This July 28th, we acknowledge and celebrate World Nature Conservation Day.
We share only one home, our planet Earth, and Distribution Solutions is committed to protecting our environment as much as we are committed to providing the best home media entertainment.
World Nature Conversation Day promotes a healthy natural environment as the foundation of a stable and productive society and ensures the well-being of present and future generations. To achieve this, we must all work together to protect, conserve, and sustain our natural resources.
Our team recently worked at the crossroads of these missions in releasing the IMAX Original Film A BEAUTIFUL PLANET. This breathtaking documentary, narrated by Oscar® winner Jennifer Lawrence, shows our magnificent blue planet and the effects humanity has had on it over time.
Viewing our changing world from above on the International Space Station, there’s a dramatic realization that it is within our power to protect the planet and develop a deeper connection with the place we call home.
Previously, A BEAUTIFUL PLANET had only been available to view in select IMAX theaters but a partnership with Mill Creek Entertainment and Distribution Solutions brought the stunning visuals and transcendent experience to a larger audience on home entertainment.
While sharing a unique perspective and an increased understanding that promotes the values of World Nature Conservation Day, Distribution Solutions also supports this important cause by making operational decisions to minimize our impact on the environment. From using fewer plastics in our products, finding shipping solutions that lower carbon emissions, or innovative methods across our businesses, partners, and workflows, we are dedicated to being agents of change and sharing the stories that inspire, motivate, and drive us all to make a difference now and for the future of our beautiful planet.
Post by J.W. Starrett, Director of Marketing Services
We know we aren’t breaking new ground when we tell you that SEO stands for “search engine optimization.”
But did you know that, on average, there are over 40,000 Google searches per second (3.5 billion per day!) and a little extra intention — utilizing mindful metadata tools like Alt Text and Meta Descriptions — can allow you to use that expansive number of searches to your advantage.
While we increasingly rely on digital data, being inclusive with our content can immensely improve search engine performance, which ultimately leads to accuracy and outreach.
Alt Text = Alternative Text Attribute
Alt Text is an HTML attribute that gets attached to an image in order to provide a text alternative/description for user accessibility and is also crucial for image SEO. Alt text assists search engines to understand the context of an image.
An important thing to remember when building attributes is that alt text accompanies images in Google image search, which helps users understand the image and improves your chances of getting more visitors.
You could simply use “movie” for this image. However, to provide more beneficial content for both business and consumer, we should describe the image as if someone were unable to see it.
Your chosen text should be thorough, yet concise – typically 120 characters or less.
When building the html for alt text, Img Src = image source, and the information within the quotation marks is the title of the image. For our purposes, this is labeled the title of the movie.
Okay alt text: alt=”movie”>
Betteralt text: alt=”cover art for horror movie”>
Best alt text: alt=”movie poster of road rage killer in hazmat suit holding poison”>
Put it all together and it looks like this: <img src=”/tailgate.jpeg” alt=”movie poster of road rage killer in hazmat suit holding poison” />
The great news is: Website platforms that allow you to add images (i.e.: Amazon, WordPress, HubSpot, etc.) have simple tools for you to add alt text to images without having to build html into your web code or prior to uploading your images.
The first step is becoming familiar with the tools and functions of your specific platform to utilize these built-in capabilities.
If you are planning to add metadata to an image before uploading, it can be implemented at the time you save an image to your drive; therefore, image metadata will consistently be carried to whichever platform you choose. (Baked in, as it were!)
This can be achieved by a couple of methods:
Adding ALT text to image metadata on your PC (no special software required – free!)
Adding ALT text to image metadata using Adobe Bridge (subscription required)
Stay tuned to our blog for more tips and tricks to implement alt text and metadata in industry-leading ways to digital platforms!
And, as always, if you want to talk it out, send us a line at studios@ds.aent.com.
A DVD or Blu-ray on a shelf acts as a mini-billboard for itself. And just like that ginormous billboard hovering over the freeway, every single aspect of the artwork is intentional (and sometimes even legally required.)
When it comes to physical goods, a title has to speak quickly and clearly to potential purchasers. We aim to strike a balance between the rational and the emotional parts of the human brain, moving from “Hmmm, this looks like something I might like” to “Yes! (adds to cart)” in the space of a few seconds.
