Cinemagoers would be forgiven for thinking 2024 was the year of sequels and remakes, as Inside Out 2, Deadpool & Wolverine and Moana 2 topped the box office.
And they didn’t just perform well financially, sequels and remakes were a hit on the awards scene too. Wicked received ten Oscar nominations. Nosferatu received four and Inside Out 2 was nominated for Best Animated Picture.
But what marketing campaigns stood out this year? With the Oscars just days away, we spoke with Sky and Now Movie’s marketing director Jamie Schwartz to find out what the best movie marketing campaigns were of 2024.
Longlegs
Creepy and cryptic, this was a masterclass in guerrilla marketing. The campaign dropped a series of breadcrumbs, disturbing images and videos, to build suspense and community.
They created a sense of mystery and engagement, turning horror fans into true crime detectives. This was a campaign that respected its horror audience. I love that they hid Nicolas Cage from the campaign… they used the Jaws playbook, don’t show the shark!
Wicked
If 2023 was the year of Barbie marketing, 2024 belonged to Wicked. The film’s marketing campaign was an undeniable spectacle, and the press tour was a masterclass in leveraging authenticity and style. The campaign, brand partnerships and tie-ins managed to be ubiquitous without being annoying.
Did you know that “9 million real tulips were planted”? Everyone knew that “9 million real tulips were planted”! The concentrated and consolidated effort to push this fact everywhere, only added to the scale, spectacle and want-to-see factor.
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Paddington in Peru
A couple of things really stood out for me: the Airbnb ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ overnight stay gave families the opportunity to stay in Paddington’s home while he and the Browns were in Peru.
And, the recreated Windsor Gardens residence, included props and furniture from the Paddington films.
And I tried to get hold of the Fortnum & Mason Paddington in Peru hamper – which sold out online within hours.
A Complete Unknown
This campaign had the perfect blend of nostalgia and reliability. Timothée Chalamet, already a cultural icon for Gen Z, used his undeniable power to bridge the gap between generations.
It was marketing as storytelling.
And then he arrives at the London premiere on a Lime bike.
Mic drop.
Or rather, Bike drop.
