Character Posters: All the Cool Kids Are Doing It!

We've talked about several movie trends (video game adaptations, board game adaptations, toy adaptations, remakes of '80s films, reboots of classic franchises, etc., etc.) over the last year here on redblog, so I felt it was only fitting that we discuss a veritable movement, if you will, that's been impossible to ignore in the film marketing arena: character posters.  

Before I go any further, let's make sure we're all on the same page about what a character poster even is.  It's not simply an advertisement for a film that spotlights only the main actor or actress.  All of the Will Smith movie posters featuring nothing but a big ol' Big Willie head?  Nope, those aren't character posters.  Same goes for this infamous promo for The 40-Year-Old Virgin.  While it only has Steve Carell's angelic mug on it, between the movie's title and Steve's awkward pose, a lot about this Apatow comedy was communicated to potential ticket-buyers.  So I wouldn't consider that a character poster, either.

Rather, a character poster is one that doesn't reveal much about the film itself, but instead spotlights a character that may or may not be the lead.  For example, look at the main poster for the upcoming Mike Judge workplace comedy, Extract:

Then compare it to these two character posters:

Is the definition of a character poster a bit more clear now?  Affleck isn't even in the main promo for Extract, yet he warranted his own separate sheet... probably because he's a big enough name that his involvement (or maybe just that awful 'do) will intrigue people.  And while Kristen Wiig's character did make an appearance in the main poster, through the tagline on her character's dedicated piece we learn a little bit more about her role: she's playing Jason Bateman's wife, she may represent one of his main sources of stress... and apparently she likes to be comfy. 

Read on for more examples from several other 2009 and 2010 films...

Here's another main poster vs. character poster comparison for you:

Check out this "typical" spot for Inglourious Basterds:

And then take a look at these two, which each highlight a member of the supporting cast. (There are several more where these came from, I just chose two I liked.)

I tried to figure out what the first title was to ever use this promotional tactic, but it's a very hard thing to trace.  All I know is that within the past few months, character posters have been all the rage.

As is evidenced below, it actually turned out to be quite tough to find a major motion picture that didn't incorporate character spots in its blitzes.  However, there's a good chance you haven't seen all of the artwork I've pasted in, because these posters tend to exist mostly online or in bigger cities where a full campaign can be carried out by way of complementary billboards; signage on buses, cabs and in subways; and teasers decorating public transportation stops.

  

Phew! See what I mean? They're everywhere!

Some are more effective than others, in my opinion. I think it was savvy to feature Anne Hathaway as The White Queen in Alice in Wonderland; she's a popular, wonderful actress and a lot of people might not have been aware that she's in the film (especially since you can't really make her out in her millisecond-long blip in the trailer). However, was it really necessary to have a poster for each member of the G-Force? Or every GI Joe commando? I think not.

What say you? Do you get a kick out of character posters or have they been waaaay overdone at this point?

Comments

[Mark Graham]

Excellent post, Erika!

[Livia]

I have a few theatrical posters that are hanging on the wall. Great post, Redbox\Redblog! :)