In promoting edgy 'Joker,' Warner Bros. steers clear of brands

"Joker" dominated U.S. theaters this weekend, bringing in $93.5 million and setting a box office record for October. Warner Bros. Pictures pulled off its record-setting weekend without using many of the marketing tools that come standard with comic book movies.  While other superhero rollouts have leaned on splashy Super Bowl ads and big brand partnerships with companies like Geico and Coca-Cola, Warner Bros. is treating its R-rated Batman prequel more like an arthouse film with a smaller $55 million budget, fall release, film festival debut and no brand partners. The movie's promotional push began last year with a pair of Instagram posts in September 2018 from director and co-writer, Scott Phillips, sparking a two-week spike in internet searches for the word "joker" according to Google Trends data. Phillips later unveiled the film's first trailer at CinemaCon in April 2019. Warner Bros. has been running traditional TV spots and posted billboards in Times Square and on the Sunset Strip, but the studio has no plans to work with brands to promote the movie. The studio also blocked print and broadcast journalists from its red carpet premieres in Hollywood and New York.  The film won the highest prize at the Venice Film Festival last month, and there's already Oscars buzz about Joaquin Phoenix's lead performance. But "Joker" remains controversial, with some critics saying the movie is too violent and promotes a sympathetic view of its homicidal protagonist.  Police have... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'

[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-07 17:33:36 UTC ]
News tagged with: #joaquin phoenix #major cities #online chatter #committing acts #ahuntington beach #suicide squad #public criticism #box office #comic book

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Sphere promotes Barrett and recruits Rose

Sphere non-fiction has promoted senior editor Emily Barrett to editorial director and recruited Michael O'Mara's Fiona Rose to the team. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-05 17:56:57 UTC ]
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Little, Brown's Rhiannon Smith promoted to editorial director

Rhiannon Smith, who works across the Fleet and Sphere imprints at Little, Brown, has been promoted to editorial director. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-01 11:35:27 UTC ]
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Complex’s Rich Antoniello’s recipe for media in crisis: ‘Brand plus brains plus balance sheet’

For publishing companies to survive a global crisis like the one we're in, Rich Antoniello's formula is 'brand, plus brains, plus balance sheet." He would know, having stewarded Complex through the 2008 financial crisis as CEO, the role he still holds now. But compared to that, the downturn... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2020-03-31 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Challenger Brands Have More Options as Demand for Digital Content in the Tech Age Grows

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the leading cheerleader for American business owners large and small, remains hopeful that U.S. businesses will emerge from the coronavirus crisis battered and bruised, but not broken. "It's too early to determine the long-term impact on supply chains,... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2020-03-27 14:55:42 UTC ]
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PA 'strengthens platform' with new branding

The Publishers Association has unveiled a brand and website redesign, including a new logo, icon and colour scheme that have been chosen "to reflect the creativity and dynamism of the publishing industry". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-25 01:18:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #website redesign #colour scheme #publishing industry #publishers association


Without Places to Gather, Debut Novelists Reimagine Book Promotion

First-time novelists with books out or coming soon talk about their changes of plans and how they’re spending these unusual days. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-03-18 20:00:14 UTC ]
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Libraries Connected calls for 'clear decision' from government on library closures

Libraries Connected is calling on the government to issue "clear" guidance about closing libraries in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, highlighting "it is equally important that library staff are safeguarded during this period". Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-18 08:33:36 UTC ]
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Bluebird's Hockley Raven Spare promoted to commissioning editor

Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird has promoted Hockley Raven Spare to commissioning editor. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-17 07:15:16 UTC ]
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Meredith Promotes Two to Succeed Grune as VP, Licensing | People on the Move

[caption id="attachment_144315" align="alignright" width="150"] Steve Grune[/caption] Meredith Corp.'s VP of brand licensing, Steve Grune, is stepping down after 18 months in that role and eight years with the company overall. He'll be succeeded by Toye Cody and Sondra Newkirk, who have each... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-13 15:22:57 UTC ]
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Bonnier Books UK promotes Russell and Stretch

Bonnier Books UK has promoted Francesca Russell to publicity director across its adult trade business while Karen Stretch has been made campaigns director. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-06 06:04:33 UTC ]
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Faber unveils new branding

Faber has revealed a redrawn colophon and new word mark as part of work to refresh its visual identity following last year's 90th anniversary Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-02 06:30:49 UTC ]
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Orme promoted to Zaffre and Manilla Press publishing director

Bonnier Books have revealed promotions for Sophie Orme (pictured) and Claire Johnson-Creek in the editorial team taking place with immediate effect. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-25 19:44:22 UTC ]
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AT&T boosts spending on R&D after four years of declines amid Time Warner buy, investments

AT&T Inc. managed something it hasn’t since 2014: An increase in spending on research and development. The Dallas telecommunications and now media company increased in investment in R&D last year by about $80 million to $1.28 billion, an increase of about 7 percent, it said in its... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-02-25 16:16:46 UTC ]
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AT&T boosts spending on R&D after four years of declines amid Time Warner buy, investments

AT&T Inc. managed something it hasn’t since 2014: An increase in spending on research and development. The Dallas telecommunications and now media company increased in investment in R&D last year by about $80 million to $1.28 billion, an increase of about 7 percent, it said in its... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2020-02-24 22:58:29 UTC ]
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The Soho Agency promotes De Pass and O’Grady to associate agents

The Soho Agency has promoted Marina de Pass and Niamh O’Grady to associate agents. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-20 04:38:39 UTC ]
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Bonnier Books UK announces promotions in non-fiction team

Bonnier Books UK has announced promotions for Ciara Lloyd, Beth Eynon and Madiya Altaf in its non-fiction team. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-19 15:27:11 UTC ]
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Promotions for McKeown and Dumughn in Bonnier Books UK marketing team

Bonnier Books UK has made two promotions within its adult trade marketing team, promoting Zaffre and Manilla Press marketing director Stephen Dumughn to the newly created role of adult trade marketing director, while making Felice McKeown, head of fiction digital marketing, its new campaigns... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-02-17 21:03:18 UTC ]
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Kate Lyall Grant promoted to Severn House Board

Severn House publisher Kate Lyall Grant has been promoted to the Severn House Board. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-13 07:24:25 UTC ]
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How MyLondon Built a Hyperlocal News Brand From the Ground Up

When news publisher Reach plc launched a new title in December 2018, it was in many ways starting from scratch. Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2020-01-07 17:45:53 UTC ]
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Brown and Morris promoted to agents at Curtis Brown

Becky Brown and Lucy Morris have both been promoted to agents at Curtis Brown's books department. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-07 14:10:50 UTC ]
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