The Wonderful World of Marketing

The Wonderful World of Marketing

I love it when recent undergrads (or grads) tell me that they want a career in marketing in the entertainment industry… with little thought to what that means.  I usually shoot right back, “…well, what aspect of marketing?”  Typically, I receive a blank stare….

Marketing has multiple faces, especially in larger companies like studios.  Marketing has various sub-departments that specialize in each aspect of the function:

·        Creative Advertising – graphics, copy, images.  The creative group crafts the look and feel for the marketing campaign.

·        Marketing Research – data, statistics, ratings, focus groups.  This is the analytical side; they provide target audience statistics to the creative group, media buying group and promotions group in order to aim at the advertising and marketing campaign best.

·        Media Relations – buyers of advertising, locally and nationally, on TV, billboards, magazines, etc.

·        Publicity – spin, spin, spin, on a local and national level.  These folks create buzz in whatever way, shape and form about the movie or TV show – some may even call them “professional liars.’  Publicists also work with the media on press junkets (round-robin interviews w. the talent, director, producer, etc.)  Lots of energy in this world!

·        Promotions – third-party deals to promote a movie or TV show.  Think toys, fast food, retail, etc.  A lot of these people come out of the consumer products world.

·        Public Relations – sometimes another name for publicity and sometimes really corporate communications – the group that responds to the press, issues press releases, takes questions from the press, etc.  Backgrounds in speech writing and journalism often required.

Companies often have a consumer products group with divisions such as Home Entertainment or Licensing.  Marketing tends to have similar background; however, the product is more tangible, easier to define.  It’s often hard for consumer products marketers to make the switch over to a creative group where you are marketing an image or look and feel vs. a product.

I hope this was insightful to those of you that are future marketers – be prepared to start in one of these niche areas and grow from there… the overall strategy and direction typically happens at the very top by people that started in one specialty once upon a time.

Comments

[Ellen]

In my opinion, content marketing is an emerging segment of marketing - consumers, the general public want to be addressed directly through special interest magazines, sites, blogs, etc.
The online community crosses multiple areas - advertising, publicity, PR, etc. It's a powerful viral marketing tool that's still evolving...
Totally agree w. the media statement.... new media technology has changed the advertising and consumer market as it's been known for years... good times ahead!

[Joe Pulizzi]

Thanks Ellen. Where would you place content marketing initiatives, such as editorially-based content, custom magazines, etc.? Also, would the "online community" producer be a part of publicity?

From what we are seeing, it is becoming less important to "get" media, than to "be" the media.