Straight Outta Compton Context

• Gang violence (bloods/crips)
• Mostly hispanic population, based on location LA, CA near Mexico.
• 1992 Rodney King trial (event occurred in 1991), lead to 1992 riots when the police officers were cleared
• Industry and political context- Black Lives Matter, seeing better representation whereas there is still an unbalance (BAFTA 2020)
• Fans of N.W.A
• Dr Dre and Ice Cube produced the film, but they were played by other people
• Beats (by Dre) collaborated with Straight Outta Compton film

 

I, Daniel Blake

The significance of economic factors to media industries and their products

• Set in Newcastle, more working class environment
• Daily Mirror dedicated a page to I, Daniel Blake “The system failed me, and it could fail you too”
• Independently funded film, but also funded by the BFI through National Lottery Funding
• Linked to Left Wing politics, Jeremy Corbyn attended film screenings
• Linked to other social realist cinema genre, other films include ‘Adulthood’, ‘Fish Tank’ and ‘This is England’.

 

Summary information for I, Daniel Blake (pages 112-114)

How processes of production, distribution and circulation shape media products

• Distribution Company for I, Daniel Blake was eOne, an independent Canadian company that had previous success with The BFG (2016, Spielberg) and The Girl On the Train (2016, Taylor).

A Grassroots campaign is a marketing strategy that targets a smaller, niche group, often a particular community in the hope that it will spread to wider audiences.

The marketing strategy for the film was devised by Alex Hamilton, who initially saw the film at Cannes: Hamilton decided to go with the ‘Grassroots Campaign’ and opted for Newcastle instead of London for the premiere of the film.

• eOne also worked with Trinity Mirror and Zenith to promote the film, gaining producers estimated £15 million in editorial campaign value. Targeting left wing readership
• Disruptive display advertising is advertising that appears in unexpected places, including masthead and front cover takeovers were used in Trinity titles and platforms.
• Trinity Mirror stated: “our creative solution was to hand over our platforms to Daniel Blake, to give the title character the voice he doesn’t have in the story” (citied in Newsworks, 2015)
• The film is a low-budget social realist film with low production values therefore it was filmed in Newcastle in real settings (e.g. the job centre, food bank and hospital).

The trailer for the film

Establishes film in an independent social realist film from the start, with the sound bite “I am appointed to carry out assessments for Employment Support Allowance”

The trailer hooks the audience by:

• Establishing the credibility and critical success of the film through shots of awards and funding partners
• Using marks of quality (e..g director Ken Loach) to suggest the artistic validity of the film. Audiences who know Loach will know the quality to expect.
• Enigma codes are established to hook the audience
• On screen graphics establishes the narrative and themes of the film
• Construction of visual codes (e.g. clothing and expression) reinforce the films place in the social realist sub-genre
• Fade to black editing, use of ambient lighting and music creates the mood and pace of the film.
• Audience are encouraged to identify with the characters in the film, with intriguing relationships as it develops through the trailer.
• Final shots of the trailer establish a sense of community and hope for the outcome

The effect on individual producers on media industries

Ken Loach was the established director and cinema practitioner for the film, known for his social realist films which have an impact upon audiences and social systems of the time

Industry theories linked with I, Daniel Blake

Curran and Seaton’s ‘Power and media industries’ theory

Curran and Seaton would say “a majority of companies are driven by the logic of profit and power”

• The film itself, (as well as marketing) would suggest that I, Daniel Blake challenges this
• The production contradicts this, the budget is low, use of non professional actors, shot on location and not sets
• The main aim of the film is not to make profit, but to communicate socio-political messages- it challenges and critiques the welfare system, poverty, the Work Capability Assessment and austerity under the Conservative Government in 2016. However it is important to note that the film is biased and is not a central film, this is from a left wing perspective

Curran and Seaton would also say “variety, creativity and quality is inhabited by media concentration”

• I, Daniel Blake also challenges this statement, the film, which showcases British working class characters in sympathetic lead roles, was made and was a success n the contemporary film industry.

Curran and Seaton would say “more socially diverse patterns of ownership create the conditions for varied film productions”

• I, Daniel Blake reinforces this idea as the funding from the BFI and the BBC, independent, publicly-financed companies as well as companies from France, Belgium and Canada, gave Ken Loach full creative control on the film, as profit was not expected, like you would expect from major film companies like Universal with Straight Outta Compton

---

 

David Hesmonshalgh’s Cultural Industries

Cultural industries- a selection of media, art and music companies (e.g. Comcast and Universal)

Main focus of the theory: Minimise risk ,maximise profit

Vertical and Horizontal Integration

Comcast is a huge media conglomerate- by revenue, it is the largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world, and it owns Universal Pictures. Comcast owns companies at each stage of the supply chain enabling the institution to maximise profits and tap into new global markets.

