so they know whether or not they
will spend money to go and see the film.
5. Trailers
• The aim of a film trailer is to give a brief look into the film
without revealing the majority of the storyline and main plot
points of the film, but just enough so that the audience are still
interested enough to go and see the film. Trailers are
important in a promotional package because it gives the most
information about the film seeing as the cast and crew
themselves would not reveal any major key points in the film.
Trailers are more likely to hint at major plot points through the
editing of the clips used. There are two types of trailers:
teaser trailers and main trailers. Teaser trailers usually only
last between 30 - 60 seconds, they give very little information
about the film but show the most exciting parts of the film to
intrigue the audience. Main trailers give more information
about the storyline of the film, both trailers would have the
release dates for the film.
6. Posters
• Posters are essential because without them lot of people who
have not seen the trailers would not know any information
about the film. Posters are usually placed on billboards, buses
and bus stops. Teaser posters are usually released before the
main posters. Teaser posters don't have as much information
and typically only have the release date of the film. Main
posters give more information like the names of the sponsors,
crew and the starring actors. From the poster, the audience
can guess the genre of the film by the mise en scene they can
see. For example, if there are guns and cars, the audience
can assume it will be an action film. If there is blood and other
weapons or a dilapidated house , then the audience can
guess that it is a horror film. Film posters help to draw the
audience's attention to the film being promoted and makes
them enquire about what is going on in the scene.
7. Nightcrawler– Film Poster
At the bottom of
the poster there
are credits of the
the cast/ crew and
sponsors. Beneath
the film title,
there is a sentence
about the
producers and
what they’ve
worked on. The
actor of the main
character’s name
is situated above
the film’s title
which is in large,
sans-serif, bold,
yellow text. The
audience will be
able to determine
that this is the
main poster as the
theatre release
date is at the
bottom of the
poster. This is the
day it will be
made available in
cinemas.
This Poster has a
release date,
placed beneath
the film’s title.
However,
audiences will
identify this
poster as a teaser
poster due to the
fact that there are
no credits at the
bottom of the
poster. Another
indicating factor
is the fact that it
only shows the
release date but
not when it will
be released to the
general public.
The actor’s name
is placed above
the title like the
main poster. This
lets the audience
know that he will
play the main
character.
Both film posters have the same tagline and have placed it at the top of the posters. The
actor’s names is above the film’s title on both posters. The typography is the same in
both film posters which allows the audience to identify the posters as being related to
the same film. The tagline gives the audience an idea on what the film may be about in
relation to the film’s title.
8. Nightcrawler – Film
Trailer
The main trailer is 2 minutes and 28
seconds long. It gives more detail about
the plot of the film, the other actors in
the film and the major plot points. We
see Louis (Jake Gyllenhaal) in
dangerous situations and moving a
body in one scene. From the trailer, the
audience can identify the film as a
crime/ action film.
The teaser trailer is 1 minute and 33
seconds long. This is because the easer
trailer aims to show the audience
points in the film that will gain their
interest. The teaser trailer does not give
as much information as the main
trailer. Louis’ actions are only shown
in the teaser trailer, however, the main
trailer tells the audience more about his
background.
9. Nightcrawler – Magazine
Review
Nightcrawler was reviewed in an issue of
EMPIRE magazine. A still image from the film is
used and the title of the film is placed in the
lower left corner. The film’s title is in large, bold,
white sans-serif text that contrasts with the dark
nature of the image used. An image of the main
character, Louis (Jake Gyllenhaal), is used to
attract readers who may be fans of his. There is
also an online version of the review for readers
who may have missed the magazine issue.
Phrases like ‘gloomy and disturbing’ and ‘slick
but queasy’ were used. An extract from the
review said the following. “ It’s as if he wants to
shove all the variety of human behavior and its
baffling concept of morality into the rigid
checkboxes of career development plans and
performance reviews. Now imagine someone like
that turning up to crime scenes with a vide
camera. Every gruesome clip flogged and
televised is a step towards success. You don’t
know whether to laugh, cry or shudder.”
10. Saw 3D: The Final
Chapter – Film Poster
The main film poster
has credits at the
bottom, beneath the
title. The tagline is at the
top of the poster above
everything else going on
in the scene. As this film
is part of the SAW
franchise, from the
image depicted the
audience can expect the
film to be a horror film.
