One wouldn’t think movie production companies need to do much advertising for themselves, considering the movies they produce typically have their own run of marketing before the theatrical or home release. But there are plenty of different ways to advertise and even movie studios can benefit from building brand awareness. With the power of brand awareness, people will start to associate the name of that studio or production company with quality and be more likely to go and see the movies with that name on the marquee. In this blog, we’ll talk about how podcasts can help movie studios and production companies build their brand and position them as thought leaders in the entertainment industry.
The Importance of Brand Building for Movie Studios
When a movie studio is able to successfully build their brand, their name becomes synonymous with quality or appealing to a certain audience. Think about companies like Disney. When a parent sees the Disney name in a trailer, they know that they’ll be able to bring their kids to a family friendly movie and probably even enjoy the movie themselves. When a superhero fan sees the Marvel name come across the screen, they get excited to see what comes next on the screen. When a movie studio reaches the level of brand awareness where even casual moviegoers are intrigued by their next offering, then that movie studio is benefitting from their brand building efforts.
In the information age, directors and actors alone aren’t always enough to sell a movie to the general public. Consumers are generally more discerning and might not want to spend money on movie tickets or at-home rentals unless they’re really interested in all aspects of the movie. Gaining recognition as a movie studio with a reputation for quality might be enough to get a moviegoer to want to make the effort to see the film.
How a Podcast Can Help Movie Studios Build their Brand and Demonstrate Thought Leadership
As movie studios scramble to recover and find new ways to distribute in light of the COVID pandemic, they’re also seeking ways to gain consumer trust in their brand. If a movie studio is forced into a home release, they want to make sure people trust their money is in good hands and that paying to see it will be worth their while. This is where podcasts can help. With the power of branded podcasts, movie studios and production companies are finding exciting ways to expand their audience and engage their current fans. A good branded podcast from a movie studio can show consumers that the company is a leader in the industry and that they understand what makes a good movie. Many major film studios have already jumped on the podcast bandwagon. Here are a few examples of companies using branded podcasts to their advantage:
Movie Studio and Production Company Podcasts to Listen to and Learn From
D23: Inside Disney by Walt Disney Studios
It’s fair to say that Disney has a pretty massive fanbase. Through years of quality animation and eventually branching out into live action films as they grew, Disney movies have dedicated fans who will come out for just about every release. Disney knows that their fans care about the brand, so they created the D23: Inside Disney podcast. This podcast offers frequent updates on what’s going on at the company, the latest Disney news, and interesting interviews with the people involved in the Disney universe. This podcast gives fans constant updates that they can engage with and respond to, as well as a way to keep up with what’s happening.
Disney continues to build its brand by making plans to release one new podcast per year on their publishing platform. D23: Inside Disney shows that their fans are engaged and they’re capitalizing on that by making plans to expand their offerings in the future.
Listen to D23: Inside Disney here.
Shock Waves by Blumhouse
Disney might have the market cornered on movies you can feel comfortable bringing your kids to, but Blumhouse definitely has the market on movies you definitely do not want to bring your kids to. As one of the most consistent horror movie studios out there, Blumhouse has developed quite the fan following. Their podcast, Shock Waves, is a weekly discussion and analysis on the horror genre. Hosted by Rob Galluzzo, Elric Kane, Rebekah McKendry, and Ryan Turek, this podcast takes a look at modern and classic horror films. A rotating array of celebrity guests and industry experts discuss a range of interesting topics regarding these films and the ways that they’re made.
This podcast capitalizes on the fact that genres have built-in fanbases who are dying to learn more about their favorite kinds of movies. Shock Waves doesn’t always necessarily have celebrities as their guests, instead opting to have experts in the industry just as an option. This shows commitment to thought leadership and is part of what makes the Shock Waves podcast so interesting to fans.
Listen to Shock Waves here.
Marvel Podcasts
Although it has become a subsidiary of Disney in recent years, Marvel is a very distinct and respected name in the comic book world. Over the couple of decades, their stamp on the film world has been just as engaging. With some of the highest grossing movies of all time, it’s safe to say that Marvel knows what they’re doing when it comes to superheroes. It’s also safe to say that their fans can’t get enough of what they have to offer. Marvel has several podcasts that offer different, interesting topics for their fans to latch on to. These podcasts include:
Women of Marvel: Hosted by Sana Amanat, Judy Stephens, and Angélique Roché, this Marvel podcasts delves into the superheroes that make Marvel great, how diversity is making a positive impact on stories and the way they’re told, and much more.
Listen to Women of Marvel here.
This Week in Marvel: Hosted by Ryan “Agent M” Penagos, James Monroe Iglehart, and Lorraine Cink, this podcast offers Marvel fans weekly updates about all the different branches of the company. Topics range from comics, to TV, to video games, to toys.
Listen to This Week in Marvel here.
Marvel’s Voices: In the Marvel Voices podcast, host Angélique Roché interviews storytellers across the Marvel universe to get their unique, diverse, and interesting perspectives and stories. Her episodes touch on everything from creative processes to Black voices in Comics.
Listen to Marvel’s Voices here.
Marvel’s Wolverine:
Taking cues from popular serial podcasts, this podcast follows the Marvel character Wolverine. Tune in to each episode to discover how the story unfolds.
Listen to Marvel’s Wolverine here.
As you can see, Marvel covered all the bases with their branded podcast efforts. Their podcasts ranged from casual conversations, to weekly updates, to actual serialized stories. This is a great way to appeal to a wide audience when attempting to build brand awareness.
The A24 Podcast by A24 Studios
A24 has managed to become the indie studio with mainstream name recognition. This is because they’ve set a high bar for quality, and fans of their films know to expect something wholly unique when they sit down to watch one. Their podcast furthers their reputation for being through leaders in the indie world. The A24 Podcast brings in directors, actors, and more to host each episode, giving insight into the films and projects they create.
A24 is a company who is generally known to only produce products that are genre-bending and unique or interesting in a way that more mainstream movies might not be. By opting to bring in those responsible for these projects, it makes their podcast that much more intriguing to the general public.
Listen to the A24 Podcast here.
Creating a branded podcast can be a challenging endeavor for a company to take on, but the fruits of that labor can be well worth the effort. The biggest obstacle is deciding what you want your podcast to say and how to say it. But a successful branded podcast can create brand awareness and expand your podcast audience in ways you never thought possible. Not only that, but it shows your listeners and your fans that you’re tuned into what they’re interested in. It helps create engagement that typical advertising can’t really match. The process of creating a branded podcast might be one of the most worthwhile marketing efforts that your company can make.
