19/08/2013 - Social media was a key issue at the workshop of Europa Distribution in Locarno

The increasing impact of social media on film marketing was a key theme at the workshop of Europa Distribution in Locarno. “The distributors have to be present at social media,” underlines Adeline Monzier, General Director of Europa Distribution. “But that is not enough, they have to be creative.”

According to the research of David Graham, CEO of the management consultancy Attentional, 45 percent of European social network users comment or discuss films on these platforms. 57 percent of the users discuss films online, 42 percent follow on Facebook and 10 percent give feedback.

For the survey “Understanding Consumers: a study of European Film Consumption” that Graham is filing on behalf of the European Commission, he collects data and knowledge at European, national and international levels on audience preferences and ways of marketing and consumption, in particular with young audiences. “What brings people to the cinema?” and “What does the audience relate to?” are some of the essential questions that were sent to more than 4,500 respondents in 10 countries. “The opinion about European cinema is that it is too focused on social topics,” reports Graham. “European films are recognized as being different.”

A potential new audience of 31 million people in Europe might be generated through the barrier-free cinema, says Seneit Debese, head of the Berlin-based marketing agency Debese Film. Thanks to a smartphone app that has been developed in collaboration with Ericsson, blind and deaf people get the chance to understand a film via voice over and subtitles. The accessible cinema will become part of the new film law in Germany. From 2014 onwards, any film that received public support has to come up with a version for visually or hearing-impaired cinemagoers. “There are 30 million blind and 1.5 million hearing-impaired people in Europe,” underlines Seneit Debese. “This enhanced experience encourages them to go more often to the cinema.”

“Target your audience,” suggests Arnaud Reaute, IT project manager at the service company Waveback that manages online marketing campaigns. “Social media marketing is complicated for independent distributors because they don‘t have the time to do it,” points out Reaute. The approach of Waveback is to make that more efficient and effective.  Social media is a mass medium. Besides Facebook and Twitter, there are other social media platforms. It is important to know which is the most accurate one for each particular film. “It becomes possible to talk directly to the audience. Feedback is the end and the beginning of your campaign,” says Reaute. “Monitor what people say about your film.” In 2014, Waveback will launch a new version and offer interactive planning for an automated campaign. “That way we will see each post effect, what works and how to make it better.”

“The fans are using much more mobile devices than desktop computers than six months ago,” states British marketing expert Dan Light who developed the social media campaign for Springsteen & I .The documentary on the famous rock legend was distributed by Arts Alliance Media on 2,500 screens in 50 countries on the July 22. “We invited the fans to picture themselves with Springsteen DVDs, records and post it,” explains Light. “Then you get them on your website, show them the trailer, help them find their nearest screen and make them buy a ticket.” His approach is to get the people excited and manage an emotional journey. “Everyone is a customer but some customers matter more than others.” Instead of buying advertising on Facebook or YouTube and publishing posters in public, the agency bought addresses from Springsteen fans and sent them a newsletter.

“Drive as much attention as possible to the film,” advises Light who attracted with this campaign one million twitter followers and three million facebook fans. The hashtag “StayInYourSeats” gave them a hint for Springsteen‘s duet with Paul McCartney at the end of the screening. “AAM wanted a positive word of mouth. They invited the fan base to get that message out,” concludes Light. “It was a big selling point.”