Obsession
Powered by Neuravo™, our media planning and performance platform, Lexlab built and ran a hyper efficient multi channel campaign for the Australian cinema release of the horror film Obsession. Tight custom local cinema targeting, disciplined frequency control and high impact connected TV placements helped propel the film past $17M at the box office in its first four weeks, maintaining the number 2 slot week after week ahead of major releases including the latest Star Wars and Scary Movie.
Challenge
Lexlab was engaged to drive awareness and cinema ticket sales for the Australian release of Obsession, a new horror title from director Curry Barker. The brief was to keep the film front of mind through a crowded release window and hold a strong box office position week on week.
With multiple cinema venues and no single ticketing pixel across the circuit, the campaign had to optimise to efficient video and engagement signals rather than one conversion event. The total marketing budget sat under $500,000, so every dollar needed to work hard across reach, frequency and conversion.
Strategy
The plan centred on hyper efficient custom local cinema targeting, reaching audiences in the catchments that mattered most to each venue. High reach digital video carried the trailer across YouTube, BVOD, TikTok, Meta and PreRoll, while frequency control kept the film in front of the right people without wasting spend.
A focused high impact layer of Demand Gen and Masthead placements was built to amplify strong early reviews and seed new audiences as word of mouth grew, keeping Obsession in the zeitgeist of the Australian market through release and beyond.
Approach
Lexlab built a custom budget and channel split on the Neuravo™ platform, phased across pre release and in cinema bursts. Spend was upweighted around release to drive opening momentum, then sustained to hold position through the following weeks.
Multiple trailer cuts and short form edits were produced to suit each platform and placement. Cross channel delivery was managed in real time, with budget moved to the placements taking spend most efficiently across the campaign.
The Process
Real time measurement and channel control kept the campaign efficient from launch through to its fourth week in cinemas.
Custom Local Targeting
Audiences were targeted by local cinema catchment, concentrating delivery where ticket buying was most likely. Media stayed efficient and relevant to each venue rather than spread thinly across the country.
Multi Channel CTV
The campaign reached audiences across multiple connected TV delivery mechanisms, including streaming platforms, BVOD and a YouTube Masthead buyout. BVOD completion held near 98%, delivering the full trailer on the big screen in the living room.
Demand Gen Amplification
Demand Gen was used to amplify positive early reviews and seed new eyeballs as momentum built. The channel over delivered against budget and brought efficient incremental reach across YouTube and Google inventory.
Real-Time Reporting
A custom real time dashboard tracked cost per completed view, engagement and pacing across every channel. Integrated Numero box office tracking sat alongside media performance for a live view of revenue against delivery.
Results
- YouTube
- YouTube Masthead
- Meta
- BVOD (Broadcast Video On Demand)
- TikTok
- Pre-roll
- Demand Gen
- Digital Out of Home
- Display
- 7.9m video views
- 39.8m impressions delivered
- 380k+ total clicks
- $0.06 blended cost per video view
- Generated $17m+ in the first four weeks
- Maintained #2 box office slot week after week
- <$500k total marketing spend
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