Task 4 - P4 - Understand how Media Products are Distributed and Promoted
A) Distribution Channels
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Network Television
Game of Thrones is first aired on TV by Sky Atlantic and HBO. In the UK, Game Of Thrones is played at 2 AM as well as 9 PM because it is a worldwide series that many countries watch. It also stops people from downloading it illegally because they are able to watch it at a suitable time. 10 million people watched the first episode of season 7 on HBO as well as millions watching it illegally worldwide. Game Of Thrones is usually on when children won't be watching TV because it is rated 18 due to the mature scenes they have. The series first premiered in 2011 with season 1 and is still being played on tv until 2019 when the final season will come out.
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DVD/Retail
Game Of Thrones then distributes the show to retail, selling box sets of all the currents seasons and boxes of separate seasons. In the UK, BSkyB distributed the show and in the USA, HBO distributed the show. HBO distributed the show to all the English speaking countries. All the non English speaking countries distributed the show themselves with their own companies. An example is in the Netherlands where RTL Entertainment distributed the show because the non-English countries need to make subtitles themselves for their nation. The complete 4th season has become the fastest-selling official video chart number 1 TV box set of the last 10 years. In one week, they sold 157,000 copies becoming the fastest-selling chart-topping TV box set since 2004’s Little Britain.
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Streaming/On Demand
After a few years, Game Of Thrones became available on NOW TV and also streamed on HBOs website where you pay for a subscription to watch the show and have an average of 31 million viewers on each episode. This earns HBO a lot more money from the show due to the millions of people who subscribe to watch it. Streamers services are paid for monthly and can range from £5 - £15 a month. Once the final season of Game Of Thrones is out, after a few years, more streaming services will play the show.
B) Advertising
Trailers
Game Of Thrones has a trailer for each season that is going to be released which are posted onto social media such as Youtube, Facebook and Twitter by the Game Of Thrones official accounts and, is shared by fans and news accounts that like to also announce things to the public. Social media is used most by younger generations between the ages of 16 and 30. This is useful for Game Of Thrones because it means their show can be easily advertised to their target audience. The trailers are also put on TV to advertise to a larger audience and to the older generations that don't use social media. Sometimes they release a teaser trailer to not only tease that a new season is coming but, to also get everyone excited. The trailers are exciting to watch because they contain small sections of some of the significant parts of the season which grasps the audiences attention and makes them question what will happen after. This instantly makes them want to watch the show and find out.
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Posters
Game Of Thrones designs and makes lots of posters for the show. They have multiple designs of posters for each season, all with a different main character. This lets the fans of the show choose which poster they want to buy due to what character or design the poster may have.The posters can be put on buses, outside cinemas and on advertisement screens. These posters contain each of the main characters suggesting that something significant may happen to one of them or to show that winter is affecting everyone in the show. This passes onto the audience and makes them more involved in the show and the atmosphere. HBO have created posters of each of the characters which may be a marketing technique making the fans buy their favourite character's poster.
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Billboards
Billboards are usually placed in large towns or cities where many people can see them and catch people's eyes. They are also next to motorways or busy roads where people can see it whilst driving but, do not have much text so it does not distract people when driving. Companies use billboards because they can attract a lot of people's attention if places in busy places and can cause new people to become interested. It also includes a date or time so there are more people interested in watching it when it airs. These billboards contain the date at which the season is released which is what get people excited, as well as dramatic photos that cause them to question events that may happen.
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Social Media/Online
Game Of Thrones has its own twitter account with over 7 million followers as well as a Facebook page, YouTube channel and Instagram account where it announces news, new seasons, special events and awards for the actors. They still use their social media accounts because the show still has one season left to come out. They all have millions of followers so social media is very good for advertising news about the series. Game Of Thrones don't have their own website but, they do have their own section on the HBO website where you can watch shows, look at the crew and cast, look at the GOT products in the shopping section and its own blog. HBO also decided to add games and social cluses to the reveal of the 7th season release date onto Snapchat filters, Google, Reddit and Twitter attracting thousands of people's attention. GoT has its own languages in the show and as a marketing idea, they decided to add it onto a language learning app called Duolingo where people can learn it if they wish.
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Interviews/Other Media
The cast of Game Of Thrones has been interviewed on many talk shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live and Ellen to talk about the show and this reaches out to new people and new audiences because these talk shows are watched by a massive amount of people. Game Of Thrones also has press junkets. A press junket is the promotion of a film which includes advertising campaigns, merchandising, franchising, media and interviews with the key people apart of the film. Game Of Thrones had press junkets in 2014 with a lot of the cast and they spoke about their personal life, life on set as well as their own views on the show.
