Marketing Case Study ~ Chamber of Secrets

This “marketing case study” is one of the main reasons I created this website in the first place. I wanted a place to show and store what information I was putting together on how a film franchise is put together for a multi-movie series. This page examines the range of preview, marketing, and promotional items created for a single movie in the Harry Potter series. I chose Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets since it is one of the earlier episodes in this epic series, and people are likely to be less familiar with the items here. Also, as a sequel film, it was not saddled with the major marketing tasks required of any first film, such as establishing a corporate design style (i.e., a consistent “look” to the family of images, the fonts used in titles and products, the kinds of scenes depicted, etc.) and “tone” for promotional materials and franchise licenses.

Coincidentally, Chamber of Secrets turned out to be the film for which I happened to find a range of unusual promotional items that help demonstrate the diversity of elements in a marketing and franchise development. That means this page can become a sort of “visual glossary and checklist” – a description archive for the many different kinds of publicity materials and media used for marketing a film, from the development and concept art stage, to promotion and pre-theatre release stage, to post-release awards season, to DVD and soundtrack releases.

When there is an important concept or product type that I don’t have any examples from Chamber of Secrets, I may fill in with items from other films in the series. Also, as I pick up additional bits and pieces of promotional material and media from eBay and elsewhere, I’ll add those in. Meanwhile, as I launch this website on March 27, 2011, I am not finished with all the descriptions. But I decided to launch anyway instead of waiting, since this day holds significance as it would have been the 51st birthday of James Potter (1960-1981) ~ father of one Harry James Potter.

Marketing and Franchise Development of Harry Potter

To get to potential aspects of how the Harry Potter series developed into a worldwide mega-franchise, check out Harry Potter: The Story of a Global Business Phenomenon by Susan Gunelius. Basically, by making the release of HP novels a 10-year world-wide mystery-solving endeavor, J.K. Rowling used mystery and imagination along with intellect and curiosity to capture the attention of millions of readers in over 60 languages – which is relatively equivalent to the immense publication statistics for Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings.

This book also talks about keeping the “brand” pure – like J.K. Rowling’s not allowing HP products ever in something like a McDonald’s Happy Meal – and the careful translation of the story and characters from the print medium to other media and products. It also contains a number of “mini-case studies” on other print and media franchises, some which soared and most which bombed. The ones which faltered or failed also are instructive for issues of brand dilution and lack of careful translation across media formats. Anyway, I find it a fascinating study in marketing principles, and translating a storyline into products. Chapter topics include:

• Introduction: The Making of a Global Literary Phenomenon

1. The Book that Lived
2. The Value of a Good Product: Setting the Stage for Marketing and Promotion
3. The Buzz Begins
4. Harry Potter as a Powerful Product and Brand: An Education in Marketing and Promotion
5. Harry Potter’s Influence on Print Publishing
6. Harry Potter’s Influence on Movies and Television
7. Harry Potter’s Influence on Retail
8. Harry Potter’s Influence on Merchandising
9. Harry Potter’s Influence Online
10. Harry Potter Becomes a Theme Park
11. Harry Potter’s Global Business and Personal Impact
12. Predecessors to Harry Potter’s Success: Who Else has Gotten it Right or Wrong?
13. What is Next for Harry Potter and the World Affected by the Boy Who Lived?
14. Conclusion: Recreating a Literary Phenomenon

Another book that covers some similar material on the unfolding franchise, but from the story of one person’s experience, is Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Inside the Harry Potter Phenomenon by Melissa Anelli, the webmistress of The Leaky Cauldron HP fansite. I haven’t read this volume yet, but purchased specifically suspecting it would complement the HP marketing history by Gunelius.

Preview Press Kit (Digital)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Warner Brothers Preview Press Kit 2002

Preview Kit. A “preview kit” is issued by a film studio to promote a group of upcoming films. Usually it is either for an entire year of releases, as with the sample shown here for Warner Bros. 2002, or for a specific season, such as all the releases for a particular summer. Where a full press kit typically has all the production notes plus scores of images from a film, a preview kit usually gives only a basic synopsis (one to three paragraphs) of the plots for the various films highlighted, plus one or two images. In this sample, there are 19 films previewed, and the largest number of images for any given film is three. Most have two images, but there is only one photo image from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (The full digital press kit for Chamber of Secrets has over 50 pages of production notes and credits, and 32 photographs.)

