The Role of Public Relations (PR) in the Success of Independent Films
Keywords:
Public Relations, Independent Films, Social Media Marketing, Film Festivals, Digital PR, Audience Engagement, Film Marketing, Streaming Platforms, Influencer Marketing.Abstract
Public relations (PR) plays a critical role in the marketing and success of independent films, particularly in Nigeria’s Nollywood industry, where filmmakers often face financial and distribution challenges. This study explores the effectiveness of PR strategies in enhancing audience engagement, increasing film visibility, and overcoming promotional barriers for independent films. Using a qualitative research design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions with independent filmmakers, PR professionals, film critics, and audience members. Findings reveal that digital PR strategies, including social media marketing, influencer collaborations and film festival promotions, have become essential tools for independent film marketing. However, financial limitations and restricted access to traditional media remain significant challenges for Nigerian filmmakers. The study also highlights that streaming platforms (such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and YouTube) and international film festivals (like AFRIFF and TIFF) provide viable promotional alternatives for independent filmmakers. The research concludes that integrating digital PR with traditional marketing techniques can significantly improve audience engagement and commercial success for Nollywood independent films. It recommends increased government and industry support, better training in PR strategies and the exploration of digital marketing tools to further enhance PR effectiveness in the Nigerian film industry.References
Adebayo, T. The Role of Social Media Influencers in Nollywood Film Marketing.
Lagos: Lagos UP, 2019. p. 78.
Akinleye, A. PR and Audience Engagement in Nigerian Films. African Communication Review, 12(1), 2019. 56.
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 2006. 77–101.
Brinkmann, S. Interviewing as Qualitative Research: A Guide for Researchers in Education and the Social Sciences. Teachers College Press, 2014. p. 79.
Creswell, J. W. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. SAGE , 2013. p. 76.
Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches. SAGE, 2018. p. 138.
Ellis, J. Visible Fictions: Cinema, Television, Video. Routledge, 2012. p. 2022. Ekwuazi, H. Film Making in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects. Africa Media Review,
(3), 2007. 35.
Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. Comparison of Convenience Sampling and Purposive Sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 2016. 1–4.
Gwynne, J. Celebrity Culture and Social Media: An Analysis of PR Strategies in Film Promotion. Macmillan Palgrave , 2017. p. 89.
Hesmondhalgh, D. The Cultural Industries. SAGE, 2007.
Haynes, J. Nollywood: The Creation of Nigerian Cinema. Duke University Press, 2016. p. 87.
Holbrook, M. B., & Addis, M. Consumer Responses to Film Marketing: The Role of Public Relations. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(2), 2008. 210–225.
King, G. Independent Film Distribution and PR Strategies: The Global Perspective.
Bloomsbury, 2019. p. 210.
Kerrigan, F. Film Marketing. Elsevier, 2010. p. 134.
King, G. Independent Film Distribution and PR Strategies: The Global Perspective.
Bloomsbury, 2019. p. 210.
Klinger, B. Beyond the Multiplex: Cinema, New Technologies, and the Home.
California UP, 2018. p. 44.
Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. Naturalistic Inquiry. SAGE , 1985. p. 301.
Madichie, N. O. Nollywood: The Business of Film in Nigeria. Journal of African Business, 11(2), 2010. 2.
McCombs, M. & Shaw, D. The Agenda-Setting Function of Mass Media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), 1972.176-187.
Morgan, D. L. Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. SAGE, 1997. p. 36. McDonald, P. Hollywood and the Digital Economy: Public Relations in Film
Marketing. Bloomsbury, 2013. p. 56.
Newman, M. Z. Indie: An American Film Culture. Columbia UP, 2011. p. 78.
Okon, P. Media Exposure and Audience Engagement in Nigerian Independent Cinema. Ibadan UP, 2020. p. 45.
Peranson, M. Film Festivals and PR Strategies: The Industry’s Changing Landscape. Wallflower Press, 2013. p. 134.
Perren, A. Indie, Inc.: Miramax and the Transformation of Hollywood in the 1990s.
Texas UP, 2012. p. 87.
Redfern, N. PR Strategies and Film Reception: The Role of Publicity in Audience Engagement. European Journal of Communication, 27(1), 2012. 67–84.
Scott, A. The Economics of Film: PR, Promotion, and the Marketplace. SAGE, 2019.
p. 88.
Smith, G. Marketing and Public Relations in the Entertainment Industry. Routledge, 2015. p. 44.
Staiger, J. Media Reception Studies: PR and Audience Perception in Film Promotion. NYU Press, 2015. p. 123.
Saunders, B., Kitzinger, J., & Kitzinger, C. Anonymizing Interview Data.
Qualitative Health Research, 25(5), 2015. 617–623.
Tryon, C. On-Demand Culture: Digital PR and the Rise of Streaming Cinema.
Rutgers UP, 2013. p. 162.
Vogel, H. Entertainment Industry Economics: PR and Advertising in Film Distribution. Cambridge UP, 2014. p. 95.
Wiles, R. What Are Qualitative Research Ethics? Bloomsbury Academic, 2012. p.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of the Literary Society of Nigeria
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.