MARKETTOMARKET

MARKETTOMARKET
I N S I G H T I N TO S E L L I N G TO S O U G H T- A F T E R MA R K E TS
Here We Are Now:
Entertain Us
THE ENTERTAINMENT MARKET IS JAM-PACKED WITH PROMOTIONS OPPORTUNITIES.
SEE FOR YOURSELF IN THIS MONTAGE OF FUN-TIME FACTS. By Audrey Sellers
Silver-Screen Stats From 2010
• $31.8 billion: Worldwide box office revenues
• $10.6 billion: U.S./Canada box office revenues, up 15 percent
from 2005
• 39 cents: The average movie-ticket price increase in 2010 over
2009
• 1.3 billion: Number of tickets sold in the U.S. and Canada
• 4.1: Number of tickets sold per person in the U.S. and Canada
• 222.7 million: Number of people who went to the movies at
least once
• 6: Number of times the average moviegoer caught a flick
• 1 in 3: People who viewed at least one 3-D movie
• PG-13: Most popular category, comprising 12 of the top 25 films
• 39,500+: Number of cinema screens in the U.S.
Source: Motion Picture Association of America
Source: Motion Picture Association of America’s “Theatrical Market Statistics 2010”
No Biz Like
Show Biz
746,000+
Number of people who work in the producing,
manufacturing, marketing and distribution of
motion pictures and TV shows
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What A Rush
270: Number of U.S. amusement parks
101: Number of new roller coasters that opened
worldwide in 2011
Source: The Rollercoaster Database
Nine Rules For Working In
Entertainment
TWO DISTRIBUTORS WITH EXPERTISE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT MARKET SHARE THEIR RULES FOR SUCCESS.
1. Never be ordinary. “You must have
the ability to combine the creative
with the products,” says Doreen
Sullivan, president of Columbia,
South Carolina-based distributor
AIA/Post No Bills, Inc. (UPIC:
POST0001). “Otherwise, you’re just
selling a regular item. If it’s someDoreen Sullivan
thing every other distributor has,
forget walking in the door in Hollywood.”
2. Work lightning-fast. “Everything is on rush with movie
studios,” says Josh Ebrahemi, partner for Culver City,
California-based distributor Jack Nadel International
(UPIC: NADELINC). “You have to find items quickly
because studios don’t have time to wait. If you have
your own art department, you can do virtuals, mockups and specs. You get quicker approvals and you’re
making yourself different.”
3. Think full-service. “Fifteen years ago, I started strategically developing our in-house creative services to start
supporting our entertainment clients. I have a full-time
art director and copywriter. A lot of distributors don’t
have these things,” Sullivan explains.
4. Don’t mess up. “The minute you mess up with a studio,
you’re out the door. You only get one chance,” Ebrahemi
warns.
5. Always strive to impress. “I started soliciting Hollywood
from Prosperity, South Carolina, which is where I used
to live. I sent unique pitch kits to get my company
noticed—they were well-thought-out, attention-getting
and one-of-a-kind pieces,” Sullivan says. “There are so
many people who want to work in Hollywood that if
you don’t stand out from the get-go, you won’t get in.”
6. Hone your people skills. “Studios are tricky because so
many people want to go after them. There’s a lot of
competition,” notes Ebrahemi. “It’s hard to get in the
door, but once you’re in, it’s important to establish
great relationships.”
7. Have a wow factor. “You have to
find some way to blow them away.
This is Hollywood—that’s what
they’re searching for,” Sullivan says.
“You can’t just send some mints with
a clever line on the container. One of
my first big clients was DreamWorks.
I pitched Prince Of Egypt with a package
that was four-feet tall, three-feet
Josh Ebrahemi
wide and had a basket. When you
opened it up, you had to go through reeds and cattails,
and pull out a basket like it was coming out of the Nile.”
8. Keep at it. “Have patience. It may not work out your
first, fifth or 10th time, but if you’re consistent, humble
and look at the long-term objective, it’ll work out for
you,” says Ebrahemi. “You must have persistence.”
9. Be ahead of the trends. “You have to present yourself as
a solution to be able to do something that’s new and
trendy. That’s what studios are looking for,” says
Sullivan. “This is a good market if you’re completely
savvy, you’re on top of the trends and you have creative
support behind you.” ppb
Want to land an entertainment account?
