Gone are the days when posters across the town and advertisements in the Friday newsheets were sufficient to market a movie. Today’s Bollywood marketing managers are finding new ways of making sure their to-be-released movie is a household name much before it hits the theatres.
From launches and promos to merchandise and interviews and even well-timed controversies, the publicity managers have never been this active before.
Take the case of The Dirty Picture, which has just hit the theatres. If it turns out to be a hit, its marketing machinery deserves as much credit as its ‘bold’ story. Consider the innovative strokes it used:
- Its marketing wasn’t restricted to the big cities and metros. It focused on India’s smaller cities with a much-hyped act: Vidya Balan, the heroine, wore a saree picked from the local market, on her visit to the city. A local tailor got to stitch a blouse for it. Talk about creating a buzz locally.
- The movie poster was used as the cover of a Hindi magazine known for its steamy content.
- Vidya Balan made an appearance on a Hindi soap – Bade Achhe Lagte Hai, and also on a Kaun Banega Crorepati episode, which are high TRP earners. So more viewers got to hear the movie’s hit song – oo la la.
All these helped it connect with a Hindi-speaking audience across India’s smaller cities.
Other movies aren’t far behind. Imran Khan, the lead actor of Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, uploaded video-blogs (on YouTube) showcasing behind-the-screen moments from the movies making. The movie is slated to release in early 2012. Don 2 is going to get a comic book based on the movie to add to the hype.
Clearly, Bollywood is looking as much at marketing strategy as it is at a good script, today!
