Make It Blockbuster Another Night: Video chain to promote theatrical releases.
Warner Bros. found an unlikely partner to market the Halloween release of The House on Haunted Hill. But if Blockbuster Entertainment has its way, the concept won’t be uncommon for long.
Dallas-based Blockbuster took time out from promoting its own video offerings last month to run in-store posters advertising Warner’s new movie and contribute 300,000 free-rental certificates for an instant-win game the studio ran in theaters. In return, Blockbuster received mention on in-theater banners, posters, and in the film. Simon Marketing, Los Angeles, handles.
“It’s a cradle-to-grave concept,” explains Curt Andrews, Blockbuster’s senior vp of product merchandising and promotion. Since box-office smashes generally tend to be the most successful video titles as well, “if we can align our marketing teams, we’ll have benefits for ourselves, too. It’s all the same product.”
Blockbuster has created three positions to handle the new initiative, which will be implemented on a film-by-film basis but could also include broader deals with studios, says Andrews. Agreements won’t necessarily cover a title’s entire life cycle, “but where it makes sense, we’ll do that,” he says.
“This will also strengthen our relationship with the studios and the movie industry,” adds Andrews. “The more we understand about the market, the better we’ll be when a movie comes out on video.”
So go to the multi-plex tonight. You can make tomorrow a Blockbuster Night.
