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Rina Chandran

MUMBAI, June 16

TEASER campaigns, unplugged music, SMS contests and special merchandise. Forget the movie: the action's all off-screen, as filmmakers try to build brand synergies and generate excitement to woo audiences.

And this is being done without the usual promo blitz on TV with song-and-dance and action clips, as filmmakers learn to target their films more effectively.

For Subhash Ghai's upcoming Jogger's Park, there are tie-ups with HDFC's Net banking service and Airtel, with movie posters at HDFC banks and ATMs and contests for its 25-lakh customers, and SMS contests and ringtone downloads for 31-lakh Airtel subscribers. Virgin Records has also released the soundtrack on CDs first, to tap metro audiences.

"This is a focused way of reaching out to consumers without the usual overkill through radio and TV ads," said Mr Shameer Tandon, Marketing Controller, Virgin Records.

To generate buzz around the Indian-American film, American Chai, the filmmaker has held a series of unplugged music sessions featuring the movie's lead actor, Aalok Mehta, in the Park Hotels and Oxford Bookstore's Cha Bars (both are a part of the Apeejay Surrendra group) in five cities.

The film, slated for release on June 20, features Mehta on the soundtrack as well. "Music is an integral part of the film, so there is a fit between these activities and the film," said Mr Rahul Merchant, Manager (Marketing), Shringar Films, which is distributing the film.

"Plus, our target is urban youth, so we get the right audience talking about it too."

These ground events give audiences a chance to interact more closely with the film and get positive word-of-mouth out, which saves some of the cost of mass media advertising, he added.

Filmmakers are definitely getting savvy about branding and marketing, with the greater involvement of advertising agencies in the business of entertainment.

Their specialised divisions get involved in the film early, and look for brand synergies and promotional planks from which the film can be marketed.

For the upcoming Ram Gopal Varma film, Darna Mana Hai, for example, Leo Entertainment decided to sell the concept rather than the content or the stars.

So, the teaser campaign has no signs of the stars, and gives very little away on the story; the next phase of communication will launch closer to the release.

"Usually, films adopt a carpet bombing strategy - that way, you only get some of your target audience, and it's lost on the others," said Mr Sanjay Bhutiani, General Manager, Leo Entertainment. "As communications experts, we can help a film realise its full potential."

This approach is necessary because the film belongs to an unconventional genre - a mix of horror, thriller and dark comedy - that audiences are not used to, he added. Media tie-ins include Channel V, Go 92.5 FM and Mid-Day for contests and ads, besides select trade magazines and outdoor. A trailer to the film was also attached to Bhoot, which is currently enjoying a successful run in about 300 theatres.

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