There’s no question that the single most influential piece of movie marketing is the trailer.
At least, that’s according to sisters Monica and Evelyn Brady, co-founders of the Golden Trailer Awards, which recognize excellence in film and TV trailers. Now in its 25th year, the awards have honored ads for projects ranging from action-packed blockbusters like Deadpool & Wolverine to Oscar-winning documentaries like 20 Days in Mariupol.
The Brady sisters founded the awards after graduating film school in 1999, when they were in need of a trailer editor for their own film and found that the people who worked on trailers weren’t credited anywhere easily recognizable. In the years since, the Golden Trailer Awards have ballooned from 19 categories to 108, and the Bradys have had plenty of experience homing in on what makes a movie trailer effective, especially as the trailer-making industry has gained more respect from both fans and professionals alike.
“When you go to an art museum, you can’t really picture what Monet’s face looks like,” Evelyn told Marketing Brew. “When you’re watching a trailer, it’s the same thing. You can appreciate the art. You don’t have to see the individual.”
