Marketing lessons small businesses can learn from 2023’s ACADEMY AWARD® Nominations
It’s no secret that campaigning for an award nomination has been two things over its history: a big-budget marketing business, and not entirely relevant to anyone else in the world except those industry folk. However, this year, the tides have changed, and the campaigns, and thusly, the nominations, are a bit more interesting (and relevant).
I’ve put together 3 marketing lessons small and medium-sized businesses can take away from this year’s campaigning and secured nominations.
1: Big-budget campaigns don’t always equal big results
Whether you’re a business owner, a marketer, or an innocent bystander to the “for your consideration” marketing and advertising campaigns, it’s widely assumed that you need THE BIG BUCK$ to reach, engage and garner tremendous, intentional results. The more $$$, the better! Right? Umm, no. Studios, producers, and teams that dropped tons of money on private screenings, panel-style cast interviews and roundtables, and fancy, VIP dinners were snubbed by smaller budgeted campaigns resulting in secured nominations.
So, what could small and medium-sized businesses take away from this?
Just because another business, whether it be a direct competitor, or a Fortune 500, has the cash flow to execute extravagant marketing campaigns, doesn’t mean that behind closed doors, they’re getting the results they need and want.
2: Grassroots, word-of-mouth style marketing can garner success
The biggest shocker of this year’s nomination announcement was within the Best Actress category where a spot seemingly out of left field was secured for the star of an independent film that didn’t have a national release, isn’t on a streamer, and wasn’t on most people’s radar up until the final week of nomination voting. How’d the actress lock in a nom then? Well, her team executed a low-budget, PR-forward, person-to-person campaign at the perfect moment within the voting cycle. Essentially, Academy voters, who were able to see the film within a short window, became “brand ambassadors”, touting the star’s performance in conversation with other voters and in key podcast/radio interviews.
So, what could small and medium-sized businesses take away from this?
A few things. First, identify your brand ambassadors - they may not be loud, and they may not be local, but you do have them and it’s important to pick them out. Look into your past purchase and customer profile data, is it someone who has made more than 1-2 purchases? Is it the person who came into your shop or hired your service and posted on social? Left a recommendation on Google or Nextdoor? You may not have interacted with them outside of the transaction, but your differentiator, aka the thing that makes your business stand out, (BTW, I talk more about highlighting/finding your differentiator in my Demystifying Content webinar if you’re looking to learn more) encouraged that person to spotlight your business - take advantage of that! Reward those people!
Second, squash the assumption that “marketing” is typically and only effective when you can execute big-budget, flashy, advertising-forward campaigns. It can simply be thoughtful, purposeful, and effective communication.
3. Highlighting your “why” precisely and consistently will sustain attention
Movie campaigning is often a lot of things at once. The goal, in most cases, is to get as many nominations as possible. Rarely will you see a movie campaigning and then nominated for just one category. This year, that changed. A number of single-category nominations were secured for films that campaigned for their shiniest object. Meaning, they know their movie as a whole was the thing worthy of a Best Picture nod, or their actor/actress’s performance was the guiding light.
So, what could small and medium-sized businesses take away from this?
Consistently communicating your “why” or guiding light in a precise manner will set you apart and give you the recognition you deserve. Don’t be everything, everywhere, all at once (sorry, not sorry), be one thing, consistently, in all the places.