Production and Distribution

Straight Outta Compton was created by Legendary Pictures, and then distributed by Universal Pictures. Legendary Pictures have a deal with Universal regarding co-financing their films.

Exhibition

Comcast was able to use its Xfinity streaming service (less like Netflix, more like NowTV…more cable based) to exhibit Straight Outta Compton after its cinema release.

NBCUniversal

https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/25/20727317/nbc-universal-streaming-service-launch-date-2020-comcast

NBCUniversal have plans for April 2020 launch for a streaming service.

What effect may this have on Universal Pictures films, in regards to vertical integration?

It may effect the vertical integration as these companies become stronger and the conglomerate will grow and profit off of their own productions. They won’t have to give away their films/tv shows to other streaming sites and will be able to personally profit instead if the launch is as successful as others such as Disney +. The exhibition stage of the Vertical Integration model would increase. Netflix have the biggest company for streaming and Universal may find that they would have a less diverse audience.

With Disney, Sony etc doing the same, what effect may this have on streaming services like Netflix?

Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime which rely on these conglomerates to give them access to films will see a major decline in values and profit as more people invest in other sites. Eventually the only content on Netflix would be Netflix Originals. Less users using these sites as they turn to big conglomerates. So far, Netflix have planned to release 50+ films throughout the year, this is mostly because of this change where they will have to make more content themselves.

Horizontal Integration

Is where a company uses its subsidiaries to cross promote a brand and/or product across different platforms. Comcast created a soundtrack for the film using their subsidaries.

Livingstone and Lunt’s Regulation

Key questions in this theory: 

Who is regulation really for? Is it now about protecting the industry rather than the audience?

To apply this theory to these films, ask these questions:

• Were the film rating appropriate and were the public ‘protected’?
• Did the BBFC ratings mean that the companies who made them lost out on significant financial gain?

I, Daniel Blake

https://bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/i-daniel-blake

I,Daniel Blake was rated a 15 certificate for its strong language, sex references, prescription drug use and criminality. In this case, the public were protected by the decision because of the themes in the film however compared to the themes in Straight Outta Compton it appears to be an imbalance. I think that the ratings did mean that I, Daniel Blake lost a market, however the film is intended for people with a wider contextual and political perspective that under 15s (or rated 12) may not be able to fully understand or appreciate.

For it to pass as a 12A they would have to remove strong language, however they did not cut this. There was little point of doing this as there would be little appeal to 12A audiences.

Straight Outta Compton

https://bbfc.co.uk/case-studies/straight-outta-compton

Straight Outta Compton was rated a 15 certificate with the use of strong language, drug use, sex and violence. This is understandable due to the nature of the themes in the film and therefore the rating would not have overly shocked producers. The film is targeting towards teens of an ethnicity minority background furthermore meaning that it likely wasn’t effected by the ratings.

Later Straight Outta Compton released a Directors cut which received an 18 rating. This does have a significant financial impact as there is a jump between 15 to 17 year olds who might have intended to see the film could not buy the DVD.

Both films did not receive any complaints for the age ratings on the films, therefore the public feel like that is appropriate.

Good Revision Resource:

Straight Outta Compton_I, Daniel Blake information sheets

Director – F. Gary Gray

Producers (include) – Ice Cube, Dr Dre

Production Company – Legendary Pictures

 

 

Released in USA – 11^th August 2015

 

Released in Britain – 28^th August 2015

 

Production budget – $50 million

 

Worldwide box office (cinema ticket sales) – $202 million

 

USA Blu-Ray and DVD sales (to date) – $29 million

 

 

Academy Award (Oscar) nomination – Best Original Screenplay

 

 

 

 

Difference between ‘Marketing and Advertising

 

 

 

So, essentially, MARKETING is the overall process of promoting a product; ADVERTISING is one aspect of that process

TASK 1

 

What methods of film marketing are there? Consider ‘above the line’ methods (traditional marketing and advertising aimed at a wide audience) and ‘below the line’ (e.g. social media, audience-produced content, events, viral marketing aimed at a specific audience)

 

ABOVE THE LINE

 

The traditional marketing and advertising methods used included film posters and trailer advertisements.