The CD-ROM shows one photo of Harry and Ron, plus a photo caption, and gives a link to the main Harry Potter website page. Below is the entire text for Chamber of Secrets, from the synopsis file (which has 17 pages total for 19 films). This appears in the section on films to be released in the 4th Quarter of 2002.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS – Thanksgiving

Director: Chris Columbus

Screenwriter: Steve Kloves, based on the novel by J.K. Rowling

Producer: David Heyman

Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Maggie Smith

Fantasy. The next installment in the Harry Potter series finds young wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) facing new challenges during their second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they try to discover a dark force that is terrorizing the school.

This film is not yet rated.

www.harrypotter.com / AOL Keyword: Harry Potter

Press Kit (Paper and Digital)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Press Kit (Paper and Digital)

Press Kit. In the olden days, press materials (i.e., film summaries, cast and crew credits, production information, and reproducible publicity posters or photos) were packaged all together in pressbooks. The pictures were “screened” already – prepared so they could be cut out of the pressbook and used directly by the local newspaper or by a magazine. Instead of cut-out photos in pressbooks, individual publicity “stills” (photographs) were available sometimes, usually as 8-inch by 10-inch black-and-white glossy format. But my, how things have changed in the digital age! The the options are broader, the delivery is faster, the process is quicker, the product is cleaner. Well, usually …

The Harry Potter series has spanned the dramatic changes in how promotional material on films is typically delivered to media outlets (newspaper, magazine, radio, TV) and independent film reviewers. The 2001 press kit for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone was only available in the traditional “paper” form – folder, photocopied production notes and credits, and publicity stills and/or color slides (technically known as “transparencies”).

Just a year later, the 2002 press kit for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was available with several different combinations: either the conventional folder +photocopies + photos slides, or the semi-digital version of folder + photocopies + CD-ROM with documents and images.

By 2004, the press kits for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and the Harry Potter films which followed typically were only available in digital form – a CD-ROM in a standard DVD case, with perhaps an insert booklet of production notes and credits or an insert index showing the jpg images and numbers. Of course, photocopied production notes and perhaps keyart folders or other retro-elements still were distributed at certain kinds of special press events, such as film previews. But by mid-decade, digital was the new standard – for IRL/In Real Life press packages.

Meanwhile, overlapping with the shift to digital media was the beginning of a trend toward virtual delivery. These days, some press kits are available online, through a password-access press section on a film distribution company’s website. There may be multiple reasons behind this move. Certainly, it saves on production and shipping costs, but it also is far more convenient to download digital materials than to wait for them to show up through the mail system. And it guards access to the materials for the company, as people generally have to apply for a password, which requires documenting their press credentials.

And the future of press kits? Who knows … because storying through film and video games involves two of the most dominant forms of media worldwide, and because so many people follow movie-making, perhaps materials that were traditionally restricted to press kit materials will become more accessible to the general public. After all, there are behind-the-scenes details in press kits that are hard (if not impossible) to find elsewhere, and interested parties will be glad to find them out …

The Chamber of Secrets paper plus digital press kit version shown above includes the following:

• 9″ x 12″ single-pocket folder with key art on the front; and copyright notice, key credits, and official website on the back.
• Production notes (1 page notice; 51 pages production notes).
• Credits (2 pages).
• CD-ROM stored in black paper protection sleeve with clear front. This fit into a custom slit in the inside pocket front (which is on the right-hand side). CD-ROM contents:

• Artwork – 5 character banners. 2 key art posters. 1 title banner.
• Documents – Main Credits (2 pages). Production Notes (50 pages).
• Media – Trailer.
• Photos – 32 color photos. Captions document (6 pages). Use Notice document (1 page).

In addition, I would note that a paper version of the Chamber of Secrets press kit listed on eBay in early 2011. It had the same folder as this one, plus photocopied production notes and credits, and 29 color slides.

