Release date: Monday, May 25, 2015

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

By: Alyssa Haines, Caitlin Rabyniuk, Jewely Ramos, Maritza Cardenas, and Ricardo Uribe

Table of Contents

1. Situation Analysis…………………………………………………………………………………………………................. .1 a. Product Category Threats and Opportunities………………………………………………….. …2 b. Company Background………………………………………………………………………………….…. 4 c. Competitive Analysis…………………………………………………………………………….…….……8 3. Target Market Specifications…………………………………………………………………………….…… 10 a. Demographics Characteristics……………………………………………………………………….. 10 b. Psychographic Characteristics…………………………………………………………………….…. . 11 c. How to Market……….…………………………………………………………………………………….. ..15 4. Product Evaluation…………………………………………………………………………………………..…... 17 a. Brand Name………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17 b. Package Considerations………………………………………………………………………………….18 c. Channel of Distribution…………………………………………………………………………………..22 d. Pricing…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 25 e. Other Considerations……………………………………………………………………………….…….26

Table of Contents

5. Marketing Objectives……………………………………………………………………………………….……....................... 27

a. Budget……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..28

b. Advertising Program………………………………………………………………………………….……. 30

c. Advertising Strategy……………………………………………………………………………………......31

d. TV Spot…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….32

e. Magazine Ad…………………………………………………………………………………………………….32

f. Sales Promotion Program………………………………………………………………………………… 35

i. Trade and Consumer Objectives………………………………………………………………… 35

ii. Consumer Promotions……………………………………………………………………………….36

iii. Point of Purchase Program………………………………………………………………………. 40

g. Publicity, Special Events and Sponsorship Opportunities………………………………… 46

6. Citations………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….49

The following will be an analysis of the motion film “Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier.” A description of the product category, threats and opportunities, company backgrounds, and a detailed competitive analysis will provide a better insight to our proposed promotional campaign.

Situation Analysis

4 1

“Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier” will be rivaled by current DVD/Blu-ray and box office hits at the time of their release. These threats will

pose as an obstacle in establishing a top-of-mind awareness of the product.

On-Demand movie services: Netflix, Hulu, Redbox, Direct TV, On-

Demand, and Pay-per-view are movie services that will also pose as financial

threats by waning the amount of users that will purchase the physical DVD and Blu-ray

products

Other similar genre films: Films with the

Adventure, Action, Sci-fi, or Political genre films will pose a threat by appealing to the

target market interested in the same categories

Piracy: Illegal copies of the film and online

versions also constitute as threats by declining DVD and Blu-ray sales

Current box office firms: Current films playing in theatres during the

release of the “Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier” DVD and Blu-ray will stand

as a threat in market sales. Box office movies will provide the target market with alternatives that create a novelty appeal

through popularity

Product Category Threats

2

Due to the film’s heroic and patriotic appeal to American society, “Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier” will be able to benefit from its opportunities

and increase profit

Adventure Appeal: Captain America travels on a journey from working for Nick Fury to battling SHIELD. By acquiring a copy of the

film, the target audience can relive and partake in the adventure with Steve Rogers

and his team repeatedly.

American Appeal: The film depicts Steve Rogers, or Captain America, a hero. This description appeals to the patriotic and pride characteristics in each American.

Thus, each American would desire a copy of the DVD/Blu-ray for their film collection.

Youth Appeal: Because Captain America was a large part of target market’s youth, the film would appeal to their inner-child.

By owning a copy of the film, the target market can relive their childhood and pass

on the memories to their children.

Product Category Opportunities

3

Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE) – Marvel

Founded in 1920 by Harry Cohn, Joe Brandt, and Jack Cohn (Harry’s brother) Originally called CBC Sales Film Corporation Produce short and low-budget Westerns and comedies In 1924, to refurbish the company’s reputation, its name changed to Columbia

Pictures Entertainment, Inc. In 1991, the company changed its name to Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Produces and distributes motion pictures and television programming Engages in the acquisition and distribution of home video; operation of studio

facilities for production services; development of new entertainment technologies; development of entertainment products and services for broadband distribution; and distribution of filmed entertainment

Offers interactive agency and digital marketing services, (including digital marketing strategy, online research, customer service management, product development, and Website design and development; post production, scoring, re-recording, screening rooms, and editing services through its post production facilities; and feature film clips/ still licensing

C Company Background

4

Marvel Entertainment, LLC

• In 1939, Martin Goodman founded Marvel comics, which has grown to be one of the most successful companies in the entertainment industry. Marvel’s success attracted a plethora of companies for potential partnerships

• On September 2005, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. changed its name to Marvel Entertainment, LLC.

