griffin
2nd March 2009, 12:02 AM
As expected with GM's financial troubles at the moment (given billions from the US government, and begging for billions more), they have been announcing cost cutting measures, including marketting.
Since their role in the TF2 movie basically promotes their products, I think their initial funding/donation of equipment would not be affected by these cut backs because the movie has finished filming. But further involvement by GM would be affected, which included marketting/advertising.
The movie companies may do a lot of the publicity for the movie in theatres and billboards, etc, but GM may have been involved in other marketting strategies, or footing some of the expense.
According to this article:
http://adage.com/madisonandvine/article?article_id=134910
Paramount would have to cover any shortfall they were expecting GM to 'donate' towards marketting expenses. But in reality, the movie studios are probably just becomming too dependant on financial input that is really just a bonus, and shouldn't be relied upon. And has probably only been something grown out of product placement, which has became more common since about the 80s.
I think if Paramount do a good job, like they did with the first movie (they had a mobile promotion that went around the US, giving people a tantalising taste of the movie with the entire Scorponok battle scene in the desert, in the 2 months leading up to the movie's release), the second one shouldn't suffer. And with a larger number of GM vehicles in this movie that are actually available to buy, and at the lower end of the price range, GM might actually benefit from TF2 more than TF1 (only 2 of their vehicles were available, and both were niche market vehicles - Ironhide and Jazz).
I do wonder if this could mean that Paramount will scale back on their marketting of TF2, including advance screenings...
I also fear what this means for TF3, if there was going to be a third (or more). If Paramount or Hasbro wanted a third movie in 2011, GM will not be in any financial shape to be throwing money towards the project when pre-production starts in early 2010. Nor would they be too willing to donate free vehicles to future movie projects like TFs. A third movie would either have to be done a few years later, or on a much smaller budget. And if we don't see enough funding for a third, or the returns for the second one aren't good enough, I hope we aren't left with a cliffhanger that never gets resolved on screen. (IDW would wrap it up though)
Since their role in the TF2 movie basically promotes their products, I think their initial funding/donation of equipment would not be affected by these cut backs because the movie has finished filming. But further involvement by GM would be affected, which included marketting/advertising.
The movie companies may do a lot of the publicity for the movie in theatres and billboards, etc, but GM may have been involved in other marketting strategies, or footing some of the expense.
According to this article:
http://adage.com/madisonandvine/article?article_id=134910
Paramount would have to cover any shortfall they were expecting GM to 'donate' towards marketting expenses. But in reality, the movie studios are probably just becomming too dependant on financial input that is really just a bonus, and shouldn't be relied upon. And has probably only been something grown out of product placement, which has became more common since about the 80s.
I think if Paramount do a good job, like they did with the first movie (they had a mobile promotion that went around the US, giving people a tantalising taste of the movie with the entire Scorponok battle scene in the desert, in the 2 months leading up to the movie's release), the second one shouldn't suffer. And with a larger number of GM vehicles in this movie that are actually available to buy, and at the lower end of the price range, GM might actually benefit from TF2 more than TF1 (only 2 of their vehicles were available, and both were niche market vehicles - Ironhide and Jazz).
I do wonder if this could mean that Paramount will scale back on their marketting of TF2, including advance screenings...
I also fear what this means for TF3, if there was going to be a third (or more). If Paramount or Hasbro wanted a third movie in 2011, GM will not be in any financial shape to be throwing money towards the project when pre-production starts in early 2010. Nor would they be too willing to donate free vehicles to future movie projects like TFs. A third movie would either have to be done a few years later, or on a much smaller budget. And if we don't see enough funding for a third, or the returns for the second one aren't good enough, I hope we aren't left with a cliffhanger that never gets resolved on screen. (IDW would wrap it up though)