Press Kit (Electronic ~ EPK)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Electronic Press Kit (EPK)

EPK/Electronic Press Kit. “EPK” is the short title for “Electronic Press Kit,” and it seems to be the preferred title for this type of press kit. EPKs are designed with the particular needs of TV and radio broadcasters in mind. The most common items on a movie EPK are:

• Trailer(s) – often in different formats of length or types, or “splits” between the usual two tracks.
• Film clips from the finished film, usually highlighting key actors
• Soundbites - Answers extracted from interviews with key cast and crew members, with the question edited out. This allows the broadcaster to insert the question in his/her own voice and play the soundbite as if the cast/crew member were in the studio. Also, I’ve noticed that quotes from such interviews used in the EPK often appear in movie production notes and press releases, and so similar material shows up in print-based articles and reviews.
• B-roll clips - Usually these are clips that are especially intriguing, surprising, or humorous, such as: outtakes, bloopers, alternative takes, deleted scenes; and perhaps shots with the digital effects not yet finished.

DVDs seem to be the most common format used these days for EPKs – at least EPKs that show up on eBay for more recent movies. Occasionally I will run across an EPK recorded on some kind of technical radio or TV broadcasting tape. Before about 2005, VHS was probably the most common medium used, and, rarely cassette tapes for radio usage.

This US EPK for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is recorded on VHS, and packaged in a standard hard-cover black clamshell case with a photocopied usage statement and full clip log enclosed. It was issued by Warner Bros. Pictures (the distributors) on October 22, 2002 – barely 3 weeks before the film was released in theatres on November 14, 2002. The  Total Run Time is 61:49, and the breakdown of items on the tape is as follows:

• Trailer #1 (2:09 with two tracks = 4.18)
• Trailer #2 (2:09 with two tracks = 4:18)
• Film Clips (15 clips, ranging from 0:46 to 1:22 long, with a total of 16:17)
• Soundbites (from 2 to 8 questions for each of 10 cast and crew members, with responses ranging from 0:12 to 1:03, with a total of 24:20)
• Selected B-roll (12:36)

Here are a few details, so you can see what an EPK content list looks like:

Trailers [with 4 elements in the mix: D = Dialogue; E = Effects; M = Music; Narration]:

• Trailer #1 – Channel 1: D / M / E. Channel 2: Narration.
• Trailer #2 – Channel 1: D / E. Channel 2: Music.

Film Clips:

1. “Dobby The House Elf” – Daniel Radcliffe (1:13)
2. “Happy Birthday Harry” – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Richard Griffiths, Fiona Shaw (1:08)
3. “Lucius Malfoy, We Meet At Last” – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Jason Isaacs, Tom Felton (0:46)
4. “We Need To Find The Train” – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint (1:13)
5. “Screaming Mandrakes” – Cast (1:13)
6. “Ron’s Howler” – Cast (1:00)
7. “Cornish Pixies” – Kenneth Branagh and Cast (1:14)
8. “Eat Slugs!” – Cast (1:07)
9. “That Wand Needs Replacing” – Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Maggie Smith, Tom Felton (0:44)
10. “Rogue Bludger” – Robbie Coltrane and Cast (1:08)
11. “I Think My Arm’s Broken” – Kenneth Branagh, Robbie Coltrane, and Cast (0:48)
12. “Moaning Myrtle” – Cast (0:46)
13. “Duel” – Kenneth Branagh, Alan Rickman, and Cast (1:18)
14. “Polyjuice Potion” – Cast (1:17)
15. “Tom Riddle’s Diary” – Daniel Radcliffe (1:22)

Soundbites:

1. Daniel Radcliffe/Harry Potter (8 questions; 6:12)*
2. Emma Watson/Hermione Granger (5 questions; 2:11)
3. Rupert Grint/Ron Weasley (3 questions; 0:53)
4. Kenneth Branagh/Gilderoy Lockhart (5 questions; 3:46)
5. Robbie Coltrane/Rubeus Hagrid (4 questions; 1:46)
6. Richard Harris/Professor Albus Dumbledore (3 questions; 0:49)
7. Jason Isaacs/Lucius Malfoy (5 questions; 2:17)
8. Tom Felton/Draco Malfoy (2 questions; 0:40)
9. Chris Columbus/Director, Executive Producer (5 questions; 3:05)
10. David Heyman/Producer (4 questions; 2:41)

