Pressbook

In cinema a pressbook may be a piece of promotional material created and distributed by film producers in order to market their films. Prior to 1980, most film companies did their own promotion, and the pressbooks would be given to exhibitors.

Pressbooks generally contained information on the stars of the film, illustrations of film posters or newspaper advertisements, notes that could be planted in newspaper features or blurbs, ideas for exploitation campaigns, and other promotional materials including ready-made film reviews, souvenir-style giveaways and listings of various tie-ins with the film.

It should be distinguished from a press book, which is a collection of works and communications used to represent an individual, group of individuals, service, company or product. It is usually associated with creative professionals. It may be textual, graphic (photo, illustration, painting...), animated (video/film,3D...), or algorithmic (games...).

It may include press releases, advertisings, editorials, instructions for use, or any information that pertains to that person/product, or of works and communications used to represent an individual, group of individuals, service, company, or product. It is usually associated with creative professionals.

References

• "'No war, no hate, no propaganda': promoting films about European war and fascism during the period of American isolationism", Alan Rostron, Journal of Popular Film and Television, Summer 2002.