The Founder's Brew - Vol. 60

This Week: About that Game, EI on the Rise, and Pages from the Commonplace Book

About That Game

Super Bowl LVII (teaching my kids Roman numerals, so I might as well lead by example) turned out to be a great football game. Also, Philly fans DIDN'T burn down the city, although they did flip a car, so they didn't entirely go off-script. I have no interest in reviewing the Super Bowl ads as there are a million and one sites you can go to for perspectives on that, but I would like to talk about the number of movie spots that ran. By last count, at least eight movies released spots either during the run-up to the game or during the actual game, and that doesn't count the Disney 100th Anniversary spot that ran for a full 90 secs (.)  

What makes this even better news is that all of these films will be premiering in theaters rather than day/date on a streamer or only a quick release before heading to a streamer. This is an excellent shot in the arm for all the theaters struggling to keep the lights on. I also sensed that things might be returning to a pre-COVID release schedule. I can't remember the last time this many spots played during the Super Bowl and all big movies to boot. Now, there are arguments to be made that most, if not all, of these films are sequels or reboots, but I will take what I can get. The key at this point in the game (pun intended) is to get as many people’s butts in the seats as possible, and if this is what it takes, so be it. We can debate what kind of movies are being made after we finally start getting folks to consider going back to the movies. 

There's a clip running around the interwebs this week showing Steven Spielberg thanking Tom Cruise at the Oscar Nominees Luncheon for more or less saving the theatrical business and Hollywood in general by waiting to release Top Gun 2 versus letting it fly on a streamer. You know what: Speilberg is right. Yes, there were small hits here and there, but nothing like the juggernaut that was Top Gun 2, which more or less reminded people about the joy of moviegoing. I've said, and I will keep saying, that the theaters need to take advantage of this moment to ensure that experience improves, so people don't flee back to their homes again.

This, of course, does not mean that all the industry's problems are solved, and all is well. I'm sure some version of that false bravado will be the message at CinemaCon in April, but that is a fool's gambit. The pipeline is finally picking up again and the streaming honeymoon is over, so now is the time to take advantage and start looking at making some structural changes. I would love for one of the studios to swoop in and buy one of the theaters Regal is putting on the market. Let's have a little fun with this, for goodness sake. It's Show Business, after all, and there is no business like it, so I've been told.

EI on the Rise

How many of you had to do a double take when you read EI when AI seems to be all the rage? EI is emotional intelligence, something often forgotten in countless discussions about leadership. I thought of this the other day when the Entertainment Strategy Guy mentioned in one of his posts that he wondered how the news of the mandatory four-day work week would have been received had Bob Chapek delivered it versus Bob Iger (Iger recently mandated four days in the office for Disney employees.) EST's point was that Chapek may have gotten an unfair shake given that everyone: employees, investors, and reporters, just seemed to like Iger better. There is some truth to that, but there is one thing that Iger has that Chapek lacked, and that is emotional intelligence. 

EI is the ability to use, control, interpret, and demonstrate emotions to communicate effectively. I had never even heard of the phrase until I started a High Potential training course at Fox. After you go through several examples of how outcomes are heavily affected by how people react and interact, you fully grasp how important emotional intelligence is. That is one thing that Iger grasped much better than Chapek. He always seemed to bristle at that aspect of the job, preferring to focus on the mechanics and the bottom line, which is very important, but emotional intelligence needs to be a part of the package as well. Someone with a high EI should not move immediately to the front of the line for a promotion, nor should it be the sole factor in a hiring decision. Still, when one looks at a leadership candidate, it is undoubtedly a factor that should be considered, and the Chapek episode is an example of one in which EI should have factored in more so than it did. 

Pages from the Commonplace Book

This week, we turn to English novelist and critic Samuel Butler:

"Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule."

This quote is an excellent summation of why emotional intelligence is a pivotal component of leadership. Without it, you may find yourself dancing to a tune only you can hear. 

This Week on Hollywood Breaks

We'll chat more about the spots during the game, Ant-Man BO results, and what the middling reviews portend for Marvel and the overall brand. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it.