Film posters purpose and effect

Adverts are constructed in a way that gives them meaning; which achieves a certain reaction from the viewer. All of the credits, the design, the colour scheme etc... have been selected for a reason.
Here are four examples of what the advertiser was trying to achieve and how they wanted the audience to respond;

1.

This credit informs shows the audience that the movie being advertised was being made by the same people that made another film. The creators wanted the audience to be aware of this, to show that the content/style of the film would be similar. The response being, that the fans of that movie would then be interested in this movie. By doing this, they are getting sales from an existing fanbase as well as extra profit from others who are interested in the movie.

If the first movie was good and successful, people will assume this one is the same standard. Therefore it assures good quality and popularity. It also makes the gives the producers more publicity and a good reputation.

 

2.

The names of the actors are always shown near the title. Sometimes they are even in a bigger font, to draw more attention to them. Fans of popular actors will watch the movie, in order to see their idol. This generates much revenue for the film company.

It looks good for the film company to have a star cast, since it implies a high budget, meaning the quality of the film should be high. An A-list celebrity wouldn't waste their time in a B-list movie.

Some actors have a reputation for certain roles. For example, Leonardo Dicaprio is often in very successful movies and his acting is very good. So the effect is that an audience would associate the film with a fantastic plot and good acting. Patrick Wilson is known for his roles in a few wildly successful horror movies. So if viewers see his name on a movie poster, they might automatically assume that it's in the horror genre.

 

3.

IMAX is a futuristic, high-tech movie theatre in London. It offers services like 3D effects, digital surround sound and the world's largest screens. It is placed on some movie posters to advertise the theatre and convince viewers to go there. It says 'experience' it in IMAX, which implies that going there would completely change how the film is viewed. For example, it makes it seem more superior than other cinemas and film copies, as well as implying that there is more to this 'experience' than simply watching the film.

4.

Audiences know what they're going to get when the film is associated within a well known brand. For example, Disney was created for kids, so the contents of the film is suitable for children. The fairy-tale storylines of Disney movies are predictable, the art style/animation is similar and even the length of all the films are the same. Parents know from past Disney films, that the content they will get will include humour, heart-warming moments, emotions and good morals.
Since Disney is the most popular children's entertainment company with lots of success in the past (e.g. frozen) parents know that the film they are buying will be very good indeed.
Another example of a well known brand is 'Marvel'. This production company releases comic book based films with famous heroes, superpowers and high budget action. They have built up a big fan base with their films, so they would be aiming their content at this target group, in order to satisfy their fans and remain successful in the industry.
Therefore, audiences definitely know what they're going to get when buying from this brand.