Celebrating Excellence in Trailer and Advertising Innovation at the Golden Trailer Awards 2023
On Thursday evening, the industry’s brightest talents gathered at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles to honor outstanding achievements in film, television, and digital marketing. Among the standout winners was Sony Pictures and agency Buddha Jones, whose hauntingly compelling trailer for 28 Years Later received multiple accolades, including the coveted Don LaFontaine Award for Best Voice Over, Best Trailer for Existing Content, and Most Original Trailer.
A Night of Artistic Triumphs and Industry Recognition
Golden Trailer Awards Executive Director Evelyn Brady praised the 28 Years Later trailer, remarking, “This piece exemplifies cinematic artistry-its chilling opening sequence, juxtaposed with unsettling imagery synchronized to Rudyard Kipling’s haunting poetry, leaves a lasting impression. The audio design alone is enough to keep viewers awake at night. Congratulations to Sony Pictures and Buddha Jones for pushing creative boundaries and delivering such excellence. This year’s winners truly exemplify innovation and craftsmanship in trailer production.”
Dominant Studios and Agencies of the Year
The AV Squad agency emerged as the top studio, securing nine awards across various categories. Apple TV+’s Severance led television with five wins, showcasing its powerful promotional campaigns. Meanwhile, Universal Pictures’ Rotten and Warner Bros.’ Sinners each garnered four awards, highlighting their impactful marketing strategies. Disney, with its diverse portfolio-including Marvel, Pixar, Searchlight, Disney+, Hulu, National Geographic, and ABC-collectively amassed 26 awards, underscoring its industry influence.
Event Highlights and Notable Winners
The 25th annual Golden Trailer Awards celebrated excellence across multiple genres and formats. Here are some of the most notable winners:
- Most Lifelike Movement: Ballerina – Lionsgate, AV Squad
- Best Animation/Family Trailer: How To Train Your Dragon: Beasts – Universal, Buddha Jones
- Best Comedy Trailer: Friendship, Pretty – A24, GrandSon
- Best Documentary (Feature) – Biopic of an Individual: Jim Henson: Thought Man – Disney+, Buddha Jones
- Best Documentary (Topic): Blink – National Geographic, Motive Creative
- Best Drama: The Brutalist – A24, Mark Woollen & Pals
- Best Fantasy/Adventure: Rotten | Wickedness – Universal Pictures, Trailer Park Crew
- Best Horror: Sinners: Magic – Warner Bros. Pictures, AV Squad
- Best Autonomous Trailer: Anora: Like Memoir – NEON, GrandSon
- Best Music: Mickey 17: Life – Warner Bros. Pictures, JAX
- Best Thriller: Shadowy Web: Loyalty – Focus Features, Wild Card Creative
- Best Video Game Trailer: Call of Duty: Shadow Ops 6 – Zombies – Activision, Aspect
Special Awards and Honorable Mentions
The night also recognized exceptional achievements beyond traditional categories:
- Most Celebrated Trailer: 28 Years Later – Sony, Buddha Jones
- Best Summer Blockbuster Trailer (2025): Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning: Certainty – Paramount, AV Squad
- Best Teaser: M3gan 2.0: The Icon – Universal, Inner Job
- Best TV/Streaming Trailer (Series): Severance Season 2 RTO Teaser – Apple TV+, TRANSIT
- Agency of the Year: AV Squad
International and Digital Campaigns
Global productions also showcased their creative prowess, with winners including:
- International Best Movement: Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In – Effectively Disappear USA
- International Best Animation/Family: Circulate, Crawl – Curzon, Silk Factory
- Digital Campaign of the Year: Daredevil: Born Again – Disney+, Get Marketing Crew
- Most Innovative Digital Campaign: Rotten: Poetry in Emotion – Universal, Inner Job
Innovative Marketing and Campaigns for Films and Series
The awards celebrated groundbreaking marketing efforts, such as:
- Rotten‘s “Poetry in Emotion” campaign, which creatively intertwined emotional storytelling with promotional content.
- The viral Rotten campaign, which successfully engaged audiences across social media platforms.
- The F1 series BTS campaign, showcasing behind-the-scenes content that deepened viewer engagement.
Outstanding Posters and Visual Campaigns
Visual marketing also received high praise, with winners including:
- Best Poster (General): The Crow – Assassinate of Crows – Lionsgate
- Best Animation/Family Poster: Moana 2: D23 Special Poster – Walt Disney Studios
- Best International Poster: The Poet – Central Partnership/Kinoslovo
- Best Horror Poster: Azrael – Payoff – IFC Motion Pictures
- Best Autonomous Poster: Killer of Men: In His Head – Quiver Distribution
Conclusion: A Night Celebrating Creativity and Innovation
The Golden Trailer Awards 2023 not only honored the most compelling trailers and campaigns but also highlighted the evolving landscape of visual storytelling. From groundbreaking digital campaigns to innovative promotional strategies, the event underscored the importance of creativity in capturing audience attention across all platforms. As the industry continues to adapt to new technologies and audience preferences, these winners set a high standard for future marketing excellence.