*Here is a close-up of the soundbites from Daniel Radcliffe on …

1. the story (0:44)
2. working with the cast again (0:20)
3. speaking parseltongue (0:54)
4. Kenneth Branagh’s character, “Gilderoy Lockhart” (0:40)
5. Jason Isaacs as “Lucius Malfoy” (0:51)
6. developing the character as well as himself (0:41)
7. Chris Columbus (0:59)
8. the film (1:03)

Theatre Posters and Banners, Mylars, and Lobby Cards

Film distributors typically provide sets of promotional items to theatres, or at least a range of choices. Someday I’ll ask my theatre-manager friend Heather about what kinds of things they typically have available, what they receive for free, what they have to pay for, etc. The most basic items that end up displayed are:

Posters, Banners and Standees. In the county where I live, all but 2 theatres are owned by the same company. Most of the theatres use at least oversized posters in “light boxes” or glass frames. Those with space outside the main entrance or with a large space in the lobby use three-dimensional standees. A few use oversized vinyl banners.

Mylars. These are the relatively small strips of transparent plastic material that display the film title and sometimes an image of a key character or the main poster art. The mylar is slipped into a light box near the entrance to the specific theatre room where the film is showing, so it serves as a small sign to help movie patrons get to the right place for their show. These days, more major theatres seem to use digital displays that show the name of the film and the times it starts instead of mylars and light boxes.

Lobby Cards. These sets of images show some of the most important characters in a movie, or some of the most intriguing or intense scenes. Although lobby cards are still produced, more major theatres these days seem to use 3-D displays, light-box posters, and banners instead.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Thai Theatre Banners

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Draco, Snape, Crabbe & Goyle

Thai Banners. This particular set of three banners came from Thailand. As with most of the Thai banners I have seen, these are well constructed and printed with vivid colors on what is either a very thick paper which has some sort of protective coating or a light vinyl. (Sometimes it is just hard to tell … plus I’m not an expert on forms of paper and vinyl for printing.) These banners are 4 feet wide x 6 feet tall.

I have on very rare occasions seen a fourth companion English-language poster/banner. It uses the same overall design features (snakes carved in stone, some characters and items in the foreground – others in the background) and is printed in dark emerald green colors. It features Draco Malfoy in the front (in his Quidditch uniform and holding his Nimbus 2000), with Lucius Malfoy and Professor Snape in the near background, and small images of Crabbe and Goyle in the far background. A version of the Draco poster/banner is included in the Japanese Programme Book, so I will be able to add that image later.

Other Posters and Banners. There were numerous other posters issued for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Not all of them were displayed in theatres as promos for the forthcoming films. It seems to me that the “key art,” “one sheet,” and/or other poster images found in a movie’s press kit are the ones most often found as light-box posters and oversized banners available only to theatres.

The digital press kit for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has 7 poster images and 1 wordmark (just the title on a dark background, such as might have been used on a mylar for the light box above theatre doorways. The posters include:

• 2 blue versions of the “key art”/”one sheet” – one with film title and credits and the other without. This artwork is similar to the image of Harry, Ron, and Hermione found on the Chamber of Secrets soundtrack, only using a rectangular version instead of the square used for the CD case art. (This is in contrast to the green version used on the DVD and many other products.)
• A set of 5 blue-toned banners, each with an individual character and iconic prop: Harry and the Sword of Gryffindor. Hermione and her wand. Ron in his herbology jacket, holding up a screaming mandrake. Dumbledore and a crystal ball. Hagrid and Fang, his boarhound.

You’ll find images for many different Chamber of Secrets posters on eBay US, but also check out eBay UK for some alternative versions and international language posters that may not appear as often on eBay US. Also, the Internet Movie Data Base has a small poster gallery for most films: check this link for the IMDB poster gallery for Chamber of Secrets. And do a search at MoviePosters.com - they usually have a huge range of posters available for relatively recent films.

Flyers, Handbills, Chirashi (Japanese)

Details to be added when I have a set of chirashi (Japanese flyers, handbills, and programs).

Pre-Release ~ DVD/VHS Sales “Marketing Screener”

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Marketing Screener DVD

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Side-by-Side Regular DVD and Marketing Screener DVD

Awards Screener. There are at least two kinds of promotional DVDs (or, more rarely in recent years, VHSs) that are produced for a film or TV program. The first, which is more common to find and more familiar to fans, is the “For Your Consideration” awards screener, like the examples shown on the Awards page for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (original song: Hedwig’s Theme) and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film). This kind of screener DVD (or VHS) promotes giving the show an award for excellence by the target group (such as the Academy Awards for film, and the Emmy Awards for television).

