Clio Entertainment Awards 50th Anniversary – The Hollywood Reporter

Anyone excited about a Super Bowl commercial knows that the 30-60 second duration is a work of narrative art in itself. And with some eagerly awaited movie trailers becoming their own form of news, those tantalizing previews could get more people’s attention than the movies they’re promoting.

Upcoming trailer Spider-Man: There’s no way home, for example, amassed 355 million views within 24 hours of its release, according to statin.com. And that level of expectation isn’t just exclusive to franchise establishments with fanboy followings. ABC’s Good Morning America released the first official trailer for Steven Spielberg’s long-awaited rendition of West story as a “world-exclusive” in September, with all the urgency of this “just in” news development.

The people behind the Clio Entertainment Awards (the great growth of The Hollywood ReporterThe Key Arts Awards, which are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year) recognize the unique place that entertainment promotion is held in today’s cross-platform universe. “You don’t really see that consumers are looking for advertising the way they do entertainment marketing,” said Ashley Falls, chief executive officer of Clio Entertainment.

The “of the year” nominees for management company, game publisher, and TV/streaming include the usual suspects, while in the studio category, indie players like A24 and Lionsgate, like Netflix, stands and scoffs at traditional pundits like Disney, Universal, and Warners.

Falls considers the talent behind the marketing of movies, television, and games as Hollywood’s “unsung heroes,” which is why the Clio event, which affords them a rare moment so well received, so well received.

“I think this industry [has] Nicole Purcell, CEO of Clio Entertainment said. “They sit there, they watch everything, they love it, they cheer for the people in their company – it’s very, very engaging.”

Purcell, with Clios since 2010, has seen the event ramp up to peak capacity (1,500 to 2,000) at the Dolby Theater, where the Oscars are held. It was a huge leap from the first ceremony in 1971, held as a garden party in the LA home of the time-CHEAP publisher and editor Tichi Wilkerson when the competition focused solely on movie posters. One sheet for Dalton Trumbo’s Johnny Got His Gun won the top prize.

Since then, it has changed locations frequently while the range of categories, or “vehicles”, has grown exponentially with the technological evolution of entertainment, from the advent of entertainment family to today’s streaming era. There are now more than 100 categories, with no limit to the number of finalists.

This year, there are 51 shortlisted winners in the theatrical trailer category alone, hinting at the scope of the field. There is also an “experiences” category that was introduced in 2013. An example would be “Maisel Day,” in which Amazon partnered with 40 LA businesses in August 2019 to drop prices back to the year. 1959, period Miraculous Mrs. Maisel, to raise money for the show’s 20 Emmy nominations that year.

After being left in the dark in 2020 because of COVID-19 and the pandemic still lingering, the Clio ceremony will be revived this year as a cocktail mixer at Sunset Room Hollywood, with 750 people expected. will attend.

In January, Falls noted, “we thought this was just a virtual event. But then when things started to come back, we wanted something with us, even though it wasn’t normal. We just wanted to be together, but we wanted to make sure everyone was comfortable in the space.”

In the build-up to its 50th anniversary, Clio Entertainment planners compiled a list of 50 groundbreaking posters and trailers, each curated by five marketers well known in the industry and publish them on the Muse by Clio website (Shuibycl.io). They also enlisted creative advertising agency The Refinery to produce an opening video. “We’re creating a love letter to the industry,” Falls said. “And so there will be different segments throughout the show that reflect the rich history of entertainment marketing.”

In terms of jury selection, the mantra is to select and recognize professionals working in the respective fields of the competition as well as the advertising agencies that serve them.

“We are really proud of the fact that our juries are made up of the best and brightest in the industry,” says Purcell. “We change the jury every year to get a new perspective. But the people who judge the work are really the people who create it. I think that adds value to the awards, because it’s the peers who vote for it, just like the Academy. “The criteria for their decisions revolved around creativity, originality, innovation, and ability to inspire.

And with social media drawing more attention and scrutiny to their efforts – Falls noted that Sonic the Hedgehog fans weren’t pleased with the CGI effects seen in the game. trailers, leading to changes – the world of marketing under a microscope is like the content it helps support upward. “I think there’s so much attention being paid to the creation of these properties that people feel a real connection and want to see every aspect of it,” Falls said, “and what it’s all about. That makes marketing for these properties so much more interesting.

“But also, you have to clear the board every time a new asset is launched. And studios, broadcasters, networks are all trying to figure out what the next big thing in the industry will be. ”

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1971

The first Major Art Prize, founded by CHEAP editor-publisher Tichi Wilkerson, organized as a garden party at her home; that will continue for the next four years. The big winner is the poster for Johnny Got His Gun, an anti-war film written and directed by Dalton Trumbo. The jury includes art scholars, museum curators, film critics and CHEAP Staff.

1977

The ceremony, still largely focused on printmaking, expanded in scope, moving to the Museum of Science and Industry. Shortlisted works are displayed at museums and venues such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in La Jolla and the ShoWest exhibitors conference.

1986

Category for trailers added and won by Pearl of the Nile. Other items introduced include standees and billboards.

1989

The jury included legendary graphic designer Saul Bass, whose poster and title designs include those for Otto Preminger. Anatomy of a murderr and Alfred Hitchcock’s Dizzy. An advisory board was set up to promote the awards as a promotional answer to the Academy Awards.

1990

The ceremony moved to DGA’s headquarters on Sunset Boulevard, where it continued to reside for the next several years.

1991

The Lifetime Achievement Award is introduced. Its the first recipient? Saul Bass. While the categories are beginning to reflect the broader landscape of advertising platforms, including home video and commercials, posters remain the main draw of the evening.

1992

For hosting Tony Curtis, the winner will include a free lounge pass for The Addams . family, while Batman is back! and Beauty and the Beast tie for title english poster. The Lifetime Achievement Honoree is Robert Peak, who created the posters for Camelot, My beautiful girl and Red.

1999

An internet advertising category was added and won by Zorro’s Mask.

2002

A contest for students is added to the mix, with the aim of uncovering the next generation of talent.

2004

The ceremony moved to the Kodak Theater in Hollywood (later renamed the Dolby Theater), where the Oscars were held.

2007

The Vision Award, given to filmmakers whose work inspires film marketers, is added. Robert Rodriguez, who has Sin City was the big winner last year, was the recipient of the inaugural award. The ceremony was held at the Beverly Hilton and chaired by Rob Corddry.

2008

The event took place at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, and Judd Apatow took home the Vision Award. The award is presented for the best campaign, given to the studio or distributor that executes the most successful marketing strategy; Miramax win for There is no country for the elderly.

2010

The event moves downtown to Vibiana, a former Roman Catholic church that has been converted into a party space. A new master award for integrated marketing will be presented to District 9.

2014

The Major Arts Awards were taken over by Clios (and renamed the Clio Entertainment Awards in 2017) and returned to Dolby, hosted by Nick Offerman, and Drew Struzan (ET., Indiana Jones, Star Wars), winner of the Honorary Saul Bass Award for graphic design, receiving the biggest round of applause of the night.

Year 2020

Clios is dark due to COVID-19.

Year 2021

The ceremony returned in a more modest incarnation at the Sunset Room. Voice artist Tom Kane, voice of Star Wars character and an Oscar-winning broadcaster, will receive an honorary Clio Entertainment Award.

This story first appeared in the December 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe.