Social Media 2023

Social Media has become the quickest and easiest way of informing and misinforming your brand or promotion.

Our experts are constantly staying on of whats hot and whats not. This is a full time marketing job these days. The question becomes is your messaging getting lost and is it driving sales and profitability on your overall brand marketing.

Smart marketers know that the strategy behind your social media on how and why each platform exists and its DNA is more important than your tactics. Let’s chat!!!

Here are some predictions for 2023:

TikTok will takeover…. although like most social media there is a lot of trash being spewed the platform will only get bigger. It will influence more and framing your messaging to your Fan and the TikTok consumer needs to fit their expectations .

Be Real will be the grow app for 2023 as a new platform for full expression of your messaging.

Linkedin will become more than just a job ( and even business ) media outpost.

Social SEO will replace hashtags .

Closed Captioning will be a new feature to provide a new spin to a change agent audience.

GIF’s are out of control and most businesses will start with training their employees to communicate differently internally.

Small business will cozy up to creators with once again content being King !!!

Stories to Reels transition will enhance brand experience and interaction.

Social Audio will become hotter than clubhouse content.. with GenZ replacing user generated content..

The bottom line is truly where you want to play where the spend aligns with your expectation in sales and brand growth .

Contact us for idea’s to make social media work for your brand and your customers.

Douglas Haase
Haaseline Entertainment

Technology Advances or Social Media Meltdown

Technology has revived a lot of creative juices in the marketing and promotion industry. The means of promotion sound bites getting to “shoppers from brands” has been delivered in the “Geography of Nowhere”.

Nowhere, also meaning the Now and Here. Social media , Gaming , Online shopping and education have become a lifestyle .

Real time touches to shoppers from brands is the new way of normal for marketing via technology. Voice activation will continue to grow on our machines and in the marketplace.

I have no problem with it and it is part of where this generation x group is taking us path forward. My Boomer generation has no problem with these changes we will just embrace it, hug it, and more importantly make it work for us.

This is the starting point for this piece; let’s not forget the time spent embracing and hugging. Seriously if you want to have sustainability with your shopper you must spend some quality time with them also. You must at least create a place they can come and convene with you thats more that a text or a pop up.

A website is not the full answer, just in case you tech heads thought that space  was sufficient.

We live in a marketing world where people appear to be living more in a virtual world than a real world. I am okay with dreaming and fantasizing about the future, but we owe it to our shoppers to educate them to see balance in life. Balance leads to comfort .

Hopefully our brand or retail locations are the places they find that balance.

So while we chat it up on facebook, trash it up on myspace /instagram/twitter or shop it up on-line from a text we got at work lets think of ways we can get people to enjoy our brands in the world they live in.

Case in point is did you know that museums, art galleries, parks are still one of the most visited places in our country in a non pandemic world . Marketing in educational venues should be a strong investment in getting families to experience our culture. Having your brand preserve history while leading the path where we are going is brand responsibility.

I challenge you to add the great outdoors to your marketing mix. Try adding a seasonal strategy to your plan to encourage your brand and shopper to bundle up and check out what’s happening away from the technology world. To capture an old marketing quip “Try it you’ll like it”.


We are all aware of the tragedies of Social Media and some of us ignore these, by saying that will never happen to me or my brand. It certainly won’t if you are encouraging your fans to take a break with your brand and step outside in our world and smell the “coffee, flowers, or even Haaseline Entertainment”

3D – What’s the Dimension This Week?

Do you have a small brand and a small budget ?? There is plenty to be had if you will allow your brand to move into a new dimension of winning vs we aren’t a big brand. Stay with me till the end !!

What a 3D year it was back in 2011 with well over 20 3D films. Now where’s the beef ?? Have you seen a 3D movie since?? Gimmicks are part of quick in and out way to market but you have to be on the front end to be effective.

IMAX appears to be the only high end format that continues to grow and allow raised ticket price experience.

I’m not knocking our tech update game just pointing out it nothing new. I loved the way masters like Hitchcock used 3D in the old days with Dial M with Murder and Cameron has mastered the same in 2009 with Avatar. Heck I even used 3D with an X-Men 2 scavenger hunt at Wal-Mart. 3D Branded glasses with 3D packaging and a 3D X-Men 2 branded poster give-away in early 2000’s.