• On August 2009, the Walt Disney Company acquired Marvel Entertainment, LLC.

Company Background

8 5

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, engages in the four segments of licensing, publishing, toys, and film production business with an accumulations of 5,000 characters franchises, such as The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Blade.

Company Background

9 6

Licensing segment: licenses Marvel’s characters for use in various consumer products, including toys, apparel, and video games; feature films, television programs; DVD animated feature films; theme parks, shopping malls, and special events; promotions; and publications

Publishing segment: publishes and sells comic books and custom comics to the direct market and the mass market, which consists of teenagers and young adults through comic book specialty stores and retail outlets, including bookstores and news stands. This segment also sells advertising and subscriptions

Toy segment: designs, develops, creates, markets, and distributes character-based toys. This segment markets its products through specialty toy retailers

Film production segment: develops, produces, and distributes films

Company Background

7

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.—DC • Home to aspects of the entertainment industry from

feature film, television, and home entertainment production and worldwide distribution to DVD and Blu-ray, digital distribution, animation, comic books, video games, product and brand licensing, and broadcasting

• Works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions in releasing its stories and characters across all media, including film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games

• DC Comics is a shared universe built on the foundation of super heroes, including Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, and The Flash

• Feature films based on DC Comics properties consist of “Green Lantern”, “The Dark Knight Rises,” and “Man of Steel”

• The largest English-language comic publisher in the world • Remains as the cornerstone of the company with

thousands of comic books, graphic novels, and magazines published each year

Competitive Analysis

8

Paramount Pictures Corporation—Transformers, TMNT • Develops partnerships to produce large and small

celebrated movies, television, and commercials • Manages for the worldwide sales, marketing and

distribution of DVDs and Blu-ray discs for films and television shows distributed by paramount Pictures Corporation and many of Viacom’s leading brands including Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, and BET

• Collaborated with directors, such as Alfred Hitchcock and Steven Spielberg, and actors such as Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise

• Known for memorable movie series; for example, “Mission: Impossible,” “Star Trek,” and “Taxi.” The success of the company has lead to the highest grossing film of all time, “Titanic”

• Produced movies such as “Transformers” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” which are also comic book heroes

Competitive Analysis

9

Target Market Specifications

Actual Movie Goers Size of Target Market

50.2 Million

Gender: 64% Male/36% Female

Age: 18-24 and 25+ (57% viewing audience) Generation X and Y

Life Stage: adult

Marital Status: 58% Couples 42% Families

Residence Tenure: own home

Demographic Characteristics

13 10

Target Market Specifications

Comic Book subculture Values:

Escapism: attempt to break away from society and its struggles to a society where they are in control

Belonging: Identify with people in this group, attend and engage with other fans at popular comic book events like Comic-Con

Culture: Tendency to resist “pop culture”- studies show that fans are typically

interested in forming sub society where they can emphasize ideologies typically overlooked by society

Technology: Tech-savvy - most are digital intermediaries

Education: Well educated - most have attained some form of higher education

Size of Target Market 24 Million

Psychographic Characteristics

11

Target Market Specifications

Generation X Values:

Family Truth and Transparency: as the first generation to be heavily marketed to they

seek truth in ads and all aspects of life (not interested in “hype”) Balance of Life- believe in balance of work and family; “work to live”

Culture and Diversity: Celebrate and embrace multiculturalism Believe diversity in the racial composition of ads better

Politics: Born after Civil Rights era- value multicultural society Involvement in political process is becoming more important More liberal than their conservative predecessors

Technology: Regularly watch television/interact on digital platforms Digital Intermediaries (1980-90) and Digital Immigrants (1979 and below)-

starting to get involved in digital realm; did not grow up with it but have learned to adapt

