‘Sri Thenandal Films’ pushes the envelope with Digital Marketing for ‘Mersal’
It’s always been interesting to watch film production houses leveraging the digital space to offer a personalized experience to their target audience. With their 100th movie ‘Mersal’, in pipeline for a grand audio launch on 20th of August, Sri Thenandal Films aka TSL (makers of ‘Mersal’) have come up with a unique and interesting promotional strategy for the movie.
A chatbot to create personalized movie posters:
Along the lines of utilization of interactive chatbots for movies such as ‘Kaabil’, ‘M.S.Dhoni’, ‘Jolly LLB 2’, ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya’, ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ and ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’, TSL has introduced a chatbot for ‘Mersal’ using which their audience could create personalized Mersal posters. Sri Thenandal Films, in association with ICONICbot (a tech start-up cofounded by the Indian film actress cum producer, Vishaka Singh and ex-IBMer, Sandesh B Suvarna), has launched the chatbot that could be accessed by messaging in the official Facebook page of Sri Thenandal Films or on its messenger.
Target audience rejoicing the outcome of the strategy:
With Vijay – an iconic Indian actor who enjoys a huge fan base – on board for ‘Mersal’ and the movie being TSL’s 100th movie, what better circumstance than this could get TSL to implement the AI technology! As expected, the fans seem to love the outcome of this strategy a lot. In the social media accounts of TSL, the information regarding the chatbot was shared with the hashtag, ‘#MyMersalPoster’. Following suit, the fans have been sharing their customized Mersal posters under the same hashtag.
Marketing Journo
Complementary factors of the strategy:
The chatbot’s launch date i.e. 15th of August sounds ideal as the corresponding day is a pan-India holiday. Also, the regional movie influencers have propagated the news, about the chatbot launch, to their respective followers.
Chatbots of ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ and ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ VS Chatbot of ‘Mersal’:
Unlike the predominant feature of the chatbot of ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’ that offered the people an opportunity to take part in an interactive quiz and that of the one for ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ that offered the audience to indulge in an immersive chat experience, the chatbot of ‘Mersal’ has been restricted with the creation of Mersal posters as of now. We have to wait to know from the makers regarding the inclusion of new features to the ‘Mersal’ chatbot.
So, that’s it with the write-up on the Digital Marketing Strategy of Sri Thenandal Films for ‘Mersal’. Hope you liked reading the article! Let me know your opinion in the comments section!
Do you feel that you don’t get enough recognition in your workplace in spite of doing your tasks? You need not feel dejected anymore. I have jotted down 4 ways that could help you to earn the recognition in your workplace that you have been craving for. Let us have a look at them.
1) Project yourself to your superior:
Firstly, in your workplace, you must try to effectively accomplish the tasks that have been assigned to you. Then, at the right time, proactively let your superior know that you have successfully completed the tasks. Also, when you face any obstacles – which you feel are beyond your control -, that hinder you to complete your work successfully, convey your superior about the same in advance. This will help the superior to come up with solutions that could address your concerns.
Takeaways:
By projecting yourself to your superior, you make him/her feel that entrusting you with a work ensures a positive result. Also, you make an impression that you express yourself well in adverse circumstances.
2) Grab the opportunities:
You should always be aware of the happenings in your workplace. While being so, when you feel that a scenario requires a handsome contribution from an individual and that individual could be you, without a second thought, try to work out on a plan that could guide you to contribute to the scenario. In this process, ensure that your actual tasks don’t get affected. Most importantly, have a word with your superior regarding your plan.
Takeaways:
You implicitly convey to your superior that you are interested in taking additional responsibilities. This attitude of yours counts a lot when you move up in your career ladder.