The mystery that is
created by the figure
standing in the center
third of the poster will
entice the audience into
going to see the film.
From the trailer, the
audience can assume
that the film will have
an industrial theme.
The teaser trailer has
less information. It
focuses on the fact that
this is the first of the
films to be shown in 3D
through the tagline” IN
EYE POPPING 3D”.
Many of the teaser
posters do this and the
tagline varies
depending on the
design the poster has. It
targets fans of the
franchise as they will be
the most familiar with
the film’s genre and they
know what to expect
from it. This is done
through the tagline that
says the month of
release and a slogan that
references the previous
films and this one. “This
October the traps come
alive”. This poster does
not have credits.
Both film posters have the taglines at the top of the poster. The
film’s iconic title font is clearly and fully visible in both posters.
11. Saw 3D: The Final
Chapter – Film Trailer
The main trailer is 1 minute and 24 seconds long. The
trailer shows information about the film but does not
reveal much of the storyline. It shows the some of the
major plot points of the film. The film’s trailer plays
into the fact that it will be shown in 3D by showing a
cinema theatre that traps the audience in their seats.
The trailer shows saws flying out of the screen, and a
character picking up an audience member out of their
seat. This trailer instills a fear in the audience that
they will feel when they go to see the film.
A teaser trailer was not included in the
promotion of the film. This may be because
the original creators of the Saw film franchise
initially did not have the funds to create a
teaser trailer. The first (2004) Saw film was
produced independently by Evolution
Entertainment which would mean it would
have a limited budget. The (2010) Saw 3D: The
Final Chapter film was also produced by an
independent company called Twisted Pictures,
financial issues may have also been the reason
behind this film not having a teaser trailer.
12. Saw 3D: The Final
Chapter – Film Review
Several magazines featured reviews of Saw 3D: TFC. These
included Slant Magazine, Empire, Now Magazine and Edge
Magazine. The film was given two stars in an ‘Empire’
magazine review. Slant Magazine stated that “Saw 3D keeps
the tradition alive and well by simultaneously throwing
several of the tenets of the last six films out the window and
randomly maintaining others.” The review then goes on to
explain the plot that is carried throughout the previous Saw
films. The layout of the page is simple and plain. The blue
color theme is fluent throughout but only placed in subtle
areas so as not to be overpowering of the content on the
page. The ending of the review states “Saw 3D is a sensible
way to end the Saw series because that’s how a soap opera as
tawdry as Saw would be expected to end if it were held up
to the standards of that genre and not horror. Like its ever-
changing creative team, the Saw-verse’s characters are
always bleating about how they are really the ones in control
and that everything they do means something. But really,
the series in practice is the most astounding kind of anarchy.
The kind that’s most oblivious to how abrupt and high-
strung it really is.”
13. Kingsman– Film PosterAt the bottom of the
poster there is the
cinema release date
and the year. Beneath
this is the website for
the film and the film’s
hash tag. Above the
film title, there is a
sentence stating what
the directors had
previously worked on
‘From the Director of X-
Men: First Class’. The
actor’s names of the
main cast are placed at
the top of the poster in
gold, sans serif font.
The surname of each
of the actor’s is in a
bolder font. The
typography is
consistently sans serif,
with the ‘KINGSMAN’
in gold and ‘The Secret
Service’ in white. The
audience will be able
to determine that this
is the main poster as
the actors have been
revealed, and images
from the film are
shown.
This poster does
not have a release
date, it simply
says ‘coming soon’.
Audiences will
identify this
poster as a teaser
poster due to the
fact that there are
no credits at the
bottom of the
poster and there
are no names of
actors or
directors. The
poster shows a
combination of
weapons,
ammunition and
formal men’s
wear.
Both film posters have the same layout and color scheme. The color gold is associated
with wealth, grandeur and prosperity. The color white (shown in the teaser poster) has
connotations of protection, cleanliness and perfection. The color beige connotes
dependability, conservativeness and calm. Dark Blue is associated with depth, expertise
and stability. These colors are all relevant to the premise of the film. The actor’s names are
not shown on the teaser trailer, indicating to the audience that it is the teaser poster. The
typography is the same in both film posters which allows the audience to identify the
posters as being related to the same film.