Education: Majority have attained some form of higher education

Psychographic Characteristics

Size of Target Market 41 Million

12

Target Market Specifications

Generation Y Values:

Truth and Transparency in business – with the rise of social media and Web 2.0, these qualities are now attainable to this generation

Connectedness Work for a cause greater than themselves Immediate and convenient information

Culture and Diversity: Celebrate and embrace multiculturalism (most culturally diverse generation; one

in three falls into a minority) Politics: Most politically progressive generation (Sixty-six percent voted for Barack Obama

in 2008) Desire to show a strong sense of purpose

Technology: Digital Intermediaries and Natives (2000+)- most grew up with

technology Social Identity is a part of “digital self” Regularly use digital platforms (especially social media)

Size of Target Market 71 Million

Psychographic Characteristics

13

Target Market Specifications

Comic Book subculture Channel:

Events (Comic-Con) Digital Marketing Tools (social media, forums, fan pages, etc.) Store Locations (comic book stores, retail chains)

Content: Engage Authentic and Transparent (especially when engaging in social media) Consistency- fan group appreciates content that is consistent with the storyline Encourage earned media – WOM, influencer posts (by popular comic

bloggers/sites), etc.

How to Market

17 14

Target Market Specifications

Generation x: Channel:

Television In-store (despite rise in online sales and technology, this generation prefer the

tangible in-store shopping experience - conduct research online prior to purchasing most products)

Digital Marketing Channels (social media, digital media, review sites, etc.) Content:

Engage Be authentic/trustworthy Emphasize family value Attempt to encourage earned media – WOM, influencer posts, etc.

How to Market

18 15

Target Market Specifications

Generation y: Channel

Internet (sponsored ads, SEO, etc.) Social media (desire real time information and sharing)

Content:

Engage Be authentic and transparent (especially when engaging in social media) Capture attention - be creative and unique (with so much noise a

marketer must attempt to break through and capture the attention of the millennial by bringing something new and exciting that’s different from what they are programmed to tuning out)

Encourage earned media - WOM, Influencer posts, etc. Multicultural ads

How to Market

19 16

Product Evaluation Brand Name

Film values

Honesty

Courage

Integrity

Loyalty

Humility

20 17

Product Evaluation

The Fundamental Criteria For Effective Packaging:

To be seen on shelf

To engage shoppers

To communicate key messages/point-of-difference

To close the sale

Package Considerations

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Package Considerations

22 19

Product Evaluation

Target • Include exclusive “Captain America: The Winter

Soldier” comic book

• Include E-comic code (tailored for

Generation X and comic fans)

• Include Marvel’s Captain Winter Soldier mobile

app - interactive game through the story of

Captain America

CODE: 2XCAPTAIN

Package Considerations

20

Product Evaluation

Walmart • Regular DVD release will include

standard DVD and Blu-ray copies

Package Considerations

21

Product Evaluation

Distribution for Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” will be based on target market size, psychographics, and demographics. The DVD and Blu-ray will be available through all DVD and Blu-ray distributors such as Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and K-Mart.

MAIN RETAILER Distributors

Channel of Distribution

25 22

Product Evaluation

San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Asbury Park, NJ Charlotte, NC Baltimore, MD Orlando, FL New York City, NY Memphis, TN Chicago, IL Columbus, OH Denver, CO New York City, NY Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Los Angeles, CA Monroeville, PA Irving, TX Portland, OR Denver, CO Lake City, UT Detroit, MI San Diego, CA Atlanta, GA Bethesda, MD

There will be a larger emphasis on distribution of DVDs and Blu-rays in stores located in cities where a concentration of major comic book fans reside.

23

national

Product Evaluation

France Argentina Puerto Rico UK Chile United Arab Emirates Belgium Germany Australia Finland Denmark Czech Republic France Netherlands Greece Ireland Peru Hong Kong Italy Portugal Israel South Korea Singapore Kuwait Norway Taiwan Macedonia Philippines Spain New Zealand Sweden Indonesia Russia

There will also be a large emphasis placed on a higher distribution of DVDs and Blu-rays in international countries where comic fans reside.