Award screeners typically have a fairly subdued presentation – often a black DVD case insert with simple lettering, one or two colors for the lettering and logo, and no artwork (other than perhaps a film company logo); they also have the “For Your Consideration” slogan clearly printed on the front cover and some kind of similar notice on the DVD inside.

Marketing Screener. The second kind of screener is a “marketing” screener. This is given to product distributors and retail sellers. The cover and/or inside flap or insert contains information on video media release dates, manufacturer’s suggested retail price, media catalog and UPC numbers, and other sales details. See the two images shown above – the first of the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets marketing screener alone, the second with the regular DVD release so you can compare and contrast the two.

For both types of screeners, the DVD itself contains a notice at the beginning that the film is in an unfinished form in its video, audio, and/or special effects; and that it periodically shifts from color to black and white as a copy protection feature. Also, there is typically no “root menu” or “special features” on the DVD, just the opening notices and then the entire film, mini-series, or select program episodes.

What kind of information can we glean from marketing screeners?

• How the producers want to “slant” the content or other features of their media.
• Details of cast, crew, and production.
• Dates of theatrical release or broadcast premiere, when the DVD/VHS editions will be available for order, and when they will be available for sale.

DVD Editions

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Special Edition DVD (Widescreen Version)

DVD Editions. I will add images of other editions of Chamber of Secrets DVDs when I acquire them. Meanwhile, see the Films, Scripts, and DVD page for links to find details on regular, deluxe, Blu-ray, and Ultimate editions of Harry Potter films.

Introduction: Promoting Sales of Books, DVDs, and CDs

For retailers that commit to sell the Harry Potter books, DVDs, and CDs, the distributers usually make available a series of items to spark customer interest, direct their attention to the products, and focus retailer representatives on promoting sales.

For around the store, there are advertisement aids like:

• Window clings, posters, and banners.
• Displays for counters and ceilings.
• “Shelf talkers” for the DVD section.
• Display stands and end cap displays.
• “Promo flats” for the CD section.
• Handbills, flyers, contest forms, postcards, CD-cover reprints, etc.

For store clerks and sales personnel, there are “flash” advertising items to wear, such as:

• Promo pins.
• Lanyards.
• T-shirts.

Not every book, DVD, and CD soundtrack promotion in this series used every item, but Chamber of Secrets had most of these available, which is a main reason why I chose it as a case study. Similar types of “advertising enhancer” items were available in bookstores, especially for the build-up leading to the release of the next book in the Harry Potter series, and for theatres, prior to the release of a Harry Potter film. Each uses the kinds of materials that best suit their building type and audience, so not every advertisement form works in all places.

DVD Sales ~ Licensee Promotional Schedule (Germany ~ The Sorcerer’s Stone)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~ Marketing Calendar ~ Germany

Marketing Timeline/Licensee Promotional Schedule. Germany is a big movie-going culture, so it was quite a find to get this DVD retail dealer promo campaign booklet on eBay. I haven’t seen anything similar in English for Harry Potter films. However, I’ve seen these kinds of “marketing timeline” charts occasionally in my collecting of promotional materials for other movies and for some TV mini-series. They are designed for use in organizations that will want to publicize the release of the media or item, and need to know what national/global partners have franchise contents, sales, or other promotions coming up. This way, any given business or organization that is participating in the promotional campaign can schedule their own activities and events to coincide with the national/global emphasis. (Also, there are times when no one is allowed to release details before a specific date, so that factors into the mix in making plans.)

My German is more than a bit rusty, but – with the secondary help of Google Language Tools to confirm – the headline reads, “The largest, most extensive, media campaign in the history of Warner Home Video!” The right-hand side of the page spread charts out a six week period (the end of April through the beginning of June) in which there will be advertising campaign launches in TV, Print, and Online. Underneath the week numbers (17 through 22) are abbreviations for the days of the week, so the right-hand side of the chart reads as a graph. You can see the weeks with the most emphasis (highest level of brown vertical bars) and (I’m assuming from other such charts I’ve seen) the blue horizontal bars indicate specific types of campaigns that carry over for a few days to a few weeks.

