In 2016, the IMAX Melbourne theater rolled out an integrated
marketing campaign featuring former NASA Astronaut Marsha Ivins to promote their
release of A Beautiful Planet 3D. The campaign, which won a the GSCA award for Best Film Launch by a
Theater, resulted in their most successful three-month period for a
documentary film in three and a half years.
At the GSCA Conference in 2015, former NASA Astronaut Marsha
Ivins gave an impressive presentation of the development of the film. Theater
staff approached Ivins and IMAX at the conference and secured a commitment from
her to go to Melbourne to promote the opening of A Beautiful Planet 3D. NOTE: This is a perfect example of how
important networking can be at GSCA conferences.
Melbourne built their campaign to strategically leverage
every moment Ivins was in Melbourne.
First, the film premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival, followed
by a media blitz and events with Ivins as the talent. A comprehensive digital,
print, and outdoor advertising campaign supported the promotion. Ivins was
interviewed 31 times in five days, spoke at three of nine special event
screenings, met with numerous young children with NASA ambitions and patiently
signed hundreds of autographs. What ensued was an extremely successful campaign
inclusive of national TV, radio and print coverage with a total audience reach
in excess of 3.4 million, a social media reach in excess of 764,000 and nine
sold-out event screenings.
