Cassie Martinez

In modern Hollywood, it is challenging to release a film that truly engages audiences, especially with social media presenting endless options for entertainment. A key way to really captivate interest in a film, however, is marketing. One company that has been lacking with their marketing recently is Disney.
Since the corporation’s first movie release in 1937, Disney has proven to have no shortage of revolutionary marketing strategies. Disney has found success by advertising their films on TVs, in theaters, at pop-up events in local malls, and even in their numerous theme parks across the globe. Contrastingly, in recent years and especially after COVID, Disney has unfortunately gotten lazy with their marketing.
One film that had noticeably terrible marketing was the Pixar animated film “Elemental.” “Elemental” is an animation that personifies the elements by focusing on a fire woman named Ember and a water man named Wade. They experience a journey of love together while navigating life in the city. The two endure high family expectations, social scrutiny and judgment due to the fact they are totally different elements and therefore do not mix. This movie sounds great, right? A forbidden romance? Dealing with high family complications? And coming to familial acceptance? It has potential to be a great success.
In reality, “Elemental” was one of Pixar’s lowest grossing films ever and one of Pixar’s biggest marketing failures. When I first saw the film’s trailer, my interpretation of the movie’s plot and main characters was completely different from what the actual film conveyed. The preview barely hinted at the fact that it was a love story and did not accurately outline the story. Rather, it only focused on Ember and a side character named Clod, who is an young earth-element boy who wanders around the city with admiration for Ember.
The marketing team thought it best to focus on Clod as the face of the movie’s campaign due to his humorous nature. I understand advertising the various dynamic characters of the production, but if the character receiving the most attention just has a supporting role, then the primary focus should be on more prominent aspects and figures of the film. If I had the opportunity to market this film, I would emphasize the romantic storyline rather than the comedic moments.
After watching Disney struggling with producing box office hits in recent years, patrons of the company hope that marketing teams are able to learn their lessons regarding successful advertising to restore some of their cinematic magic of the past.