Page 117 - The $100 Startup_ Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love

A TRIP TO HOLLYWOOD FROM YOUR
LIVING ROOM

OR THE CORNER COFFEE SHOP.

“Before beginning, prepare carefully.”

—MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO

Let’s take a trip to Hollywood, by way of our local cinema or movie theater.

Every year, a number of blockbuster films come out that cost a huge amount of
money to produce, often $100 million or more. Studio executives know they
have only a limited window to ensure a big hit. If the opening weekend isn’t
huge, they may still have a good movie, but not the blockbuster they need to
recoup their high costs.

The executives also know that although some people don’t decide which
movie they want to see until they get to the theater, lots of other people go to see
a particular movie. If they’ve been hearing about it in advance, building up their
anticipation and getting excited, they’re all the more eager to see the movie—
and tell their friends about it too.

This is why Hollywood begins the “pre-launch” for a big film many months in
advance, often a whole season or even an entire year in advance for the right
film. During this time they are showing previews at the beginning of other
movies, building buzz through an Internet campaign, and working the PR angles
far in advance of the movie actually coming out.

The pre-launch campaign is a success when people eagerly await the film,