The Marketing Lesson Behind Marvel Studios’ First Box Office Failure In 15 Years

On the heels of a disappointing first several weeks of box office ticket sales for the new Marvel movie, Disney studio leadership immediately laid the blame on director Nia DaCosta. Then they apparently gave up on salvaging sales almost immediately, refused to consider early streaming, stopped reporting box office numbers and even started rethinking what was once celebrated as a brilliant crossover strategy between TV and film worlds. Finally, they launched desperate last minute marketing shifts that released spoilers, undermined the story and likely hurt the film’s box office performance even more.

None of it accounts for probably the biggest reason for the film’s underperformance: the fact that the theatrical release was squarely during the actor’s strike, which meant that A-list cast members like Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson were unable to do the usual media interviews and draw attention to the film to remind moviegoers to hit the theaters.

Ultimately, the entire story offers a case study in how a large brand leadership team can fail to understand the real reason for early setbacks and make a situation far worse through overreaction. The bottom line marketing lesson: panic combined with impatience can kill an otherwise viable product.