Inside Out Marketing

Sell the cart before the horse.

Used to be that it took years for movies to come out on video. First came a theatrical release, then premium cable, then either network TV — back when there were three (really!) network) — then maybe video.

The DVD boom accelerated the process. Feature films show up on DVD within months or weeks of their theatrical release (at least officially. Torrent sites and terrestrial pirates offer copies of "screeners" even faster.)

But the new series, Caprica, a spinoff and prequel to Battlestar Galactica, is set to debut on TV in early 2010. However, the DVD of the movie that begins the series came out this week.

It's an interesting twist. It allows the studio to begin recouping their investment almost immediately, sure, but it also serves as a powerful marketing tool for the new series. Even if it leaks out for free downloading — and it has — it's being watched and if it's any good, serves as a device to attract attention and interest for the series.

It's kind of like releasing a single prior to the album, in ancient music biz terms.

Good idea, imho.