The icons/logos on the left show the companies involved in each category of advertising – some of them internationally known (AOL, MTV, Vox), and most of them regional (European) or national (German). The slogan at the bottom, next to the AOL logo, says, “Many more promotions with well-known licensees.”

Corporate Identity and Style Guide:

Image and Design Consistency in Advertising

Corporate Identity. This refers to the concept of consistency in the range of presentation of images, fonts, color schemes, title treatments, and other design elements used across the products of a company or franchise. For instance, one aspect of consistent design featured on Blu-ray cases is the light blue band at the top with a white version of the Blu-ray logo in the center of the band. The use of Housecrest emblems for the four houses at Hogwarts is another example. Also, many Harry Potter books and other products feature a matrix of diamond shapes in alternating colors. Once you notice the design, you start seeing that its been used repeatedly.

Having a corporate identity that is already determined by the franchise owners does at least two things for the company. First, it keeps relatively consistent the message that the franchise owners want presented, and keeps a recognizable “brand” image in the mind of producers and consumers. Second, it spares licensees from having to invest the time and money required to create advertising from scratch. A well-done corporate identity is a win-win situation.

The Harry Potter franchise has been careful indeed in maintaining “the look” that they wanted presented to the public (as well as the products they wanted associated with the franchise, as noted at the beginning of this page on marketing). For instance, most artwork for early products was done by Fred Bode or Mary GrandPré; after the movies began being distributed, photographs of the characters and locales in the films were used consistently. The lightning-bolt “P” in Harry Potter titles is very recognizable. Also you can see consistency in the design across a very wide range of “products” – everything from books and movies and DVDs, to film premieres and a traveling Exhibition and a theme park. If you know before you’re seeing something “Harry Potterish” before you can even read what’s on it, you know that the corporate identity has done its work well.

Style Guide. If the “corporate identity” sets the standard for a franchise’s design concept, the “style guide” is what shows the concrete examples of how to apply the concepts. I have not seen an actual style guide for Harry Potter franchisees to use. I have seen several from The Lord of the Rings. I’ll use the 22-page style guide from Cedco, the company which created a series of student planner, notebook and calendar products for The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. It contains the following kinds of illustrations, and I am assuming that a Harry Potter style guide would include similar kinds of items:

• Photographs of major characters, in full costume, with key props (e.g., staff, sword, shield), against a white or neutral background.
• Photographs of major characters in action – usually pictured in major action scenes and other memorable moments.
• Artwork of emblems, patterns, signs, symbols, etc. that appear either on their own or on costumes or props or sets.
• Font styles and multiple examples of formats to use (e.g., boldface, italic, underline).
• Title designs, usually with several different colors or kinds of backgrounds, for use in labeling and packaging licensed products.
• Illustrations (photographs, line drawings) of key props, with standard colors shown.
• Textures, colors, patterns, box types, and other art elements for use in item and packaging designs.
• Sample items and packages that conform to the style guide.

Other kinds of style guides might include additional sorts of items. The key point here is that both verbal descriptions and visual depictions of such design elements are needed to transfer the corporate identity for franchise products from those in the headquarters office to those in the field. The better everyone sticks with the style guide, the more each product/company reinforces the overall look and message of the franchise.

Window Clings, Posters, and Banners

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Window Cling

Window Cling. A window cling is a type of poster that is printed onto one side of a transparent vinyl or acetate type sheet – often in bright colors and with sharp design. Window clings are typically shipped on white cardboard that has a glossy finish on one side. The printed side of the cling faces the glossy side of the cardboard, which protects the inks from damage. Thus, the cling looks very dull when unpacked, but turns out to be vivid and eye-catching when lifted from the cardboard backing and placed on a store window. The material literally clings to the glass, which allows the poster to be “attached” by “static cling” on the inside of the store – no need for additional tape or glue or clips. The production process makes a cling into a sort of large-scale picture slide, so, when direct or reflected sunlight shines through the cling, it has almost a stained glass window effect. And, when the advertising period is over, the cling is easily removed and can even be re-stored on the glossy cardboard.

