Question

Topic: Branding

Positioning Statement Needed For Movies?

Posted by Anonymous on 1/24/2005 at 7:36 PM ET 125 Points
I'm trying to independently release a student film in some art house theaters in my town. It's an indie film that really doesn't stick to any genre conventions.

I read some of the articles on the site about the positioning statement and how essential it is for products. I can see how the PS can be an invaluable tool for most consumer goods or services, but do they apply to movies as well?

A particular movie doesn't confer "benefits" any more so than another movie, even if that other movie is in the same genre. And if there are "benefits", marketing those benefits seems a bit strange because most people attend movies not so much to receive "benefits" but to laugh, be thrilled, etc...these things are not necessarily unique to my product.

So in the PS, rather than writing about the differentiated "benefits", should I be writing about how cool the movie is...?

There seems to be a big disconnect between movies and positioning statements.

I would appreciate any advice I can get. Thank you.
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  • Posted on 1/24/2005 at 10:41 PM Accepted
    You do need a positioning statement for your movie. The positioning statement is the internal document that defines why people should see your movie, what benefit it will deliver, how it's different from other movies they might see, etc.

    You can't just say, "See this movie. It's cool." You need to give them a hint of the subject matter or genre, or tell them it's beyond classification. Will they be entertained? Will it stimulate thinking? Will it give them a new perspective on some topic? Will it scare them? There has to be a benefit, or nobody would ever go to see a movie.

    Also, you need to define your primary target audience. It's not good enough to say, "Anyone who goes to the movies." Young children go to the movies; so do seniors, people on dates, families, etc., etc. If you know who you're trying to reach, your positioning statement can be that much more focused -- and that's better/more effective.

    Hope this is helpful. And good luck with the movie.

    P.S. Do NOT try to create a tagline until you have a positioning statement. If you do, you'll screw it up for sure.

    P.P.S. I'm assuming you're thinking of positioning the movie for end-user consumers (i.e., the people who will pay to see the movie). If I'm wrong and you're trying to position it with theater owners/managers, that's a different story ... though you'll still need the consumer positioning.

  • Posted by ReadCopy on 1/25/2005 at 5:09 AM Member
    I agree with most of the comments here.

    Basically you need to think about the key attributes that people will use to determine whether or not to show your film.

    Lets keep it simple and think of two for now .. say, Originality and Appeal.

    Now use a 2x2 matrix and plot your film, and the films that others are trying to release. This way you will see how you are positioned in the 'market', and by the messages you use to sell or market the film, you can confirm this position or move it.

    Hope this helps, contact me if you need more assistance.

    Good Luck
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