Marketing Campaign for the movie
Content
Advertising and Communication Plan
36 Quai des Orfèvres
Agency: Synergy
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CHAN Cheuk Yin, Andrew CHEUNG Hau Chi, Iris CHIU Chi Ting, Fanni KWONG Siu To, Kite MAK Hui Ki, Steven NG Lak Sun, Nixon
06186272 06611942 06111576 06611966 07318107 06061692
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Content Page
Part 1 – Analysis 1.1Situation Analysis 1.2 Target Market Analysis 1.3 Competitor Analysis 1.4 Communication Objectives Part 2 -- Communication Plan 2.1 Detailed Budget 2.2 Message 2.3 Media 2.4 Sales Promotion 2.5 Assessment and Control Part 3 -- Appendix A. Target Market Analysis - Questionnaire - Focus Group Interview B. Message and Media - Press Release - Official Website Layout - Posters : Version (I) - (III) - Photography Competition Blog - Crossover with agnes b a. agnes b Website b. agnes b Campaign Pop c. Previous agnes b Crossover - Invitation Letter P.3 - P.10 P. 3 - P.4 P. 5 - P.6 P.6 - P.8 P.6 - P.10 P.11 - P.22 P.11 P.11 - P.15 P.15 - P.18 P.19 - P.21 P.21 - P.22
P.23 - P.27 P.23 - P.26 P.26 - P.27 P.27- P.34 P.27 - P.28 P.28 P.29 - P.30 P.31 P.32 P.32 P.33 P.34
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Part 1 – Analysis
1.1 Situation Analysis (i) Industry Change & Cultural Development The local movie industry has been going downhill since the nineties, generally due to declining local movie productions, inability to attract talents, availability of pirated VCDs and harsh competitions from foreign movies. It is noticed that the Hong Kong audience has become more sophisticated in recent decades when choosing movies in theatres, and this is reflected in the Annual Box Office Result. Until October 2008, it is not surprising to find merely five local movies in the Top 20 Box Office Result1. Most Hong Kong film producers aim to produce movies with the lowest possible budget, thus it is not uncommon to see starlets being hired as ‘actors’ in local films, and the lack of creative scripts. The coarse local production leads to audience complaints about the poor quality of local films, pushing people to watch foreign films instead. As 94.5% of the Hong Kong audience prefers higher quality films and 55.2% enjoys foreign films more2, it will be an advantage for us to market 36 Quai des Orfèvres under these situational factors.
(ii) Consumer Lifestyle Changes Nowadays there are a lot more movies, both in terms of the quantity and the variety in genres, available in the market than in the past, giving consumers many more choices. Given the economic
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http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/hongkong/yearly/?yr=2008&p=.htm http://www.dab.org.hk/tr/main.jsp?content=articlecontent.jsp&articleId=955&categoryId=1210# 4
success of Hong Kong people, a large proportion of them can afford and are willing to watch movies in their leisure. However, the habit of movie watching has changed tremendously during the past decades. First, the venue of movie watching has changed from the cinemas in the past to the homes these days, thanks to the development and hasty distribution of movie DVDs and the advancement in domestic audio / visual equipment, prompting consumers to visit cinemas less frequently. Second, while the overall appeal of cinemas has decreased, local consumers are more selective in choosing which cinemas to visit. Cinemas nowadays have been designed to give a relaxed and comfortable ambience and they provide value-added services to attract moviegoers. In addition, the taste of Hong Kong moviegoers has altered too, switching from local movies in the past to western, Hollywood style movies currently, possibly due to better education as well as an enhanced level of living. Last but not least, it is advanced technology and the rising demand of moviegoers for more audio and visual excitements that popularise 3D or 4D theatres in Hong Kong. (iii) Economic Conditions Due to the recent financial tsunami which has struck globally, Depression 2.03 seems to be slashing holes in everyone’s pockets. Bracing for what might lay ahead, most people are holding back on their spending. This is bad news for the movie industry as movies are usually considered as ‘luxurious’ and one of the most ‘unnecessary’ items during economic downturns.
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http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/laird/2008/0131.html 5
1.2 Target Market Definition and Analysis 36 Quai des Orfèvres is a French movie categorised under the genre of crime and drama. To identify the target market, a research about movie-going habits in Hong Kong was conducted. The research consisted of two parts. The first part was an online survey, a quantitative study, and the second part was a focus group interview, a qualitative study (See Appendix).
Major findings from the research are summarised below:
Product Usage
Demographic Characteristics
Psychographic Characteristics Activities
Interest
Opinions
Movies as major source of entertainmen t Enjoy imported movies Sophisticate d viewers
18 – 33 years old
Active in social events Aware of internationa l events Frequent multimedia and internet users Enjoy travelling
Foreign languages Engagement Excitement seeking Problemsolvers
About 60% male and 40% female Welleducated (High school or above)
Positive attitude towards France and its culture
Generally speaking, the target group are well-educated, active movie-going young adults who enjoy foreign movies. From the study, it is suggested that a slightly greater number of males are interested in crime movies than females. Moreover, it is also believed that those who prefer watching
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imported films are more sophisticated viewers and would pay more attention to the quality and special features of the movies, such as the cast, visual effects and the plot. Apart from that, the target audience is also interested in foreign cultures and enjoys travelling. The above information is used in developing an integrated marketing communication plan. First of all, based on the target market and the nature of the movie, certain types of communication are selected. The message for the advertising campaign is designed and delivered in a way that facilitates the interpretation of target customers. Next, the promotional activities and the main features shown in any promotional items are determined by specific demographic and psychographic characteristics of the target audience. These activities should communicate the same message throughout the campaign. Finally, particular channels of communication are chosen to deliver the message. These media are typically adopted by the target group and, therefore, should attract people’s attention, develop liking and eventually encourage purchase.
1.3 Competition Analysis Based on the target audience mentioned in the previous section, two movies are identified as competitors among the set of movies that will be shown in Hong Kong in November 2008. The Beast Stalker and Cape No.7 are the most relevant competitors. (i) Competitor A: The Beast Stalker (27/11 on show) Positioning: It falls under the action and crime movie genre. Set in crowded Hong Kong, the movie
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aims at creating cinematic excitement through a fast pace and dramatic plot, as well as some spectacular shots like gunfights and broadside hit of cars. Main advertisement theme: ‘A traffic accident changed their lives forever’ is the main message of the movie. Directed by Dante Lam (Hong Kong Films Awards Best Director winner) and starring local artists Nicolas Tse and Nick Cheung, the film presents a dramatic adventure about friendship, duty, love and hate. Promotional campaign: As of early November, the promotional campaign of The Beast Stalker includes the EMP Films official website, press release in Beijing, posters and in-theatre trailer, posters in public transport, co-operation with shopping mall to hold a function. Although it will be on show one week after 36 Quai des Orfèvres, The Beast Stalker is still considered as the main competitor because the two movies are under the same genre. It draws the attention of our target audience due to the well-known local cast and director. According to the survey, cast is the second most important factor that affects audience to watch a movie. (ii) Competitor B: Cape No.7 (20/11 on show) Positioning: It falls under the love drama genre. It has become one of the best-selling films in Taiwan history (a Taiwan box office big hit). This film was world premiered at the 2008 Taipei Film Festival and later won three awards in this festival. Main advertisement theme: This film does not only contain love elements but also an educational message as the main character strives to achieve his dream. Promotional campaign: Apart from the release of the original soundtrack, posters in public
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transport and on newspapers, the main actors will come to Hong Kong for a promotion. This film is regarded as a direct competitor because it will be on show on the same day as 36 Quai des Orfèvres and it is considered as a foreign film. Although it is not in the same genre, its selling point as the best love film in Taiwan history tends to attract our target audience who are mainly young adults.
