2013

Marketing Campaign for the movie Skyfall by Sony Pictures Entertainment

Marketing Assignment II
Submitted To: Prof. Arvind Sahay Academic Associate: Ms. Shelly Narula

Submitted By Section A, Group 6

Akshit Sharma | Munesh Verma | Srikanth Lanka Utsav Chaudhary | Venkat Achuth | Yuvraj Singh

1st February 2013

Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Marketing Campaign & Objectives ............................................................................................................... 4 Marketing Tools ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Early Launch .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Creative Execution .................................................................................................................................... 6 Target Audience and Communication Strategy ........................................................................................ 7 Promotion via Trailers (Cinema & TV) .......................................................................................................... 7 Creative Execution .................................................................................................................................... 7 Target Audience and Communication Strategy ........................................................................................ 9 Online and Outdoor Presence....................................................................................................................... 9 Creative Execution .................................................................................................................................... 9 Target Audience and Communication Strategy ...................................................................................... 12 Print and TV Coverage ................................................................................................................................ 12 Creative Execution .................................................................................................................................. 12 Target Audience and Communication Strategy ...................................................................................... 13 Co-Branding ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Co-Branding with Heineken .................................................................................................................... 14 Co-Branding with Coke Zero ................................................................................................................... 14 Co-Branding with Adeles song - Skyfall .................................................................................................. 17 Co-Branding with Omega ........................................................................................................................ 19 Merchandising ............................................................................................................................................ 20 Creative Execution .................................................................................................................................. 20 Target Audience and Communication Strategy ...................................................................................... 22 The Big Picture How Skyfall Fared After the Campaign ........................................................................... 23 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 23

Introduction
In 2012, Sony Pictures Entertainment was faced with falling sales and poor reception of James Bond movies, especially from the traditional Bond fans. However, in 2012, Sonys team redefined marketing campaign for motion pictures with the 23rd James Bond movie, Skyfall. After kicking off their marketing campaign at the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony, Sonys marketing campaign left no stone unturned. The results of the campaign are now clear Skyfall rekindled the 50-yearold Bond charm and became the highest-grossing film worldwide for Sony Pictures within weeks of its release.

Fig 1: Skyfall Poster

Marketing Campaign & Objectives

Here we describe an overview of the marketing campaign, and provide a timeline and the tools deployed for the campaign. These tools are discussed further in greater detail in the next section. Attention: The campaign kick started early at an unprecedented scale at the London Olympics opening ceremony in July 2012, which served the purpose of grabbing eyeballs world over. Interest: Cleverly executed online advertising, outdoor & press/TV campaigns served the purpose of generating further interest in the upcoming movie. Desire: Sony Pictures marketing department did extensive co-branding and merchandising to peak the desire and anticipation for the movie. Action: The movie was released worldwide between October-November, 2013, grossing $80.6 million on the opening weekend.

Fig 2: Timeline of Skyfalls marketing campaign in AIDA framework

The marketing campaign had two clearly outlined objectives: Rekindle the charm of brand James Bond among the traditional and new generation of moviegoers. Generate maximum revenues from the upcoming movie Skyfall, and associated merchandising & branding.

Marketing Tools
Sony Pictures redefined the traditional marketing tools used by the film industry, and used the entire plethora of them from its kitty.

Figure 3: Marketing tools used by Sony for its marketing campaign

These tools are discussed in greater detail in this section. We illustrate creative execution strategy with images and description. We also discuss the target audience, and the communication strategy for each of these marketing communication tools.

Early Launch
The movies first official announcement came in a grand and unprecedented fashion during the opening ceremony of London 2012 Olympics.

Creative Execution
During the opening ceremony of London 2012 Olympics, the lead actor Daniel Craig was shown to escort Queen Elizabeth from Buckingham Palace into a helicopter. They were then shown flying to the Olympics venue and parachute out of the helicopter into the arena.

Fig 4: Daniel Craig shown escorting the Queen from Buckingham Palace

Fig 5: Daniel Craig shown flying with the Queen to the Olympics Arena

Target Audience and Communication Strategy

This was more of a carpet-bombing approach. The expected viewership of the opening ceremony was close to 150 million viewers worldwide, with 40 million viewers in US alone. No movie was ever unveiled at such scale.

Fig 6: Unveiling Skyfall at 2012 London Olympics Arena

While most of the well-promoted movies are unveiled 1-2 months before launch, Sony did so 6 months prior to the movies launch. The goal of such grand early start was to plant the grand image of the Bond brand harping on sensory satisfaction of the viewers.

Promotion via Trailers (Cinema & TV)

Sonys marketing team actively engaged in advertising in cinemas and TV via trailers following the launch period, to promote the Bond brand, and the movie.

Creative Execution
Several different trailers were developed well in advance, to maintain curiosity while giving glimpses of the upcoming movie.

Fig 7: One of many Skyfall Posters/Trailers

Fig 8: Concluding scene of another Skyfall trailer

Target Audience and Communication Strategy

Promotion via trailers was much targeted and focused. Slots in representative movies for showing trailers are shown below with the intended communication.

Online and Outdoor Presence

Sony engaged in extensive online and outdoor promotions, with different target audiences in mind for each.

Creative Execution
Sony engaged in extensive outdoor advertising through posters and artwork on public transport and buildings.

