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An ‘Inconvenient’ marketing opportunity

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MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: The heat wave across this country has helped business at movie theaters. As Marketplace’s Jeff Tyler tells us, the high temperatures have boosted the bottom line for one film in particular.


JEFF TYLER: When it’s hot outside, Americans tend to spend more time inside air-conditioned movie theaters.

BRIAN FUSON: “The heat wave has been good for business.”

That’s Brian Fuson, box office analyst for the Hollywood Reporter.

Global warming might seem like counter-intuitive programming for folks trying to escape the heat, but the new ad campaign for the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” has used the toasty weather to its advantage.

Newspaper ads for the film now list scorching temperatures in several US cities.

FUSON: “It’s kind of unusual in the 7th, 8th week of release to have fresh ad campaigns going out to keep a film in the public eye. I think it’s been pretty effective.”

Effective enough, says Fuson, that “An Inconvenient Truth” is on track to gross more than $20 million dollars.

I’m Jeff Tyler for Marketplace.

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