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The curious case of marketing with Zindagi na Milegi dobara

Devika Shroff, Head- Marketing, Excel Entertainment explains the best of film marketing practices and its nuances.

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BestMediaInfo Bureau
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The curious case of marketing with Zindagi na Milegi dobara

Devika Shroff, Head- Marketing, Excel Entertainment explains the best of film marketing practices and its nuances.

Neha Saraiya | Delhi | July 27, 2011

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Gone are the days, when a dazzling coloured poster hung on the out walls of the cinema halls would bait the audiences towards it. The audience went ga-ga by the loony Haircut act conducted by Amir khan to the multiplex staff during the pre-release of his blockbuster, 'Ghajini' or the record registered by Jr. Bachchan during the promotion of 'Delhi 6' by visiting six cities in a record-smashing time.

A similar novice tactic of 'Movie Marketing' was seen during the release of Zoya Akhtar's directorial venture, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara wherein the cast and crew of the film (including Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Katrina Kaif, Kalki Koechlin and Abhay Deol) opted for a road trip to promote the film.

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Devika Shroff, Marketing Head, Excel Entertainment

Explaining the rationale behind this activity, Devika Shroff, Head- Marketing, Excel Entertainment told BestMediaInfo.com,We did a Road Trip from Mumbai to Delhi, with the entire cast of the film. As the film is about a Road Trip, we wanted to recreate the same feel. We touched upon essential markets such as Gujarat and Rajasthan in the process.”

The road trail mapped through relatively smaller markets also including Surat, Baroda, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Delhi followed by a LIVE in concert for the localities in Gurgaon. “Events in smaller towns have recently been proven very effective,” says Devika while explaining the reason behind setting non-metros as prima focus for the activity.

She also mentioned further that besides a striking marketing initiative, even the conventional form of communication like TV, Outdoor, Print, and Radio are equally effective.  Off lately, PR has also been used as a very aggressive tool by the marketers. Even the digital medium is no less. As Devika gushes further, “It is very effective. It's interactive and cuts across borders. It's also value for money.”

Little wonder, that the movie, not only earned an outstanding weekend opening of US$11.82 million with a net collection of US $ 10.36 million in the country till now.

Apart from the talked about road stint, the movie also attracted a host of brands for in-film placements. “We had approximately 12-15 Brands on board. I think the brands got associated to the film as the context of the film matched the brand values. Also, it depends on the kind of integration, category of brand, and the film,” recites Devika.

The mega-production bought biggies like Mountain Dew, Land Rover and ING Vyasaamong many on board. Based on this, a lot of innovative design merchandise like T- Shirts, bags and Badges were also created.  For a Digital Trailer Launch Mouse Pads were also distributed among the audiences.

Thus taking a lesson from ZNMD and all other successful blockbusters, Movie Marketing has become a crucial exercise to a success of any film. Don't believe us, here's from the horse's mouth itself as Devika shares in the end, “Movie marketing is vital for the film.   A Crew for over 300people work for 9-12 months on a film. There is only 6-8 weeks to market the film and only one window for promotion with one opening weekend. A High Risk Business, but if done well - an extremely profitable and gratifying one.”

Golden words, taken with caution!

Neha@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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