Marketing Journo
3) Create opportunities:
It is not always you get scenarios where you could contribute your efforts. Sometimes you have to create opportunities that could set the platform for you to showcase your abilities. When you are successfully done with your actual tasks, think of the areas related to your work where you could add values by means of the skills that you are naturally inclined to. For example, if you are interested in public speaking then arrange for a session whose main theme could be fun, motivation, education etc.,
Takeaways:
As a result of creating opportunities and executing them, you will earn a good impression from your superior and the people above your superior. Your skills will also get projected to various people across your workplace.
4) Ease off the workload of your superior:
It is not always your superior will explicitly ask for your help in easing off his/her work pressure. When you have accomplished your tasks and you feel that your superior needs a help in executing his tasks then let him your help. For you to think this way, you need to have a bigger picture of the processes that are happening in your workplace.
Takeaways:
By easing off the workload of your superior, you sort of create a personal bond with him/her. As far as the workplace activities are concerned, the personal bond enhances the mutual understanding between you and your superior.
Hope my 4 ways and their takeaways gave you the much needed heads up for your concern. Now, try applying these 4 ways in your workplace and enjoy the benefits that they offer.
Emoji Marketing: 5 Smart Examples from Famous Brands
Emoji Marketing: 5 Smart Examples from Famous Brands
Taking a look at the history of emojis, and its evolution over the years since its inception, makes me feel awe over the monumental growth of the digital language. I feel that the uncomplicated nature of the emojis has been the primary reason for them to attain the status on what they are today. As people have been using the emojis in their day-to-day digital communications, brands have been pushed to leverage the icons effectively in such a way that their efforts benefit their products. By having a look at the usage of standard emojis (Unlike the custom emojis of films like Wonder Woman, War for the Planet of the Apes or Transformers: The Last Knight) by various brands across the social media circle, I have picked 5.
Now, let us begin our count down.
5) IMDb
After the release of the ‘IT’ trailer, the fans of ‘IT’, and probably those of the horror movies, would be mentally inclined towards the ‘horror’ factor. To capitalize on this aspect and engage the audience, IMDb offered a chance, via a tweet/post from their official Twitter/Facebook account, to its audience to comment their favourite scary movie in emojis.
IMDb’s tweet to engage its audienceAudience’s replies to IMDb’s tweetIMDb’s post to engage its audienceAudience’s comments to IMDb’s post
Marketing Journo
4) Target
Via creative means, Target had wished for the World Emoji Day 2017 from their official social media accounts, by recalling one of its significant occasions. Utilizing standard emojis like ‘Hot beverage’, ‘Dress’, ‘Womans hat’, ‘Womans sandal’, ‘Chocolate bar’, ‘Strawberry’, ‘Handbag’, ‘Nail polish’, ‘Notebook with decorative cover’, ‘Smiling face with open mouth’ and ‘Chequered flag’, Target had made a representation which they titled as ‘Classic Target Run’.
Target’s ‘Classic #TargetRun‘ tweet
Target’s ‘Classic #TargetRun‘ post
3) 24AM STUDIOS
In addition to promoting its movies using conventional approaches, 24AM STUDIOS – the makers of Sivakarthikeyan’s 2016 Tamil romantic comedy, ‘Remo’ – has been engaging with its audience in the social media circle via innovative means. On the Seventeenth of the July, the production house had embraced the World Emoji Day by coming up with an engaging tweet that was intertwined with the aspects of Remo. In the tweet, the followers of the twitter account of 24AM STUDIOS, were provided with four standard emojis such as ‘Information desk person’, ‘Syringe’, ‘Dancer(medium light skin tone)’ and ‘Older man (light skin tone)’, which symbolically referred to four among the different makeovers of Sivakarthikeyan in ‘Remo’ and were offered a chance to comment their favourite emoji. This activity was done in Facebook as well.
24AM STUDIOS’s tweet to engage with its audienceAudience’s replies to 24AM STUDIOS’s tweet24AM STUDIOS’s post to engage with its audienceAudience’s replies to 24AM STUDIOS’s post
2) Rotten Tomatoes
In the case of the Twitter account of ‘Rotten Tomatoes’, the standard ‘Tomato’ emoji is utilized after the hashtag, ‘#Tomatometer’ in most of the tweets that contain the movie’s Tomatometer score or rating.