14. Kingsman – Film Trailer
The main trailer is 2 minutes and 29
seconds long. It gives more detail about
the plot of the film, the other actors in
the film and the major plot points. We
see Eggsy (Taron Egerton) running
away from someone and joyriding a car
as a voiceover talks through his file.
From the trailer, the audience can
identify the film as a crime/ science
fiction film.
There was no teaser trailer for this film,
however, the sequel featured a 35
second teaser trailer packed with
quickly edited action shots. The
typography theme is consistent
throughout the films.
15. Kingsman– Film Review
Several magazines featured reviews of Kingsman: The Secret
Service. These included Slant Magazine, Empire, Under the
Radar Magazine, Edge Magazine. The film was given four
stars in an ‘Empire’ magazine review. Empire Magazine
stated that “It’s got ingenious gadgets, suave heroes with the
ability to identify a rare brand of Scotch from smell alone,
megalomaniacal villains and deadly henchwomen with
blades where their legs used to be. It’s filthy, funny and very
violent - and frankly it’s the most fun 007 has been in years.”
The layout of the page is simple and plain and follows the
color scheme of the magazine. The red color theme is subtly
placed throughout the page. The ending of the review states
“ Exhilarating, morally dubious and exhausting, it pitches
the film headfirst into its utterly demented third act. Here,
the 007 is cranked all the way up to 0011, including an
outrageous and, potentially for some, offensive riff on the
coy double entendres of that series’ codas (“he’s attempting
re-entry, sir”). It all culminates in an audacious and
gloriously OTT visual conceit that you simply won’t have
seen before in a mainstream movie. And how often can you
say that? Talk about keeping the British end up.”
16. The Maze Runner– Film
PosterAt the bottom of
the poster there
are credits of the
the cast/ crew and
sponsors. Beneath
the film title,
there is a sentence
that tells the
audience the film
is based on a
novel (that they
may have read).
The slogan is
located beneath
the billing block
and above the
cinema release
date which
informs the
audience that this
is the main film
poster. The
typography is
unique to the film
and the text
appears to have a
bevel and emboss
effect.
This poster does
not have a specific
release date, but it
shows the phrase
‘coming soon’
beneath the title
and sentence
about the origin
of the film. There
is no theatrical
release date
which tells the
audience that this
is a teaser poster.
In both posters
characters can be
seen running
which also relates
to the film and its
title leaving the
rest for the
audience to
question.
Both film posters have the same typography and have placed it beneath the title on both
posters which allows the audience to identify the posters as being related to the same
film. An image of the maze is used in both posters to show the title’s relation to the
film’s plot.
17. The Maze Runner – Film
Trailer
The main trailer is 2 minutes and 28
seconds long. It gives more detail about
the plot of the film, the other characters
in the film and the major plot points.
We see Thomas (Dylan O’Brien) in
dangerous situations running through
the maze. From the trailer, the
audience can identify the film as a
mystery/science fiction film.
The teaser trailer is 10 seconds long, however, it
also features an appearance of Dylan O’Brien
who encourages audience members to subscribe
to the 20th Century Fox YouTube page. This
teaser trailer aims to make the audience enquire
about the film due to the lack of information it
gives. It only shows one character in a situation
that might cause his death but the audience
cannot know this for sure so they are more
inclined to watch the trailer and the film.
18. The Maze Runner– Film
Review
Several magazines featured reviews of The Maze Runner.
These included FQ Magazine, Slant Magazine, Empire, Time
Magazine, and Studio Magazine. The review in Time
magazine was written by Richard Corliss on September 17th
2014. The review begins with “It’s the ultimate nightmare of
being the new kid at a boys’ high school. You find yourself
in an elevator hurtling upward, fast, until it hits the top, and
you are disgorged into a huge field bordered with high
prison-like walls. You remember nothing, not even your
name; the couple dozen other boys call you Greenie. They
are lifers in this Glade, with virtually no hope of escape, and
they tell you their three rules: 1. Do your part. 2. Never harm
another Glader. 3. Never go beyond the walls.” The layout of
the page is simple and plain and follows the color scheme of
all Time magazine issues. The red color theme is subtly
placed throughout the page in headings and links. The
ending of the review talks about the film’s budget and the
introduction of the new female character in the film.
