Since the movie is based on a real event, it was marketed with emphasis on the masses of people in the protest. The smaller, scripted stories within it were rarely highlighted during promotions, except when mentioning the A-list actor who may have taken the role.
Also, the WTO is a hot-button topic with very divided factions- namely, concerned consumers vs. the corporate elite. However, the conflict brought in a third and fourth party to the mix: Seattle’s law enforcement, and the Media. There were four very substantial potential markets, which explains why the trailer doesn’t clearly carve out an enemy from a hero. They must not want to alienate any potential audience members.
The filmmakers also held many discussions with festival audiences to both promote the film and generate awareness for the cause. However, since the film was in limited release domestically, the marketing focused only on festival towns. Their DVD sales could skyrocket with grassroots promotions, both nationally and internationally. Generating interest in online communities, relevant charities (who may in turn also promote the film), spreading the posters across college campuses, finding cities abroad that are affected by the WTO laws, etc. These could all be additional sources of revenue, and a great way to maximize the number of people who get the message.
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