 Wayne Gretsky claimed his excellence at Hockey was that he always knew where the puck was going to be vs. chasing it. So move your cheese constantly, be alert, stay engaged and consider all things for your marketing mix.

I used to fret at the changes from 8 tracks to cassette, VHS to Beta, VHS to DVD to Blu-Ray, on-line from brick n mortar, and hard-line to streamline. Keep all formats on your radar. A fully integrated program playing in all dimensions is the way for your brand to touch the universe, and not just a landscape.

So formats come a go , but they still have ways of rebounding !! LP’S now out sell CD’s?? VHS has had a rebound for nostalgia and Stranger things used the old VHS Box to package socks at Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights!!

One new economical promotion opportunity is franchise anniversaries. In 2023 Warner Brothers and Disney are celebrating 100 years. Toucan Sam from Fruit Loops turns 60 , SweetTarts turns 60 and Nerds turns 40 ?? Great movies like Jurassic Park 30, Scarface 40, and the Big Lebowski 35 are all great promotional opportunities and cost effective.

Haaseline Entertainment has opportunities for smaller brand to stand tall like the big brands. We specialize to making budgets stretch , improve incremental merchandising and co-market with retailers to grow customer relationships . Let us turn your past misses due to budgets into a nostalgic winner with a vision to grow !!

Studio Tentpoles vs Smaller Properties

It always amazes me when you hear the pitch on big tent pole properties. These are usually films that have at least a budget of 100M and are the properties studios are hanging their year on for big participation in the marketplace with brands and product. They come promised with tons of potential retail, and licensed brand support and you feel that you feel like you just bought your first package of shake and bake. This promotional meal looks easy, fast, and tastes…okay…but the cost to play in this feast is high for the perceived results.

The alternative is a property with limited budget support, little retail support or promotional/licensed product, and unless you are a paradigm pioneer partnering with a smaller property could be a Texas shootout.

So the decision sounds easy and most big companies do choose the easy comfortable way out. For comparison lets root for the underdog for a bit. Small films or properties have a less clutter advantage. If you’re a small brand you can play king of the hill. If handled properly, with a portfolio of products, you can create your own merchandising event with your normal retail support. A truly outstanding opportunity of showcasing and billboarding your shelf set for the promotion. Usually there is little or no license fee and the people behind the small brand are there to lend you “over the top”support to make the partnership work.

Now I don’t want to the talk behind the tent poles back, but the tendency is to let the property do the talking. If the retail community appears to be behind it, it does look inviting to participate and spend the bucks. Big retail and brand participation always has been inviting!!

The lesson really to be learned is it’s your job to make it or break it. You have to protect your brand and control what you can control. You must be responsible to stay on top of the pile that is uncontrollable.

If you think any of the 2 decisions is not going to take strong hands behind the wheel, you better stay off this road. You may think you have found the golden wrapper of a property and you will surely be mistaken. I have seen huge tent poles with lots of glitter on paper that look dynamic, however when the retail execution reality show sets in, fingers start a pointing.

The last thing you want is to put your customer or brand in a promoton where they can drop the ball and have that finger pointing at them or you.

The best advice is to develop a promotional matrix on how you think each facet of your organization will embrace either opportunity, tentpole or smaller property. Benchmark retail, sales, marketing, buyers, executives, internal and external factors before making your decision.

Set out clear objectives for your executional expectations and see if you and your brand can be accountable to the gold standard. If your answer is never, then I suggest giving either option a try , because it’s clear you or your company is a constant “Dr No” !!!

Holidays are the Best Time of the Year

As we get ready for a summer of biggest slate of tent pole offerings in some time, we also get an avalanche of media hyping the summer. Magazines, entertainment shows and websites are in full gear, advertising every offering that Hollywood has to offer.

The key to this Summer Marketing is the montage of fun under a summer umbrella. Its Fun under the Sun!!!

So what is bigger “Hollywood” or “Summer”? Granted retailers sell tons of non licensed products that are dedicated to the summer from apparel, food, grills, garden, to fans and suntan lotion. The media has worked a deal where all the summer movies are marketed towards a successful summer of entertainment.


