• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, July 24, 2013

Big data and new metric tools are increasing helping big entertainment brands -- but old-school video/still images are still big drivers.

“Big data doesn’t perform miracles,” says Brian Dalessandro, vp of data science for Media6Degrees. You still need the right creative.

Doug Neil, executive vp of digital marketing for Universal Pictures, says movie marketing still starts with the creative -- the video, the in-theater trailer, the TV commercial.

“We put a lot of effort in video; it’s what establishes the brand,”  says Neil. "Tons of research goes into it. I can’t emphasize it enough.”  

Some movies are easier than others -- for example, this summer’s big hit from Universal Pictures “Despicable Me 2”.

Neil says the initial key art image of the movie just showed two yellow-clad  “minion” characters. All that was an easy awareness tool to get consumers to come back to see the franchise again.

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