We gave the feedback, our partners at Quiver delivered!
At Distribution Solutions, marketing and design professionals are hard at work to blend art and commerce in a way that’s going to drive purchase intent…for the benefit of our label partners. Everyone wins if we get it right!
Striking imagery is the first thing that likely catches a consumer’s eye, but then the box copy gets right to work. Because we only have a few seconds with a customer in a store aisle in an Amazon search, each and every character of the text on a DVD or Blu-ray cover has to pull its weight.
Design provided by 4Digital; tagline and concept by Distribution Solutions.
At Distribution Solutions, whether we’re designing the art (or providing feedback), our partners know that each element we include (or suggest) supports the recommendations found during our SWOT analysis of the title.
Collaborated concept: ITN Distribution and Distribution Solutions
If you’ve been out in the world and seen a DVD before, then you’ll know the key components of key art copy. But we’ll mention them here anyway so that we can elaborate on what each bit of copy brings to the table.
Title Treatment: Color, typeface, and design convey the film’s genre and tone. Great place to weave in genre iconography or go with a font that evokes a time period.
Tagline: Adds context and sells the premise of the film. This can be a difficult thing to write. Needs to be concise and as original as possible. (The DS team flat out loves tagline brainstorming, so our partners know they can count on us to get there!)
Press Quotes: Communicate the critical acclaim and serve as a hallmark of quality, while the sources contextualize who is recommending. With the right set of quotes, a tagline is rendered unnecessary. A great situation!
Our goal is to make the most out of the few seconds our label partners’ titles have with a potential purchaser, whether it be in the aisles of a big-box retailer or a digital storefront during an at-home browse.
Feedback from Distribution Solutions, final art delivered by Magnolia.
To learn more about our process and talk to us about the intersection of art and commerce, drop us a line at studios@ds.aent.com. And one more for the road…
Horror and twisted humor go together like baby teeth and cash rewards. Design courtesy of ITN Distribution, with creative input from Distribution Solutions.
No matter what our partners’ content is, it’s our job to figure out how to maximize the appeal in the ol’ marketplace. Our first goal is to figure out just what a film or series is and then we can formulate our sales pitches, creative recommendations, and marketing strategy.
For that, we rely on the tried-and-true, ever-adaptable SWOT analysis. We like to make sure that all bases are covered. For fun, we’ll take you through an actual real-life release…from pre-pandemic times!
A young choreographer casts a contemporary dancer and an innovative pianist in New York’s most anticipated new Broadway show.
Released February 4, 2020, on DVD, Blu-ray, and Transactional Video-on-Demand, High Strung Free Dance came to us from our partners at GVN Releasing. But the path to release all started with our SWOT analysis.
The super-engaged production team and label — a true partnership!
Sequel to High Strung (2016): Existing awareness/social for the franchise
WEAKNESSES
Moderate Success at Box Office
Teen romance/drama set in the dance world — a very specific niche
IMDb rating on High Strung in the 6.4 range
OPPORTUNITIES
Producer Involvement:
Michael Damien newsletter outreach, Twitter party and FB Live on his personal social channels
Janeen Damien Created custom socials graphics for cast ot post
Cheri Golub Managed social fan community organic posts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Continue theatrical partnerships in dance field:
So Danca HSFD dancewear featured in film available for purchase on their site
Youth America Grand Prix Ballet competition event: Release support at live events, with cast member Juliet Doherty (past WAGP winner) announcing release date
Soundtrack x-promotion with The Orchard, via social, with custom lyric videos
THREATS
Tough month to predict competitively — other notable releases circling the month: Doctor Sleep, Knives Out, Ford vs Ferrari, Frozen 2
Courtesy of Janeen Damien
We evaluated all of the above to play into the film’s strengths and leveraged the opportunities. Our marketing plan was an incredible collaboration, with an engaged group of stakeholders who were part of the theatrical and were prepared to support the home entertainment/direct-to-consumer window. We used incredible visual assets, exclusive clips and worked with the cast to get the word out. And we were able to take action to offset weaknesses and handle threats, to plan pro-actively to create the best path toward success.