So why don’t Retailers and Marketers do the same? Why not focus to treat summer entertainment as a category program and ask those who want to participate to do just that: Have fun in the sun and play in the Summer Entertainment sandbox.

The Media online and Print has the entire tent pole movies “Summer Blockbusters” collaged together to sell the summer. So instead of having 1 movie dominate your stores have Summer Blockbusters POS  grab a Product, Retail and Entertaining Theme that drives excitement for the bigger Summer Category. Everybody wins and Hollywood starts to truly become a total store category captain (not just the categories they play in). If the MediaMagazine category can pull this off why can’t retail do the same?

July is Comic Con Month and Fandom is perfect for retailers to get that Con feeling of exclusives being fed to fans through out the store. We did superhero’s in the produce aisle for years. Snack foods , Deli, and other departments can compliment this Summer Blockbuster promotion.

This strategy also allows ROI benefits with 1 POS kit that covers 3 months of merchandising. Merchandising can change as needed but the overall look hitchhikes on the millions of dollars spent to hype these movies.  It invites more players in all brands to be involved with a Blockbuster Summer Merchandising event. It sells a lot more product at Retail with the real hero of the season….Summer, Family , & Food !!!

Brand New for 2023 – Prequels, Sequels and Remakes

2022 was another banner year for reviving franchises and 2023 will continue the trend.
The ultimate question is “Isn’t there any good idea’s being created anymore?”

Q1 – 23

Feb 10 – Magic Mikes Last Dance

Feb 17 – Ant-Man & the Wasp : Quantumania

March 3 – Creed 3

March 10 – Scream 6

March 17 – Shazam 2

March 24th – John Wick 4

Q2 – 23

May 5th – Guardians of the Galaxy  3

May 19th – Fast X

May 26th – The Little Mermaid

June 2nd – Spiderman Spiderverse 2

June 9th – Transformers Rise of the Beast

June 30th- Indy 5

Q3 – 23

July 7th – Insidious 5

July 14th – MI 8

August 4th – The Meg 2, TMNT

August 11th – Haunted Mansion

Sept 1st – Equalizer 3

Sept 8th – The Nun 2

Sept 15th – The Haunting of Venice

Sept 22nd – Expendables 4

Q4 – 23

Oct 13th – The Exorcist

Oct 27th – Saw X

Nov 3rd – Dune 2

Nov 17th – Hunger Games , Trolls 3

The Industry does its best to play fair and I recommend going with certainly one of these redo’s and I think the winners are obvious.

Many consumers are looking at older content in entertainment that remind them of happier and simpler times. Tons of Intellectual Properties  are celebrating anniversaries which can be tied into promotionally to aid your promotion or brand in delivering just what shoppers are looking for in a campaign. These anniversary IP’s tend to be open to much more creative process and affordable to partner with.

Here are some thought starters :

