Talking to … Sanne Juncker Pedersen

What criteria did you pay particular attention to in the submitted projects regarding their marketing strategies? What are the must-haves? 

When reviewing the submitted projects, I approached the task with curiosity and humility, knowing that the Swiss market may operate slightly differently from Denmark. I looked for thoughtful and substantiated elements that could help strengthen the projects’ reach and impact.  

I paid particular attention to how well each proposal understood and articulated its audience, if the strategy was tailored to that particular film, and if the bridge building between the audience in question and the films’ unique qualities came across as seamless, with potential or unnatural. I looked for a clear and strong sense of positioning, a strong concept, a realistic plan and a thoughtful use of insights or data to support the choices being suggested. 

Audience development initiatives and a strong marketing strategy should be built on insights, not assumptions. In some proposals, I missed a deeper analytical foundation; not just in terms of demographics, but in terms of behavior, expectations, and cultural relevance. In my experience, it’s important to not just answer who the film is for, but also how the campaign or the audience development strategy intends to engage and connect with the audience on a deeper level.  

I was also focused on identifying ideas or elements that aimed for meaningful engagement, not only more visibility. Authentic partnerships and a thoughtful activation of creatives were also key indicators for me. And I valued projects that considered co-creation with cinemas or local collaborators rather than treating them as passive endpoints. Ultimately, I looked for projects that combined creativity with strategic thinking and showed a genuine interest in engaging audiences beyond the usual circles. 

What strategies could the Swiss film industry adopt to strengthen its audience development efforts? 

When it comes to strengthening audience development thinking in general, I believe the key element is to dare a shift in perspective. Instead of asking why audiences SHOULD choose a film (from your perspective and assumptions), we need to ask why they MIGHT (from an audience perspective backed with deeper insights). Reframing the question unlocks new strategic thinking and can help place the film in the context of competing cultural experiences and everyday life.  

When working with audience development, you also need to understand the core value of the film and the creative thinking and intention behind it. When you approach the film with a deeper interest and build a strategy that, at times, goes beyond credentials and genre, you will be better equipped to identify the conversational potential of a film, the emotional or intellectual impact and to enter the shift in perspective more creatively.  

Audience development is not just about attracting audiences — it is about building relationships, spotlighting relevance and enhancing impact and resonance. This means, among other things, investing in audience research, understanding audience behavior as well as the commercial and cultural market dynamics – and creating partnerships that feel credible and aligned with the film’s core values and intention.  

Audience development requires an early focus, long-term thinking, and a willingness to experiment, listen and adapt. It benefits from collaboration – between distribution, producer and creatives as well as with cinemas, cultural institutions, and communities – and a willingness to invest and learn from different strategies. I think there is great potential in sharing insights and experience across regions and language borders and enhance a closer collaboration with cinema owners, especially when market challenge insights are shared. In my opinion, collaborations are inevitable and very valuable.  

What do you consider an innovative marketing strategy? 

I understand innovation as reimagining what is possible – in a radical way or by changing the structural approach gradually with new, valuable and relevant ideas over time. For me, an innovative marketing strategy is not just about doing something new – it’s about doing it in a meaningful and intentional way and challenging assumptions, listening deeply, and connecting ideas, audience and films in unexpected ways. It is a tailor-made strategy that moves beyond traditional strategy and springs from the right questions.  

It is not only about asking how to promote a film, but how to move the discipline of distribution and marketing in a more future-oriented direction and make what you do matter to the audience. Marketing is under pressure and has lost a lot of its lustre in a media landscape where attention is divided, the market is brimming with content and where trust, engagement and authenticity is the new currency. In my opinion, innovative marketing strategy means being brave enough to challenge old habits, experiment and use audience development thinking and integrating it more into your overall marketing strategy.