Now, over a year later, a visit to Amazon shows a 4 1/2 star rating from 531 reviewers (as of today, anyway) showing that we found our people…and High Strung Free Dance is enjoying popularity on Netflix, where it is at home with a fine selection of dance-themed titles appealing to this fan base.
And that, dear friends, is the story of SWOT. It’s not fancy, but it works.
To learn more about our favorite time-tested methods and our emerging new practices at Distribution Solutions, give us a shout at studios@ds.aent.com!
This week, we’re focusing on maximizing consumer appeal on Amazon. Sweet, ubiquitous Amazon. A powerhouse in the online retail space, a hub for just about everything under the sun, Amazon is a behemoth in the retail space…with a seemingly endless parade of products. So many products, in fact, that “being there” just isn’t enough.
When a product is competing with millions of other similar items, it’s important to leverage every possible advantage.
How do we begin to make our partners’ products stand out? For this topic, we turn to our internal experts, Andrea Franco, Senior Account Manager, andVera Martynets, Marketing Manager. Both are dedicated to our Amazon business and have put in countless hours setting up titles, managing inventory, and merchandising to appeal to consumers.
DS: Thanks for participating in this roundtable discussion! We’d like to focus today on one particular aspect of merchandising on Amazon: the A+ Page. For starters, what is an A+ page ?
AF: A+ pages are Amazon product pages that go beyond the basic product details and offer online customers more information about a release. They can include additional images and product features that otherwise would not be seen.
VM: Right, they allow you to add more descriptors to a product.
DS: More descriptors are important because…?
VM: With each additional image you get to program more keywords, which helps with the searchability of the product. More pictures = better appearance in search results.
As you can see, this page lets consumers see exactly what the deluxe set includes!
DS: Okay, from a ‘consumer appeal’ and ‘searchability’ perspective, totally makes sense. Any other benefits?
VM: Adding a good-looking A+ page can result in higher conversion rates, increased traffic, and increased sales.
Loads of great keywords here!
AF: And it’s really a better way to engage the Amazon customer. An opportunity to tell them everything you want them to know about your release, like special features, Dove Approval rating, extensive cast. It’s a way to boost your release in search rankings without paying for sponsored ads. It’s also an opportunity to optimize for mobile customers.
A closer look at Audrey, a documentary about this extraordinary actress, style icon and humanitarian.
DS: So this enhanced page can work on whole lotta levels, got it. What is the cost to our label partners?
VM: Zero, nada, zilch!
AF: That’s right: NOTHING! This benefit adds value without costing a thin dime.
DS: Well, that’s great…so what do you need from label partners in order to create these awesome pages?
VM: Attractive synopsis, great stills. Photos showcasing talent, production value, storyline intrigue – anything that makes the movie look fantastic! And press reviews, critics’ shout-outs, awards…
AF: We call this EMC (Enhanced Marketing Content). The more photos the better, so I’ll add “beauty shots” of gift sets and talent headshots to Vera’s list. Oh – and expanded synopsis, special feature details. Detailing content by disc on multi-feature or box set products.
DS: Laughing a bit that we don’t escape this discussion without at least one new acronym…but what’s the dream scenario for EMC?
AF: The dream? At least one banner, lots of stills, full synopsis, and feature call-outs. That being said, a little bit can go a long way in making a polished, searchable product page that stands out from the crowd.
Clear photos featuring recognizable talent and a grabby banner to top them off!
DS: So, if I were to summarize our chat, I’d say key takeaways about the value of an A+ page are:
Increases searchability (stand out from the competition)
Adds consumer appeal (better sales tool)
100% customizable, based on available assets, no reason not to!
Thanks, Andrea and Vera. This has been a great discussion about the Amazon A+ page service we provide to our .com label partners Thank you both so much!
Readers, if you would like to learn more about our A+ page support and features, please reach out to us at studios@ds.aent.com for more information!
It’s movie awards season! Time to try to predict which films will take home the honors, as “watch lists” grow exponentially with lesser-known titles that have landed in front of the world as nominees.
Can’t you just FEEL the magic?
While we love to watch the best in the biz bask in the glory of the recognition, we also celebrate the increased traffic we’re likely to see across digital platforms and streaming services. (Guess we’re just suckers for revenue opportunities.)
So…let’s return to one of our favorite topics: grabbing the consumer’s eye and getting that dollar on a transactional platform. (Or, frankly, getting that licensing deal with a streaming partner.)
