Gareth Edwards' Godzilla took a refreshingly 'less is more' approach to its marketing, and the sense of buzz and anticipation surrounding the project was a huge factor in the movie opening to $93.2m, much higher than industry analysts had predicted. The slow-burning marketing campaign for Godzilla kicked off way back in 2012 when a 'proof of concept' trailer was shown at Comic Con. The following year, Comic Con was again treated to exclusive footage that was received with overwhelming enthusiasm, generating huge amounts of interest in the project. The viral site M.U.T.O. Research launched just days before the stunning first teaser trailer dropped, which was viewed almost ten million times on YouTube in just two days. Godzilla's marketing campaign featured some of the best trailers and TV spots of the year (not to mention several beautiful posters) that eschewed the current Hollywood trend of showing too much in favor of a series of hugely effective promotional materials that pegged the movie as a must-see event.
Runner Up - Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
From the striking first one-sheet of Andy Serkis' Caesar to the rain-soaked and atmospheric teaser trailer, the marketing campaign made it clear that this would be more serious and thought-provoking than the average summer blockbuster. As the marketing progressed the trailers and TV spots were hugely effective in showing that the story had advanced and the stakes were much higher this time around. And of course, who wouldn't want to see a movie that is marketed in part by a poster of an ape on horseback wielding a machine gun?
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