So, you’ve just released that new film of yours and now you wonder how to get the word out. You are looking for good movie marketing? You’ve come to the right place - without further ado, let us introduce you to Movie Marketing!
What is Movie Marketing?
Marketing for films in the past was limited to a lot of handbills, posters, and hand-painted signs. Actors never promoted their films, film-makers never invested too much money to reach their demographic and print media barely created hype. But today’s film industry is an entirely different story.
India is the world's top movie-producing country, with more than 1500 movies being released per year. Bollywood accounts for a large portion of these, followed by Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam movies. Nowadays, Indian movie production houses are finding new ways of marketing their product. Up on analysis some of the most novel techniques used by movie production houses as well as actors to aggressively market their movies.
Recently, Yash Chopra, founder of one of the most celebrated movie production houses in India - "Yash Raj Films", was honored by the Swiss government for promoting their country extensively through his films. Obviously, Switzerland and Shah Rukh Khan have always been two inseparable features in a Yash Chopra movie. I recently came across an article that mentioned about a lake. Hard to miss in any of his films, it's now unofficially called the Chopra Lake. Earlier, "Yash Raj Films" used to produce movies with budgets ranging from 30-40 crores typically featuring big stars, scenic foreign locations and technical expertise available in the country.
Mr. Yash Chopra usually chooses to produce a high-end movie for his audiences. But this time, he is diverting from that and creating a smaller branch of Y Films with the capacity to produce low budget movies. He hopes to find success by producing low-budget movies that focus on youth and are only appealing to an audience between 18 and 26 years old. An example of one such movie is Band Baja Baraat, which did very well in the box office, specifically targeting the 18-26 demographic in urban areas.
Creative brilliance and technical expertise are two qualities that should never be kept apart. Audiences might not have known this truth until Indian film makers and production houses started releasing their movies in a professional way. Aamir Khan is the exception to this rule, as his marketing techniques on 3 Idiots clearly demonstrate. For example, when the latest “Aamir Khan” movie is gearing up for its release, from tickets to promotions online and off, there's a feast of marketing initiatives to choose from.
AAMIR’S Marketing Strategy for 3 Idiots
A few years ago, he conducted a tour of India in disguise, giving out prizes to people who could recognize him. The stunt ended up creating a lot of buzz for the channel.
The decision to create a Twitter account called Pucca Idiot contributed in a large way to the buzz surrounding this movie.
Association with corporate giants like Reliance ADAG and Zapak.com. Relationships with these companies led to the launch of the ‘All Is Well Life Insurance Plans’ through Reliance Capital and the development of a gaming website for idiotsacademy.zapak.com. prior to the release date of The Great Indian Comedy Show: Serious Banter About Nothing in particular.
Sale of Merchandise: Pantaloons has even marketed clothing with 3 Idiots designs by Aamir Khan.
Aamir Khan's marketing strategy, from multiple TV ads and partnerships to promotional campaigns online and through visual media, helped make the movie a huge success. It eventually outlasted several records to become the highest box office success in Indian Cinema (which was later replaced by Dabangg and Enthiran).
Using television and the internet as a tool
Now, film production houses and stars are using online marketing by sharing videos around the Internet. This may include clips of music, news, comedy, trailers for movies or TV shows like reality shows, sports games, and more. The Internet makes it possible for advertisers to engage their audience with interactive content that can improve public relations and branding. Online video marketing is on the rise because it gives the viewer a lot of information about different things – especially about movies. Traditional techniques for advertising movies involve TV. Trailers, songs, interviews about the movie's making process; reviews and previews of upcoming movies; then there are also "making of" videos - all these form various parts of promotion and marketing strategies used by film makers. Modern movie previews have now turned into movie teasers that give little information about the film but help stir up interest in viewers while they wait.
There is no one-size-fits-all formula for creating a successful marketing strategy, but there are some important factors marketers should think about. Make the product appealing to your customers, attract their attention, pick the perfect timing for release, and advertise! Brand marketing, pre-release promotions and post-release marketing can really help you succeed. And as an old saying goes: "Good product + good marketing = Success."
Conclusion
Movie marketing is an essential tool for getting people to see your film. By understanding the basics of movie marketing, you can get more people in seats and make your film a success. There are many different ways to market a movie, so it's important to find the right approach for your film. With a little creativity and hard work, you can reach a wide audience and get them excited about your movie.