Corporate brand anniversaries  

Blaupunkt – 99

Ford – 100

Harley Davidson – 120

Honda – 75

Nielsen – 100

Entertainment brand anniversaries  

Hip-Hop – 50

Marvel Studios – 30

Sony Pictures – 25

Tetris – 40

The Smurfs – 65

The Walt Disney Company – 100

Warner Bros. – 100

Fashion and apparel brand anniversaries 

Tommy Bahama – 30

Food and beverage brand anniversaries  

Kellogg’s – 60

Kraft – 100

Morton Salt – 175

Nerds – 40

Nesquik – 75

Peeps – 70

Pepsi – 130

SweetTarts / Ferrero – 60

Heritage brand anniversaries 

Art Ask Agency – 10

Harvard – 115

Laura Ashley – 70

London Underground (TfL) – 160

London Underground Tube Map (TfL) – 90

Van Gogh Museum – 50

Literature brand anniversaries  

National Geographic – 135

Beano – 85

Flower Fairies, Penguin Ventures – 100

Horrible Histories, Scholastic Corporation – 30

Playboy – 70

TIME – 100

Movie and Television brand anniversaries 

“Doctor Who,” BBC Studios – 60

‘Jurassic Park,’ Universal – 30

‘Paw Patrol,’ Paramount – 10

‘Power Rangers,’ Hasbro – 30

“Return of the Jedi,” LucasFilms – 40

The Rocky Horror Show – 50

‘Sarah & Duck’, Karrot Animation – 10

‘Scarface’, Universal – 40

‘The Big Lebowski,’ Universal – 35

‘The Wombles’ – 50

‘Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers’; Aardman – 30

Luxury brand anniversaries  

Swatch – 40

Versace – 45

Sports brand anniversaries 

24 Hours of Le Mans – 100

NASCAR – 75

PUMA – 75

Toys and Games brand anniversaries

8th Wonder – 25

Baby Annabell; Zapf Creation – 25

Canal Toys – 5

Clementoni – 60

Commotion Ltd – 40

Curious Universe – 5

Great Gizmos – 25

House of Marbles – 50

Jazwares U.K. – 10

Kap Toys – 5

Kosmos – 200

Little Live Pets; Moose Toys – 10

Marvin’s Magic – 35

Matchbox – 70

Scrabble – 70

Sequin Art Ltd – 60

Smart Toys & Games – 30

Tree Toys Ltd – 35

Yookidoo – 15

Douglas Haase
Haaseline Entertainment

Super Hero’s or Saturated Fat

Superhero Movies have been running their course over several decades with many hits, and some misses. Regardless of the outcome of any of these, the heightened awareness attached to these movies is immense. Marvel, DC, & Valiant Entertainment will have have the bulk of the offerings, but the $ attached to making these movies is enormous and can’t be overlooked in your marketing plans.

Here’s quick education for those in the fog. Warner Brothers has the rights to DC Comics  which will have The Batman & The Flash 2022 ,and the #1 hit 2018 Aquaman, Suicide Squad (Justice League ) and  The Flash, Supergirl and Lois & Clark on CW..

Disney owns Marvel, but is watching closely as contracts expire on certain Marvel equities with other major studios. Within that contract Universal has had Hulk, and has a Marvel Island in their theme parks. Marvel has Avengers, Thor, Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy, Antman and Dr Strange. Disney bought Fox which has given us X-Men Franchise, Deadpool & Fantastic 4 , Daredevil, , Sony gives us Spiderman Homecoming series with newest killing the box office with 1 B in 10 days, MIB  & Venom 2 2021 , Morbius 2022.

Valiant Entertainment’s Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel ,Harbinger, Faith have 6 movies from Sony with more from Paramount.

Hopefully you get my point, that we just can’t ignore them and that the overloaded marketplace can appear to have some saturated fat.

The other reason to love them is that they (in most cases) are “all family” movies which broadens your offerings to your shoppers. All in all these films have sold Billions of $ in merchandise and still rule the buzz meters in social media.

Here’s the scoop most of them are tentpole pictures for their respective studio’s and tend to have plenty of promotional partners.  When researching an opportunity in the Superhero genre, pay specific attention to whom the other licensee’s are, when the movie is released in the calendar are there other events adjacent to the film’s release, and are their physical attributes the characters have that play into your brands ( i.e. color, size, letters etc. )

I have seen very few players in promotion play in all the arena’s Valiant , Marvel & DC have for their properties. I also know from experience that they tend to be a bit greedy as you move from licensed equities within their properties. I am hoping to see a player use all these opportunities to drive an extensive reach to existing and new shoppers. A typical property can have promotional opportunities tied to a movie, TV, print (comics), numerous other new category tie-ins (for your brands) such as theme parks, character /actor appearances etc.

https://www.facebook.com/MrDirectorofFun/videos/1834201131499/

Take a look at the calendar, and think big. Get your organization to broaden the promotional opportunity offered by these superheros and start realizing super results. Don’t forget you and your brand are quite the hero’s also!!

https://www.facebook.com/MrDirectorofFun/videos/1825024182081/

For more information on how to morph your brand in a supersize promotion and become a superhero in your company contact Haaseline Entertainment. Let us help you  have a fit brand with no saturated fat , but all the trimmings.

2023 Tentpoles

Haaseline Entertainment always loves to give our picks for tentpole efforts for each year. 2023 will have a full slate of winners and the box office should build strong momentum thru July just in time for Back to School.

As always we prefer programs that capture a theme and possibly include the Home Entertainment release. Integrated with a balance of Digital & Retailtainment based on your brand and budget. Our Choices are listed by Studio and Calendar.

