Summer Movie Ad Buys: ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘Mad Max’ Get Biggest U.S. Spend

Among Hollywood studios, Warner Bros. paid the most this summer to advertise its films — or 27.1 percent of all dollars shelled out.

ByPamela McClintock

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Pamela McClintock

Senior Film Writer

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September 8, 2015 2:07pm

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An eclectic trio of films —Mad Max: Fury Road,Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation andEntourage— topped the list of 2015 summer movies getting the biggest television advertising spend in the U.S.

All in all,Warners spent $43.7 million on ads forFury Road,George Miller‘s critically acclaimed prequel, while Paramount spent $42 million to plugRogue Nationon the airwaves, according to iSpot.tv, which monitors TV advertising.Entourage, the adaptation of the hit HBO series, also got a big spend: $40.7 million.

One trend iSpot.tv CEOSean Mullernoticed this summer: “Studios are trying to drill in when the movie is coming out by changing an ad to say, ‘Opening in four days, three days, two days and one day.’ ”

Like Mad Max,Entourage hails fromWarners, known for being aggressive when it comes to marketing. The studio easily spent more than any of its rivals on television advertising for its 2015 summer slate — $264.3 million, according toiSpot. That represents 27.1 percent of the total $973.3 million spent on TV movie ads between May 15 and Aug. 31, a hefty sum underscoring just how much studios and indie distributors remain tethered to the small screen when it comes to promoting their wares.

Warners had a difficult season, however, with many of its summer titles disappointing, includingEntourage(the comedy earned just $44.5 million domestically). New Line andWarners‘Vacation reboot has fared better, with $92.2 million domestically, but the filmmakers had hoped for more. TV ad spend for Vacation totaled $35.2 million.

Two stand-outs forWarners wereMad Maxand San Andreas, earning $154.3 million and $153 million, respectively. San Andreasboasted a TV spend of $39.4 million.

AfterWarners, Universal spent the most on TV advertising, or $168.9 million. The studio — on fire at the box office and enjoying the biggest year in history for any Hollywood studio — spent $34.9 million to advertiseJurassic World, $26.1 million on Minions and $25.6 million onTrainwreck (that includes ads that ran before May 15).

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Disney followed with $110.4 million for four releases. The studio and Marvel spent more onAnt-Man ($34.8 million) than on Avengers: Age ofUltron ($26.9 million) since the former was a new property. The spend on Pixar’sInside Out was $27 million, roughly the same amount allocated for Disney’s summer bombTomorrowland.

Fox spent $90 million for TV advertising for five summer titles, including $24.3 million forJoshTrank‘s ill-fatedFantastic Four, $23.4 million for box-office hitSpy and $16.9 million forJohn Green YA adaptationPaper Towns.

Releasing four films this summer, Sony spent an estimated $72.5 million.Adam Sandler‘sPixels received a generous $32.1 million in TV ad buys, but the studios did cut back on spending forAloha when it looked like thepic was in trouble.

Paramount spent $65.5 million on television ads between May 15 and Aug. 31, split up largely betweenMission: ImpossibleandTerminator:Genisys.

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