With the new year around the corner, it’s the ideal time for entertainment companies to recalibrate their entertainment marketing strategies according to the consumer behaviors, trends, and technologies that popped up in 2022.

Here are four must-know entertainment marketing strategies to keep in mind as you plan your 2023 campaigns and budget.

1.   Use video ads to highlight the magic of in-person experiences

One major post-pandemic challenge for entertainment companies is attracting consumers who are less likely to venture into entertainment venues, whether due to lingering COVID-19 concerns or new behaviors cemented during the pandemic. How can they reduce hesitations and demonstrate the value of in-person experiences?

One of the best ways to pique interest, drive excitement, and build anticipation? Video ads! Entertainment marketing is about showing, not telling, and video ads can remind consumers of what at-home options lack. (The statistics speak for themselves: 87% of marketers say videos give them positive ROIs.)

Even better, the number of video advertising opportunities has grown tremendously in the last few years. Whether a six-second YouTube bumper ad or a streaming ad on Hulu, you’ll find a video advertising format and placement matching your brand’s audience or marketing goals.

2.   Use advanced audience segmentation to offer personalized marketing

With distractions abounding, level up your entertainment marketing strategies by ensuring your message is as personalized as possible to your target audience.

Enter advanced audience segmentation. Beyond targeting age, gender, geography, or interests, advanced segmentation allows you to create nicher groups based on these factors:

●      Where they are in the customer journey

●      Products or product categories they’re most interested in

●      Psychographic details (e.g., their values, goals, or lifestyles)

●      Their behaviors (e.g., which pages they click on, the number of unique URLs visited, or their shopping cart value)

Once you’ve segmented your audience, you can create full-funnel campaigns more likely to resonate with each group’s needs and preferences — you could, for example, roll out a campaign promoting a VIP ticket package specifically for high-spending existing customers looking for a family getaway.

3.   Get creative with interactive and immersive ideas

Creativity is the heart of all entertainment marketing strategies, and creative advertising that immerses via interactive components is the perfect way for brands to connect with consumers’ emotions, increase engagement, and drive conversions.

Here are some ways to get started:

• Shoppable ads. Whether a social media post that enables in-app purchasing or a pop-up ad in a mobile game, shoppable media delivers a seamless buying experience.
• Live videos. Customers love peeking behind the scenes, and live videos are the opportunity to offer just that, whether through interviews or teasers on TikTok or Facebook.
• Digital out-of-home (DOOH) ads. DOOH ads are a cost-effective way to build hype and curiosity in the real world, especially with an A+ localization strategy.
• Augmented reality ads. Getting started with AR ads isn’t as complicated as you might think — in fact, Snapchat offers a variety of AR campaign formats to help you connect with your target audience and build buzz before, during, and after events. If you have a larger budget, consider building integrated experiences to enhance traditional advertising (print or outdoor billboards) — like this festive snowglobe campaign by The Broadway League.

4.   Invest in search advertising

Search ads are one of the best ways to reach consumers looking for your (or your competitors’) offerings. Targeting keywords like “events near me” or “what to do this weekend,” you can amplify your search ad’s performance by also highlighting limited-time sales or promotions. However, search ads only offer text, so you need to spend time and resources crafting captivating copy that converts. 

Companies ready to embrace new technologies, advertising opportunities, and these entertainment marketing strategies are poised to win big in 2023 and beyond.

Ready to implement a full-funnel, omnichannel campaign for your entertainment brand? Send us a message today.