However, all this Award Season emphasis on all the various roles that go into filmmaking prompts us to think about the one thing that is consistently neglected by filmmakers…but is arguably critical to the commercial success of the film into which they’ve put their hearts, souls, and sometimes their own money.
Photography. It’s photography.
When filmmakers budget for all the essentials that go into the technical production of a film, photography is often considered an unnecessary line item. A “nice to have” not a “must-have” and, anyway, marketing is something to think about later. Oh, friends…
Making a movie is expensive. Decisions need to be made on where to spend, especially with limited funding. It’s often a tug of war between creative and commercial interests. Marketing is where these opposing forces need to connect, for the good of the whole project.
“It is infinitely better to plan for the marketing needs in pre-production than to rely on things magically falling into place later.”
-Julianne Gorman Distribution Solutions Vice President, Marketing
Once a film is in the post-production window, marketing suddenly looms largely in the picture. This is generally when a designer is hired to create a polished film poster (and/or digital image) that will convey everything a viewer needs to know about the film itself, drawing them into the cinematic world the filmmakers have conspired to bring to life.
The Producer Provides the Assets
Here is where we separate the wheat from the chaff, as someone familiar with harvesting might say. But really, this is where we see what happens when planning and budget align with overarching goals for the film’s marketing.
Scenario A:
The designer is delivered stills that in actuality are screencaps, and generally not usable, with lighting that is “moody” in the film but that reads as “muddy” when isolated as a still shot. The assets include 100s of behind-the-scenes snaps of cast, crew, and equipment on location–99.9% of this BTS material cannot be used for key art creation, but the designer has to weed through all of them just in case. Typically, some stills that look good are low-res and no one can locate a higher-res version. And lastly, the designer gets a mock-up of a layered poster created by someone early in the process and then never revisited. The result is the need to license stock photography and fundamentally, this takes the art away from the vision behind the film…and into more ‘generic’ territory.
Let’s move on…
Scenario B:
The designer receives hi-resolution, forward-facing shots of principal cast…in hair/makeup/wardrobe of their characters! Also within the photographic assets are shots of the location, key visual iconography of the film (i.e. an image of the rustic cabin in the woods, a beauty shot of the scenery), and close-ups of meaningful props–like a child’s lost doll, or the bloody murder weapon). These are shot under good lighting conditions, are high resolution, and give the designer loads of material for an inspired look that feels uniquely connected to the film itself.
Scenario B is obviously the ideal, right? When you see it laid out like that, planning for marketing is clearly important. That just leaves the other hurdle: money.
Paying for a photographer to come on one day to capture the key cast, and having time set aside for taking those photos may be an investment…but one with a high return. This will pay for itself, as truly great poster art elevates the look, feel, and perceived quality of the film. And licensing stock photography to “fill in the gaps” can cost the same as paying for a photoshoot. It’s a deferred expense…not an avoided one.
But if there is truly no money for photography? A first-time filmmaker, with little in the way of outside financing, for example. Well, that’s an opportunity to work those connections — and rejoice in the excellent technology in everyone’s pocket these days. Maybe it’s a film school peer with a phone — or a cousin who is great at Instagram — just a reliable individual who can come to set and shoot the photos needed, as outlined in Scenario B.
We advocate paying what is possible (asking any professional to be “paid by the exposure” is patently uncool). Barter if needed (i.e. shooting someone’s wedding video, or editing a family reunion slide show in exchange for a few hours of their time). Use their photos for PR, ensure they get photo credit…and maybe even a credit in the film itself, to beef up their IMDb page (If that’s their thing.)
Solicit group-sourced photos from a number of people on set, each working from a shared list provided well in advance– of what you need to capture. Then they need only upload their “actual size” shots to a shared drive for review and curation later.
Above all else, if trying for “free” is the route, prioritize the clear photography of key cast in good lighting…don’t want to leave that up to chance.
In the absence of money, advance planning and confirmed photography support will move the assets into the Scenario B zone…and ensure the film’s merits shine, through all creative touchpoints.
We hope this PSA on the importance of photography has been an enjoyable and helpful read. Reach out to us at studios@ds.aent.com if you want to talk marketing with the team at Distribution Solutions. We love this stuff!