Lionsgate – Mar 24th – John Wick 4, Sept 22nd Expendables 4, Oct 27th – Saw X, Nov 17th – The Hunger Games ,

Disney/Marvel/20th Century – Feb 17th – Ant Man and Wasp 3, May 5th -Galaxy of the Guardians 3, May 26th- The Little Mermaid , July 28th The Marvels, , Aug 11th – Haunted Mansion, Sept 15th – The Haunting in Venice , Oct 6th Kraven the Hunter

Warner Media – Feb 10th- Magic Mikes Last Dance, Mar 17th Shazam 2,  June 23rd – The Flash, July 21st – Barbie, Aug 4th The Meg 2, Aug 18th – Blue Beetle, Sept 8th – The Nun 2, Oct The Exorcist , Nov 3rd – Dune 2 ,

Paramount –  Mar 6th Scream 6 , Mar 31st Dungeons & Dragons, June 9th – Transformers Rise of the Beast, June 30th- Indy 5, July 14th MI Dead Reckoning Pt 1, Aug 4th – TMNT Mutant Mayhem , Oct 13th Paw Patrol 2,

Sony – June 2nd – Spiderman Spiderverse 2,  June 30th Harold & the Purple Crayon, July 7th – Insidious 5 , Sept 1st – Equalizer 3

Universal – Jan 6 – Megan, Feb 3 – Knock at the Cabin, April 7th Super Mario, May 19th – Fast X , Nov 27th – Trolls 3,

MGM – Mar 3rd – Creed 3

There are many other great movies available, but these have amazing possibilities for a long and massive marketing event.

Please feel free to call and get promotional advice on these and other properties in 2023 at Haaseline Entertainment.

Why Movies ??

The question pushed back is always expected , particularly from companies that don’t engage in Entertainment Marketing.

Why Movies?? or Entertainment?

Facts drive the choice!

2/3’s of US/Canada pop. go to the movies!! Box office it reaching 50B globally soon. Attendance for Movies is bigger than theme parks, sporting events and concerts for almost 2B in total for all. Ages 12-39 consume 55% of movie goers!!

Millennials love Movies. 47% of visits by Millennials under 25 attend opening weekends and see 6.2 movies per year. Millennials over 30 spend more $ at the movies than any other segment.

Hispanics are the most avid moviegoers in America!! They see 8.7 movies per year and they talk about the content and promotions 26% more than non-hispanics !

Bottom line is consumers will buy 5% more product when tied to movie or character.

Haaseline Entertainment works with studio’s to create One of a Kind programs that generate over the top shopper interaction with the program.

"Snack Back in Time"

Haaseline Entertainment feeling a bit nostalgic today with "Snack Back in Time" on the Promotion Menu!!

Posted by Haaseline Entertainment on Friday, April 8, 2016

Haaseline Entertainment’s Oreo stacking not only grew consumption but got fanatics to buy the product to play with!!!! When the program was integrated with entertainment, the program sky rocketed into the best Retailtainment model still quoted by Wal-Mart Stores!!

Contact us on how to get started!!

2023 Prequels , Sequels and Remakes

2022 was another banner year for reviving franchises and 2023 will continue the trend.
The ultimate question is “Isn’t there any good idea’s being created anymore?”

Q1 – 23

Feb 10 – Magic Mikes Last Dance

Feb 17 – Ant-Man & the Wasp : Quantumania

March 3 – Creed 3

March 10 – Scream 6

March 17 – Shazam 2

March 24th – John Wick 4

Q2 – 23

May 5th – Guardians of the Galaxy  3

May 19th – Fast X

May 26th – The Little Mermaid

June 2nd – Spiderman Spiderverse 2

June 9th – Transformers Rise of the Beast

June 30th- Indy 5

Q3 – 23

July 7th – Insidious 5

July 14th – MI 8

August 4th – The Meg 2, TMNT

August 11th – Haunted Mansion

Sept 1st – Equalizer 3

Sept 8th – The Nun 2

Sept 15th – The Haunting of Venice

Sept 22nd – Expendables 4

Q4 – 23

Oct 13th – The Exorcist

Oct 27th – Saw X

Nov 3rd – Dune 2

Nov 17th – Hunger Games , Trolls 3

Douglas Haase
Haaseline Entertainment