The Chamber of Secrets window cling shown above is approximately 11.25″ wide by 13″ tall.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ French Poster ~ DVD/VHS Sales

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~ Standee, Counter Display, Giveaways, and Marketing Posters ~ Germany

Posters and Banners. To date, I have only found mostly non-English and non-US posters or banners advertising the sale of DVDs and VHS products for Chamber of Secrets. (There are many US posters and a few banners advertising the film in theatres.) I don’t know if retailer posters were made in the US, but I have seen a British poster advertising the release of the DVD. Also, there is a set of three Australian posters (27″ x 41″) that feature the exact same artwork of Harry, Ron, and Hermione as shown on the triangular “counter display” a few sections below – only with individual posters of each of those main characters.

The particular French poster shown above is made of a sturdy plastic that is similar to the material used in vinyl window clings. It is printed on both sides, and is 40″ wide x 24″ high.

Underneath the image of the poster in French is an example of the set of posters (and other items as listed below) available in Germany to retail outlets that were selling the DVDs and VHS tapes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Similar products would have been available for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Also in that image:

Standee (far left). The size is not listed, but it could be life size (or close thereto), in which case it was well over 8 feet tall.

There is at least one standee that was produced for Chamber of Secrets. It has Harry Potter standing with the Sword of Gryffindor and next to him stands Dobby the House Elf, who happens to be, ironically, about half as tall as Harry. (Just imagine Dobby standing next to Hagrid!)

“A-Board” Triangular Counter Display (upper middle section). The three panels are about 12″ x 12″ each; images are of Fluffy, Hermione and the Troll, and Going for the Snitch.

Ceiling Mount Display (mid-middle). The Hogwarts Express sign has “S hooks” that hold a sign announcing the 11 May 2002 release date for the DVD and video versions of the movie.

Door Stickers (bottom middle). “Dragons must stay out!” and “Quidditch – only play in free time!”

Counter/Ceiling Displays, Shelf Talkers, Display Cards, Display Stands, End Caps

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Counter Display

Counter and Ceiling Displays. Many stores that specialize in selling books, CDs, and/or DVDs typically have at least a small amount of checkout counter space available for mini-displays to advertise key products. More often than not, counter displays have some kind of 3-dimensional construction so they can stand up and be seen, rather than just lay flat – or be hung from the ceiling to attract attention as they sway or turn. This means the design uses some techniques that are a bit more elaborate – die-cutting for exact shapes, perforation to remove excess materials that kept the item safer during shipping, creasing to make assembly easier, stringing or other types of connecting techniques to turn the display into a mobile for the ceiling. Typically, displays take at least a small amount of time to assemble, either requiring folding of cardboard parts, punching out perforated pieces, interlocking everything together. The 3-D nature of the displays also makes them more fragile, as there are pieces sticking out that are easily bent or cut, or have the printed-paper exterior of the cardboard come loose from the rest of the construction. This means that used displays are rarely available in mint condition on secondary markets like eBay.

In the sample Chamber of Secrets counter display shown above, each panel is 8.75″ x 13″. The two tabs on the far left slip into slots in a top-to-bottom tab on the far right.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Shelf Talkers #1 of 2

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Shelf Talkers #2 of 2

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Display/Backer Cards and DVD

Shelf Talker. A shelf talker is usually some kind of folded cardstock or cardboard which has books, DVDs, or other products stacked on the top part of the fold, and the rest of the card hangs over the edge of the shelf to draw attention to the product. Each card in the set of four shelf talkers show above is “die cut” (carefully cut around a feature instead of just sliced straight across) around the profile of the character. When the black back portion of each shelf talker is folded back, the head (or in the case of Dobby, his ear) sticks up, drawing even more attention to the advertisement.

The shelf talker cards shown are 7″ x 7″. The black fold-back part is just over 3″.For Dobby, the main card is also 7″ x 7″, but his ear is also sticking out about a half inch to the right, with no other cardstock attached to the ear.

Display Card/Backer Card. If shelf talkers stick over the edge, display cards stick up in a shelf to draw attention to the product. They are sometimes called “backer cards,” and they fit in the row of DVDs, sticking up about half an inch. Display/backer cards are typically made from very thick cardstock (sometimes laminated for protection) or durable plastic. Sometimes backer cards are plain white with only the title of the DVD added on the top, but the ones for Chamber of Secrets show almost exactly the same artwork as on the DVD cover itself. In the samples shown above, the UPC bar code appears at the bottom, which allows for quicker pricing, ordering, and/or inventorying – if you have the right technology.

