Why you need to invest in marketing: the Anora story

When you’ve worked in marketing and communications long enough, you recognise a familiar hesitation. Businesses are often happy to invest in their product, their people, and their operations, but when it comes to marketing, the purse strings tighten. Marketing is sometimes treated as an optional extra, something to “add on” later if there’s budget left. And yet, time and again, success stories prove the opposite: investing in marketing is investing in the business itself. A perfect, timely example of this is Anora. 

At face value, Anora is a true indie film. It wasn’t backed by a huge studio production budget, and it didn’t rely on spectacle or franchise power to carry it. Instead, it was a character-driven, independent story (albeit a bit raunchy), the kind of film that, in another timeline, might have played a handful of festivals and quietly disappeared. But that’s not what happened. Anora went on to become an awards juggernaut, winning major prizes and earning Oscar recognition. The key difference? Marketing. 

An Indie film with a big marketing vision 

While Anora may have had an indie production budget, it had what many described as a Marvel-sized marketing push. The team understood something crucial: quality alone doesn’t guarantee visibility. So, they invested heavily in making sure the film was seen, talked about, and taken seriously. From strategic festival placements to press, publicity, and awards campaigning, Anora didn’t just rely on hope; it relied on a plan. 

What Anora’s awards campaign got right 

The film’s marketing told a clear story about why it mattered. It positioned Anora within cultural conversations, ensured critics and voters had access to it, and created consistent messaging that travelled across platforms. Nothing was left to chance. The result wasn’t just buzz; it was credibility, momentum, and long-term impact. 

The direct parallel for businesses 

So many organisations assume that if their service is strong enough, customers will naturally find them. But in a crowded market, whether that’s cinema screens or LinkedIn feeds, being good is not enough. If people don’t understand what you do, why it matters, and why they should choose you, they’ll move on. Marketing is what bridges that gap. 

Like Anora, businesses don’t need to “go blockbuster” for the sake of it. What they need is a strategy. Spending money on marketing isn’t about shouting louder than everyone else; it’s about being clearer, more consistent, and more intentional. It’s about knowing your audience and showing up where they already are, with the right message, at the right time. 

We’ve been writing blogs every month, consistently, for Meg Burton for over eight years, and this investment in her name and brand has led to opportunities and backlinks you cannot buy. Meg has been approached by the BBC, ITV, and Yahoo because of her expertise and profile. It’s a small amount of effort and budget, from her side, that has shown a great return on investment.  

Another client of ours wanted to be featured by Forbes 30 under 30, and the first thing we advised was that he build his online profile because the first thing they’re going to do is Google and look for all your achievements and accomplishments online. They’re going to want to see how you’re an expert and what impact you’re having. With a careful, consistent strategy in place and compelling copy, our client was featured and ecstatic, to say the least.  

Why partnering with communications experts works 

At Wordsmiths, we believe that strategy and storytelling go hand in hand. Words matter, but only when they’re used with purpose. Whether you’re launching a new product, repositioning your brand, or trying to stand out in a noisy industry, working with communications experts means your marketing investment works harder and smarter for your business. 

Anora didn’t win awards by accident. It won because someone backed the work with belief, budget, and a clear communications strategy. Businesses can, and should, do the same. The real risk isn’t spending money on marketing. The real risk is not spending it and leaving your story untold. 

If you’ve seen Anora and now realise your business can make moves like this indie Oscar-winning film, it might be time to talk to us! Book in today and let’s level up your marketing.