“Saturday night at the movies, who cares what picture you see,” sang The Drifters in their 1965 hit. But you know what? I do. I really do care what I see.

And whilst I’m proud to say Vin Diesel’s Don Toretto in Fast & Furious has shaped what I think family really means and I got all teary eyed at the end of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, there’s still nothing quite like spotting the A24 logo at the start of a trailer and getting all weak at the knees.

So how did a company that started life in 2012 as a film distributor, only turning to production four years later, become as recognisable and revered as cinema’s great directors and stars?

In short, it’s not just down to good branding. It’s a masterclass in accelerating growth; built on gut instinct, sharp taste and an openness to do things differently.

Media Innovation

“Our filmmakers make amazing movies, so we have to do bold things to make them happen.” David Fenkel, A24, co-founder.

The big problem, though: it isn’t quite enough to shine a light on something a little different and then expect it to weave its way into the cultural ether. Films like Ex Machina could easily have been buried without a trace, if not for A24’s innovative approach to advertising.

The co-founders have regularly stated that they simply didn’t have the funds to compete with the major players, particularly through traditional forms of advertising. One thing they did have, though, was an understanding of internet culture.

Through innovative campaigns across far cheaper digital channels and guerrilla marketing tactics, A24 ensured that its movies reached maximum hype potential, particularly among those pesky Gen Z and Millennial audiences.

For Ex Machina, they created a fake Tinder profile named Ava that matched with users at SXSW and turned out to be a chatbot promoting the film. For The Witch, they made Twitter accounts for various characters, including a satanic goat. For Hereditary, they sent creepy dolls to influencers and critics.

This wasn’t just about creating online buzz and hoping for a Daily Mail sidebar mention. It’s about building a brand identity so distinctive that people know exactly what they’re getting when they see an A24 logo: originality, unease, aesthetic perfection and a story that sticks with you.