In order to differentiate from our main competitors, 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be promoted as a crime drama movie. A huge promotional campaign can help to get rid of the target market’s confusion between it and The Beast Stalker. The message should be clearly sent out to tell audience that it is a movie about the dilemma of the two main characters, and that it is hard to distinguish between right and wrong. The poster design should adopt a black and white colour tone to portray this feeling. In order to attract a larger audience and make them aware of this film, creative promotional campaigns with some noises are needed. Our target market being educated young adults, the online campaign should be interactive and fun. Apart from this, since Hong Kong people rarely watch French movie, and it therefore is identified as our weakness. In order to let more people, our target group in particular, to notice 36 Quai des Orfèvres, having a function collaborating with a well-known French brand may be viable. The communication objectives and sales promotional programmes below illustrate how the positioning can be achieved.
1.4 Communication objectives
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The communication objectives are established based on the Hierarchical of Effects model and the analyses mentioned previously. The target audience will have to pass through five successive levels in the model, moving up from awareness to purchase. Advertising and other promotional efforts are designed to achieve specific communications objectives.
(i) Phase I Objective I (a): Create awareness among 85% of target audience
The first stage of the communication plan is to build awareness among 85% of the target audience, who are young, sophisticated, well-educated, and are excitement seekers. This could be achieved by selecting high reach media which the target market would be exposed to. Objective I (b): Create knowledge of the film among 75% of target audience
Next, promotions should focus on providing information to the target audience. The education background of the target group would allow them to develop knowledge about the movie through processing and interpretation of the message.
(ii) Phase II Objective II (a): Create positive feelings about the film among 60% of target audience
To create favourable attitudes and arouse interests, the promotion activities should appeal to the target market, based on their psychological characteristics. By doing so, the audience could associate specific features or benefits to the movie.
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Objective II (b): Create preference of the film among 45% of target audience
At this stage, emphasis should be placed on specific attributes of the movie, which could differentiate it from the competitors. Since the film is targeting sophisticated viewers, the information conveyed must be sound and convincing in order to affect attitudes. Objective II (c): Obtain trial among 25% of target audience
Finally, the ultimate goal of this communication plan is to capture 25% of the target market to buy the movie tickets. However, due to the recent financial crisis, it is likely that some people would reduce spending on entertainment. Therefore, sales promotions and a more interactive approach should be adopted to provide more incentives to purchase.
Part 2 – Communication Plan
2.1 Detailed Budget
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Budget of 36 Quai des Orfevres Communication Plan
Particulars Estimated Price Remarks Total
MTR Advertisement Placement (From 10th November to 30th November)
Cost of Placement Cost of Printing Cost of Installation $194,350 / Week $290 / Poster $100 / Panel High Impact Network Package (245 panels at stations along 4 major MTR lines) 15% extra posters requested for spare use, totalling 282 posters Hiring technicians for installing and removing the posters $583,050 $81,780 $24,500
Photography Competition (10th November to 17th November)
SMS Vendor Charge Cost of Prizes $0.12 / Message $7,500 / Ticket Sending 3.5 million text messages during peak hours in Times Square and Harbour City Two round-trip economy air tickets to and from Paris $420,000 $15,000
Agnes b Campaign (10th November to 17th December)
Cost of Promotional Materials Cost of Complimentary Tickets Cost of Administration $1,000 / Shop $25 / Ticket $8,000 / Shop Paper boards, posters, leaflets and tickets shown or distributed in the shops 2 free tickets given to customers with $1,500 of purchase or more, totalling 1,500 tickets Charged by Agnes b for the collaboration (promotion, extra human resources, etc.) Inviting reporters at Milk to write a special coverage on the campaign $27,000 $37,500 $216,000 $3,000
Cost of Promotion at Milk Magazine $3,000
Official Website
Cost of Domain Name Acquisition $200 / Year $200
Premiere (15th November)
Cost of Cinema Rental Cost of Artiste Invitation Cost of Refreshments Cost of Souvenirs Cost of Decoration Cost of Administration $3,000 / House $10,000 / Person $10,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,000 Renting both houses at UA Director's Club for private screening Inviting Amanda S. as the guest of honour Snacks and beverages for the cocktail party prior to the show Gifts presented to guests and reporters Backdrop, stage, lighting, etc. Hiring helpers to better organise the function $6,000 $10,000 $10,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,000
GRAND TOTAL
$1,452,030
2.2 Message The overall message strategy of our advertising campaign is to show people the thrilling experience the movie can bring and how it induces thinking. There will be two main aspects for us to focus on
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http://www.hadilworkshop.com/index.asp http://www.meteorsis.com/tc_price.htm http://www.jcdecaux.com.hk/documents/mtr/2008_RateBook_29_Provisional_Version.pdf http://www.uacinemas.com.hk/chi/cinema/CinemaList?id=11
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in promoting the movie. First, we emphasise on the success evidenced by the movie’s box office, remarkable French actors with great performance and the number of nominations it has obtained. At the same time, it is also hoped that the audience can become more receptive towards foreign movies. Second is about the plot itself. The movie is about the fight between ‘good vs. evil’ within a person who is supposed to act in good faith, which is different from a typical crime movie showing the tension between police and gangsters. It is also stressed in the promotion that the movie is adapted from a real story, further establishing it as an outstanding crime movie of the time. It will arouse the curiosity of the people since that this kind of secret usually will not disclose to the public. The promotional efforts put to convey the message are as follows. (i) Press release & official website
An official website will be designed, while a press release will be out a week before the movie is launched. These are essential for our campaign as they facilitate the smooth launching of the movie and allow the audience to obtain more basic information regarding the movie. We can also present the trailers, features and content of 36 Quai des Orfèvres in this website.
(ii)
Movie trailer
The trailer of 36 Quai des Orfèvres serves the function of conveying information and arousing interests from the target audience. Overall, the trailer communicates the idea of the movie. The title, the production company, Gaumont, and the launch date are clearly stated. Certain scenes, for
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instance gun shots and explosion, are chosen to capture people’s attention, whereas scenes like the funeral are aimed at creating emotional upheavals of the audience. Besides, specific features of the movie are emphasised, such as the Cesar Award nominations, as well as the two actors’ names. Additionally, a question is raised at the end to stimulate thinking for sophisticated viewers. (iii) Poster
The basic colour tone of the posters is black and white. It portrays our main message of the difficulties to distinguish between good cops and bad cops (black and white symbolises good and bad). The two main characters are included in the poster so that viewers can easily understand that the plot of this film is about the two men. Besides, an open-ended approach is used to state our main message on the poster, since our target market are problem solvers and highly educated people, they would prefer arriving at their own conclusions to being given an interpretation of the movie. The award nominations and cast are also written on the poster to provoke a positive feeling, increasing their preference to this movie. (iv) Photography competition
It is decided that a photography competition, in which participants are requested to take black and white photos from their daily lives bringing out the concept of ‘dilemma’, be held to implement our message strategy. Holding a photography competition as part of our advertising campaign is consistent with the movie’s image. First, since the movie revolves around a situation where a cop has to choose to act either morally correct or wrong, a dilemma exists. Thus, by asking the participants to focus on the issue of ‘dilemma’ in this competition, it will surely be in line with the
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context of the movie. Second, as the film brings out the dark side of the police, whom words like ‘righteous’ and ‘justice’ are often associated with, this stark contrast can be represented by black against white. Therefore, black and white photos are made the theme of this competition. Third, by holding a competition, interaction between the audience and the movie content can be augmented, allowing them to think more deeply about it and gain a more thorough understanding of the movie. (v) agnès b cross-over
Since agnès b is a well-known French brand with a prominent image in Hong Kong, it is reckoned that by having a cross-over with it, more people will grasp the idea that 36 Quai des Orfèvres is indeed a popular and famous movie in France. Since agnès b is a cool and stylish brand providing good quality goods, it is hoped that by constantly associating the movie with it, people will not just notice how great its production and cast are, but will also create a sense of liking towards the movie and end up preferring this movie over the others.
(vi)
Premiere
The premiere of 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be held on 15th November, five days before the launch date. A number of models in Hong Kong like Amanda S., along with other celebrities will be invited to the premiere. Furthermore, reporters from newspapers, television stations and radio stations will also be invited to the event in the hope of creating some publicity and raising awareness of our target group with the help of reporters. At the same time, agnès b will sponsor the
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clothing of the crew in order to support the premiere. The premiere will be held at UA Director’s Club, which has two houses with great comfort and ambience. A cocktail party will also be organised prior to the show.
