Recently, there’s a new name in the film industry that’s not a person but a studio: A24. They’ve been nominated for over 50 Oscars and have won 16. What’s more, they’ve taken over Halloween and maybe even your closet. How have they done this? A24 has implemented a strategy of creative freedom and viral marketing, rather than traditional forms of marketing, to help build their name. As a result, they have become the go-to studio for some of the biggest and weirdest movies and TV shows of the past decade.

A24 started out as a distribution company, meaning they bought the rights to films that had already been produced. An example of this is their first hit, Spring Breakers, which featured Disney stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens in a gritty, neon-colored story. The movie also had a very strong artistic vision from director Harmony Korine and a clear hook for young audiences. Additionally, it had several memeable sequences, like James Franco’s “Look at my shit” speech, which helped to make it a viral success. They will do collaborations with other brands.

A24’s innovative online marketing strategy utilized gifts and memes to create hype for their movie. This included a post on Facebook that received over 20,000 likes, which was a huge success in 2013. The marketing worked and the movie set per screen attendance records for its opening weekend and had the biggest premiere of any limited release film that year. It was a huge success in terms of word-of-mouth and it proved that A24’s method of curating, marketing, and distributing films was effective. They created a strong brand that people knew and associated with distinct, vibey movies. This helped launch the careers of Ari Aster, the Daniels, Robert Eggers, Greta Gerwig, Jonah Hill, and Bo Burnham. A24 also employed creative marketing tactics, such as creating a Tinder account for Alicia Vikander’s character in Ex-Machina. They won their first Oscars in 2016 for Brie Larson’s performance in Room, Ex-Machina’s visual effects, and Amy as Best Documentary. A24’s first self-produced movie was Moonlight, which was a huge success and solidified their reputation. Since then, they have released a variety of successful films, such as Uncut Gems, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Euphoria. They also create and sell merchandise with their logo on it, which helps build their cult following. A24 has employed techniques from the fashion industry, such as collaborations with online ceramics and other brands. A24 has managed to create a sense of exclusivity around limited edition drops, making it a sought-after item for their die-hard fans. Despite the impression that they have the Midas touch, they have their missteps like any other studio. In 2022, they released 20 films, 2 more than Paramount, a studio much larger than them. To hide their bad films, they have deals with DirecTV and Apple TV, where the movies are quietly shuffled off. As a result, there are dozens of A24 films that nobody has heard of.

However, their tried and true strategies create big wins and they have a cult-like following. Fans appreciate their films for being weirder and more offbeat than what they usually see. The name A24 is abstract and mysterious, sparking curiosity in viewers.