Movie Posters as a Marketing Tool
Written by: Anusha Trivedi
Movie posters – we’ve all run into them, whether we’re standing outside a theater or simply scrolling on Instagram. While they may not be the deciding factor when it comes to a film’s success, film studios still utilize movie posters as an important tool for marketing. This marketing strategy has evolved over the years, with various trends going in and out of fashion.
Colors play an important role in the design of movie posters. For example, posters with a solid yellow background tend to be used for independent films or comedies, allowing the viewer to associate them with a lighthearted tone. On the other hand, modern action movies and thrillers tend to have posters with a dark blue and orange combination. This includes blockbuster hits like “The Dark Knight,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” and “The Bourne Identity.”
One common criticism that viewers have with modern movie posters is that they tend to lack artistic creativity and instead prioritize making their lead actors’ faces prominent, even if it leads to the repetitive “floating head” trope. Many iconic and successful movies have utilized this method, including “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Avengers: Endgame.” This strategy aims to pack as much onto the poster as possible, while also using the actors as the main selling point for consumers. The idea is that if they see an actor they recognize on the poster, they’re more likely to buy a ticket.
However, in recent years, audiences seem to be responding more positively to posters that are simpler and less cluttered, focusing more on creating an iconic image instead of just highlighting the main cast. While the main posters of films like “Spiderman: Homecoming” and “The Batman” include the usual “floating head” trope, their film studios have begun to release additional secondary posters that are more streamlined, succinct, and memorable.
Some of the most iconic movie posters of all time include the posters for “Jaws,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “Vertigo.” These posters focus on creating a singular image that encapsulates the atmosphere of the movie and invites intrigue instead of trying to include every character and element in the film. While the film’s quality played the biggest role in these movies’ success, their posters are an influential aspect that often goes unnoticed. Instead of following along with trends that make many posters indistinguishable from the others, these posters focus on evoking a particular emotion from the audience in a way that makes them stand out. For example, while one may not notice it at first, the skull on the moth in the poster of “The Silence of the Lambs” hints at the film’s dark tone and horror genre. Additionally, the poster for “Vertigo” was designed by Saul Bass, one of the most famous and influential movie poster designers. His unique style included silhouettes and solid-colored backgrounds, making his work easily recognizable.
Movie posters are an often overlooked aspect of marketing for movies, especially with the rise of social media and the internet as the main tool for promoting films. However, they are still an important piece of marketing strategy in the entertainment industry as their trends shift based on the changing times and public opinion.