The Hollywood party may have reached a zenith in 2001 with the Walt Disney Company's $5
million event for "Pearl Harbor," when Disney entertained 2,000 guests in Hawaii aboard the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. Last year, the average price for a major studio film increased 3.4%, to
$65.8 million. By contrast, average marketing costs--which hit their peak in 2003--declined 4.4% to $34.5 million.
Marketing departments have gotten creative in securing outside sponsors to finance parties. Last year, The Wall Street Journal teamed with Van Cleef & Arpels to sponsor the New York Film Festival premiere of "Marie Antoinette." The Los Angeles premiere of "Dreamgirls" was sponsored by Cadillac.
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