7 communication lessons from new movie trailers

Hollywood knows how to tell a story. Embed yourself. Know your audience. Be succinct. Tips for communicators from ‘Star Wars,’ ‘The Revenant,’ ‘The Hunger Games’ and other new releases.

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

Trailers have long appealed to me, because in two or three minutes they tell stories in a fast-paced, highly visual manner, ditching ponderous narrative and lengthy exposition.

“The goal of a trailer is not to inform,” says Drew Keller, president of StoryGuide.net. “It is to engage. It is to captivate. It is to bring people to the theater, where they buy popcorn and see more trailers. … It is important as a marketer to identify the purpose, craft the message to meet that purpose and put it in the right channel. Movie trailers do that brilliantly.”

So, what lessons do this season’s trailers offer for communicators? Read on.

1. “The Revenant”: Embed yourself.

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.