How Superman Beat Mickey: The Blockbuster Playbook for Marketers

How can you add a little more movie magic to your marketing mojo? Jon and Peter dive into the theory of blockbuster marketing and explain why movie marketers either go big – or risk getting buried.  

First up, they break down how Warner Bros. just beat Disney at its own game, raking in $1.3 billion to Mickey’s measly $1.2 billion. How can the blockbuster strategy work for a variety of industries? And why, oh why, are movies stuck in an endless cycle of prequels upon sequels upon threequels (*cough* Marvel, we’re looking at you *cough*)? The guys discuss the state of the movie attention economy and break down why familiarity, distinctiveness, and total merchandising are the three key components to winning big at the box office.

And later, they turn to the synthetic data to expose how marketers really bet their budgets — does playing it safe with a bunch of small bets really pay off? Or does a little a less job security and a lot more risk reap more reward?

03:30 From the Feed – WB Beats Disney at the Box Office

07:39 Synthetic Salon – Anita Elberse Fan Breaks Down Blockbuster Strategy

15:51 Mental Model – From Movie Studio Marketing to B2B and B2C

29:42 Million Dollar Data – Are Marketers Afraid to Bet Big?