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How "The Great Gatsby" is Doing Social Media Right

Nick Walz, May 15, 2013

The Great GatsbyFilm director Baz Lurhmann is nobody's fool. When he took the classic text "The Great Gatsby" and adopted it to the screen, he knew that there was no great film version of this beloved book. It had been attempted in the past but never done very well, so when Lurhmann took "The Great Gatsby" and brought 1922 into 2013, he used every avenue available to him – including social media marketing. Here are some ways that 2013’s "The Great Gatsby" film used social media marketing to drive home the experience.

Facebook

Cover Photo
The cover photo on "The Great Gatsby" Facebook page sets the tone for the film. The classy, wide shot shows all the principal players and really drives home the style that Lurhmann was going for.

The Great Gatsby - Facebook Cover Photo
Custom Tabs
"The Great Gatsby" has custom tabs to help drive fans to the movie theaters. This is nothing all that original, but the fact that fans of the film could simply click to "like" or "buy tickets now" made the transition from computer screen to movie screen seamless.

The Great Gatsby - Facebook Tabs
Shareable Content
The volume and quality of material available on "The Great Gatsby" Facebook page makes for great shareable content. There are photos, quotes, videos, behind the scenes information on the making of the movie, and so much more, which allows  fans to really see what this film is all about. Content like this went viral on the movie's Facebook page, which created even more buzz for the film.

Video
There was no shortage of video clips posted online to promote "The Great Gatsby". Filmmakers need to realize that as soon as they put their films out into the world, they will be available for viewing online, so the key is to provide impactful clips to catch the interest of the online audience before others do. The producers of this movie certainly understood that, and the fact that they offered so much in terms of video clips on all platforms kept fans engaged and wanting to see more on the movie screen.


Twitter

The Great Gatsby - TwitterIn the Twitter universe, "The Great Gatsby’s" social media presence also scored big. The use of hashtags for fans to connect and share pictures (#GatsbyPics) made the social media marketing experience interactive, inclusive, and effortless. The marketing team continues to engage with those who mention the film on Twitter, which increases the fans' enthusiasm for the film. Here is an example of fans on Twitter showing off their Gatsby-inspired outfits before attending the film and sharing it using the hashtag #GatsbyPics. This was later retweeted by “The Great Gatsby” Twitter account.

 


Tumblr

The Great Gatsby - TumblrAnother really smart social media move was the Tumblr Fan Art Challenge.  Fans were asked to create an original piece of art from the “The Great Gatsby” film for a chance to win a trip to New York City for the film’s premier. This increased fan engagement, and, like so many of the other social media platforms, led to the fans doing the promoting for the film!  Something else to keep in mind is that "The Great Gatsby" took advantage of its other social platforms to promote the Tumblr contest. Below are some of the entries from the Tumblr Art Challenge displayed on Pinterest.

Instagram

People love seeing celebrities in their natural habitat, and "The Great Gatsby" definitely didn't have a shortage of celebrities for fans to get excited about. There was major online interest in the flurry of Instagram photos showing actors and actresses from the film strutting their stuff on the red carpet.

Every Aspect of the Film's Social Media Promotion was Great

From Facebook to Twitter to Tumblr to Instagram, "The Great Gatsby" took its social media marketing presence to the next level. By engaging the audience, allowing exclusive peeks behind the curtain, and giving like-minded movie goers a way to connect via social media, this film has certainly cast a new mold for future films to follow. Viewers of big blockbusters can expect plenty of chances to connect on social media going forward.

What did you think of "The Great Gatsby's" social media marketing presence?

Need an Expert Contributor?

Ken Wisnefski is a seasoned web entrepreneur and a frequent contributor to news outlets and business publications. Ken’s vast knowledge of how to make online businesses succeed has made him a sought after consultant from businesses wishing to improve their online initiatives. Contact pr@webimax.com to collaborate!

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