2.3 Media ‘Pulsing’ is basically adopted as the overall media strategy for the promotion of our movie. The whole promotional period will only last for seven weeks through different channels and thus, there will be no ‘vacuum’ period therein. ‘Pulsing’ is adopted so as to ensure that people can pay more attention to our promotion at some key points in time (peak), for example, immediately before and after the launch. A variety of media will be selected, for instance, billboards in MTR stations, print media and the internet, for achieving our communication objectives at different stages.
(i) Print materials: Posters, editorial and press release Posters will be shown on Billboards in MTR stations and cinemas. A magazine reporter will be invited to one of the agnès b stores for an exclusive interview. Press release will also be sent to all newspapers in Hong Kong. MTR is one of the most common public transports as it is cheap and convenient. From the survey report released by the Hong Kong Transport Department in 2007, around 2.4 million people
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travelled by MTR each day.5 It can explain why MTR is the most popular advertising channel based on its high reach and high frequency. 36 Quai des Orfèvres billboards will be located mainly at Central, Mongkok, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui stations to better reach our target groups. The influence of editorial context on consumer response in a specialty magazine is generally greater and more positive, compared to subjects exposed to advertisements in a general magazine. Those exposed to the same advertisements in a specialty magazine exhibit poorer discrimination ability.6 The local magazine ‘Milk’ is our choice in this aspect. Unlike many other fashion magazines, Milk targets both the young male and female, and this suits the target market of our movie and that of agnès b (the sales promotion discussed later). Delivering press release (See Appendix) is a relatively cheap way to promote our movie. This can be treated as a reminder to the general public that the movie will be on screen before its launch.
(ii) Electronic media: The internet and SMS The internet is another platform for this competition, as our target audience often browse the internet. Advertising on the official website is cost efficient and prevents advertising clutters and the involvement of our audience will be increased through watching our trailer either in the official website, Facebook or YouTube. Apart from that, people can also exchange their ideas and opinions through the blog dedicated to the photography competition.
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Statistic of Transport Department 2006: http://www.td.gov.hk/mini_site/atd/2007/s5_cn_3.htm Journal of current issues and research in advertising( fall 2003,volume 25, number2) 17
In order to better penetrate into our target market, it is decided to make use of the mobile network to advertise for our photography competition. A vendor is hired to provide the service of reaching our target market through the use of SMS. Two locations, including Causeway Bay Times Square and Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour City, will be focused, and an SMS will be sent to every mobile phone user whenever they pass by these 2 locations. The SMS content will notify receivers that the photography competition linked to 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be organised, and will encourage receivers to participate in the competition actively as free air tickets to France will be given out as the prize for the competition. Promotion Schedule (i) Stage 1: 30th October to 10th November, 2008 Only a very brief introduction to the movie and the cross-over products with agnès b will be conveyed in this early stage, kicked off by our official websites, editorial and press release. The aim is to raise the awareness. (ii) Stage 2: 11th November to 3rd December, 2008 This is a stage when the promotional efforts move from raising awareness to the preference stage in the Hierarchical of Effects model. Posters will be shown in MTR stations and cinemas where our movie is showing. The photography competition will be initiated and promoted. agnès b will start selling our products and more information about the movie will be available, the movie message and story will become more prominent at this stage. (iii) Stage 3: 4th December to 17th December, 2008
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It is the time when the movie is about to cease showing in cinemas, therefore not much promotional efforts will be in place.
2.4 Sales Promotion Our overall sales promotions strategy is to develop an identity that is consistent with the image of the movie and to encourage active consumer involvement. (i) Crossover with agnès b The sale promotion activity of movie tie-in with agnès b, a famous French fashion brand in Hong Kong, was proposed. One the one hand, it is proposed that a number of products of agnès b be crossing-over 36 Quai des Orfèvres, which becomes another major event of the entire promotion campaign from 10th November to 17th December. By this, it is meant that the logo or the name of
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our movie is printed on T-shirts and even accessories, alongside with the brand logo of agnès b (See Appendix). Of course, the overall design tone of the garments has to be adjusted so as to be consistent with the image of 36 Quai des Orfèvres, and yet fashionable enough to encourage purchase. On the other hand, whenever a customer spends more than $1500 in net value in any of agnès b stores in Hong Kong, he can immediately get two free tickets of 36 Quai des Orfèvres. We are hereby applying the balance theory which shows consistency motive as a drive towards psychological balance. By providing a trivial and ‘man-made’ bridge to those who have positive general impressions towards the brand of agnès b, our movie can be messaged more deeply to the selected population and can make use of the wide awareness of an existing trendy and likable brand in another industry. There will be billboards in MTR stations showing the details of the features, editorial page in ‘Milk’ magazine, and posters on window displays as well as at cashier counters. In the area where the crossovers will be displayed, the soundtrack of the movie will be played constantly. 7 the period during which free tickets are given out is different, from 20th November until all 1500 tickets have been distributed. The dates will be communicated very clearly in the advertisements to prevent any possible confusion. There are four reasons why agnès b is a potential and feasible partner for our promotion. The first and foremost reason is that both agnès b and 36 Quai des Orfèvres are French productions, and they seem rather compatible as they are from the same origin. Second, agnès b has a target market of the
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http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=69235 20
younger generation between the ages of 18 and 30,8 an exact match with ours. The already wellsegmented consumer base provides the best promotional ground for our movie without much additional effort. Third, the brand is a constant supporter of arts and movies. As can be seen easily from the window displays of the stores, there are always movie posters being featured, and this is due to the strong interest in films of the designer and founder of agnès b. Last but not least, agnès b has a long history of being engaged in crossovers with many different brands. Examples include Cathy Pacific9 and Everlast (See Appendix). Its ‘expertise’ in this area could provide a lot of advice for our campaign. We have the bargaining power to convince agnès b to have a deal on the sale promotion with us not only because we are providing some trade allowances in terms of money, but also helping the brand to promote as well. We will promote the event to the general public via the internet and a carefully selected magazine, Milk. As agnès b seldom advertises, our promotions can help it reach more target customers.
(ii) Photography competition A photography competition, in which participants are requested to take black and white photos from their daily lives bringing out the concept of ‘dilemma’, will be held from 10th to 17th
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http://www.geocities.com/FashionAvenue/1122/agnes_b/index.html http://miki29082002.mysinablog.com/resserver.php?blogId=524&resource=589530-
DSC01752.JPG 21
November
2008,
and
participants
may
submit
their
photos
by
sending
them
to
[email protected]. The winner will get return air tickets to Paris. Holding a photography competition as part of our advertising campaign is consistent with the movie’s image, and can generate excitement and involvement with the movie, attracting attention towards the advertisement.
2.5 Assessment and control The various campaigns abovementioned do not guarantee success in the overall promotion of the movie as they may contain flaws in their design and execution. It is therefore essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the promotional campaigns, both before and after the launch of the movie, so that resources would not be wasted and would be appropriately allocated. In so doing, the measurement decisions shall adhere closely to the communication objectives. (i) Pre-testing Prior to the launch of the movie, three focus groups, totalling twelve persons, are invited to an indepth interview so that Phase I of the communication objectives, i.e. awareness and knowledge, can be addressed. Questions in the interview are so designed as to give comparisons about awareness and also knowledge of the different movies of the same genre launched during the same period of time. As a result, the effectiveness of the pre-launch promotional efforts can be gauged. Any discrepancies between the promotional objectives and perceptions of target customers having been detected, modifications to the campaigns can be made accordingly.
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(ii) Post-testing After the launch of the movie, a questionnaire will be used to measure the effectiveness of our promotional efforts and the level of consistency with the communication objectives. People from our target market will be invited to complete a questionnaire, which comprises a few questions relating to both Phase I and Phase II of the communication objectives. Regarding Phase I, questions will be raised to gauge the awareness and knowledge of respondents about the movie, and this piece of information can then be compared with the pre-test results. Further, respondents will be asked to rate the movie with regard to other movies with the same genre, and this particular question can tell the level of positive feeling and preference our target customers have developed towards the movie, which relates to Phase II of the communication objectives.
