Results and Effectiveness

The Intouchables generated over $1.2 million box office sales. This was 71% more than the target. NZ audiences typically comprise 12-15% of the Australian box office, but The Intouchables represented 47% of the Australian box office. The media ROI was $14.12 more than 3 times more efficient than the normal art house ROI of $4.12.

Creative Execution

We targeted our kiwi critics using databases from local independent & boutique cinemas. 438 people in Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin were sent personal invitations to attend a special screening of ‘The Intouchables’ a month before it was scheduled for general release. Following the screening we interviewed guests as they left the cinema and captured their response to the film. We integrated the generic international marketing with our ‘Kiwi Critics’ footage. Their spontaneous reviews were cut into two videos (60” & 120”) and replaced the international film trailer. The new trailer was showcased digitally using profile targeting and ‘Kiwi Critic’ reviews were also incorporated into display ads and entertainment listings.

Insights, Strategy and the Idea

How do you attract mainstream audience to a subtitled French film in a country where sport dominates? A country where ‘Made in New Zealand’ blockbusters rule and less than 5% of the population enjoy watching ‘film festival films’. Although a critical and box-office success in France, ‘The Intouchables’ had the significant barrier of being foreign. All international marketing collateral exaggerated the ‘French-ness’ of the film, and despite all the five star reviews most Kiwis’ would perceive ‘The Intouchables’ to be too high brow, too French and too art-house. Our objective was $700,000 box-office sales over 12 weeks, the typical art-house launch achieves $350,000. But a small group of cultured kiwis were excited about the film launch. Our insight was that mainstream cinema goers had to hear how great ‘The Intouchables’ was from other Kiwi’s. This led us to our strategy to turn Kiwi’s into critics. Our idea: Kiwi Critics.