The Chamber of Secrets DVD shown above is about 5.5″ wide by 7.5″ tall. Both of the backer cards are the same size – 5.5″ wide by 8″ tall. The artwork on the cards is basically the same except for the title line at the top. And the material is different. The “Widescreen Edition” card (left-hand side) is printed on thick white plastic that is about 1/32-inch wide. The “2-Disc Widescreen Edition” card (right-hand side) is printed on heavy white cardstock that is about 1/64-inch wide. The backs of each card of unprinted.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ~ Display Units, End Caps, Counter Display ~ Germany

Display Stand. A display stand is designed to hold multiple types and/or copies of a product, putting them on display in an attractive way to catch the buyer’s eye and – hopefully – inspire a second look and a sale. Displays are typically made of very sturdy cardboard or even, at times, pressboard. Usually, the larger the store and display space available, the larger the display unit. What will fit in best, and where? A large-scale stand  that sticks out into the usual customer traffic pattern usually is more eyecatching, and is literally created to stick out and stop traffic.

End Cap. An end cap is a product display unit that fits on the end of product shelves. The ends of aisles are considered prime space for sales items being promoted. Customers have to slow down and look as they go around them and into another aisle. End caps don’t necessarily occupy the same kind of space as display stands that stick out in the usual walkways, but they often are designed in ways that accentuate the products.

In the page shown above from the Sorcerer’s Stone retail dealer booklet for Germany, the followings kinds of displays are featured:

Above is an example of the set of display units available in Germany to retail outlets that were selling the DVDs and VHS tapes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Similar products would have been available for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The slogan at the top is roughly, “Enjoy the magical views on DVD and video!” Items shown (measurements converted from centimeters to inches):

Counter Display (upper left). Holds 12 VHS or 24 DVDs. 15 x 12 x 9 inches; 38 x 30 x 22 cm.

Small Stand (lower left). Holds 60 VHS or 120 DVDs. 60 x 19 x 17 inches; 152 x 48 x 43 cm.

Mid-Sized Stand (middle left). Holds 160 VHS or 320 DVD. 70 x 24 x 23 inches; 172 x 62 x 58 cm.

Large Stand (center). Holds 352 VHS or 704 DVDs. 70 x 48 x 31 inches. 177 x 120 x 80 cm.

Mega Tower (right). Holds 976 VHS or 1,952 DVDs. 82 x 82 x 82 inches. 210 x 208 x 208 cm.

Soundtracks and Promo Flats

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Soundtrack

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Soundtrack Promo Flat

Promo Flat. The term promo flat is used for a cardstock advertisement for a soundtrack or other kind of record or CD. The size is about 12 x 12 inches – the same as an LP record album – and the art on one side is usually the same as the record album or CD cover. Besides being used as promotional giveaways and ads, promo flats may sometimes have been used as placeholders for the actual records (much like a backer card is sometimes used as a placeholder for DVDs).

Promo flats don’t seem to be made very often anymore. The closest thing to it that shows up occasionally is a promo that is the same size as a CD cover, showing the the cover art on one side and the release date, play list, and other details on the reverse side. I have not seen promo flats for any of the Harry Potter soundtracks that were produced for films after Chamber of Secrets.

Wearable Ads: Promo Pins, Lanyards, T-Shirts, Hats

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ DVD Promo Pins

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets ~ Advertising Lanyard

Wearable items are part of the promotional materiel available for sales teams. The arsenal could include hats, shirts, pins/badges, lanyards with cardstock or plastic ads attached, scarves … it all depends on the products, the kind of store, and whatever fits best with the context of movie. The  most common “wearable ad” is probably the pin. They are relatively inexpensive to produce in bulk, they typically show a recognizable character or slogan, and they promote the film release date and so can be worn for quite a while in advance to advertise when the item will be available.

For the Harry Potter franchise, various kinds of promotional pins were created for the book releases, very few for the film releases, and many for the first four DVD/video releases.

I don’t recall seeing the lanyard in English only, so perhaps it was produced only in Canada, as it is bilingual: French on one side and English on the other.