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Author Topic: Music ads in trailers Alex Edwards Expert Film Handler Posts: 114 From: Iowa Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-16-2009 12:50 PM                  Just saw the trailer for When in Rome and was shocked to see how blatently they promoted certain songs in the movie. They spent a good ten to fifteen seconds at the end of the trailer listing the songs AND actually displaying the artists that sang them. Why would they do this? Do they think just because theres a certain artist on the soundtrack, I should suddenly go see this? So they use their alloted time to promote their movie to show a picture of the artist that provides background music to the movie. This is actually part of the trailer:  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 12-16-2009 12:55 PM                     I'm pretty sure they want you to buy the soundtrack because of all the people on it.  |  IP: Logged Alex Edwards Expert Film Handler Posts: 114 From: Iowa Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-16-2009 12:57 PM                  Yea, but it just seems like shameless promoting. Customers are already spending time watching the ads of the studio's upcoming films, do they want another product pushed at them?  |  IP: Logged Todd McCracken Master Film Handler Posts: 263 From: Northridge, CA, USA Registered: Mar 2008 posted 12-16-2009 01:04 PM                    Im waiting to see how long before we have TBS style pop up ads in movies  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 12-16-2009 01:53 PM                     quote: Alex Edwards Yea, but it just seems like shameless promoting. Customers are already spending time watching the ads of the studio's upcoming films, do they want another product pushed at them? You act as if the shameless promoters give a shit.  |  IP: Logged Jesse Skeen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1517 From: Sacramento, CA Registered: Aug 2000 posted 12-16-2009 06:25 PM                     The trailer for the 1978 movie "FM" had a promo for the soundtrack album at the end, showing the cover of the 2-record set.  |  IP: Logged John Joseph Fink Film Handler Posts: 60 From: West Hartford, CT Registered: Feb 2006 posted 12-16-2009 08:18 PM                        Pirate Radio had this in both the ads and trailers, however given that flick is a period piece and it uses music of the era that seems acceptable in marketing the film, in that music is for a certain audience (although the songs are played in the trailer as well). The When in Rome trailer (which I haven't seen yet) sounds really cheesy, but I suppose for a certain audience as well: teen girls. Given the story line though you'd think the film wouldn't have much of a problem attracting them. What can we make of the 2012 teaser trailer that played like a music video for Adam Lambert's song that plays at the end of the film? Music videos have always been a way of cross-promoting films on MTV or as DVD bonus features, but as trailers? It feels little cheap, unless somehow the cost for these trailers is being co-subsidized by the label releasing the soundtrack. I think When In Rome may be a modest hit with it's core female audience with or without the soundtrack, but I also have to wonder does soundtrack matter in a film, in that do we go see a film because it has music we like in it? I some how think the answer may be yes, if that is an extension of our own identity as filmgoers: punk girls that saw Whip It, might also enjoy the soundtrack, or you might see a Wes Anderson film because in addition to his style you like his music choices.  |  IP: Logged Robert E. Allen Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1078 From: Checotah, Oklahoma Registered: Jul 2002 posted 12-16-2009 08:21 PM                     When you finally realize the studio's only purpose in making films is to make money then it should come as no surprise that they promote the soundtrack. That's why they attach trailers to the first reel of movies whether or not you intend to play those particular films. I finally started cutting off trailers for films I had no intention of playing.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 12-16-2009 08:41 PM                        quote: Robert E. Allen When you finally realize the studio's only purpose in making films is to make money And we should be glad they DO make money, because if they didn't we'd all be out of business. I doubt any studio was ever formed without the purpose of making money.  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 12-16-2009 10:54 PM                        I don't know what the world situation is but in Australia the owners of the record labels have a collective that charges cinemas for the use of music recorded on their labels. This is in addition to the performance rights fee. So the fact that these companies feel that they have the right to free promotion on our screens and in our foyers is rubbing salt into the wound. If they did not feel that there was a financial advantage in this form of publicity they wouldn't bother. Cinemas are not outlets for their CDs and music DVDs - there is no profit for the cinema in this promotional activity.  |  IP: Logged Alex Edwards Expert Film Handler Posts: 114 From: Iowa Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-16-2009 11:01 PM                  I guess I've always thought movies are something studios should promote as stories or experiences. The thing about movies is that during the film, there aren't any ads or (intentional) interruptions. When they push their soundtrack during the trailer, for me it just seemed to highlight the commercialism that is becoming bigger and bigger in movies today. It would be like at the end of a trailer, they promoted who provided the "stylish" clothing for the main character.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 12-17-2009 07:12 PM                     Sony are ridiculous when putting adverts in films. In the last Bond, DaVinci and 2012 there were maybe ten occasions where a Sony brand logo was on screen for about three seconds. Still, I can see why they would do it and I'm sure that is part of the attraction of vertical integration.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Jorgenson Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1002 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: Feb 2005 posted 12-21-2009 10:13 PM                        quote: Alex Edwards I guess I've always thought movies are something studios should promote as stories or experiences. Well, "story" and "experience" are very different. If it was just the story they were promoting, then they would not mention the name of the actors or filmmakers either. But if it's the experience, then the soundtrack is definitely part of that experience! It seems that showing Jason Mraz is indeed the advertisers promoting a part of the overall experience... some may not think it's a necessary part of that experience to be included in the theatrical trailer, but that's different than whether it's part of the experience or not.  |  IP: Logged Alex Edwards Expert Film Handler Posts: 114 From: Iowa Registered: Aug 2009 posted 12-22-2009 02:04 AM                  I agree that the soundtrack is part of the movie experience but there is no reason to show full album ads at the end of the trailer. It feels like they are trying to say that if the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, heres some popular singers that are featured in the soundtrack. Credits like these belong at the end of the movie, not with the top billing.  |  IP: Logged Chris Slycord Film God Posts: 2986 From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea Registered: Mar 2007 posted 12-22-2009 08:32 AM                     quote: Alex Edwards It feels like they are trying to say that if the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, heres some popular singers that are featured in the soundtrack. Didn't he point out that this is like saying "If the story didn't interest you enough to go see it, here's a list of the actors"? And I don't see at all how you feel that advertising the singers is saying what you've just said. Again, advertising the singer is just a way to help make money. Someone in the record company told someone at the film studio "Put my client's name on all your advertising or he doesn't participate at all" and then it happened.  |  IP: Logged

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