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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

PT Was the Promotion for TPM 3-D Lacking?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by Sith-Spitter01, Feb 8, 2012.

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  1. Sith-Spitter01

    Sith-Spitter01 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 26, 2010
    One thing that has sort of bugged me was how the promotion for Episode 1 didn't seem that much at first. After the first trailer, there wasn't much in the way of promotion until just these last couple weeks. I mean I was bit upset at how long it was taking the TV Spots to get into greater circulation (I only seemed to see the Go-Gurt spot every other day and that was it) However, in these last two weeks I have seen youtube videos' views, as well as facebook events' attendances, go up quite a bit more, comments on such things being fairly positive, than I was expecting initially. Until last weekend, it seemed like the premiere was going to be another lonely midnight showing like when I and my small band of friends went to see Clone Wars, but I think the attendance will be rather fair this time around for TPM.


    So my question is: Do you think Lucasfilm marketed this re-release well? Why or why not? My position is that George and company understood which film they were promoting and were trying to market it according to its popularity and general favoritism. Perhaps the reason I felt the marketing wasn't enough was because my admiration for TPM is more than average, whereas the average I've heard from fans, even OT fans who like it, is that it's the weakest of the Saga in their opinion. So Lucas did not want to put too much into promoting the film that might get the least multiple viewings and, at best, simply a warm reception.
     
  2. QsAssistant

    QsAssistant Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2011
    At first I felt like it wasn't getting enough ads but the past week I've been seeing quite a bit of ads for it. I'm actually bummed that SW isn't in places like Taco Bell, Burger King, Pizza Hut, ect. Really when it comes down to it, this isn't a new movie and we probably won't get anything major, ad and marketing wise, until we get a new movie or a live action TV show.
     
  3. MissPadme

    MissPadme Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 9, 1998
    Get back to me on Sunday ;).

    At first, I really thought Fox/Lucasfilm did an epic fail with the trailer. It was attached to a poorly-reviewed film and even so, many prints of "The Three Musketeers" didn't even have the trailer. Worse yet, starwars.com failed to remind people the trailer was out and it didn't post the trailer on its site. So there was no buzz whatsoever. None.

    Since then, the promotion has been a lot better and seeing all of the stuff in the stores brings back 1999. You have to realize that the Special Editions were a dress rehearsal for new movies; they had an interest in getting people excited about Star Wars again so there was plenty of sound and fury. These re-releases are more or less for the heck of it. I just want TPM to do well enough to guarantee we'll get the other five re-released. Then I want a 6 movie marathon in 3D in 2017 or 2018 :cool: .

    --MissPadme
     
  4. Sith-Spitter01

    Sith-Spitter01 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 26, 2010

    What's funny is you just reminded me of something, before mid-1990's, nobody really cared about Star Wars anymore really. Most of the die hard fans nowadays had forgotten it or it was just some ghost of the past to look back on with a smile. Compare Star Wars promotion of 1989 to 1997 or '99. Before the special editions, Star Wars was a ride that had ended long ago, what reason was there really to talk about it anymore?


    Maybe Star Wars is kind of slipping back into that era since, well, the "Saga is now complete"
     
  5. sith_rising

    sith_rising Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 7, 2004
    Yeah I think we're headed there, depending on whether or not there's a live-action TV show. If so, Star Wars will have a new lifeline for several more years. If not, then once the Clone Wars ends (I think with Season 5), then it will start to taper off - less comics, novels, games and toys/statues/collectibles, and it will eventually go back to the way it was in the late 80's and early 90's, when Star Wars was just a pleasant memory, occassionally referenced on The Simpsons, Spaceballs, and indie movies Clerks.

    I'm kind of looking forward to it. I love having Star Wars all over the place again, but I think it is more appreciated when it's not everywhere.
     
  6. qui-gon-kim

    qui-gon-kim Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 19, 2001
    I've seen plenty of commercial for TPM. Fox/Lucasfilm is doing a pretty good job creating awareness for the 3d release.
     
  7. JonYo

    JonYo Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 1, 2004
    This thread is a joke, right? I mean, I live in a fairly major city (Atlanta) and I can't go more than about 300 feet either direction outside my apartment complex without seeing a poster or billboard, not to mention the TV spots running every 20 minutes or so...I think the Lucasfilm Marketing Empire is operating at full force.
     
  8. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2011
    The first TV spot for TPM that I had seen was on Super Bowl Sunday. I haven't seen anything else around here, prior or since. It must be the area, as Central Pennsylvania isn't really a hotbed of media exposure. Like Lucasfilm will bother to start putting up billboards in York or Gettysburg...

    Though, I was surprised once to see an R2-D2 mailbox in Harrisburg some years back.
     
  9. bluesaber70

    bluesaber70 Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    May 25, 2007
    The prommotion was not lacking. Lucas knew the fan base would go see it in droves. He's counting on families going and word-of-mouth.
     
  10. GeneralCeel

    GeneralCeel Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 2005
    I live in rural North Eastern Pennsylvania. The trailer played with Red Tails at the local theater, although there isn't a single 3D screen in the county. I'll be driving about 45 minutes to see the film in near by New York State.

