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Marketing movies
Producers are thinking of innovative techniques to lure viewers back to cinema halls, reports Garima Sharma.
It took weeks of negotiations to melt the recent Bollywood-multiplex lockdown. Now, with several highly-awaited movies lined up for release, producers are leaving no stone unturned to get viewers back to the halls.
From big-ticket contests to online promotions, there’re a slew of initiatives on the table. Some movies are going the reality show route, with Salman Khan, the winner of the dance reality show Dance India Dance, being an example. He will perform in a song for the movie Wanted with namesake actor Salman Khan.
Among the other big budget films, Love Aaj Kal has formed tie-ups with ICC T20 World Cup, Cafe Coffee Day and Shoppers Stop. Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Imtiaz Ali were seen cheering for Team India at the recent India vs England match.
To promote New York, which releases on June 26, Katrina Kaif is expected to write an online diary chronicling her experiences during the shooting of the movie.
Says Shikha Kapur, marketing head, UTV Motion Pictures, “Everyone will now be fighting for the same attention and try to break the same red light.” UTV has devised various horror-based marketing initiatives for their movie Agyaat. Promos have been launched online and the ‘Agyaat Short Film Contest’ has been announced, where young enthusiasts can submit a 10-15 minute long scary clipping. The winner will get to work with the production house on a movie. A widget-like software will also be launched soon, with a ‘make your own trailer’ contest. Ram Gopal Verma will select the best trailer and this will be showcased on screen.
Kaminey will come with a big-ticket contest titled ‘Sabse Bada Kamina Kaun’, that will judge people’s most wicked side. Winners will be chosen by the lead pair Shahid Kapur and Priyanka Chopra and will get to meet them. Kapur says, “We are looking at a range of products for Kaminey.”
Producers are also looking at increasing marketing budgets and the duration for which these initiatives remain active.
