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Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘La Grazia’ Achieves Strong Opening with Innovative Marketing Strategy
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rome, January 18, 2024 – Paolo Sorrentino’s latest film, La Grazia, captivated Italian cinemas on Thursday, January 15th, earning approximately 200,649 euros from 480 screenings and attracting 28,529 viewers. This initial success underscores Sorrentino’s unique position in contemporary cinema, where his work is recognized as a distinct genre unto itself.
Sorrentino: A Cinematic Genre
Sorrentino’s films blend arthouse sensibilities with popular appeal, demanding a unique promotional approach.
- Sorrentino’s films are now considered a genre in their own right, blending arthouse and mainstream elements.
- Strategic film promotion, including preview screenings and unconventional advertising, is crucial for his work.
- Reaching younger audiences is a key objective, leveraging word-of-mouth and relatable aesthetics.
- La Grazia‘s success builds on the strategies employed with Parthenope,adapting them to suit the new film’s unique characteristics.
PiperFilm, the production company behind La Grazia, has demonstrated a keen understanding of how to market Sorrentino’s films, building on the success of their previous campaign for Parthenope.
Parthenope: Midnight Previews and Top Ten Success
Following its presentation at the Cannes Film Festival,PiperFilm utilized “midnight previews” to generate buzz for Parthenope. To build momentum, “midnight previews” were scheduled following the festival, offering discounted tickets and attracting a younger demographic without disrupting regular cinema programming.
These midnight screenings proved successful,drawing around 300 spectators per cinema in 14 Italian locations,achieving the highest screen average and landing in the top Ten. Parthenope ultimately grossed over 7.8 million euros, a significant achievement for an arthouse film.
La Grazia: Venice and morning Previews
A similar, yet nuanced, strategy was employed for La Grazia. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where Sorrentino had previously presented The Man More and It Was the Hand of God, even opening the festival.The official release date was set for January 15th,but a series of previews from December 25th to January 1st offered a unique approach.
These morning previews aimed to capture a different audience-those seeking an alternative to typical holiday films, and mature viewers with daytime availability. The goal was to generate early word-of-mouth and engagement without competing with mainstream releases dominating evening screenings. Early viewers shared their reactions on social media, fueling anticipation for the wider release.
Reaching a Younger Audience
The campaign also sought to connect with the younger audience that embraced Parthenope.While La Grazia might initially seem less geared towards that demographic, elements like Gué’s rap leitmotif, electronic music, and the film’s overall aesthetic hold universal appeal. PiperFilm capitalized on organic word-of-mouth, incorporating viewer testimonials into customary outdoor advertising.
Posters featured quotes from young viewers,such as Stefania,23,who stated,”We are all a bit like Mariano De Santis,fragile,with the fear of making a false step,” and Alice,19,who described the film as “A praise to courage,love and freedom.” The creative agency Vertigo developed three campaign elements: a teaser, the main poster, and an alternative poster featuring these viewer comments.
Newspaper advertisement
To appeal to a more cultured audience, La Grazia‘s advertising extended to daily newspapers, but with a twist.An advertisement appeared with a single sentance: “Whose days are ours?”-no title, author, or release date, only a QR code leading to the film’s details. This minimalist approach