    In terms of tie-ins, quite a few items with the Star Wars logo on them, as well as cardbord displays (Darth Maul). Even if the movie doesn't make huge sums of money, there is still more star wars exposure out there right now than for most new release movies.

     
  11. MissPadme

    MissPadme Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 9, 1998
    There are billboards and bus posters around town (including near my house). Sadly, I don't have storage space for either in my collection ;)

    --MissPadme
     
  12. yoda900

    yoda900 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 28, 2002
    I felt that here in Mihcigan at least, and from what I have seen, I haven't seen anything whatsoever about it. There is a little bit but it seems like it wasn't anywhere near what it used to be. the special editions themselves has way way more promotion.
    I only knew about it because I follow star wars a lot and knew lucas had talked about 3d.
    I have a feeling that when ep 4 cmoes alont it will be very heavy in promotions.
     
  13. GeneralCeel

    GeneralCeel Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 2005
    What you have to remember is, especially with the original release of the prequels, is how much of the "advertising," was really just media outlets talking about the films constantly, through TV segments, articles, covers, etc.... Star Wars has a way of advertising itself, and the fact that we the fans never shut up doesn't hurt either.

    Lucas doesn't necessarily need to carpet bomb the public with trailers and TV spots in the same way that other movies much in order to create the same amount of exposure.

    Furthermore, if things go as originally planned, this is just the first of six releases (and perhaps the least favorite film of the bunch in most circles.) The fans knew TPM was coming and that was enough. I anticipate that they'll up the advertising, as well as the use of 3D itself, with each passing film.
     
  14. Gallandro

    Gallandro Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1998
    Agreed, I saw far more of the Verizon R2-D2 ad on TV than I did trailers for TPM 3-D. The movie is doing business as expected (most analysts and studios had predicted a 20-25$ million dollar opening weekend) and will certainly do well overseas.

    At this point the brand sells itself and there's no need to go insane with TV spots... let your advertising partners do that part of the job for you. In the end this will be a successful release and will ensure that at least Episodes 2-3 get theatrical releases. But having read Lucas' interview by Hollywood Reporter I suspect the plan was for all six all along since he said he saw a future Star Wars 3-D release on blu-ray in a few years and discussed how he might move release dates around.


    Yancy
     
  15. WhiskeyGold

    WhiskeyGold Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2001
    Damn I don't watch much tv and I saw a commercial everytime I walked passed the tv. Then it was the big display at the theathers. Even billboards of it
     
  16. GeneralCeel

    GeneralCeel Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 2005
    Shall we preempt the complaints of the haters about there being another home video release in a new format that Lucas is "forcing them to buy."


    ....though now I wonder if we'll get 3D blu ray versions one at a time, or as a two trilogy, or saga set after its all done...
     
  17. MandalorianDuchess

    MandalorianDuchess Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 16, 2010
    I would just hope he doesn't make us wait until all 6 movies have been re-issued in 3-D. Maybe issue the first set after the whole PT has been converted and re-issued to theaters?

    Or even better, one at a time - how about the TPM blu-ray 3D release timed to coincide with AOTC 3-D in theaters?

    Either way, I don't plan on getting a 3-D capable HDTV anytime soon... I could easily wait 3 years or more.
     
  18. Gallandro

    Gallandro Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 8, 1998
    Well in the article he states quite clearly that he's not currently satified with 3-D TV so it's a few years off.


    Yancy
     
  19. GeneralCeel

    GeneralCeel Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 2005
    He might just sit on them and wait until there are enough 3D ready TV's in homes to make such a release worthwhile, as he seemingly did with both DVD and Blu Ray.

    If he does them one at a time we'll get that "When do we get them in a box set?" questions again.

    I do think that putting them out just ahead of each theatrical release would be a good idea, and a promotional tool for those releases, though I think it would be even better yet to hold off, and instead do limited 3D Trilogy / Saga showings in theaters, giving fans a chance to watch the films 3 or 6 at a time in the space of a marathon day / weekend
     
  20. DARTHVENGERDARTHSEAR

    DARTHVENGERDARTHSEAR Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2002
    Why didn't Lucas take this opportunity to re-insert deleted scenes that consisted of more Darth Maul with dialogue. It was one of the biggest things that most people felt disappointed with and this was his chance to showcase more of Darth Maul. What a waste.
     
  21. darth-sinister

    darth-sinister Manager Emeritus star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2001
    While Lucas has added material, he's not a huge stickler for having substantial deleted scenes put back in. Those that he has with TPM, AOTC, ANH and ROTJ was something that he realized should be there. Or something he really wanted back in. Apparently those Maul scenes weren't that important to him to include.
     
  22. SithStarSlayer

    SithStarSlayer Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2003
    Long time no see, my TFN friend!
    :)

    Agreed on the 3D Maul front.
    If G. Walton wanted more of him in there, then he would have been.
     
  23. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    Here in the UK the promotion seemed underwhelming. I saw a couple of ads on TV and the local Entertainer store had a window display (containing a life-size LEGO R2, among other things) but that was about it. No food tie-ins or anything like that, at least not in the local supermarkets. I didn't even see the novel re-release in local bookshops.
     
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