Bravo to The New York Times for rightly calling the modern day #Oscars campaigns a "Blood Sport" 🩸.
Like any other business, the movie business is also a business, and the marketing campaigns are increasingly, and visibly getting more cut-throat.
While most think of it as a glitzy glam affair, having been in fashion weeks, film festivals, and the pre-parties aplenty, it truly is a sport that is more campaigning and marketing, than it is a meritocracy.
Here's why.
🏆 Oscar Campaign Dynamics: There's a lot that goes on in the #BTS world of Oscar campaigns, which often involve significant budgets, aim to shape narratives, gain momentum, and secure nominations and wins during awards season.
🏆 Streaming Platforms and Campaign Spending: The entry of streaming platforms into the awards arena has significantly increased campaign spending. Netflix, in particular, has been known to allocate substantial budgets for Oscar campaigns, sometimes exceeding the production budgets of the films themselves!
🏆 Harvey Weinstein's Influence: The modern playbook for Oscar campaigns was developed by #HarveyWeinstein at Miramax in the late '80s and early '90s. #Weinstein's aggressive tactics, including sending VHS screeners and relentless lobbying, revolutionized the awards season game and are still used by top agents today.
🏆 Academy Regulations: The Academy has thus introduced regulations over the years to address campaigning tactics, responding to strategies pioneered by Harvey Weinstein. The rules include restrictions on direct outreach, approved mailing houses, and limitations on food and beverage during campaign events. Although negative campaigning is considered less prevalent today than it was before, it still plays a role in shaping public perception.
🏆 Calls for Reform: Some suggest a return to more restrained #marketing campaigns, reminiscent of the pre-Miramax era, while others argue against spending caps due to potential negative impacts on various entities benefiting from awards business.
🏆 Impact on the Movie Business: Despite the controversies, incidents can lead to increased visibility and viewership for the films involved. Which brings virality to the forefront, and why it actually might not be the best.
I'm always on the fence between the art and commerce of this. Can the movie business - like any other business - benefit from a shift towards campaigns focused on the quality of the films rather than extensive and expensive marketing efforts?
🔗 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVmfGW_D
Talent Manager, Fractional COO
2moGo us! Congrats to you and your team :)