24

International

Product Evaluation Target Pricing

25

Standard DVD Standard Blu-ray 2-Disc Combo Pack

MSRP – $24.99 MSRP – $29.99 MSRP – $34.99

Recommended Sales Price – $19.99

Recommended Sales Price – $24.99

Recommended Sales Price - $29.99

Items Included: - Standard DVD copy - Mini-comic - Promotional code

Items Included: - Standard Blu-ray copy - Mini-comic - Promotional code

Items Included: - 3D Blu-ray and DVD copy - Mini-comic - Promotional code

Standard DVD Standard Blu-ray 2-Disc Combo Pack

MSRP – $19.99 MSRP – $24.99 MSRP – $29.99

Recommended Sales Price – $16.99

Recommended Sales Price – $21.99

Recommended Sales Price - $26.99

Items Included: - Standard DVD copy

Items Included: - Standard Blu-ray copy

Items Included: - 3D Blu-Ray and DVD copy

Walmart Pricing

Product Evaluation

Each comic will contain a unique code that can be entered into a Captain America app available on the iTunes App Store and the Google Play Store

Our comic book is designed to appeal to Generation X and comic book fans

Other Considerations Target will sell exclusive discs that include a mini-comic book within the packaging.

Anyone will be able to download the app but to access its content you must purchase the movie at Target and enter your unique code

The app will feature customizable Captain America avatars and will allow the user to immerse themselves in the storyline

Our app is designed to appeal to Generation Y

Comic Book Mobile App

CODE: 2XCAPTAIN

26

Marketing Objectives

30

Maximize consumer awareness of DVD and Blu-ray release event date

Lead overall market share by ten percent during the week of release as compared to other DVDs and Blu-rays release during the same week

Engage fans by realizing one million unique app code activations through our Target DVD and Blu-ray sales within the first month of release

Achieve 500,000 20 percent off Gillette coupon redemptions

27

Budget

31 28

Budget

32

29

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Advertising Program

Target males ages 18-49

(this will be accomplished through positioning advertising with male-oriented brands such as Chevrolet and Gillette)

33 30

Advertising Strategy

We will place a large Captain America 3-D drawing in the middle of NYC Times Square - drawing will be of Captain America fighting the Winter Soldier

This location is known to be a large tourist attraction and will help bring attention to the DVD and Blu-ray release while simultaneously cutting through ad clutter

34

Break through ad clutter by utilizing stunts and guerilla marketing

Shields "crashed" into sides of famous buildings and city buses in major cities

Guerilla Marketing Stunts

31

TV and Magazine Spot

Chevrolet Incorporate the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray commercial with clips from the “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” movie. At the end of the commercial we will announce the DVD and Blu-ray release date as well as a tag line saying:

Gillette We will have a spot on Men’s Fitness magazine where we will advertise both for Captain America and for Gillette. The advertisement will say:

Commercials Magazine Ad

“A car fit for a superhero” “What does America’s

hero trust more than his bulletproof shield?”

32

Commercial

36 33

Magazine Ad

37 34

Sales Promotion Program

Create high sales volume by offering incentives for our consumers

Trade and Consumer Objectives

Create awareness of the DVD and Blu-ray and their release date

Capture our audiences’ attention

38 35

Consumer Promotions We will be having three distinct promotions. One of them will be a sales promotion with Gillette, the other two will be promotions that offer the consumer incentives to buy the DVD and Blu-ray at Walmart versus Target and vice versa.

Sales Promotion Program

Gillette Gillette will have a sales promotion that will benefit their sales and the sales of the Captain America DVD and Blu-ray. The promotion will begin two weeks prior to when the DVD and Blu-ray is released. The promotion will be with their Gillette Fusion ProGlide. The razor will come with an on-pack coupon for the DVD and Blu-ray that will discount them 20 percent off the price of the film. Consumers will be able to buy the razor with the on-pack coupon at any retailer where Gillette distributes their razors and will only be redeemable at either Walmart or Target stores. The coupon will be redeemable from the date that the DVD and Blu-ray is released (May 25, 2015) until four weeks after.