Scan this QR code with your smart phone to hear more of
Doreen Sullivan’s must-do’s.
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Let The Good Times Roll
USE THESE FIVE PRODUCTS TO BOOST THE FUN FACTOR OF ENTERTAINMENT CAMPAIGNS.
Promoting a DVD
release? Try …
The Microwave Popcorn Custom Bag.
This movie-night must-have includes an
insert card tucked inside the fold of the
bag for bonus exposure.
A La Carte • UPIC: alacarte •
800-723-2370 • www.alacarteline.com
Promoting a statefair opening? Try …
Promoting amusement-park
attendance? Try …
The Madison Cinch. An open
main compartment is ideal for
stashing fairway finds, and a
drawstring design allows for
shoulder or backpack wear.
Leed’s • UPIC: LEEDS •
800-860-1555 •
www.leedsworld.com
The Custom Flexi-Bottle. Featuring a foldable design
and a carabiner, it includes a push/pull drink spout with
a removable cap for easy refills throughout the day.
Prime Resources Corp. • UPIC: PRIME •
800-873-7746 • www.primeline.com
Promoting the
circus coming to
town? Try …
The Jumbo Picture Frame With
Oval Punch Out. It’s perfect for
displaying a snapshot of all
the big-top action.
The Magnet Group •
UPIC: THEM8674 •
800-458-9457 •
www.themagnetgroup.com
Promoting a new
event at the zoo?
Try …
A plush animal, such as Lucy
The Monkey, from the Floppies
collection. Long, floppy legs
make it a cuddly keepsake for
young visitors.
It’s All Greek To Me (Camsing
Global, LLC) • UPIC: GREEK •
800-350-4000 • www.iagtm.com
Circus, Circus
30+ million:
The number of circus visitors per year
Source: Feld Entertainment
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Two Examples Of Entertainment Promos
Office Sweets
IF YOU’RE A FAN OF “THE
OFFICE,” you’re familiar with Dwight
Schrute’s bobble head. Freeport,
New York-based supplier Chocolate
Inn (UPIC: chocinn) put a sweet spin
on this iconic figurine by making
chocolate versions of not just
Dwight’s bobble head, but the whole
cast from “The Office.” The actors
signed custom cards to accompany
the chocolate bobble heads, and the
gifts were sold during the Christmas
season in the NBC store.
Secrets And Lies.” She filled a basket with four glasses, four drink
mixes, napkins dyed to match ABC Family’s color palette and a
deep-etched, color-filled pitcher. She designed print collateral
and used variable data to ensure a personalized touch right
down to the sticker on the outside of the shrink-wrap. “The message of this kit,” she says, “is that while other networks are on
vacation this summer, we’ll keep you refreshed all summer long.”
Summertime Sips
DOREEN SULLIVAN, PRESIDENT OF Columbia, South Carolinabased distributor AIA/Post No Bills, Inc. (UPIC: POST0001), created
a thirst-quenching promotion for ABC Family’s “Summer Of
Top 10 U.S.
Amusement Parks
Animal Attractions
• 223: Number of accredited
zoos and aquariums worldwide
• 212: Number of accredited
zoos and aquariums in the
U.S.
• 54 percent are nonprofit
• 35 percent are public
• 11 percent are for-profit
• Visitors can view 869,000
1. Cedar Point (Ohio)
2. Knoebels (Pennsylvania)
3. Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom (Florida)
4. Schlitterbahn Water Park (Texas)
5. Universal’s Islands Of Adventure (Florida)
6. Six Flags Magic Mountain (California)
7. King’s Island (Ohio)
8. Dells Water Parks (Wisconsin)
9. Hershey Park (Pennsylvania)
10. Knott’s Berry Farm (California)
Source: www.travelchannel.com
animals from 6,000 species
• $90 million: Amount spent on conservation projects
each year
• $16 billion: Amount accredited zoos and aquariums
Fun At The Fair
3,200+:
Number of fairs held in
North America annually
Source: International Association of Fairs and Expositions
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contribute to the U.S. economy annually
• 142,000: Number of zoo and aquarium jobs
• 179 million: Total annual visitors
• 50 million: Children visitors with families
• 12 million: Student visitors on field trips
Source: Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Audrey Sellers is an associate editor for PPB.