Appendix Questionnaires (i)
Investigation of consumer behaviour in the movie industry (For pre-testing) 1. When you go to cinema, which kind of movie do you watch most? □ Hong Kong Movie □ Asian Movie (except HK) □ European or American □ No Special Preference 2. How many times have you been to cinema in 2008? □ 1-4 times □ 5-9 times □ More than 10 times □ None 3. Which day of the week do you go to the cinema: □ Tuesday (discount day) □ Weekends or Holiday □ Weekdays
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4. What are your favourite types of movie? (more than one answer) □ Comedy □ Action □ Love story □ Science friction □ Terror □ Classical □ Biography □ Animation □ Arts □ War □ Suspense 5. Reasons for choosing a particular movie (more than one answer) □ Story □ Director □ Actors □ Stuck or Sound effect □ Film Review □ Commercials □ Cast □ Big hit in other places □ Award winning movie □ Recommendations by others □ Type of Movie 6. Comparing with 2007 or earlier, number of times entering cinema: □ More □ Less □ Nearly the same 7. If your answer is “Less”, is “Lack of worth seeing movie” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 8. If your answer is “Less”, is “More live show” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 9. If your answer is “Less”, is “DVD/VCD and shown on TV” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 10. If your answer is “Less”, is “Economic downside” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 11. Where do you obtain information about a new movie? (More than one answer) □ Internet □ Poster □ Trailer □ Radio □ Promotion on Public Transport □ Recommended by friends □ Newspaper □ Magazines □ TV □ Billboard 12. Reasons for watching movie in cinema (More than answer): □ Social activities □ Entertainment □ Learn foreign culture □ Extempore □ Release Pressure □ Bored □ Get Inspiration □ Learn new stuff □ Education purpose □ Trend □ Dating 13. Are you aware of French culture or news? □ Never □ Seldom □ Usually □ Always 14. Please choose the following adjectives that you think is most suitable for France (more
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than one answer) □ Romantic □ Relax □ Dirty □ Arrogant
□ Freedom □ Passionate
□ Criminal
15. What are your interests? (More than one answer) □ Surfing Internet □ TV □ Travelling □ Sports □ Listening to music □ Radio □ Reading Magazine □ Karaoke □ Electronic Games □ Watching Movie 16. Please choose the following adjectives to describe yourself? (More than one answer) □ Extrovert □ Introvert □ Thinking □ Feeling □ Adventure □ Conservative □ Impatient □ Impulsive 17. Gender: □ Male
□ Female
18. Age: □ <18 □ 18-25 □ 26-33 19. Educational Level: □ Primary School □ Form. 5 □ Bachelor □ Master/Doctor
□ 34-41
□ 42-49
□ >49
□ Form. 7
20. Annual disposable income for entertainment: □ <$5000 □ $5000-$9999 □ $10000-$14999 □ $15000-$19999 □ $20000-$29999 □ >$30000 21. Occupation: □ Professionals □ Administration /Clerk □ Service Provider □ Retired □ Student □ Unemployed □ Others Thanks a lot!
□ Technician □ Housewife
(ii) Investigation of levels of awareness, knowledge and liking (For post-testing)
Please put a ‘ ’ in the corresponding □. 1) Please indicate the movie(s) below that you have heard of during the past month
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□ The Beast Stalker
□ Cape No. 7
□ 36 Quai des Orfèvres
2) Where did you notice the promotional materials of ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? (You can put more than one ‘ ’) □ MTR stations □ Magazine □ Newspapers □ agnès b stores □ Cinemas □ Internet
3) How would you categorise ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? (You can put more than one ‘ ’) □ □ □ Action Crime Romance □ □ □ Thriller Drama Comedy
4) Which actor(s) appear in ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? □ Daniel Auteuil □ Van Fan □ Gerard Depardieu □ Chie Tanaka □ Nicholas Tse
5) Comparing the movies listed in Question 1, how willing are you in watching ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? Very willing □9 □8 □7 □6 □5 □4 Not at all willing □3 □2 □1
6) What is your age? □ <18 □ 36-40 □ 18-25 □ 41-45 □ 26-30 □ 46-50 □Female
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□ 31-35 □ >50
7) Gender : □Male
Thanks a lot! (ii) Focus Group Interview
On 8th November 2008, three focus groups were conducted and there were 12 participants and 3 interviewers. The objective of the focus groups was to identify specific characteristics of the target market in order to develop an effective promotion campaign for the movie36 Quai des Orfèvres. The participants were chosen as ‘representative consumers’ and they were asked the same set of questions based on the following aspects. Personality / Lifestyle: - Could you please briefly describe your personality? - What do you usually do during your spare time? Hobbies? - How often do you use the internet/ read magazine/ newspaper? Movie-going habits: Why do you go to watch movie? How often do you go watch a movie? Where do you collect information about the movie? How do you obtain the movie tickets? What would you consider when deciding which movie to watch?
French culture: - Do you enjoy travelling? - Are you learning/ have you learned any foreign languages? - Have you been to France? - Please give your general impression of France. - Can you name any brand/product/service in Hong Kong that is related to France or its culture?
Press Release
Introduction 36 Quai des Orfèvres is a French film directed by Olivier Marchal starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu. The film takes place in Paris, where two cops (Auteuil and Depardieu) are competing for the vacant seat of Chief of
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Police in the midst of a search for a gang of violent thieves. The film was nominated for 8 César Awards. The director, Olivier Marchal, is a former policeman who has spent twelve years in the French Police before creating this story, which in part is taken from real facts that happened during the 1980s in France. Synopsis The story revolves around the two main characters, Léo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Gérard Depardieu), where the rivalry to catch a wellorganized gang of armoured-car robbers, pushes Klein to play dirty in order to get the promotion to the seat of Chief of Police in Paris. Vrinks is a good cop with a tight crew of fellow colleagues that are on the verge of unmasking the robbers, after many months of surveillance. He also depends upon tips from shady persons and many times he trusts criminals in order to achieve his goals, on the other side Klein is the figure of an accomplished police officer but with a dirty attitude and questionable ethics. During a police operation to bust the robbers, Klein gets drunk and stumbles out of hiding, messing up the whole operation and gets Vrinks' best friend killed. An internal police inquiry finds Vrinks guilty and responsible for the death of his friend and the operation that lead to the accident. His wife Camille Vrinks (Valeria Golino) is stranded alone without knowing what to do to help her husband locked in jail. At the same time Klein is spying on Camille and, after a brief car chase, Klein purposely slams his car into Camille's and runs her off the road and kills her. Many years later, once Vrinks is out of jail, we can see Klein in the seat of the Chief of Police in Paris. Vrinks asks for help from a friend to get his life on track since he has lost everything but his daughter, later planning a keen vendetta against Klein.