Rotten Tomatoes’s tweet with the Tomatometer rating for the movie, ‘Atomic Blonde‘
In the case of the Facebook page of ‘Rotten Tomatoes’, the standard ‘Tomato’ emoji is utilized at end of most of the posts that inform the movie’s ‘Certified Fresh’ status.
Rotten Tomatoes’s post announcing the ‘Certified Fresh‘ status for the movie, ‘Dunkirk‘
1) IT
In the official teaser and trailer of the film, the clip of the movie released in the MTV Awards, the Fan Art Contest conducted by the makers and the other promotional activities of ‘IT’, the red balloon has gained a prominence. This prominence has extended to the social media accounts of ‘IT’ as well, where the name of the movie’s Twitter account possesses the ‘Balloon’ emoji that already exists in Twitter. Occasionally, the tweets/posts of the movie’s Twitter/Facebook account possess the ‘Balloon’ emoji. It appears as if the ‘Balloon’ emoji is tailor-made for the social media accounts of ‘IT’.
Standard ‘Balloon‘ emoji in the Twitter profile name of the movie, ‘IT’Tweet from ‘IT Movie‘ containing the Standard ‘Balloon‘ emojiTweet from ‘Entertainment Weekly‘ containing the Standard ‘Balloon‘ emojiPost from ‘IT Movie‘ containing the Standard ‘Balloon‘ emoji
What are your favourite emoji marketing picks? Share with me in the comments section!
5 Amazing Guerrilla Marketing Strategies from Popular Brands
5 Amazing Guerrilla Marketing Strategies from Popular Brands
After reading the article titled, ‘What Is Guerrilla Marketing? 7 Examples to Inspire Your Brand’ written by Amanda Zantel-Weiner for Hubspot, I had surfed the internet to know more of such interesting Guerrilla Marketing strategies. Consequently, I came across innumerable strategies which I felt as being interesting. Among those, I have picked 5 and briefed about them in this post. Let’s take a look on them:
1. ‘Eyes On The Road’ Campaign for ‘Volkswagen’:
‘Eyes On The Road’ Campaign for ‘Volkswagen’
Via the ‘Eyes On the Road’ campaign, Volkswagen, in association with Ogilvy & Mather China, had offered societal values in a creative manner with the assistance of technology. In the campaign, they raised awareness among the people by highlighting the dangers of texting while driving.
As part of the campaign, a video was released, wherein the people initially seem to be waiting to watch a movie in ‘MCL Cinema’ in Hong Kong. In the movie hall, the lights go down and a video depicting the driving of a car, from the driver’s viewpoint, starts playing on the big screen. Then, a location-based short message is sent from the projector room to the defined Geo location within the theater i.e., to the mobile devices of the people who are out there in the theater. When everyone tries to take a look at the message in their respective mobiles, the car in the big screen is shown crashing. When everyone in the movie hall is rendering a clueless stare over the on-screen happening, the message, “Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel” is displayed on the screen. Following which the audience are let known that all what they experienced till that moment was a reminder to them to keep their eyes on the road while driving. The Volkswagen logo accompanied by the phrase, ‘Das Auto.’ gets displayed at the end of the ad.
2. ‘A Telekinetic Surprise in a Coffee Shop’ prank for ‘Carrie’:
‘A Telekinetic Surprise in a Coffee Shop’ prank for ‘Carrie’
To promote the 2013 Hollywood horror film Carrie, its makers, in association with Thinkmodo, had staged a larger than life situation in Snice Coffee Shop in West Village, New York.
Before staging the event in the cafe; a fake wall was put up in the shop, a pulley system was integrated to the fake wall, tables and chairs were remote controlled and pictures and books were spring loaded. Following which, few actors – including the primary characters, a stunt man and a woman – posing as customers, were made to sit inside the coffee shop.