 

 

 

 BELOW THE LINE

Below the line marketing includes the beats by Dre advertising campaign.

 

 

Trailers

 

WATCH: the Red Band (explicit language) and Green Band (less explicit) trailers for the film

 

Compare both of them and consider why two versions were released. Are there different audiences being targeted by each trailer?

 

 

Production context

 

Bio-pic (short for biography picture) of NWA (acronym for Niggarz wit Attitude)

 

Who are they? Notorious and controversial gangsta rap/hip hop band, 1986-1991

 

 

Produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Universal Pictures – both important players in the American film industry

 

Huge commercial and critical success

 

Highest grossing (money made) music bio-pic of all time

 

Nominated for Best Original Screenplay (Oscars)

 

Co-produced by two members of the original band – Ice Cub and Dr Dre

 

 

Historical and Social context

 

Set in California in the mid-1980s

 

Time of social upheaval in America, and California in particular, caused by racial conflict and race riots

 

NWA seen as being at the forefront for social change through advocating freedom of speech and empowering the black community in urban America

 

WATCH: six minute video on background to the Los Angeles riots of 1992

 

 

 

Economic and Political Context

 

Two high profile members of the band co-produced film – Ice Cube and Dr Dre – which may have helped in getting funding for the film.

 

This may also have given a different representation of events in the film to what historically happened – some critics suggested that these events – particularly around violence associated with the band – were ‘sanitised’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ownership and Control

 

Key words:

 

Conglomerate ownership – a media group, or media institution that owns numerous companies involved in mass media enterprises, such as television, radio, publishing, motion pictures, theme parks, or the Internet.

 

Vertical Integration – when a company has control over several production or distribution steps involved in the creation of its product or service. In film this would be a company which owns all the various stages of production and distribution through the acquirement of other companies

 

Diversification – whereby a media company who produces a wide range of different texts to widen appeal

 

Distribution – the process of getting the completed film to the intended audience through screenings at cinemas, television, home purchase (DVD/Blu ray), mobile technology. Accompanied with a connected advertising/marketing campaign

 

 

 

 

 

 

Produced by Legendary Pictures in partnership with Universal Pictures who distributed the film to cinemas and home markets, such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs

 

 

 

 

 

Universal are, in turn, owned by a bigger media group, NBC Universal

 

 

 

Who are owned by Comcast,

the largest broadcasting and

TV company in the world by

revenue (money made)

 

 

 

 

Ownership and control

 

 

Produced by a successful film company (Legendary Pictures) and distributed by a major vertically integrated film studio (Universal Pictures), which is part of large media conglomerates (NBC Universal and then larger still, Comcast)

 

This is significant for three reasons:

 

Getting funding for the film

 

Cross-media promotion (e.g. social media, soundtracks, merchandising, TV etc.) as NBC Universal and Comcast own and control so much

 

Global audience – large companies can reach large numbers of people due to finances and services owned

 

 

TASK 2

 

Research other film releases from Legendary Pictures. List at least five films made in the past eleven years (2007 to present), identifying why these films might be popular with audiences and how much money each one made at the box office.

 

 

• Godzilla
• Detective Pikachu- For people who are interested in the Pokemon franchise as well as small children wanting to see

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution

 

Straight Outta Compton would be considered a mainstream ‘Hollywood’ film, due to being produced by an established company – Legendary Pictures – and distributed by a large and successful company – Universal Pictures.

 

This will mean that the financial power to get the film into as many cinema screens as possible is important, and to raise awareness of the film through a connected marketing campaign.

 

The distribution process would then continue through to other media platforms, such as television, digital technology (official downloads) and home consumption (DVD, Blu Ray etc.

 

 

 

Political

 

NWA were notorious for being anti-establishment and glorifying gun violence. Some of their most controversial songs have been about drugs, prostitution, violence and the lifestyle of crime.

