Marketing has been a key element of cinema since ages; it has just evolved from being advertisements on billboards/ newspapers to massive social media campaigns. First things first, what is marketing in the context of films? It can be defined as any kind of activity by a film’s production house, cast, or crew executed to generate buzz among trade circles, cinephiles, and regular audiences. It starts right from announcing a project, its principal cast & crew to releasing the first looks, teasers, trailers, & music. Promotional activities before a film’s release are considered vital since, if done right, they may lead to solid advance bookings and eventually a strong opening weekend.
In India, particularly in the southern part, where films are taken a lot more seriously, production houses design and execute comprehensive marketing strategies, beginning right from announcing a project with a promo to finally releasing the film in theatres. In an era where social media has become ubiquitous, grabbing eyeballs and creating hype has become harder and eventually quite expensive. Gone are the days where a trailer and a few interviews would do the job. Films, particularly the high-budgeted ones, need a systematic build-up months before release to recover their investements.
Indian cinema is currently flooded with pan-Indian films: films that feature an ensemble cast, grand scale, special effects, and, most importantly, a simultaneous release across languages. Unsurprisingly, these films have massive budgets, leading the makers to invest a bomb in marketing. There have been instances where films are forced to be pan-Indian, and makers end up burning huge sums through promotional campaigns. On the flip side, films that are deservingly pan-Indian in terms of content end up as loss-making ventures due to poor marketing.
Today, films demand as much hard work in marketing as making a great entertainement product which is the reason why makers sign huge deals with PR agencies to market their films, which was an alien activity a few decades ago. Bahubali (2015-17), the epic action film franchise, is often considered ground-breaking in terms of marketing, particularly for leaving the audiences with a clifhanger at the end of Part 1, which paved a way for an earth-shattering theatrical run of Part 2.
As the poster above depicts, Bahubali: The Conclusion (2017) was marketed with #WKKB (Why Kattappa Killed Bahubali), a question audiences were left with at the end of its prequel, Bahubali: The Beginning (2015). Another interesting move that has been in action lately is to keep promotional activities as minimal as possible. Pathaan (2023), an action flick starring Shah Rukh Khan is noted for the way its marketed: the makers (Yash Raj Films) chose to completely avoid interviews & media interactions before release. A risky move since the only promotional material they’re left with were the film’s songs & trailers. This worked wonders and the film was a massive commercial success. Owing to film’s success, the makers of Adipurush (2023) had tried the same move but have miserably failed. To conclude, production budgets of Indian films are touching new heights and so are publicity costs. Having said that, spending the right amount in the right manner has become vital in film production.