Director Producers Screenwrite rs Cast Music Distributor Running Time
Olivier Marchal Franck Chorot; Cyril Colbeau-Justin; Jean-Baptiste Dupont Olivier Marchal; Franck Mancuso; Julien Rappeneau Daniel Auteuil; Gérard Depardieu Erwann Kermorvant, Axelle Renoir Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont 110 minutes
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Language
French
Official Website
Posters Version (I)
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Version (II)
Version (III)
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- agnès b. campaign poster
- Photography competition campaign poster
Photography Competition Blog
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Crossover with agnès b agnès b website in support of French film
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agnès b campaign pop: placed at cashier counters in all agnès b stores to recall our target customers about our film and the limited edition T-shirt
Example of previous agnès b crossover: Everlast
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http://hk.f1.page.auctions.yahoo.com/hk/auction/1115593859?u=kai20462008
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Invitation letter sample for the premiere
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36 Quai des Orfèvres
Agency: Synergy
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CHAN Cheuk Yin, Andrew CHEUNG Hau Chi, Iris CHIU Chi Ting, Fanni KWONG Siu To, Kite MAK Hui Ki, Steven NG Lak Sun, Nixon
06186272 06611942 06111576 06611966 07318107 06061692
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Content Page
Part 1 – Analysis 1.1Situation Analysis 1.2 Target Market Analysis 1.3 Competitor Analysis 1.4 Communication Objectives Part 2 -- Communication Plan 2.1 Detailed Budget 2.2 Message 2.3 Media 2.4 Sales Promotion 2.5 Assessment and Control Part 3 -- Appendix A. Target Market Analysis - Questionnaire - Focus Group Interview B. Message and Media - Press Release - Official Website Layout - Posters : Version (I) - (III) - Photography Competition Blog - Crossover with agnes b a. agnes b Website b. agnes b Campaign Pop c. Previous agnes b Crossover - Invitation Letter P.3 - P.10 P. 3 - P.4 P. 5 - P.6 P.6 - P.8 P.6 - P.10 P.11 - P.22 P.11 P.11 - P.15 P.15 - P.18 P.19 - P.21 P.21 - P.22
P.23 - P.27 P.23 - P.26 P.26 - P.27 P.27- P.34 P.27 - P.28 P.28 P.29 - P.30 P.31 P.32 P.32 P.33 P.34
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Part 1 – Analysis
1.1 Situation Analysis (i) Industry Change & Cultural Development The local movie industry has been going downhill since the nineties, generally due to declining local movie productions, inability to attract talents, availability of pirated VCDs and harsh competitions from foreign movies. It is noticed that the Hong Kong audience has become more sophisticated in recent decades when choosing movies in theatres, and this is reflected in the Annual Box Office Result. Until October 2008, it is not surprising to find merely five local movies in the Top 20 Box Office Result1. Most Hong Kong film producers aim to produce movies with the lowest possible budget, thus it is not uncommon to see starlets being hired as ‘actors’ in local films, and the lack of creative scripts. The coarse local production leads to audience complaints about the poor quality of local films, pushing people to watch foreign films instead. As 94.5% of the Hong Kong audience prefers higher quality films and 55.2% enjoys foreign films more2, it will be an advantage for us to market 36 Quai des Orfèvres under these situational factors.
(ii) Consumer Lifestyle Changes Nowadays there are a lot more movies, both in terms of the quantity and the variety in genres, available in the market than in the past, giving consumers many more choices. Given the economic
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http://www.boxofficemojo.com/intl/hongkong/yearly/?yr=2008&p=.htm http://www.dab.org.hk/tr/main.jsp?content=articlecontent.jsp&articleId=955&categoryId=1210# 4
success of Hong Kong people, a large proportion of them can afford and are willing to watch movies in their leisure. However, the habit of movie watching has changed tremendously during the past decades. First, the venue of movie watching has changed from the cinemas in the past to the homes these days, thanks to the development and hasty distribution of movie DVDs and the advancement in domestic audio / visual equipment, prompting consumers to visit cinemas less frequently. Second, while the overall appeal of cinemas has decreased, local consumers are more selective in choosing which cinemas to visit. Cinemas nowadays have been designed to give a relaxed and comfortable ambience and they provide value-added services to attract moviegoers. In addition, the taste of Hong Kong moviegoers has altered too, switching from local movies in the past to western, Hollywood style movies currently, possibly due to better education as well as an enhanced level of living. Last but not least, it is advanced technology and the rising demand of moviegoers for more audio and visual excitements that popularise 3D or 4D theatres in Hong Kong. (iii) Economic Conditions Due to the recent financial tsunami which has struck globally, Depression 2.03 seems to be slashing holes in everyone’s pockets. Bracing for what might lay ahead, most people are holding back on their spending. This is bad news for the movie industry as movies are usually considered as ‘luxurious’ and one of the most ‘unnecessary’ items during economic downturns.
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http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/laird/2008/0131.html 5
1.2 Target Market Definition and Analysis 36 Quai des Orfèvres is a French movie categorised under the genre of crime and drama. To identify the target market, a research about movie-going habits in Hong Kong was conducted. The research consisted of two parts. The first part was an online survey, a quantitative study, and the second part was a focus group interview, a qualitative study (See Appendix).
Major findings from the research are summarised below:
Product Usage
Demographic Characteristics
Psychographic Characteristics Activities
Interest
Opinions
Movies as major source of entertainmen t Enjoy imported movies Sophisticate d viewers
18 – 33 years old
Active in social events Aware of internationa l events Frequent multimedia and internet users Enjoy travelling
Foreign languages Engagement Excitement seeking Problemsolvers
About 60% male and 40% female Welleducated (High school or above)
Positive attitude towards France and its culture
Generally speaking, the target group are well-educated, active movie-going young adults who enjoy foreign movies. From the study, it is suggested that a slightly greater number of males are interested in crime movies than females. Moreover, it is also believed that those who prefer watching
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imported films are more sophisticated viewers and would pay more attention to the quality and special features of the movies, such as the cast, visual effects and the plot. Apart from that, the target audience is also interested in foreign cultures and enjoys travelling. The above information is used in developing an integrated marketing communication plan. First of all, based on the target market and the nature of the movie, certain types of communication are selected. The message for the advertising campaign is designed and delivered in a way that facilitates the interpretation of target customers. Next, the promotional activities and the main features shown in any promotional items are determined by specific demographic and psychographic characteristics of the target audience. These activities should communicate the same message throughout the campaign. Finally, particular channels of communication are chosen to deliver the message. These media are typically adopted by the target group and, therefore, should attract people’s attention, develop liking and eventually encourage purchase.
1.3 Competition Analysis Based on the target audience mentioned in the previous section, two movies are identified as competitors among the set of movies that will be shown in Hong Kong in November 2008. The Beast Stalker and Cape No.7 are the most relevant competitors. (i) Competitor A: The Beast Stalker (27/11 on show) Positioning: It falls under the action and crime movie genre. Set in crowded Hong Kong, the movie
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aims at creating cinematic excitement through a fast pace and dramatic plot, as well as some spectacular shots like gunfights and broadside hit of cars. Main advertisement theme: ‘A traffic accident changed their lives forever’ is the main message of the movie. Directed by Dante Lam (Hong Kong Films Awards Best Director winner) and starring local artists Nicolas Tse and Nick Cheung, the film presents a dramatic adventure about friendship, duty, love and hate. Promotional campaign: As of early November, the promotional campaign of The Beast Stalker includes the EMP Films official website, press release in Beijing, posters and in-theatre trailer, posters in public transport, co-operation with shopping mall to hold a function. Although it will be on show one week after 36 Quai des Orfèvres, The Beast Stalker is still considered as the main competitor because the two movies are under the same genre. It draws the attention of our target audience due to the well-known local cast and director. According to the survey, cast is the second most important factor that affects audience to watch a movie. (ii) Competitor B: Cape No.7 (20/11 on show) Positioning: It falls under the love drama genre. It has become one of the best-selling films in Taiwan history (a Taiwan box office big hit). This film was world premiered at the 2008 Taipei Film Festival and later won three awards in this festival. Main advertisement theme: This film does not only contain love elements but also an educational message as the main character strives to achieve his dream. Promotional campaign: Apart from the release of the original soundtrack, posters in public
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transport and on newspapers, the main actors will come to Hong Kong for a promotion. This film is regarded as a direct competitor because it will be on show on the same day as 36 Quai des Orfèvres and it is considered as a foreign film. Although it is not in the same genre, its selling point as the best love film in Taiwan history tends to attract our target audience who are mainly young adults.
In order to differentiate from our main competitors, 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be promoted as a crime drama movie. A huge promotional campaign can help to get rid of the target market’s confusion between it and The Beast Stalker. The message should be clearly sent out to tell audience that it is a movie about the dilemma of the two main characters, and that it is hard to distinguish between right and wrong. The poster design should adopt a black and white colour tone to portray this feeling. In order to attract a larger audience and make them aware of this film, creative promotional campaigns with some noises are needed. Our target market being educated young adults, the online campaign should be interactive and fun. Apart from this, since Hong Kong people rarely watch French movie, and it therefore is identified as our weakness. In order to let more people, our target group in particular, to notice 36 Quai des Orfèvres, having a function collaborating with a well-known French brand may be viable. The communication objectives and sales promotional programmes below illustrate how the positioning can be achieved.
