Are you going to raid the lost ark?

In case you have been living under a rock, the newest Indiana Jones movie is opening this weekend. It is being accompanied (or should I say anticipated) with lots of media hoopla and a re-release of all previous Indiana Jones movies. Of course! This franchise has a lot of life to it. Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first Indiana Jones movie, came out in 1981. Harrison Ford has aged since then, but apparently he is still running around in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He is also running around doing the media circuit. In fact, media is really driving the potential audience for this movie.  This media relations blitz probably originated on both ends. News programs know that Indiana Jones will probably be a winner and seek to book Harrison Ford and have “first looks” at the movie. The movie is definitely marketing and aiming to become the biggest hit of the summer. First, it is opening on Memorial Day weekend, traditionally the start of summer. They are pushing the movie everywhere. Harrison Ford is doing interviews from Cannes to the CBS Early Morning Show.  The movie was screened for the first time in Cannes, and apparently there has been build-up on the Internet since the movie was announced more than a year ago. Read this blog (Thompson on Hollywood) to see more about the media push.

In any case, Indiana Jones will be a success. I would argue mostly because people enjoyed the first three movies and know and like Indy. But certainly, the build-up in expectation will create anticipation and desire to see the movie. I would bet on it to be a very large opening weekend.

Movie advertising for a blockbuster like Indiana Jones shows what an unlimited marketing budget can do. It also demonstrates the integrated marketing communications approach–that is, using all marketing vehicles (advertising, public relations, social media, etc.) to get a unified message out. You could just be exposed to one media outlet and still know that this movie will be opening next weekend.