Fig 9: Outdoors advertising for Skyfall and Bond

Fig 10: Artwork on public transport for Skyfall and Bond

For online presence, social networks were targeted: Facebook page o ~240,000 visitors o Most popular age-group: 18-24 years

Fig 11: Facebook page for Skyfall with demographics & visitors

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Twitter o ~140,000 followers

Fig. 12: Twitter page for Skyfall showing followers

Online contests were also conducted for the purpose of engaging younger audience with the Bond brand.

Fig. 13: Online contests to engage internet-savvy audience

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Target Audience and Communication Strategy

While outdoor campaigns were broadly focused, online promotions were targeted specifically towards engaging younger tech-savvy audience. With an estimated online marketing budget of over $10-15 million, Sony has successfully tried to reinforce the cutting-edge sci-fi spy movie image for Skyfall with the upcoming audience.

Print and TV Coverage

Sony exhaustively used TV and print media for promotions and conducted several press conferences.

Creative Execution
Press releases were held to inform print media about the upcoming release. These were also featured on television channels.

Fig 9: Examples of press coverage for Skyfall and Bond

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Target Audience and Communication Strategy

Following table shows the target audience and relevant channel chosen for press and television coverage.

Co-Branding
Sony engaged with several brands for the movie, providing branded entertainment campaigns that stretched across channels. In return, the brands got promotion through the movie.

Fig 10: Brands associated with Skyfall for co-branding 13

Co-Branding with Heineken

Creative Execution: Skyfall & Bond Heineken bottles. Target Audience: Young movie goers (18-28 years)

Fig 11: Skyfall branded Heineken bottles

Co-Branding with Coke Zero

Creative Execution: Skyfall & Bond Coke Zero bottles.

Fig 12: Skyfall branded Coke-Zero bottles

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Unlock the 007 in you Campaign Coke launched a ground promotion campaign where real commuters on the street were given a chance to face missions in a Bond-like scenario. The missions were short (70 sec), easily completed, while still fun to perform and watch.

Fig 12: Unlock the 007 in you campaign

Fig 13: Commuters given Bond-like challenges to perform

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Fig 14: Commuters performing the challenges

These challenges were filmed and made available online. These videos that went viral generated massive online publicity for Skyfall with over 9 million views.

Fig. 15: Viral YouTube video for Cokes Unlock the 007 campaign

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Target Audience: Co-branding with Coke was aimed for promotion in the 18-34 year age bracket. The online viral video was targeted at young net-savvy movie-goers in the 18-34 year age group.

Message Strategy: Co-branding with Coke-Zero and the Unlock the 007 campaign helped Sony promote Skyfall by creating a positive public image, wanting customers to be engaged with the campaign and Skyfall.

Co-Branding with Adeles song - Skyfall

Sony Pictures entered into a contract with English songwriter, Adele to produce the song Skyfall for promotion of the movie. In return, the good reception of the movie would boost sales of Adeles music as well.

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Fig 16: Sonys tie-up with Adele to produce the song titled Skyfall

Communication Design:

Sony pictures leveraged Adeles credibility, attractiveness and power to promote their motion picture with the song as shown below.

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Co-Branding with Omega

Sony entered into a contract to allow Omega to produce limited edition Skyfall watches, which would be endorsed by Daniel Craig in the movie.

Fig 17: Limited Edition Skyfall watch by Omega

Fig 18: Daniel Craig sporting the Limited Edition Omega in the movie 19

Target Audience:

Through its promotion via Omega Limited Edition, Sony targeted the traditional upper-middle class Bond followers.
Message Strategy:

Merchandising
Merchandising through toys, video games and posters was an important selfsustaining component of Sonys promotional campaign for Skyfall.

Creative Execution
Ashton Martin toy cars

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Fig. 19: Ashton Martin car merchandise by Skyfall

MI6 helicopters

Fig. 20: MI6 Helicopter merchandise by Skyfall

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PlayStation 3 video game

Fig. 21: Sonys Skyfall video game for Play Station 3

Fig. 22: Clips from Sonys PS 3 video game for Skyfall

Target Audience and Communication Strategy

Through its merchandising, Sony managed to target the teens and young adults, in the age group 12-24 years. The younger fans would buy the posters, video games and toys. Sony provided these target audience, a way to show their dedication to James Bond and is common way of expressing their personalities. The video games allowed the fans to get a better connection to the story line.

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The Big Picture How Skyfall Fared After the Campaign

Skyfall opened worldwide to great reception, grossing a record breaking $80.6 million on the opening weekend itself, eventually becoming the highest grossing film in UK. A comparison with its predecessor Daniel Craig starrer Bond movie A Quantum of Solace, gives an idea about the success of the marketing campaign in bringing back the love for James Bond movies.

Net Earnings (in million $)

586 1078 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200

A Quantum of Solace Skyfall

Opening Weekend Collections (in mn $)

25 80.6 A Quantum of Solace Skyfall

Marketing Budget (in mn $)

40 80 0 20 40 60 80 100

Conclusion
Sony Pictures engaged in a creative campaign for Skyfall, which employed many unconventional and innovative tools to reach out to a diverse set of audience. Through their campaign, they were able to rekindle the charm of James Bond among traditional James Bond fans as well as young upcoming movie-goers. The end result of the campaign was record-breaking revenues for Skyfall and a breath of fresh life to upcoming Bond movies.

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