1.4 Communication objectives
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The communication objectives are established based on the Hierarchical of Effects model and the analyses mentioned previously. The target audience will have to pass through five successive levels in the model, moving up from awareness to purchase. Advertising and other promotional efforts are designed to achieve specific communications objectives.
(i) Phase I Objective I (a): Create awareness among 85% of target audience
The first stage of the communication plan is to build awareness among 85% of the target audience, who are young, sophisticated, well-educated, and are excitement seekers. This could be achieved by selecting high reach media which the target market would be exposed to. Objective I (b): Create knowledge of the film among 75% of target audience
Next, promotions should focus on providing information to the target audience. The education background of the target group would allow them to develop knowledge about the movie through processing and interpretation of the message.
(ii) Phase II Objective II (a): Create positive feelings about the film among 60% of target audience
To create favourable attitudes and arouse interests, the promotion activities should appeal to the target market, based on their psychological characteristics. By doing so, the audience could associate specific features or benefits to the movie.
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Objective II (b): Create preference of the film among 45% of target audience
At this stage, emphasis should be placed on specific attributes of the movie, which could differentiate it from the competitors. Since the film is targeting sophisticated viewers, the information conveyed must be sound and convincing in order to affect attitudes. Objective II (c): Obtain trial among 25% of target audience
Finally, the ultimate goal of this communication plan is to capture 25% of the target market to buy the movie tickets. However, due to the recent financial crisis, it is likely that some people would reduce spending on entertainment. Therefore, sales promotions and a more interactive approach should be adopted to provide more incentives to purchase.
Part 2 – Communication Plan
2.1 Detailed Budget
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Budget of 36 Quai des Orfevres Communication Plan
Particulars Estimated Price Remarks Total
MTR Advertisement Placement (From 10th November to 30th November)
Cost of Placement Cost of Printing Cost of Installation $194,350 / Week $290 / Poster $100 / Panel High Impact Network Package (245 panels at stations along 4 major MTR lines) 15% extra posters requested for spare use, totalling 282 posters Hiring technicians for installing and removing the posters $583,050 $81,780 $24,500
Photography Competition (10th November to 17th November)
SMS Vendor Charge Cost of Prizes $0.12 / Message $7,500 / Ticket Sending 3.5 million text messages during peak hours in Times Square and Harbour City Two round-trip economy air tickets to and from Paris $420,000 $15,000
Agnes b Campaign (10th November to 17th December)
Cost of Promotional Materials Cost of Complimentary Tickets Cost of Administration $1,000 / Shop $25 / Ticket $8,000 / Shop Paper boards, posters, leaflets and tickets shown or distributed in the shops 2 free tickets given to customers with $1,500 of purchase or more, totalling 1,500 tickets Charged by Agnes b for the collaboration (promotion, extra human resources, etc.) Inviting reporters at Milk to write a special coverage on the campaign $27,000 $37,500 $216,000 $3,000
Cost of Promotion at Milk Magazine $3,000
Official Website
Cost of Domain Name Acquisition $200 / Year $200
Premiere (15th November)
Cost of Cinema Rental Cost of Artiste Invitation Cost of Refreshments Cost of Souvenirs Cost of Decoration Cost of Administration $3,000 / House $10,000 / Person $10,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,000 Renting both houses at UA Director's Club for private screening Inviting Amanda S. as the guest of honour Snacks and beverages for the cocktail party prior to the show Gifts presented to guests and reporters Backdrop, stage, lighting, etc. Hiring helpers to better organise the function $6,000 $10,000 $10,000 $3,000 $5,000 $10,000
GRAND TOTAL
$1,452,030
2.2 Message The overall message strategy of our advertising campaign is to show people the thrilling experience the movie can bring and how it induces thinking. There will be two main aspects for us to focus on
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http://www.hadilworkshop.com/index.asp http://www.meteorsis.com/tc_price.htm http://www.jcdecaux.com.hk/documents/mtr/2008_RateBook_29_Provisional_Version.pdf http://www.uacinemas.com.hk/chi/cinema/CinemaList?id=11
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in promoting the movie. First, we emphasise on the success evidenced by the movie’s box office, remarkable French actors with great performance and the number of nominations it has obtained. At the same time, it is also hoped that the audience can become more receptive towards foreign movies. Second is about the plot itself. The movie is about the fight between ‘good vs. evil’ within a person who is supposed to act in good faith, which is different from a typical crime movie showing the tension between police and gangsters. It is also stressed in the promotion that the movie is adapted from a real story, further establishing it as an outstanding crime movie of the time. It will arouse the curiosity of the people since that this kind of secret usually will not disclose to the public. The promotional efforts put to convey the message are as follows. (i) Press release & official website
An official website will be designed, while a press release will be out a week before the movie is launched. These are essential for our campaign as they facilitate the smooth launching of the movie and allow the audience to obtain more basic information regarding the movie. We can also present the trailers, features and content of 36 Quai des Orfèvres in this website.
(ii)
Movie trailer
The trailer of 36 Quai des Orfèvres serves the function of conveying information and arousing interests from the target audience. Overall, the trailer communicates the idea of the movie. The title, the production company, Gaumont, and the launch date are clearly stated. Certain scenes, for
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instance gun shots and explosion, are chosen to capture people’s attention, whereas scenes like the funeral are aimed at creating emotional upheavals of the audience. Besides, specific features of the movie are emphasised, such as the Cesar Award nominations, as well as the two actors’ names. Additionally, a question is raised at the end to stimulate thinking for sophisticated viewers. (iii) Poster
The basic colour tone of the posters is black and white. It portrays our main message of the difficulties to distinguish between good cops and bad cops (black and white symbolises good and bad). The two main characters are included in the poster so that viewers can easily understand that the plot of this film is about the two men. Besides, an open-ended approach is used to state our main message on the poster, since our target market are problem solvers and highly educated people, they would prefer arriving at their own conclusions to being given an interpretation of the movie. The award nominations and cast are also written on the poster to provoke a positive feeling, increasing their preference to this movie. (iv) Photography competition
It is decided that a photography competition, in which participants are requested to take black and white photos from their daily lives bringing out the concept of ‘dilemma’, be held to implement our message strategy. Holding a photography competition as part of our advertising campaign is consistent with the movie’s image. First, since the movie revolves around a situation where a cop has to choose to act either morally correct or wrong, a dilemma exists. Thus, by asking the participants to focus on the issue of ‘dilemma’ in this competition, it will surely be in line with the
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context of the movie. Second, as the film brings out the dark side of the police, whom words like ‘righteous’ and ‘justice’ are often associated with, this stark contrast can be represented by black against white. Therefore, black and white photos are made the theme of this competition. Third, by holding a competition, interaction between the audience and the movie content can be augmented, allowing them to think more deeply about it and gain a more thorough understanding of the movie. (v) agnès b cross-over
Since agnès b is a well-known French brand with a prominent image in Hong Kong, it is reckoned that by having a cross-over with it, more people will grasp the idea that 36 Quai des Orfèvres is indeed a popular and famous movie in France. Since agnès b is a cool and stylish brand providing good quality goods, it is hoped that by constantly associating the movie with it, people will not just notice how great its production and cast are, but will also create a sense of liking towards the movie and end up preferring this movie over the others.
(vi)
Premiere
The premiere of 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be held on 15th November, five days before the launch date. A number of models in Hong Kong like Amanda S., along with other celebrities will be invited to the premiere. Furthermore, reporters from newspapers, television stations and radio stations will also be invited to the event in the hope of creating some publicity and raising awareness of our target group with the help of reporters. At the same time, agnès b will sponsor the
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clothing of the crew in order to support the premiere. The premiere will be held at UA Director’s Club, which has two houses with great comfort and ambience. A cocktail party will also be organised prior to the show.
