Hollywood Studios Look for Alternative Marketing Strategies Amid Actors’ Strike
As Hollywood actors continue their strike, which prevents them from promoting projects through red carpets and press tours, major film and TV studios are finding themselves in a publicity gap. Traditionally, studios rely on actors to help market their products by attending premieres, talk show interviews, and magazine profiles. With the absence of actors due to the strike, studios are now forced to explore alternative marketing strategies.
Industry experts suggest that studios will have to heavily rely on paid advertising, influencer marketing, attention-grabbing stunts, and cross-promotions with consumer brands. Danielle Garnier, founder of Garnier Public Relations, a Chicago-based film publicity and marketing agency, states that major studios will need to develop creative ways to market their projects as the usual method of using actors is no longer available. She anticipates that this shift will have a negative impact on the industry.
Conflicts have already arisen around influencers and other talent. During the London premiere of Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer, the cast walked out just after the union voted to strike. Similarly, the stars of Walt Disney Co.’s Haunted Mansion chose not to attend its Disneyland premiere, leaving executives, theme park performers, and nonunion YouTube creators as the biggest names on the red carpet.
In the absence of actors connecting emotionally with audiences, studios will have to market more from the fans’ perspective. Rick Eiserman, CEO of entertainment marketing agency Trailer Park Group, suggests strategies such as paying influencers to lead fan-centric events or sourcing social media content from both creators and fans.
However, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has issued a warning to influencers in the union. They are not allowed to accept new work from companies affected by the strike, and promoting these struck companies will hinder their possibility of joining the union in the future. This warning means that while influencers with smaller audiences may continue promoting studio titles, big-name creators are likely to decline to avoid backlash.
Content creators Andra Gogan and Juju Green found themselves facing criticism for their involvement in film premieres during the strike. Both apologized, with Gogan emphasizing that she had not intended to cross the picket line or act as a scab.
The actors’ strike is proving to be more disruptive than the previous Writers Guild of America strike, causing studios to adjust their marketing plans. While films like Barbie and Oppenheimer had already benefited from extensive marketing efforts, a protracted strike may affect the box-office potential of late-summer and fall releases, as well as the value of film festivals and awards shows.
Looking to the future, big-budget releases may follow the approach of Barbie and engage in mutually beneficial marketing deals with multiple brands. These campaigns often create tie-ins with the movie through advertisements that feature scenes from the film. Studios are reevaluating their marketing briefs to place less emphasis on talent participation, expecting a prolonged absence of actors.
The return of actors to publicity tours remains uncertain. While some stars, like Tom Cruise, have asked SAG-AFTRA to consider allowing union members to continue promoting their own projects during the strike, the union’s response is yet to be seen.
Hollywood studios are now exploring innovative ways to market their films and TV shows without relying solely on the presence of actors. The strike has forced them to find new strategies such as influencer marketing, paid advertising, attention-grabbing stunts, and cross-promotions with consumer brands. It remains to be seen how effective these alternative methods will be in filling the publicity gap left by the striking actors.
