Entertainment & Consumer Products
“Pivotal has always been the entertainment industry’s best-kept secret as a marketing and communications talent, distinguishing themselves as an 'under the radar' name for some of the most insightful campaigns within the motion picture, television and publishing industries. They are particularly astute at framing the context around social issues raised by a particular property.”
Larry Becsey, Partner/Literary Agent, Intellectual Property Group
Miramax Films
Challenge:
Historically, the entertainment industry had never considered Americans with disabilities as a viable movie ticket-buying niche audience. Pivotal persuaded Disney’s Miramax Films to test this industry-wide assumption for the release of its unknown independent film “My Left Foot.”
Insight:
The emergence of civil rights legislation called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibited discrimination based on disability. ADA contributed to debunking prevailing myths that people with disabilities were institutionalized, devoid of workplace skills, financially indigent and without earning potential, and incapable of being contributing members of society.
Solution:
Pivotal fashioned a benchmark motion picture marketing and promotion campaign that celebrated the story of an accomplished Irish novelist, painter and poet born with severe cerebral palsy. The firm mobilized the disability, civil rights, literary and academic communities in support; influential news and editorial op-ed media; theatre exhibition chains eager to court a new ticket-buying audience around increasing wheelchair accessibility; and key Capitol Hill legislators.
Results:
Pivotal helped create the box office sleeper of-the-year and Academy Award winner for Miramax Films, catapulting the company into the forefront of independent filmmaking and turning a small independent picture into the must-see hot button issue movie of the year.
LucasArts Entertainment
Challenge:
George Lucas, creator of the international blockbuster film franchises Star Wars and Indiana Jones, built the LucasArts Entertainment empire with six distinct divisions in film, sound, and special effects production; merchandise licensing; and interactive entertainment and educational software. Each reflected the independent, entrepreneurial spirit of their founding creative force. The challenge was to unite all divisions under one corporate identity banner that conveyed a tightly knit internal and external brand narrative.
Insight:
Pivotal realized that the autonomous and competitive culture between the divisions had evolved with virtually no over-arching coordinated marketing and communications effort. Unifying six divisions under one universally recognizable brand identity would require exceptional internal bridge-building skills and a collegial, collaborative approach if it were to avoid an internal Star Wars scenario among the divisions.
Solution:
Collaborative team building across divisions provided each with a stake in the branding initiative to integrate their own unique message and mission around the universal theme of LucasArts’creative magic in storytelling and state-of the-art digital technology.
Results:
Miraculously, a cohesive singular brand identity that is the creative magic of George Lucas’s vision emerged across all of the company’s marketing, PR and communications efforts. The unified identity, synched with a coordinated internal marketing culture, leveraged the force of the Lucas Empire toward its next rapid stage of growth and expansion.
Atari
Challenge:
Atari’s Backyard Sports, a beloved sports video game classic for kids 5-10 years old, had always enjoyed a built-in loyal following from generation to generation. The brand, set to release a new updated product line, needed a re-energized marketing narrative to counter increasing competition from other video game makers and modes of entertainment vying for kids’ attention.
Insight:
Pivotal went back to the basics by focusing on the product’s inherently positive, fun and educational attributes in “how to play the game.” Recognizing the impact of teamwork, good sportsmanship and non-violence on youth culture and lifestyle, Pivotal underscored these values for parents, often the primary buyers of video games for the age group.
Solution:
Pivotal developed a "next gen” narrative aimed at the more sophisticated young enthusiast—and his or her parents—with the product’s quality entertainment and educational values. The campaign leaned heavily on gaining recognition from the leading family and parent organizations and media video game award competitions.
Results:
Pivotal helped Backyard Sports regain its magic with kids and parents as the still undisputed #1 sports video game franchise for kids.
Silver Dollar City
Challenge:
1880s Ozark-themed Silver Dollar City (SDC) was faced with declining growth and a stereotypical reputation as an attraction that primarily appealed outside mainstream American culture to poor, ignorant and socially-backward mountaineers.
Insight:
The geographically adjacent City of Branson, Missouri had entered its infancy as a national tourist travel destination for country music with the formation of the city’s Ozark Marketing Council (OMC). It eventually emerged as the “Las Vegas of the Ozarks.”
Solution:
Pivotal repositioned SDC brand and product strategy into one of the country’s most respected pioneer heritage, living history and cultural preservation centers through creation of an heirloom product line, re-definition of its craft festivals, a national family entertainment destination advertising and PR campaign, and establishing its role in economic and civic development for the OMC.
Results:
Pivotal increased SDC’s admission revenue by 10%+ and product sales by 20%+ each of its first two years and permanently helped shift its reputation from “hillbilly” to “mountain heritage” theme park attraction.