2.3 Media ‘Pulsing’ is basically adopted as the overall media strategy for the promotion of our movie. The whole promotional period will only last for seven weeks through different channels and thus, there will be no ‘vacuum’ period therein. ‘Pulsing’ is adopted so as to ensure that people can pay more attention to our promotion at some key points in time (peak), for example, immediately before and after the launch. A variety of media will be selected, for instance, billboards in MTR stations, print media and the internet, for achieving our communication objectives at different stages.
(i) Print materials: Posters, editorial and press release Posters will be shown on Billboards in MTR stations and cinemas. A magazine reporter will be invited to one of the agnès b stores for an exclusive interview. Press release will also be sent to all newspapers in Hong Kong. MTR is one of the most common public transports as it is cheap and convenient. From the survey report released by the Hong Kong Transport Department in 2007, around 2.4 million people
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travelled by MTR each day.5 It can explain why MTR is the most popular advertising channel based on its high reach and high frequency. 36 Quai des Orfèvres billboards will be located mainly at Central, Mongkok, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui stations to better reach our target groups. The influence of editorial context on consumer response in a specialty magazine is generally greater and more positive, compared to subjects exposed to advertisements in a general magazine. Those exposed to the same advertisements in a specialty magazine exhibit poorer discrimination ability.6 The local magazine ‘Milk’ is our choice in this aspect. Unlike many other fashion magazines, Milk targets both the young male and female, and this suits the target market of our movie and that of agnès b (the sales promotion discussed later). Delivering press release (See Appendix) is a relatively cheap way to promote our movie. This can be treated as a reminder to the general public that the movie will be on screen before its launch.
(ii) Electronic media: The internet and SMS The internet is another platform for this competition, as our target audience often browse the internet. Advertising on the official website is cost efficient and prevents advertising clutters and the involvement of our audience will be increased through watching our trailer either in the official website, Facebook or YouTube. Apart from that, people can also exchange their ideas and opinions through the blog dedicated to the photography competition.
5
6
Statistic of Transport Department 2006: http://www.td.gov.hk/mini_site/atd/2007/s5_cn_3.htm Journal of current issues and research in advertising( fall 2003,volume 25, number2) 17
In order to better penetrate into our target market, it is decided to make use of the mobile network to advertise for our photography competition. A vendor is hired to provide the service of reaching our target market through the use of SMS. Two locations, including Causeway Bay Times Square and Tsim Sha Tsui Harbour City, will be focused, and an SMS will be sent to every mobile phone user whenever they pass by these 2 locations. The SMS content will notify receivers that the photography competition linked to 36 Quai des Orfèvres will be organised, and will encourage receivers to participate in the competition actively as free air tickets to France will be given out as the prize for the competition. Promotion Schedule (i) Stage 1: 30th October to 10th November, 2008 Only a very brief introduction to the movie and the cross-over products with agnès b will be conveyed in this early stage, kicked off by our official websites, editorial and press release. The aim is to raise the awareness. (ii) Stage 2: 11th November to 3rd December, 2008 This is a stage when the promotional efforts move from raising awareness to the preference stage in the Hierarchical of Effects model. Posters will be shown in MTR stations and cinemas where our movie is showing. The photography competition will be initiated and promoted. agnès b will start selling our products and more information about the movie will be available, the movie message and story will become more prominent at this stage. (iii) Stage 3: 4th December to 17th December, 2008
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It is the time when the movie is about to cease showing in cinemas, therefore not much promotional efforts will be in place.
2.4 Sales Promotion Our overall sales promotions strategy is to develop an identity that is consistent with the image of the movie and to encourage active consumer involvement. (i) Crossover with agnès b The sale promotion activity of movie tie-in with agnès b, a famous French fashion brand in Hong Kong, was proposed. One the one hand, it is proposed that a number of products of agnès b be crossing-over 36 Quai des Orfèvres, which becomes another major event of the entire promotion campaign from 10th November to 17th December. By this, it is meant that the logo or the name of
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our movie is printed on T-shirts and even accessories, alongside with the brand logo of agnès b (See Appendix). Of course, the overall design tone of the garments has to be adjusted so as to be consistent with the image of 36 Quai des Orfèvres, and yet fashionable enough to encourage purchase. On the other hand, whenever a customer spends more than $1500 in net value in any of agnès b stores in Hong Kong, he can immediately get two free tickets of 36 Quai des Orfèvres. We are hereby applying the balance theory which shows consistency motive as a drive towards psychological balance. By providing a trivial and ‘man-made’ bridge to those who have positive general impressions towards the brand of agnès b, our movie can be messaged more deeply to the selected population and can make use of the wide awareness of an existing trendy and likable brand in another industry. There will be billboards in MTR stations showing the details of the features, editorial page in ‘Milk’ magazine, and posters on window displays as well as at cashier counters. In the area where the crossovers will be displayed, the soundtrack of the movie will be played constantly. 7 the period during which free tickets are given out is different, from 20th November until all 1500 tickets have been distributed. The dates will be communicated very clearly in the advertisements to prevent any possible confusion. There are four reasons why agnès b is a potential and feasible partner for our promotion. The first and foremost reason is that both agnès b and 36 Quai des Orfèvres are French productions, and they seem rather compatible as they are from the same origin. Second, agnès b has a target market of the
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http://www.soundtrackcollector.com/catalog/soundtrackdetail.php?movieid=69235 20
younger generation between the ages of 18 and 30,8 an exact match with ours. The already wellsegmented consumer base provides the best promotional ground for our movie without much additional effort. Third, the brand is a constant supporter of arts and movies. As can be seen easily from the window displays of the stores, there are always movie posters being featured, and this is due to the strong interest in films of the designer and founder of agnès b. Last but not least, agnès b has a long history of being engaged in crossovers with many different brands. Examples include Cathy Pacific9 and Everlast (See Appendix). Its ‘expertise’ in this area could provide a lot of advice for our campaign. We have the bargaining power to convince agnès b to have a deal on the sale promotion with us not only because we are providing some trade allowances in terms of money, but also helping the brand to promote as well. We will promote the event to the general public via the internet and a carefully selected magazine, Milk. As agnès b seldom advertises, our promotions can help it reach more target customers.
(ii) Photography competition A photography competition, in which participants are requested to take black and white photos from their daily lives bringing out the concept of ‘dilemma’, will be held from 10th to 17th
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http://www.geocities.com/FashionAvenue/1122/agnes_b/index.html http://miki29082002.mysinablog.com/resserver.php?blogId=524&resource=589530-
DSC01752.JPG 21
November
2008,
and
participants
may
submit
their
photos
by
sending
them
to
[email protected]. The winner will get return air tickets to Paris. Holding a photography competition as part of our advertising campaign is consistent with the movie’s image, and can generate excitement and involvement with the movie, attracting attention towards the advertisement.
2.5 Assessment and control The various campaigns abovementioned do not guarantee success in the overall promotion of the movie as they may contain flaws in their design and execution. It is therefore essential to evaluate the effectiveness of the promotional campaigns, both before and after the launch of the movie, so that resources would not be wasted and would be appropriately allocated. In so doing, the measurement decisions shall adhere closely to the communication objectives. (i) Pre-testing Prior to the launch of the movie, three focus groups, totalling twelve persons, are invited to an indepth interview so that Phase I of the communication objectives, i.e. awareness and knowledge, can be addressed. Questions in the interview are so designed as to give comparisons about awareness and also knowledge of the different movies of the same genre launched during the same period of time. As a result, the effectiveness of the pre-launch promotional efforts can be gauged. Any discrepancies between the promotional objectives and perceptions of target customers having been detected, modifications to the campaigns can be made accordingly.