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Walmart: Walmart will attract their consumers to buy the DVD and Blu-ray through retailtainment. Walmart will have cardboard cutouts that will depict scenes from the movie and a free standing shield where consumers will be able to take pictures. Consumers will then be able to upload their pictures to the Walmart Facebook page. A winner will then be chosen and will win a trip for two to Comic-Con in San Diego.

Target: The DVDs and Blu-rays that will be distributed to Target will be unique to those that will be distributed to Walmart. The DVDs and Blu-rays distributed to Target will include a Captain America comic book with a QR code and a code. The QR code will take the consumer to either the App store or Google Play, depending on the consumers’ phones, where they will be able to download a “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” game. In order for the consumer to access the story line of the game, they will need to enter their code. The story line that they will have access to play will be inspired by the storyline of the actual comic book.

Sales Promotion Program

40 37

Wal-Mart Sales Promotion

38

Walmart Contest

42

Take a picture of yourself posing with a Captain America shield at any participating U. S. Walmart location and upload it to the Walmart Facebook

page to enter to win an all inclusive trip for two to San Diego Comic-Con!

39

Sales Promotion Program

Point of Purchase Program For the point of purchase, we will be having four main components. One of them will be the DVD and Blu-ray stands, the other will be the Gillette Fusion ProGlide, and the other two would be unique to Target and Walmart.

Gillette We will include a point of purchase display for the Gillette Fusion ProGlide. The razor stand will be designed in a way that will advertise for both the razor and the “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” DVD and Blu-ray. The stand will include the product release date so that the consumers will know when the DVD and Blu-ray would be available for purchase. The razor stand will be included in both Target and Walmart.

43 40

Sales Promotion Program

Walmart Walmart will have their own cut-outs that will demonstrate specific scenes from the movie with life size Captain America shields protruding for fans to pose next to. Adjacent to this we will display one of the DVD and Blu-ray stands.

Target Target will have cardboard cutouts of characters from the movie in selected areas of the retail store. This will be unique to target stores only and will not be included in the Walmart stores.

DVD and Blu-ray Stands The point of purchase will consist of a DVD and Blu-ray sales rack containing the “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” DVDs and Blu-rays. The DVD and Blu-ray racks will be created in a way that will catch the customers’ attention because it will have Captain America, Black Widow, and Winter Soldier life-size behind the DVDs and Blu-rays. These stands will be placed in both Walmart and Target.

44 41

Gillette Point of Purchase Display

42

Target In-Store Point of Purchase Program

46 43

Walmart In-Store Point of Purchase Program

44

Publicity, Special Events and Sponsorship Opportunities

Sponsorship Opportunities

Chevrolet We will have Chevrolet as one of our sponsors. Chevrolet will finance and buy time to broadcast the Chevrolet Stingray and Captain America commercial.

Gillette Another one of our sponsors will be Gillette. Gillette will advertise for their products as well as for the DVD and Blu-ray. They will finance and purchase a spot for an advertisement in Men’s Fitness magazine.

Wounded Warrior Project We will sponsor The Wounded Warrior Project. Ten percent of every DVD and Blu-ray that is sold will be donated to this non-profit organization. This sponsorship will serve as an incentive for consumers to buy the DVD and Blu-ray instead of buying illegal copies of the film. The sponsorship will also greatly benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.

Sponsors Sponsorships

45

One of the ways that we will be capturing the media’s attention and receive publicity will be through guerilla marketing tactics. We will have Captain America’s shields on buildings and buses appear as if they were smashed into them. The shields will have the DVD and Blu-ray’s release date on them. The shield will be placed two weeks prior to the products released date, May 11, 2015, and will not be taken off until three weeks after the release date, June 15, 2015.

On Sunday, May 24, 2015, one day before the DVD and Blu-ray’s release, we will have a special event at New York’s Times Square announcing the DVD and Blu-ray. This will be a short event where we will be giving out free DVDs and Blu-rays to fans who can answer certain questions about Captain America. At the event we will have an artist who will draw a 3-D sketch on the street of a battle scene between Captain America and the Winter Soldier.

Publicity, Special Events & Sponsorship Opportunities

Publicity

Special Events

49 46

Publicity

50 47

Special Events

48

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8. http://www.paramount.com/inside-studio/studio/divisions) 49

Citations

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