Avengers Case Study

1. Film Media in Context

How does the industry promote the film to audiences using:
Print?
- Posters/Billboards
- DVD packaging
- Magazine articles

Broadcast?
- TV interviews
- Chat Shows
- Trailers
- Radio interviews

E-Media?
- Official website
- Social Network sites

What are the key issues and changes taking place in each platform?
- Print media is not globally accessible like e-media is.
- Some people may not have access to internet but can see TV broadcasts.
- Print is more expensive than e-media to produce.
- Can create UCG using e-media.
- E-media allows for a large wide audience attraction (allows for global marketing and appeal).

How is each platform responding and adapting to these issues and changes?
- Print doesn’t appeal much to younger audiences.
- Change in technologies allows more for people to get involved.
- People may not have time to watch TV live therefore they can record programmes or watch the on demand.

  

2. How are texts in the 3 Platforms
constructed?

How is the film promoted through?

Print:
- Billboards
- Posters
- Magazine articles (film magazines)
- DVD packaging

Broadcast:
- TV trailers
- Chat shows
- Live red carpet even

E-media:
- Social network sites (Twitter & Facebook)
- Official website
- Prizes and competitions (free tickets)

How is the film being promoted across the 3 platforms?
Similarities
- Same title design
- Iron man is at the forefront.

Differences
- e-media is better at reaching audiences as it has a more global reach.
- e- media also allows for the film to be promoted more further and allows for more information, details, images, etc. to be published and accessible to audiences.

3. How do audiences access
 the text across the 3 platforms?

Who are the films target audience? And how do you know?

The target audience for Avengers Assemble are those who are aged between 5 -35.

How is the film promoted to its target audience through?

Print:
- Magazines
- Posters/Billboards
Broadcast:
- TV chat shows
- Interviews
- TV Trailers
- News (e news)
E-media:
- Websites
- Social Network sites

What type of audience does the platform reach?
Print reaches audiences such as Marvel fanatics and comic readers as they are available globally but not in as much quantity as other media platforms. Reaches a more aspirer audience.
Broadcast reaches internationally as interviews and premieres were held across the world and allowed for a wide range of publicism in many countries. Reaches the more mainstream audience.
E-media reaches every single audience in the world as the internet is easily accessible and used around the world. It also allows younger generations to reach the film as young people use the internet more than other ages.

Does this platform allow audiences to participate or interact with the film? How?
Social network sites allow audiences to interact with the film as they allow the audience to comment and communicate with the film. They could share their opinions and views and can enter competitions.

Do audiences play a role in the construction or creation of any film’s promotion or material?
Some younger audiences play a vital role in the construction of the film’s promotion materials such as young kids who want to dress up as the film characters, have costumes and toys available in the Disney store for them.

4. How are representations
 constructed across the 3 platforms?

How are characters/stars in the film represented?

Iron Man is represented as a main character in the print as he is at the forefront of main film posters.
The lead female is represented as strong, brave, and smart; which is an alternative representation of females.

What values and ideologies are communicated within these representations?
There are more men on the front cover and in the film; this suggests Mulvey’s male gaze, and that the female characters are there simply for the male viewers to look at.
Berger's theory is also shown in the film; 'men act and women appear'. We can see this as There is only one lead female character, compared to 6 lead male characters.
There is a dominant ideology of men as they are shown as strong and brave.

5. What Institutional issues
are raised in the case study?

Who are the key institutions involved in promoting the film and how are they involved?
- Disney helped distribute the film worldwide and helped sign a deal with Lego to create superhero toys.
- Hershey chocolate company created unique competitions and posters, t-shirts, comic cons.
- Dr Pepper created a limited edition can and an online game.
- Empire magazines YouTube channel had interviews with cast.
- Acura; built cars for the film.
- Harley Davidson.
- Visa.
- JADS – to promote character based fragrances.

Has the internet piracy impacted on the construction/distribution of the film/DVD?
Internet piracy did have an impact on the distribution on the film as there were 8,110,000 downloads which meant it was the fourth most pirated film ever.