Whenever a customer, who is unaware of the above mentioned setup, visits the shop, the stunt man topples the coffee of the woman, who is seated in the nearby table, and pretends as if he unintentionally did so. Getting angry over her coffee being spilt, the woman is shown unleashing her telekinetic powers. As a result of which, the customers see the stunt man getting lifted up the fake wall, chairs and tables being moved randomly from their positions and pictures and books being thrown from the shelves and walls.
3. ‘Unbelievable Bus Shelter’ prank for ‘Pepsi Max’:
‘Unbelievable Bus Shelter’ prank for ‘Pepsi Max’
To promote PepsiCo’s ‘Pepsi Max’, Augmented Reality was deployed – in an interesting manner – over a see through window, available in the bus shelter of London’s New Oxford Street.
In the bus shelter, people were surprised on seeing unbelievable events on the see through window; a bomb approaching the bus shelter and exploding after dashing the glass, a tentacle of an octopus popping up from the drainage pit and abducting a person into the hole, a set of flying saucers floating above the skyline, a man hanging from balloons advancing towards the bus shelter, a giant laser-shooting robot and a fully grown tiger running towards the bus shelter.
Click here to have a look at the Augmented Reality stunt of Pepsi Max.
4. ‘Invisible Car’ Campaign for ‘Mercedez-Benz’:
‘Invisible Car’ Campaign for ‘Mercedez Benz’
Mercedez-Benz, in association with Jung von Matt (an Advertising agency headquartered in Germany), had implemented an innovative campaign to promote their F-CELL hydrogen fuel cell technology (a technology that allows the car to have zero-emissions or emit no pollutants to the environment).
As part of the campaign, mats containing numerous LEDs were utilized to cover the driver side of the car leaving out the tyres. A camera that was placed on the other side of the car captured the happenings on its side and transmitted them to the LEDs. Initially, the public were puzzled to see the car. Later, after getting to know on how the technology operates, they gathered around the car to enjoy watching their own reflections on the LEDs.
Click here to watch the glimpse of the ‘Invisible Car’ campaign.
5. ‘So Real, it’s Scary’ prank video for ‘LG’:
‘So Real, it’s Scary’ prank video for ‘LG’
To advertise their IPS monitors, LG, along with SuperHeroes (an Advertising agency based in Amsterdam, Netherlands) had come up with a video where unsuspecting people were pranked of dropping floors in a moving elevator.
Before the prank, 3’*3’ of IPS monitors were placed over the lower surface of an elevator to actually look like the lift’s floor. After people got into the elevator and it started moving, in each monitor, a video played in such a way that the floor of the lift appeared dropping. The perplexed reactions of the people, in response to the prank, were captured on hidden cameras that were placed inside the elevator.
Click here to watch the ‘So Real, it’s Scary’ prank video.
So, here I end my article about the 5 amazing Guerrilla Marketing strategies that have been implemented by 5 popular brands to promote their respective products.
Do you feel the above mentioned Guerrilla Marketing strategies to be amazing? Sound off in the comments section below.
Red Chillies Entertainment’s notable Digital Marketing efforts for Shah Rukh Khan-Anushkha Sharma’s ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’
Red Chillies Entertainment’s notable Digital Marketing efforts for Shah Rukh Khan-Anushkha Sharma’s ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’
As far as my knowledge goes, right after ‘Ra.One’, it has been the case with most movies of Shah Rukh Khan-Gauri Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, where their marketing efforts have been as notable as the themes of the movies. With Red Chillies Entertainment’s next, ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ being scheduled for a release on 4th August, 2017, I tried gathering information regarding the marketing strategies deployed for the movie. As a result, I have come up with this article that briefs about a couple of Digital Marketing strategies applied for the movie.
