OUR FAVORITE FILM MARKETING IN 2025

We’re back at it! Team Smarthouse is always inspired by the imaginative marketing behind films of every size, from big studio releases to indie favorites. Last year delivered experiential and meta campaigns that didn’t just promote films, but invited audiences to step inside their worlds. 

Here are a few of our favorite marketing things from 2025:

SATIRICAL AND SELF-AWARE WINS

MATERIALISTS — NYSE Bachelor Data Activation
A24 once again excelled at making the premise real. Displaying bachelors’ “romantic value” on the New York Stock Exchange ticker turned satire into spectacle, letting audiences understand the film’s critique in an innovative way. You can see it in action on their “Men of NY” website, which is still running. 

MARTY SUPREME — The “Leaked” Zoom Meeting
A fake leaked marketing meeting about fake marketing ideas — that then actually came true. From Wheaties boxes to changing the color of the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower to … blimps, the campaign’s ping-pong between fiction and reality kept fans engaged. Marketing about marketing! We only wish there was an extended cut that also showed us the marketing meeting to talk about this “fake” marketing meeting … 

Favorite Chalamet quote, re: Wheaties box placements: “To me, it’s marketing 101.” 

THE MONKEY — Strategic Censorship
The Monkey cleverly dropped a few documents onto their social channels with redactions that fueled curiosity about the film, while revealing exactly how much gore horror fans were in for! We particularly enjoyed the rejected ad submission and the MPAA notes.  

And even though it’s not a “film” - we also really loved that HBO poked some fun at itself for changing their “Max” streaming channel back to just HBO Max, using clever memes and stars from its own programming to spread the word in the funniest way possible. 

HORROR MOVIES THAT WENT ALL IN 

BRING HER BACK — Dark Web “Cursed Objects” Site
To promote the terrifying horror film Bring Her Back, a faux dark web site called “black angel tapes” appeared as an occult marketplace for cursed objects, teasing curious fans about the lore within the film. 

FINAL DESTINATION — The Infamous Log Truck Returns
Few images are as universally traumatizing as the Final Destination log truck, and reviving it as a real-world stunt to promote the latest installment was the perfect blend of nostalgia and collective scream therapy.

THE CONJURING: LAST RITES — Priest Blessings Before Screenings
When theaters bring in actual priests to bless audiences, you know the marketing has crossed into performance art. A simple, theatrical touch that made each screening feel like an event.

IMMERSIVE TIE-INS AND REAL-WORLD ACTIVATIONS

TRAIN DREAMS — Calm App Integration
Netflix partnered with wellness app Calm on a 20-minute immersive “Sleep Story,” that let audiences hear the soothing sounds of the film’s narrator Will Patton, backed by its original score and including some of Train Dreams’ dialogue to create a meditative soundscape. A clever way to promote the film, while also promoting relaxation! 

THE LONG WALK — Treadmill Screenings
Lionsgate invited influencers and critics to see Stephen King’s story of endurance early by challenging them to step into the character’s shoes. The studio turned a theater into a makeshift “Long Walk” by swapping seats for treadmills and hiring actors to act as drill sergeants, who would yell at participants if they fell below 3 mph. Viewers who didn’t maintain that pace for the entirety of the film were ejected from the screening! 

SEVERANCE — Glass Office PopUp at Grand Central
Though it’s a series and not a film, we were all in awe of Severance’s Office Popup at Grand Central station! In a chilling extension of the show’s aesthetic, the pop-up glass office transformed commuters into voyeurs and reinforced the show’s themes of surveillance, labor, and isolation. Viewers captured the action on their cell phones, resulting in a viral flood of social media footage that promoted the show’s second season. 

REACHING BEYOND THE CAMPAIGN

WEAPONS — Creating Viral Trends
Sometimes the audience does the best marketing for you! While Weapons started off their social media game strong with cryptic screenshots and fuzzy video clips, they also set off a viral trend of creators running with their arms straight out – as well as several amazing Aunt Gladys cosplays who mimicked seminal moments in the film, creating their own versions of her life beyond the story. 

BUGONIA — In-World Website
The “Human Resistance HQ” website extended Bugonia’s mythology, rewarding fans who wanted to dig deeper, and reinforcing the idea that this world exists beyond the screen. It definitely looks like a site a legit conspiracy theorist would build! And they didn’t skimp on the level of detail; the site even includes comments from believers. 

To further support the Human Resistance vibes, anyone logging a review on Letterboxd had to verify this hilarious CAPTCHA before their thoughts were logged:

BONUS 2026 ENTRY: A Local Shoutout to The Grand Cinema’s “GRANDHOG DAY”, which challenges audiences to live the experience. Four back-to-back screenings of Groundhog Day on the actual Groundhog Day (February 2nd)! And if guests make it through all four screenings, they’ll be entered for a chance to win a free year of movies at The Grand. 

It’s playful and perfectly aligned with the film’s premise — exactly the kind of experiential marketing we love to see!!! 

And, as always, 2025 was packed with great posters! Swipe through below to view some of our faves.