Initial task
- Design and write an article for a film magazine on the promotion and marketing of a blockbuster movie with particular focus on how the producer considered the target audience and the publicity and marketing strategy for the movie. You must comprehensively explain the relationship between producers and film audiences with educated examples, constantly using subject terminology correctly.
Blockbuster film- Black Panther 2018
Director: Ryan Coogler Writers: Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole | 2 more credits » Stars: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o | Won 3 Oscars. Another 109 wins & 265 nominations. Details Official Sites: Marvel [United States] | Official Facebook | See more » Country: USA Language: English | Swahili | Nama | Xhosa | Korean Release Date: 16 February 2018 (USA) See more » Box Office Budget:$200,000,000 (estimated) Opening Weekend USA: $202,003,951, 18 February 2018 Gross USA: $700,059,566 Cumulative Worldwide Gross: $1,346,913,161 |
The target audience for the black panther movie is undoubtedly black people. The producers considered the target audience by casting an almost 100% black cast, and the director and writers themselves were also black. The costumes, setting and even soundtrack emulated and took inspiration from African culture and heritage, to further appeal and be aimed at the target audience. Infact, even the script made sure to target all demographic groups within the target audience, as it consisted of vernacular from all over the African and middle eastern region, using Arabic, and African words and terms, such as “baba” and “wallahi”. Women in hijabs are also shown to represent the Muslim black community, found in areas of northern and western Africa. Furthermore, various other elements of the film are influenced by African roots. For example, the name "Wakanda" comes from the Wakamba tribe of Kenya, and the fighting in this film is based on African martial arts. It has been clearly shown that men and women of colour casted in blockbuster and Hollywood films have often been encouraged to illustrate a more westernized image, such as black women wearing wigs to emulate a more western style. In this film however, the women shown are embracing natural hair styles and their African heritage, which at the time the film was released, this was becoming a rising movement and trend.
Marvel debuted early footage and concept art from the film at a press event in April 2017. Kyle Buchanan at Vulture. com praised the cinematography, costume and production design, and black cast. The screened footage was the first time Marvel had shown raw dailies which Feige said they did to show off the "highest-class cast we've had" despite editing having not yet begun. A poster was released ahead of the first teaser trailer, which premiered during Game 4 of the 2017 NBA finals. A teaser was later released, and was viewed 89 million times in 24 hours, generating 349,000 mentions (second only to the amount the Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) teaser received) and "dominated the conversation on social media"
During New York Fashion Week, designers created custom pieces that were inspired by the film for an event titled "Welcome to Wakanda: Fashion for the Black Panther Era" Marvel Studios formed a partnership with Lexus on the film, with the 2018 Lexus LC being featured in it. The partnership produced a graphic novel, Black Panther: Soul of a Machine, which was released in December 2017. Other marketing partners included shoe manufacturer Clarks creating a film-inspired variant of their Originals' Trigenic Evo shoe; PepsiCo and Unilever launching an arts program for young people in urban areas to be mentored by established artists; Brisk created an interactive Black Panther installation at the 2018 All-Star NBA game; Lancome highlighted a line of makeup that Nyong'o and Wright used at the film's premiere; and Synchrony Financial with Marvel awarded the Ghetto Film School Fellows program with a $50,000 grant, with Coogler speaking to the school's students.
Overall, Black Panther had the most expensive advertising budget and biggest line of merchandise of any Marvel non-sequel. Deadline Hollywood estimated that budget to be $150 million. Asad Ayaz, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Marvel films, said the campaign was about "super-serving" black audiences while still trying to appeal to all, in order to make the film "feel like a cultural event".
In addition, the soundtrack for the movie was used in a form of publicity and advertising for the film. The soundtrack, being a hip hop/rap album, consisted of well known artists, mainly of colour. This includes artists such as travis scott, kendrick lamar, jorja smith and others amongst them. The soundtrack was extremely successful, winning a Grammy Award for best score soundtrack for visual media, and successfully marketed the black panther movie, in an act of synergy.
During New York Fashion Week, designers created custom pieces that were inspired by the film for an event titled "Welcome to Wakanda: Fashion for the Black Panther Era" Marvel Studios formed a partnership with Lexus on the film, with the 2018 Lexus LC being featured in it. The partnership produced a graphic novel, Black Panther: Soul of a Machine, which was released in December 2017. Other marketing partners included shoe manufacturer Clarks creating a film-inspired variant of their Originals' Trigenic Evo shoe; PepsiCo and Unilever launching an arts program for young people in urban areas to be mentored by established artists; Brisk created an interactive Black Panther installation at the 2018 All-Star NBA game; Lancome highlighted a line of makeup that Nyong'o and Wright used at the film's premiere; and Synchrony Financial with Marvel awarded the Ghetto Film School Fellows program with a $50,000 grant, with Coogler speaking to the school's students.
Overall, Black Panther had the most expensive advertising budget and biggest line of merchandise of any Marvel non-sequel. Deadline Hollywood estimated that budget to be $150 million. Asad Ayaz, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Marvel films, said the campaign was about "super-serving" black audiences while still trying to appeal to all, in order to make the film "feel like a cultural event".
In addition, the soundtrack for the movie was used in a form of publicity and advertising for the film. The soundtrack, being a hip hop/rap album, consisted of well known artists, mainly of colour. This includes artists such as travis scott, kendrick lamar, jorja smith and others amongst them. The soundtrack was extremely successful, winning a Grammy Award for best score soundtrack for visual media, and successfully marketed the black panther movie, in an act of synergy.
As the producers and film audience are of the same demographic, that being black or African, this made it easier for the producers to establish some sort of connection and relationship with the audience. The producers would’ve known what the audience would want to see in order to satisfy and please the audience, and this seems to be supported by the immense success of the film, and celebration of the film throughout the black community. The main distributor of this film is marvel studios, in which the logo is centrally placed on the black panther poster. For the target audience to see the poster, which is similar to the posters of other marvel films such as the avengers, and to see the black cast illustrated in a powerful and striking way, will provide a sense of pride and happiness for the target audience.