What does a marketing manager do?
Marketing managers convince audiences that theirs is a “must-see” film or TV programme.
Marketing managers help to identify the audience for a film or TV drama and create a campaign to bring it to their attention and pique their interest. With film, this could be through billboards, posters, and a digital strategy (almost always using social media). With TV drama, it could be through newsletters, trailers, as well as social media. Marketing managers oversee all of this and make sure it happens; collaborating with creative partners to develop and deliver promotional artwork materials. In film, marketing managers may also see that the product of the movie is presented well to potential buyers (distribution companies); if marketing managers are working in exhibition, then they market and present the movie to audiences.
Marketing campaigns vary enormously depending on the needs of the production. Big-budget films with movie stars usually have more money spent on marketing and publicity than small productions. Marketing managers consider how to prepare a marketing budget, bearing in mind income forecasts, acquisition costs and contract terms. If a film is being screened internationally, the campaign needs to be adapted to different cultures and countries.
Marketing managers might be employed by film sales agencies, marketing agencies, production companies or broadcasters. Big production companies will have their own marketing departments for their film and TV dramas. Smaller ones will use a separate marketing company or agency. For TV dramas, marketing managers are more likely to be employed by the broadcaster or channel, such as Channel 4 or BBC Studios.
What’s a marketing manager good at?
- Audience awareness: know audiences, research audience statistics, understand how they watch films or TV dramas
- Knowledge of the industry: have an awareness of cultural trends in film and TV drama and how they are reflected in terms of box office figures and viewers
- Marketing: think creatively and analytically, create engaging content, understand who a production is for and how to reach them
- Planning: schedule the work that needs to be done for the campaign and work with a budget, forecast audience numbers or determine actual theatrical revenue for a given project
- Communication: write compelling copy, engage people from a wide range of backgrounds, share the vision with a team, be the conduit of information for other teams (such as PR, operations, acquisitions and sales)
