Promotional Materials 3: DVD/VHS
3. Release of the Harry Potter DVDs/VHSs
This page features items directly related to promoting, releasing, and selling of Harry Potter DVDs (and VHS releases for the first three films in the series). I have not collected these following kinds of items extensively, except for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. (See the Marketing Case Study page for descriptions of these types of items and an extensive set of images from that particular film.)
- Press Releases
- Banners, posters, window clings, end caps, backer cards, counter displays, etc., for retail locations
- Flyers, brochures, and other promotional print items
- Pins/badges, lanyard, hats, T-shirts, and other visual promos
- Special release-day items
In some cases, such as with compilation of release dates, detailed information is found on other pages. Summary information appears here to create an all-in-one page for doing a mini-case study in marketing related to the Harry Potter films.
Additional general information to be added later.
Banners and Posters
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ~ Turkish Prototype Poster
This is a very unusual poster, 32″ wide x 45.5″ tall. It is actually a business sample used to advertise an oversized, high-quality color printer (as the poster-wide banner near the bottom shows). The poster was printed onto a light canvas or scrim-type material. It was printed slightly off-center, and the material has not been trimmed, which is why the edges are not even. Wording on the poster is in Turkish, and it advertises the Turkish editions of DVD and VCD for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
As a sidenote, VCD is the abbreviation for Video Compact Disc, and it is basically a CD with a movie on it. Because VCDs can only hold 74 to 80 minutes of film with stereo-quality sound, a movie typically has to be split into 2 or 3 CDs. It is more typical for a film to be transferred onto VCDs internationally, when subtitles are required. For instance, I have an Asian Lord of the Rings VCD of the theatrical release of The Fellowship of the Ring, and it takes 3 CDs for the movie and special features. It offers choice of three subtitles. For more details, see VideoHelp on VCD disc types and playing them.
Pins, Badges, and Other Visual Promos
Promotional Pins for Harry Potter DVD Releases
Warner Home Video issued a total of 13 official promotional pins to advertise the release of the first 4 Harry Potter films on video. To my knowledge, no sales promo pins were issued for the DVDs of HP5, 6, or 7. However, there are many other promo pins available from other companies or fan-made for the book releases, favorite characters and famous quotes, and souvenirs – but not official ones for the DVD/VHS releases.
These pins are relatively large – approximately 2-5/8 inches wide by 3-1/2 inches tall (6.5 x 9.0 cm) – and made of metal with a thick cardstock backing, plus a strong hook-pin mechanism on the back.
The complete promo pin set from Warner’s includes:
- 4 pins for Sorcerer’s Stone – Goblins, Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Hagrid (DVD/VHS released 2002).
- 4 pins for Chamber of Secrets – Dobby, Harry, Hermione, and Ron (DVD/VHS released 2003).
- 4 pins for Prisoner of Azkaban – Harry riding Buckbeak, Harry, Hermione, and Ron (DVD released 2004).
- 1 pin for Goblet of Fire – all the main characters: Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour, Cedric Diggory, Viktor Krum, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger (DVD released 2006).
These video promo pins / badges / buttons for Harry Potter films #1 through #4 are not necessarily hard to find on eBay … individually, in small lots, or in single-film sets. Most of the pins I have seen have slight indents and imperfections due to prior shipping.