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(ii) Post-testing After the launch of the movie, a questionnaire will be used to measure the effectiveness of our promotional efforts and the level of consistency with the communication objectives. People from our target market will be invited to complete a questionnaire, which comprises a few questions relating to both Phase I and Phase II of the communication objectives. Regarding Phase I, questions will be raised to gauge the awareness and knowledge of respondents about the movie, and this piece of information can then be compared with the pre-test results. Further, respondents will be asked to rate the movie with regard to other movies with the same genre, and this particular question can tell the level of positive feeling and preference our target customers have developed towards the movie, which relates to Phase II of the communication objectives.
Appendix Questionnaires (i)
Investigation of consumer behaviour in the movie industry (For pre-testing) 1. When you go to cinema, which kind of movie do you watch most? □ Hong Kong Movie □ Asian Movie (except HK) □ European or American □ No Special Preference 2. How many times have you been to cinema in 2008? □ 1-4 times □ 5-9 times □ More than 10 times □ None 3. Which day of the week do you go to the cinema: □ Tuesday (discount day) □ Weekends or Holiday □ Weekdays
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4. What are your favourite types of movie? (more than one answer) □ Comedy □ Action □ Love story □ Science friction □ Terror □ Classical □ Biography □ Animation □ Arts □ War □ Suspense 5. Reasons for choosing a particular movie (more than one answer) □ Story □ Director □ Actors □ Stuck or Sound effect □ Film Review □ Commercials □ Cast □ Big hit in other places □ Award winning movie □ Recommendations by others □ Type of Movie 6. Comparing with 2007 or earlier, number of times entering cinema: □ More □ Less □ Nearly the same 7. If your answer is “Less”, is “Lack of worth seeing movie” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 8. If your answer is “Less”, is “More live show” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 9. If your answer is “Less”, is “DVD/VCD and shown on TV” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 10. If your answer is “Less”, is “Economic downside” the reason? □ Yes □ No □ N/A 11. Where do you obtain information about a new movie? (More than one answer) □ Internet □ Poster □ Trailer □ Radio □ Promotion on Public Transport □ Recommended by friends □ Newspaper □ Magazines □ TV □ Billboard 12. Reasons for watching movie in cinema (More than answer): □ Social activities □ Entertainment □ Learn foreign culture □ Extempore □ Release Pressure □ Bored □ Get Inspiration □ Learn new stuff □ Education purpose □ Trend □ Dating 13. Are you aware of French culture or news? □ Never □ Seldom □ Usually □ Always 14. Please choose the following adjectives that you think is most suitable for France (more
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than one answer) □ Romantic □ Relax □ Dirty □ Arrogant
□ Freedom □ Passionate
□ Criminal
15. What are your interests? (More than one answer) □ Surfing Internet □ TV □ Travelling □ Sports □ Listening to music □ Radio □ Reading Magazine □ Karaoke □ Electronic Games □ Watching Movie 16. Please choose the following adjectives to describe yourself? (More than one answer) □ Extrovert □ Introvert □ Thinking □ Feeling □ Adventure □ Conservative □ Impatient □ Impulsive 17. Gender: □ Male
□ Female
18. Age: □ <18 □ 18-25 □ 26-33 19. Educational Level: □ Primary School □ Form. 5 □ Bachelor □ Master/Doctor
□ 34-41
□ 42-49
□ >49
□ Form. 7
20. Annual disposable income for entertainment: □ <$5000 □ $5000-$9999 □ $10000-$14999 □ $15000-$19999 □ $20000-$29999 □ >$30000 21. Occupation: □ Professionals □ Administration /Clerk □ Service Provider □ Retired □ Student □ Unemployed □ Others Thanks a lot!
□ Technician □ Housewife
(ii) Investigation of levels of awareness, knowledge and liking (For post-testing)
Please put a ‘ ’ in the corresponding □. 1) Please indicate the movie(s) below that you have heard of during the past month
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□ The Beast Stalker
□ Cape No. 7
□ 36 Quai des Orfèvres
2) Where did you notice the promotional materials of ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? (You can put more than one ‘ ’) □ MTR stations □ Magazine □ Newspapers □ agnès b stores □ Cinemas □ Internet
3) How would you categorise ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? (You can put more than one ‘ ’) □ □ □ Action Crime Romance □ □ □ Thriller Drama Comedy
4) Which actor(s) appear in ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? □ Daniel Auteuil □ Van Fan □ Gerard Depardieu □ Chie Tanaka □ Nicholas Tse
5) Comparing the movies listed in Question 1, how willing are you in watching ‘36 Quai des Orfèvres’? Very willing □9 □8 □7 □6 □5 □4 Not at all willing □3 □2 □1
6) What is your age? □ <18 □ 36-40 □ 18-25 □ 41-45 □ 26-30 □ 46-50 □Female
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□ 31-35 □ >50
7) Gender : □Male
Thanks a lot! (ii) Focus Group Interview
On 8th November 2008, three focus groups were conducted and there were 12 participants and 3 interviewers. The objective of the focus groups was to identify specific characteristics of the target market in order to develop an effective promotion campaign for the movie36 Quai des Orfèvres. The participants were chosen as ‘representative consumers’ and they were asked the same set of questions based on the following aspects. Personality / Lifestyle: - Could you please briefly describe your personality? - What do you usually do during your spare time? Hobbies? - How often do you use the internet/ read magazine/ newspaper? Movie-going habits: Why do you go to watch movie? How often do you go watch a movie? Where do you collect information about the movie? How do you obtain the movie tickets? What would you consider when deciding which movie to watch?
French culture: - Do you enjoy travelling? - Are you learning/ have you learned any foreign languages? - Have you been to France? - Please give your general impression of France. - Can you name any brand/product/service in Hong Kong that is related to France or its culture?
Press Release
Introduction 36 Quai des Orfèvres is a French film directed by Olivier Marchal starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu. The film takes place in Paris, where two cops (Auteuil and Depardieu) are competing for the vacant seat of Chief of
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Police in the midst of a search for a gang of violent thieves. The film was nominated for 8 César Awards. The director, Olivier Marchal, is a former policeman who has spent twelve years in the French Police before creating this story, which in part is taken from real facts that happened during the 1980s in France. Synopsis The story revolves around the two main characters, Léo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Denis Klein (Gérard Depardieu), where the rivalry to catch a wellorganized gang of armoured-car robbers, pushes Klein to play dirty in order to get the promotion to the seat of Chief of Police in Paris. Vrinks is a good cop with a tight crew of fellow colleagues that are on the verge of unmasking the robbers, after many months of surveillance. He also depends upon tips from shady persons and many times he trusts criminals in order to achieve his goals, on the other side Klein is the figure of an accomplished police officer but with a dirty attitude and questionable ethics. During a police operation to bust the robbers, Klein gets drunk and stumbles out of hiding, messing up the whole operation and gets Vrinks' best friend killed. An internal police inquiry finds Vrinks guilty and responsible for the death of his friend and the operation that lead to the accident. His wife Camille Vrinks (Valeria Golino) is stranded alone without knowing what to do to help her husband locked in jail. At the same time Klein is spying on Camille and, after a brief car chase, Klein purposely slams his car into Camille's and runs her off the road and kills her. Many years later, once Vrinks is out of jail, we can see Klein in the seat of the Chief of Police in Paris. Vrinks asks for help from a friend to get his life on track since he has lost everything but his daughter, later planning a keen vendetta against Klein.
Director Producers Screenwrite rs Cast Music Distributor Running Time
Olivier Marchal Franck Chorot; Cyril Colbeau-Justin; Jean-Baptiste Dupont Olivier Marchal; Franck Mancuso; Julien Rappeneau Daniel Auteuil; Gérard Depardieu Erwann Kermorvant, Axelle Renoir Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont 110 minutes
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Language
French
Official Website
Posters Version (I)
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Version (II)
Version (III)
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- agnès b. campaign poster
- Photography competition campaign poster
Photography Competition Blog
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Crossover with agnès b agnès b website in support of French film
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agnès b campaign pop: placed at cashier counters in all agnès b stores to recall our target customers about our film and the limited edition T-shirt
Example of previous agnès b crossover: Everlast
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http://hk.f1.page.auctions.yahoo.com/hk/auction/1115593859?u=kai20462008
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Invitation letter sample for the premiere
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