Vancouver film director Lisa Jackson has found success with guerilla marketing of her short documentary Suckerfish. Jackson’s film premiered at Hot Docs this April, and has since screened at festivals in Edinburgh, Melbourne, Toronto and Vancouver — with scheduled screenings in Detroit, New York, and other cities.

As an independent film maker, Jackson markets her film without the deep pockets of a major studio. Drawing from her background in communication, Jackson has tapped into film-making listserves to promote Suckerfish. She hands out Suckerfish postcards and “one-sheets” (fact sheets) at screenings and film festivals. Her website also offers a video clip and stills.

I mention Jackson and Suckerfish because the film’s success shows that marketing is more about strategic efforts and creativity than big budgets and glossy materials. With a clear direction and good ideas, even a small organization can gain the attention of customers and the media.

(c) 2004 by Andrea Coutu. Vancouver Marketing Consultant. All rights reserved.