1. An interactive chatbot rendering an immersive experience:
Along the lines of utilizations of chatbots for movies such as ‘Kaabil’, ‘M.S.Dhoni’, ‘Jolly LLB 2’, ‘Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya’ and ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion‘, Red Chillies Entertainment have come up with an interactive chatbot to offer an immersive experience to their audience.
The chatbot has been designed in such a way that the people can get to interact with the character, Harry played by Shah Rukh Khan in the movie.
The features that this chatbot offers are more than just generic conversations. In its likeable interaction, the chatbot provides an intro about the characters, Harry and Sejal (Anushkha Sharma) from the movie and then offers us three engaging 37-second clips – which the makers call as ‘mini trails’ – from the film.
Also, using the chatbot, people can create customised posters, participate in a travel based personality quiz, watch songs from the movie and win exclusive merchandise.
Marketing Journo
2. Very own Facebook camera effect for ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’:
‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ is one among the few films in Bollywood, to have their very own Facebook camera effect.
By accessing camera effects by swiping left on their Facebook profile, people could make use of the JHMS (Jab Harry Met Sejal) effect. Using this provision, people could click a picture or shoot a video and share the same in their story or Facebook profile in ‘Harry & Sejal’ style.
Those are the two Digital Marketing strategies that Red Chillies Entertainment has deployed for ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’. Wish the marketing efforts of the Khan couple, to establish a ‘connect’ between their film and the digital audience, pays dividends with their movie’s result at box-office!
Promotional strategies for ‘2.0’ seem to serve as perfect preludes to the movie!
Promotional strategies for ‘2.0’ seem to serve as perfect preludes to the movie!
A film like ‘2.0’ (A sequel to the 2010 movie, ‘Endhiran’) that features stars like Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar is automatically bound to garner the attention of movie-going people. But, Lyca Productions – the makers of ‘2.0’ – are pushing the envelope, in terms of promotional strategies, to widen the movie’s reach. Here are two such promotional strategies that have been implemented so far by the makers:
1. Utilization of Augmented Reality in the first look poster launch of ‘2.0’:
The first look poster launch of ‘2.0’ took place in Mumbai where the first looks of Rajinikanth and Akshay Kumar from ‘2.0’ were launched in 3D. Huge LCD screens were placed in the arena to set the tone for the mega audio launch. The event was hosted by the Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar. Salman Khan had also made his presence at this event.
The best among the innovative ideas that were implemented in this event was the utilization of Augmented Reality. Using the technology, the image of Chitti (the character played by Rajinikanth in ‘Endhiran’) – answering Karan Johar’s questions – was incorporated into the screen that was placed over the stage.
Click here to enjoy watching the lively conversation between Chitti (Of course, a virtual image!) and Karan Johar. (Courtesy: Movie Talkies)
Making of Augmented Reality – 2.0 First Look Launch
A video titled, ‘Making of Augmented Reality – 2.0 First Look Launch | Lyca Productions’ was released on the official YouTube channel of ‘Lyca Productions’ on November 26, 2016, which shows a glimpse of how the ‘Augmented Reality’ sequence of the first look event was shot.
Click here to take a look at the making video. (Courtesy: Lyca Productions)
Marketing Journo
2. Flew a hot air balloon over the Hollywood Signage in Los Angeles:
Hot air balloon flying over the Hollywood Signage in Los Angeles
To grab the eyeballs of people from outside India, Lyca Productions flew a 100-foot tall hot air balloon over the iconic Hollywood signage in Los Angeles. From Los Angeles, the balloon will be traveling to QuickChek Festival (28th -30th July) in New Jersey, USA. From New Jersey, the balloon will proceed to San Francisco, London, Dubai, Europe, South East Asian Countries, Australia, and finally to India. In India, the balloon is set to travel to various cities. Also, Lyca Productions is planning to involve well-known film stars from India, to take a ride in the balloon.
