Analysing Action-Comedy Marketing Campaigns - 'Back in Action’

The first action-comedy marketing campaign I will be looking at is for 'Back in Action'.

The trailer for 'Back in Action' contains the following conventions of the action-comedy genre:

• Blend of action and humour - comedic moments interrupt the serious action sequences which help lighten the mood of the film and create more enjoyable for audiences who are seeking many feelings when watching a film
• Domestic settings disrupted by action - ordinary family home environment which contrasts with the high stakes missions the pair take on
• Comical spy narratives - references to secret past lives and ‘back in the field’ storylines which suggest the protagonists have been out of the action for a while which makes them more relatable to audiences
• Contrasting tone in music - mix of upbeat music and intense action music 
• Close up reaction shots - of characters looking panicked, shocked and calm to heighten humour and tension 
• Release pattern - on Netflix streaming service which is common for action comedies these days as they do appeal to a wide audience

The poster for Back in Action contains the following conventions of the action-comedy genre:

• Mise-en-scene  - including guns, explosions behind them, spy-like costumes almost like they’re undercover 
• Facial expressions - add comedy to the poster as they’re smirking therefore softens tone
• Bold font with contrasting colours - use of relaxed sans serif font and contrast of white and blue colours instead of the typical contrast of black and white
• Humourous tagline - signals comedic element in film, but also hints at the action.

'Back in Action' doesn’t have its own separate official social media pages. Instead, it’s promoted through Netflix’s main social media accounts through platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and X. However, Netflix did share the film's trailers, posters and behind the scenes content such as Cameron Diaz’s stunt rehearsals versus final scenes, and bloopers of the actors forgetting lines and having a fun time on set, which enabled them to advertise the film through these platforms, but which helped highlight the film's action-comedy genre as the post included not only exciting action scenes but also funny moments between the characters.