 

The film trailer and most marketing materials does not make any explicit reference to this, possibly to conform to the certificate rating for the film (see ‘Regulation’) and not to alienate a potential audience

 

 

 

Audience

 

Potential audiences for the film might include:

 

Fans of the group – these might be ‘old school’ fans who may have lived through the time period set in the film (mid-to late 1980s); and younger fans who are attracted retrospectively to the cultural significance of the group and the times in which the film is set

 

Fans of rap/gangsta rap – these might be predominantly American, but the film and musical genre has global appeal; they might also live in city environments and who share similar experiences; they may also identify with the lifestyle and music

 

Fans of bio-pic and music films

 

In addition – fans of the group/rap – may be attracted to the scenes of making music and performance

 

Wider secondary audience – perhaps attracted by the social/cultural/political history of the period

 

Conventions of Marketing

 

Trailer

 

The trailer for Straight Outta Compton can be found on YouTube if you search, or found here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsbWEF1Sju0

 

Includes:-

 

Green band rating card with American certification

 

 

 

 

Production company logos to aid status and reputation

 

Uses of intertitles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trailer conventions (continued)

 

Links to social media and website (leads to more marketing opportunities)

 

 

 

Use of music – iconic tunes associated with the band

 

Condensing film to show important and memorable moments

 

Establishes expectation of narrative

 

 

Conventions not present

 

No traditional spoken voice-over

 

No specific release date (just ‘Coming Soon’)

 

 

Audience asked to identify with characters as ‘underdogs’, battling against authority

 

Star appeal – identification with real-life characters from the band

 

Film logo – the design is a direct reference3 to the Parent Advisory Notice found on some music releases. This reinforces social conventions of rebellion and challenging authority

 

 

Regulation

 

British Board of Film Classification (BBFC)

 

Responsible for the national classification and censorship of films and subsequent release on DVD, Blu-ray and other physical media. Run by the film industry with no government involvement, they rate each film under an age classification:

 

– Suitable for all ages

 

– All ages admitted, but some certain scenes can be unsuitable for young children

 

– Films released before 2002 and suitable for an audience aged 12 or over.

 

– Films released after 2002, children under the age of 12 only permitted with an adult aged 18 or over. May contain mature themes, discrimination, soft drugs, moderate language, moderate violence, sex references and nudity.

 

– Films suitable for an audience of 15 or over. May contain adult themes, hard drugs, (frequent) strong language, strong violence and strong sex references, and nudity without graphic detail.

 

– Films suitable only for people aged 18 or older, which means adults only. Films under this category do not have limitation on the foul language that is used. Hard drugs are generally allowed, and explicit sex references along with detailed sexual activity are also allowed.

Regulation (continued)

 

Straight Outta Compton was given a ‘15’ certificate by the BBFC. There is a page on the BBFC website for the film, outlining the specific reasons for giving it a ‘15’ certificate.

 

Later, an extended version of the film and a director’s cut video release were both rated as 18 certificates due to violence, sex, drug references and strong language.

 

This area will fit in with Livingstone and Lunt’s theory of Media Regulation in that UK regulation policy sometimes struggles with the notion that the BBFC, for example, offers some protection from harmful or offensive material, and the need to ensure there is choice for the audience and producers alike.

 

 

 

 

 

Global distribution

 

Outside of Britain and America, there were different ratings for different countries, depending on ideology of different censors.

 

There is a vital importance of age ratings to producers and distributors to targeting an audience. A ‘15’ certificate audience is more likely to gain a bigger audience than an ‘18’ certificate, resulting in more potential economic profit

 

 

 

 

Digitally Convergent Platforms

 

Digital Media Convergence – the ability for media producers to make varied media content available through the same device; e,g. being able to watch films and play games through a mobile phone, or accessing the internet and social media through a games console etc.

 

Media Platform – the way through which a media product can be accessed, e.g. cinema, smart TV, mobile device, DAB radio, games console etc.

TASK 3

 

Where and how is film marketing most likely consumed by audiences?

Film marketing is most likely consumed by audiences via internet campaigns and social media as it is interactive and able to share with wider audiences.

 

 

Identify at least FOUR digital media platforms which can be used to promote a new film

1. Websites

 

2 Social Media

 

3. Advertising at the cinema

 

4 Trailer on television

 

 

 

 

 

In what ways can an audience be active with regards to using digital platforms/social media with regards to film marketing products? As examples of this it might be having the ability to comment on posters or trailers, or collecting various pieces of merchandise associated with a particular film (think how various food companies associate themselves with the promotion of particular films).

Releases of trailers

 

First trailer – 8^th February 2015: contained the ‘red band’ certificate for ‘restricted nature’ of content. Aim was to give only minimal information to gain audience anticipation.

 

Second trailer – 1^st April 2015: used before the screening of Furious 7, produced by Universal Pictures. This allowed Straight Outta Compton to benefit from vertical integration (having a connection to Universal), and trailered before a more mainstream film. This would give the film potentially a wider audience appeal.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/04/07/why-universal-teased-straight-outta-compton-with-furious-7-instead-of-jurassic-world/#707d428b201c

Universal also released different trailers on Facebook, according to the audience’s ethnicity and race.