Not so long ago, retailers across our delightful nation started to discuss new trading terms for their home entertainment departments.
Quickly the “talk” turned to adoption across the marketplace. While whispers of “Scan Based Trading” were just beginning to buzz in the corridors and conference rooms of other distributors and studios, our team was already leading the charge to transition our labels into this new world as seamlessly as possible.
Distribution Solutions manages two dedicated fixtures in 329 Menards stores
But let’s back up. Not everyone even knows what we’re talking about. To appreciate this pivot fully, here’s the backstory: the home entertainment industry existed for decades under a model where the process was pretty much as follows:
(1) distributors pitched retail buyers,
(2) orders were placed by retailers for all those awesome DVD titles,
(3) goods were shipped to retail stores and warehouses by distributors, who then
(4) collected monies after an agreed-upon interval of time.
Most of these DVD/Blu-ray goods were expected/projected to go home with happy customers, with a certain unfortunate percentage destined to return to distribution warehouses eventually. In this model, a retailer’s resources were tied up in inventory, awaiting a sale.
The Scan Based Trading model represents a different approach entirely. With SBT, suppliers maintain the ownership of the inventory within the retailers’ stores or warehouses until the item is scanned at the point of sale. This reduces financial risk on behalf of the retailer, while literally, nothing looks different to the consumer in the store.
But what’s the impact on the supplier? We asked Pat McDonough, our SVP of Sales and here are his thoughts on the topic:
“The benefit of the SBT model is that it gives Distribution Solutions control of the space, which guarantees product placement for our label partners. It also allows us to make sure that the right product is in the right stores for the best sell-through.”
Pat McDonough, SVP Sales
As far as scope, Distribution Solutions currently trades on SBT terms with Target, Best Buy, FYE, Fred Meyer, and Bi-Mart. But that’s not all…
Distribution Solutions also manages SBT inventory within Dollar General (with permanent racks in 4,700 of their 17k stores!) and Menards (a value bin AND a dedicated 4’x6′ fixture).
Our team’s dedicated floor space and fixtures represent valuable opportunities for our team to curate re-sets that support the lifecycle planning of our partners’ content. Our relationships also allow us to think outside the box (and in-line sections) and place trays and other specialty POS displays to support key releases across these accounts.
To learn more about Scan Based Trading and Distribution Solutions, drop us a note at studios@ds.aent.com
You’re on the couch, at the end of some kind of quasi-soul crushing week that has left you in a state of agitation. You pick up the remote and fire up your favorite app. Destination: Complete and Utter Escape. You’re seeking a cheesy rom-com guilty-pleasure (that you would never admit to having watched) — and you need it STAT!
You browse the rows upon rows of tantalizing movie posters, expanding those that show promise (or that you haven’t already watched). Your eyes stop at the attractive couple on the artwork for a new indie film called The Love Errand. Okay, you think…and you pause to skim the text that will guide your journey’s next step.
And you read: “Gina, a secretary who is also a single mom, is angry when her boss, David, asks her to run an errand that takes her to a sketchy part of town when she is supposed to be at her son’s school but ends up finding love with a shopkeeper at a bookstore.”
…and you return to the main menu with a shudder.
Womp-womp…wilted romance-like.
The above (entirely fictitious) example meets the “250 characters-including-spaces” long synopsis limit. And that is the only thing it is doing right. But stay tuned, rom-com fan and savvy marketer…help is on the way:
An effective synopsis that fits within common character-count restrictions is the goal…and fortunately, with a sense of imagination, a thorough knowledge of the content, and thesaurus.com, there are a few basic rules to go from ‘meh’ to “yeah!”
Don’t include character names.No one cares about fictitious characters and they eat up valuable story-telling space. (Exception: your documentary. For sure include the name of a notable subject!)
Sell It – Don’t Tell It! (As they say in the biz) You want to intrigue the audience so that they feel that little spark of “wonder what happens next” and dive into the super amazing trailer you created.
Be judicious with adjectives. Don’t overdo it, quantity-wise — and use words that will appeal to the genre’s target audience. Again, the ‘synonyms’ function in Microsoft Word is your friend…you can whittle away quite a bit of character count by choosing wisely here.