Click here to have a look at the video of hot air balloons flying. (Courtesy: YOYO TV Channel)
These are the 2 interesting promotional strategies from Lyca Productions for ‘2.0’. Hope you liked reading my write-up. Keep following Marketing Journo to get to know the interesting promotional strategies that get applied for ‘2.0’ by Lyca Productions in the upcoming days.
How high-profile Political Campaigns across the world have effectively utilized Augmented Reality!
Along the lines of promotional strategies for any brand or service, political campaigns have also been designed in an innovative and interesting manner. The inclusion of technologies to the strategies makes them appear even more appealing. Here’s a note of such high-profile political campaigns, across the world, which have effectively utilized Augmented Reality:
1. ‘blippAR App’ for Barack Obama in 2012:
Barack Obama
In 2012, to support the Barack Obama’s election campaign, Blippar and BMGi created the “We got your back, Obama” blipp, compatible with iPhone and Android mobile devices.
After opening the ‘blippAR’ app and hovering the phone over either a five-dollar bill or the Obama campaign logo, contents set to offer an interactive Augmented Reality experience with Obama campaign were unlocked. In the app, the users were allowed to donate funds to the campaign, listen to the Obama campaign track and create photos, with high-fiving Obama, to share on social networks.
Barack Obama went on to win the election which made him the first Democratic president since Franklin D Roosevelt to win the majority of the popular vote twice.
Click here to watch the demo of the “We got your back, Obama” blipp.
Marketing Journo
2. ‘Merkel app’ for Angela Merkel in 2013:
Angela Merkel
On the eve of the German election 2013, as part of the political campaigns of the present German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party, ‘Christian Democratic Union’, an Augmented Reality mobile app named, ‘Merkel app’ was launched.
As part of this strategy of leveraging Augmented Reality, billboards with the portrait of Angela Merkel – wearing her trademark red suit – were placed in public places. When a mobile phone, having the app opened, was pointed at the portrait, the camera recognized her face and Angela Merkel appeared in the app saying, “Germany is doing well but we cannot take this for granted. I want us to be successful in the future together”
In this election of 2013, Angela Merkel had secured a historic third win and continued to be the Chancellor of Germany.
Click here to have a look at the demo of the ‘Merkel app‘.
Here ends my post on the effective utilization of Augmented Reality by high-profile political campaigns. If you come across to know of any such high-profile political campaign – from a trusted source – then please feel free to share the details in the comments to grow the above list longer.
4 captivating Content Marketing innovations applied for some fascinating movies of Hollywood
4 captivating Content Marketing innovations applied for some fascinating movies of Hollywood
After posting my previous write-up titled, ‘4 INNOVATIVE AND INTERESTING CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGIES IMPLEMENTED BY HORROR MOVIES IN HOLLYWOOD’, I came to know about 4 more Content Marketing strategies/campaigns – which I felt to be innovative and interesting – that have been implemented to promote 4 different movies belonging to 4 different genres (One movie belonging to the Horror Genre). So, I have come up with this post to brief about those 3 strategies. Below are the briefs on those campaigns, which had served as perfect preludes to the theatrical or the DVD releases of their respective movies.
1. ‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle’:
Chronicle (2012)
Few days prior to the release of the 20th Century Fox’s found footage film, ‘Chronicle’, a video titled ‘Flying People in New York City’ made by ThinkModo (a marketing agency), was uploaded to the YouTube channel, ‘ChronicleNYC’ on January 30, 2012. In this video, 3 6-foot tall human-shaped Radio Controlled planes (RC planes) could be seen flying above the Manhattan skyline with the passers-by over the streets feeling clueless on seeing the planes and some even capturing them on their phones.
‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle’
This was a strategy that was ideated and executed by ThinkModo, in association with 20thCentury Fox, to promote the movie by creating an illusion of people flying. ThinkModo, by taking cues from the movie’s poster, had then hired model airplane builders to device 5 human-shaped RC planes and make 3 of them fly (2 RC planes were backups). This event took place in New York on January 27, 2012.