Viral Marketing

 

A method of marketing whereby consumers are encouraged to share information about a company’s goods or services via the Internet or other platforms

 

7^th August 2015 – ‘Beats by Dre’ company launched an app allowing users to upload their photos and locations to a website http://www.straightouttasomewhere.com/?skip=1

 

Over six million users downloaded the app and hits on the website before the opening day

 Economic

 

Big hip hop/rap fan base offsets economic risk; in other words, there are enough fans of the music and the group to make this a potentially popular film and to make a profit for the production company

 

This will fit in with David Hesmondhalgh’s Cultural Industries theory, in that the Hollywood film industry bases its success on profit and has clear formulas through different genres of producing that profit. With a biopic, such as Straight Outta Compton, the cultural significance of the story clearly contributes to this. The film has a very low risk for the producers due to the success of the band members in their own right and the pre-sold audience for the product and the genre of musical biopic

 

Previous hip hop bio-pics/dramas have been successful, and it would be expected that Straight Outta Compton would follow suit. These would include:

 

8 Mile (2002) – based on the early life of rapper Eminem

 

Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005) – loosely based on the life of gangsta rapper, 50 Cent

 

Notorious (2009) – bio-pic of the life and death of gangsta rapper, The Notorious B.I G

 

The bio-pic of Tupac Shakur, the rapper shot dead in 1996, All Eyez on Me was released in 2017, following the success of Straight Outta Compton

 

 

The soundtrack to the film was financially successful and released through Universal Music Enterprises (another example of vertical integration)

I, Daniel Blake

Year of release: 2016

Director: Ken Loach

Writer: Paul Laverty

Cast: Dave Johns (Daniel), Hayley Squires (Katie), Kate Rutter (Ann)

Production companies: Sixteen Films, Why Not Productions (in association with the British Film Institute and the BBC)

Budget: approx. £3.5 million

Box Office: $12.5 million

 

Major awards

BAFTA (British equivalent of the Oscars

Won – Outstanding British Film

British Independent Film Awards

Won – Most Promising British Newcomer (Hayley Squires)

Cannes Film Fextival

Won – Palme D’Or

Synopsis

Widower Daniel Blake, a 59-year-old joiner from Newcastle, has had a heart attack. Though his cardiologist has not allowed him to return to work, Daniel is deemed fit to do so after a work capability assessment and denied employment and support allowance. He is frustrated to learn that his doctor was not contacted about the decision, and applies for an appeal, a process he finds difficult because he must complete forms online and is not computer literate.

Daniel befriends single mother Katie after she is sanctioned for arriving late for a Jobcentre appointment. Katie and her children have just moved to Newcastle from a London homeless shelter, as there is no affordable accommodation in London. Daniel helps the family by repairing objects, teaching them how to heat rooms without electricity, and crafting wooden toys for the children.

During a visit to a food bank, Katie is overcome by hunger and breaks down. After she is caught shoplifting at a supermarket, a security guard offers her work as a prostitute. Daniel surprises her at the brothel, where he begs her to give up the job, but she tearfully insists she has no other way to feed her children.

As a condition for receiving jobseeker’s allowance, Daniel must keep looking for work. He refuses a job at a garden centre because his doctor will not allow him to work yet. When Daniel’s work coach tells him he must work harder to find a job or be sanctioned, Daniel spray paints “I, Daniel Blake, demand my appeal date before I starve” on the building. He earns the support of passers-by, including other benefits claimants, but is arrested and cautioned by the police. Daniel sells most of his belongings and becomes withdrawn.

On the day of Daniel’s appeal, Katie accompanies him to court. A welfare adviser tells Daniel that his case looks sound. On glimpsing the judge and doctor who will decide his case, Daniel becomes anxious and visits the lavatory, where he suffers a heart attack and dies. At his public health funeral, Katie reads the eulogy, including the speech Daniel had intended to read at his appeal. The speech describes his feelings about how the welfare system failed him by treating him like a dog instead of a man proud to have paid his dues to society.

 

Production and Release

I, Daniel Blake was filmed in and around Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the North East of England, and was shot over a period of six weeks.

The film is a co-production between Sixteen Productions (Ken Loach’s own production company) and France’s Why Not Productions, and was made with the support of the British Film Institute (the BFI) and BBC Films. The film’s budget was £3.5 million.

