MySpace MD – Social media is also for niche films
Filmmakers must give people access to their content to build exponential awareness and distribution, according to Rebekah Horne, MD of MySpace Australia, NZ, UK & Europe.
Speaking at an event organised by the online marketing and media publication mUmBRELLA, Horne explained that giving audiences access to material such as trailers and red carpet or behind-the-scenes footage is the beginning of an effective marketing model.
“It allows them to push the content around and share it with other people across networks and platforms, creating a powerful exponential distribution, and that’s a model that works.
Horne cited MySpace’s recent stream of Avatar and Twilight: New Moon events as an example of how to create anticipation around a film’s release.
“Of course those films already had that anticipation, but it drove the next step around awareness,” she said. “We know not every film is Avatar, but we try to be democratic. We have a diverse audience, so it’s not just about blockbusters; we try to develop niche communities.”
Another panellist at the event, David May, former agency executive and current GM for marketing at Jetstar, reminded the audience that there are so many distribution channels that cinema should not be seen as the beginning and the end of a film’s life.
“There are a million distribution channels to get your content in front of people, to get exposure, but there is still an obsession with getting people to go to the cinema. It’s not a need anymore,” he said.
In response, Horne added that the film industry’s business model still needs to evolve and learn from the mistakes made by the music industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“I’m afraid that film is going down the same path as music. Unless models evolve, it will become a very difficult, very quickly. People want to be able to get their films quickly, even if they have to pay, so you have to make it available or they will find alternative ways to get it.”