Easy-peasy!
Now, let’s rewind…to that moment when The Love Errand was still under consideration. You click and read:
“A single mom, working for a top publisher, finds herself in a race against time…with a daunting list of errands for her demanding boss. Sparks fly when her tasks put her on a collision course with a handsome bookseller with a To-Do list of his own.”
We both know what happens next…
Enjoy your movie! (Your secret’s safe with us.)
For more exciting tips like this, drop us a line…we’ve got a million of ’em. studios@ds.aent.com!
Winning! Some of Mill Creek Entertainment’s 22 Home Media Awards
At Distribution Solutions, we work with some of the best designers in the business — experts at creating appealing packaging and engaging digital key art, and much much more! And when we say “work with” we mean that we are all part of the Alliance family of brands and our actual co-workers. (Lucky us!)
Our Minneapolis-based designers are the force behind Mill Creek Entertainment’s 22 (and counting) Home Media Awards. They provide high-quality packaging that resonates with consumers, with designs that are recognized consistently by industry peers.
The Alliance Creative team (Irvine, CA) has won over 20 NARM advertising awards, developing unique campaigns for retail. Customized, beautifully designed, internally illustrated, and stand-alone – their work is key to the sell-through of some of the best and brightest catalog titles in the music category.
Our team creates custom POS displays across entertainment product types.
Our label partners can tap into the creativity behind all those awards!
Once the assets are in-house, we take it from there, with creative direction –managing the communication priorities (genre, talent, press quotes, taglines) — and driving the process of collaboration until we reach the final approval process with our label partners. Our capabilities also include handling final packaging uploads, print proofing, printing, and getting parts where they need to be for final assembly.
Browse the galleries for a sampling of recent work…for DVD, Blu-ray, collectible formats such as SteelBook® ! Our team knows how to create value and connect with fans!
Deluxe Blu-ray Editions
If a partner can dream it, we can design it. And if they can’t dream it, our team will do the dreaming on their behalf. We thrive on creating cool, collectible stuff that fans can’t live without.
Specialty Packaging
So excellent that they’ll want two: one to open, the other to shelve with the collectibles!
Our team creates key art optimized for virtual storefronts, creating & delivering versions of that art for nearly 30 custom sizes, covering every required aspect for digital and linear platforms!
Digital Key Art
Mood, genre and the promise of a well-chosen stream.
We are proud to offer “boutique agency” quality and service, coupled with the product management know-how of our entire team..saving our label partners time, money, and the hassle of managing multiple vendors and complicated timelines.
To see more of our team’s stellar work and to learn about our rates and full suite of services, reach out to us at studios@ds.aent.com today!
Along with dependable service and mastery of their day-to-day responsibilities, our Operations team values diligent planning, preparation, and careful execution as a pathway to growth.
Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.
– Will Rogers
We know that an Operations department isn’t typically full of spotlight seekers. The adjectives “reliable” and “accurate” are key qualities that might spring to mind. Our team is, indeed, focused on keeping things running smoothly, which requires epic levels of detail management. They also possess an uncanny ability to anticipate situations that will require immediate attention or will be important to address six months down the line.
The Operations team deals in the past, present, and future in a quiet, pragmatic manner that creates the foundation for our business dealings.
So it’s tempting to take them for granted. And while we here at Distribution Solutions are reminded on a daily basis of what wonders these humans are, we are totally OK with our partners relaxing and putting their trust in our Operations Team, so that they can deal with the rest of their business.
That’s the true magic of Turnkey Operations, after all.
We have a robust menu of Operations services that address the whole gamut of needs for physical and digital distribution. Our label partners benefit from whatever customized level of service they require to support their titles. And we offer a lot!
A complete list is available on our website, but here are some of the greatest hits:
Asset Ingestion & Management
BOM Build/Changes
Component Creation
Credit and Collections
Demand Management
Inventory Management
Order Management
Procurement
Replication
Return Management
Rights Management
SKU Creation
VMI Services
Our Operations team members are located across the country (in key time zones) and work together every step of the way, to ensure cost-efficient and seamlessly executed product releases. Their hard work allows our partners’ titles to move easily from start to store, turnkey.
To get details about our Operations capabilities, drop us a line at studios@ds.aent.com.