After a premier at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2016, IDB was released worldwide throughout late 2016 and early 2017. A platform release pattern was used, which means the number of cinemas offering the film increased over its ‘lifetime’ (the period in which it was screened in cinemas).

In its opening weekend in the UK, the film started off in 94 cinemas, before growing to 273 cinemas. However, this was supplemented by screenings in more unusual locations – see the section on Marketing.

 

The film has taken $12.45 million worldwide, including the following:-

• $4.27m in the UK (£3.3m)
• $6.4m in France
• $1.4m in Italy
• $0.48m in Australia
• $0.2m in the USA

ACTIVITY – Why might there be relatively low box office takings, particularly in Australia and the USA?

There might be relatively low box office takings in these parts of the world because it is an Independent British film and therefore would unlikely promote worldwide and focus more on Europe.

 

MARKETING

 

ACTIVITY – You are part of the marketing team for this film. Due to the limited advertising budget which would you think would be the most audience effective and cost effective ways of promoting I, Daniel Blake?

‘Above the line’ marketing techniques

Put the following seven methods of marketing and promotion into order of preference – remember, you need to consider the very limited financial aspect. The overall budget for the film is £3.5 million, so you need to be creative with money, while making the audience aware of the film

Trailer for television- Reaches a wide range of audiences, particularly the target audience when played on the correct networks and time.

Trailer for the cinema- Regular cinema goers and supporters of more niche and independent cinema would want to see the latest films

Social Media- As once they are aware of the film, they can head to the websites and release dates to stay up to date with the release.

Official Website

Press kit

Theatrical poster campaign

Teaser poster campaign

 

MARKETING AND USER TARGETING

Apart from the usual ‘above the line’ marketing techniques, a number of more unconventional marketing strategies were employed.

Rather than London, the film’s UK premiere took place in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the film’s setting, and involved a number of local people and organisations who had contributed to the making of the film. It did, however, receive a London premiere a week later, which was attended by Jeremy Corbyn.

The marketing company, Kommando, was hired to promote the film and came up with an innovative campaign

A ‘guerrilla’ projection campaign saw quotes from the film beamed onto buildings in cities such as Newcastle, as well as the Houses of Parliament, grabbing the attention of the news media & passers-by.

 

eOne, the film’s UK distributor, organised a ‘grassroots’ marketing campaign.

eOne advertised for regional marketing officers to promote the film across the Midlands, North of England and parts of Scotland. The role of the marketer was to arrange and promote preview screenings and talks about the film in the weeks prior to its official release date, building up word of mouth and visibility in regional communities. Those who attended were a source of marketing content such as vox pops.

eOne also secured the services of the Trinity Mirror group as a marketing partner.

Trinity Mirror was the largest publisher of newspapers, magazines and digital news/features content in the UK. It owned 260 national and regional titles, including ‘red-top’ tabloid The Mirror (national), Western Mail (Wales), Daily Record (Scotland), the Birmingham Mail and the Bristol Post. The Mirror has supported the Labour Party since 1945. It has since been taken over by Reach PLC

Trinity Mirror described the challenge of marketing the film as ‘to get [the audience] to see & pay for a film that isn’t an action packed blockbuster. However, we also know that our audience are socially & culturally conscious & want to change things for the better. 60% believe we should actively strive for equality for all; behind this is the belief that it’s everyone’s responsibility to be well informed & to do the right thing. Therefore, the story of I, Daniel Blake would resonate strongly with our audience’s strong & passionate belief’.

 

The Trinity Mirror group implemented their campaign in the following ways:-

• Giving away 10,000 free tickets to the regional screenings mentioned previously.
• Prominent appeals from the film’s protagonist used on the mastheads and the front covers of their newspaper titles.
• Banner advertising.
• An editorial ‘written by’ Daniel within an October 2016 issue of the Mirror.
• Disruptive display advertising across the group’s digital newspapers.
• Articles promoting the film, which were retweeted by Ken Loach.  Social and political issues and debatesUnite the Union, Britain’s biggest trade union which stands up for ‘equality for all’, promoted the film on its website, using it as a way to promote awareness the impacts of government cuts to the welfare system, and encourage people to get in touch with their MPs. Users of the website were encouraged to share the hashtag #WeAreAllDanielBlake on social media.        
• The issues raised by the film were contentious and drew a range of responses from political figures, organisations and critics, all of which served to increase visibility for the film.