Most successful marketing campaigns in Bollywood

We often hear about the importance of marketing in movies today. The budget allocated for marketing has escalated over the years and now it is almost equal to the cost of making the film. Questions keep arising as to what exactly is marketing and how much of a difference does good marketing actually make to the fate of a film.Over the years there have been few marketing ideas that have created a buzz and actually benefited a film.

Here are a few outstanding marketing examples that have been creative and true to the essence of a film.

Ghajini: If there was an award for the most innovative marketing campaign, it would certainly be awarded to Ghajini which changed the dynamics of In-Cinema advertising. In-Cinema advertising was always limited to In-Cinema Slides and Television Commercials. However what Ghajini did was the unthinkable. They tied up with leading multiplexes in Mumbai wherein the staff was seen sporting the famous Ghajini hairstyle. This promotion was done when the audience went to watch Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’, which released in theatres on 11th December 2008 whereas Ghajini was releasing about a month and a half later on 24th December. The crowd loved this unique promotion and this became a talking point for quite some time.

Don 2: Don is one film which is famous for it’s one liners like “Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahin namumkin hai”. The makers of Don 2 focussed on these one liners and made an entire series on the same called ‘Don Says’. Special videos were shot with Shahrukh Khan narrating these dialogues and they instantly found recognition among the audiences.

Some of these famous dialogues of ‘Don Says’ are
– Don ke dushman ko hamesha yeh baat yaad rakhni chahiye…ke Don kabhi kuch nahi bhulta.
– Takat ek nasha hai, aur main uss nasha banane wali factory ka ek lauta malik hoon.
– Mujhe logon ka khoon karne ka koi shauq nahi…wohi mujhe majbur kar dete hai.
– Bathroom branding in famous theatres
– Don kabhi koi sabot nahin chodta – Please Flush
– Jo apni maa ki izzat nahi karta uska baap banke aata hun

3 Idiots: Trust Aamir Khan to be completely different when it comes to Marketing. True to his character in the film, he actually went missing pre release . A prize was announced for whoever located him and he involved his friend and cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar, who happily agreed to be a part of the promotinal campaign. The media went into a frenzy and we saw Aamir in different looks all over the country.

 

The Dirty Picture: The makers of ‘The Dirty Picture” lived up to the famous dialogue of ‘Entertainment, Entertainment and Entertainment’ even for their promotions wherein they highlighted Vidya Balan and her Red Saree (already made famous in the promos of Dirty Picture) at every promotional event possible. We could see Vidya Balan sport her red saree in TV programs like “Bade Acche Lagtey Ho” and every possible City promotion. Even certain selected newspaper ads showcased a continuation Red Saree creative to highlight her Sexy and distinct look. A huge buzz was created for the film which ultimately got them a huge opening.

Aashiqui 2: One of the biggest hits of 2013 is remembered for two things – Great Music and a couple romancing under the shelter of a jacket. This is what motivated the makers to go ahead with one of the most unique ‘In Cinema- Seat advertising’. A mannequin resembling the Aashiqui 2 couple was placed on a seat in select theatres in Mumbai . The couple were in the Aashiqui 2 pose with branding done on the jackets about the release date of the film. This activity was carried on in screens where ‘Ek thi Daayan’ was showcased since Aashiqui 2 was releasing a week later.

Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara: The actors of the film ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ truly lived up to the concept of their film. Actors Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhar, Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif and Kalki Koechlin decided to go on an adventure trip in Mumbai and Delhi as part of their promotions. The road trip started from Mumbai- Bandra, and they drove through various cities stopping at different spots. The actors did the driving bit themselves for most part of the trip to get a raw feeling and the media travelled with them. The first of its kind, this was one rocking trip.

Which according to you is the best marketing campaign in Bollywood? Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Article by Azeem, a marketing enthusiast. You can follow him on Twitter (@azeem2112)