The video had then garnered more than 5 million hits before the movie’s release date i.e., February 3, 2012 and the movie opened at number one in box office. Till date, the video has clocked more than 9 million views.
P.S. In January 2017, ThinkModo, in association with Paramount Pictures, came up with the video titled, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ to create a buzz for the movie, ‘Rings’. To know more about the video and its backdrop, click here.
Marketing Journo
2. ‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’ for ‘Skyfall’:
Skyfall (2012)
As part of Coke Zero’s marketing campaign, ‘Unlock The 007 In You’, Coca Cola’s North West Europe and Nordics business unit, in association with the makers of ‘Skyfall’, released the video titled, ‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’. The sequence of events shown in this video has been shot in the Central Station of Antwerp, Belgium.
‘Unlock The 007 In You. You have 70 seconds’ for ‘Skyfall’
In this video, we see that when an individual approaches the Coke Zero vending machine that has been placed in the station, they are let known that they are offered with a chance to win exclusive tickets to ‘Skyfall’. In order to participate in the event of winning tickets, they are asked to provide their names in the machine. On entering their name, they are asked to go to platform 6 in next 70 seconds. On their way to platform 6, they face few funny obstacles. Upon reaching platform 6, they are asked to sing the bond tune to win tickets. After doing so, they get their tickets.
This video, which was released on October 2012, went viral garnering over 3 million views in a week.
3. ‘Scariest Two-way Mirror Prank’ for ‘Conjuring 2’:
The Conjuring 2 (2016)
To promote the DVD release of ‘Conjuring 2’, a video was released in the YouTube channel, ‘Roadshow Entertainment’ on September 19, 2016. The video showcases the happenings that had happened after the screening of ‘Conjuring 2’ in a warehouse in Sydney. In the video, soon after the completion of the warehouse screening, we get to see the audience being asked to wait alone in a room for an interview to share their experience about the movie.
In the video, six hours before the event, we are shown technicians setting up a false wall, mounting a two-way mirror on it, placing bulbs around the mirror and illuminating them to make the setup look like a make-up room. Behind the mirror, a lady in the makeover of the frightening nun, ‘Valak’ that appeared in ‘Conjuring 2’, is made to stand. Another lady in the similar makeover is made to stand hiding in the room. Audience waiting out there in the room are unaware of the room’s setup.
When the people approached the mirror, they are being scared by the lady who is standing behind the mirror followed by the nun who stands hiding in the room.
‘Scariest Two-way Mirror Prank’ for ‘Conjuring 2’
The video also has the clip of ‘Conjuring 2’ from which the idea for this video was brought out. Hidden cameras placed inside the room captured the reactions of the people. The video, ‘THE CONJURING 2 – SCARIEST TWO-WAY MIRROR PRANK EVER’ was made out of the footage that has been obtained from such hidden cameras. Till now, the video has got more than 2 million views and is still counting.
4. ‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’ for ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’:
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’, the promotional video content – shot in a Starbucks of New York City – for the 2017 American superhero film, ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ has been released by Sony Pictures Entertainment in their official YouTube channel on June 27, 2017. The strategy is the brain child of ThinkModo – the agency behind the ideations and executions of ‘Flying People in New York City’ for ‘Chronicle 2’ and ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ for ‘Rings’.
‘Spider-Man Grabs Coffee’ for ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
In the video, we get to see the Starbucks customers, waiting to get their orders, getting surprised and some even scared, when the Spider-Man-suited stuntman Chris Silcox drops from the ceiling – just like how the Spider-Man appears upside down in movies – to get hold of his brew. After realising that the happening is just a prank, few get to click selfies with the Spider-Man. Stan Lee, the Marvel’s originator also makes an appearance in the video.
This promotional video has till now clocked more than 3 lakh views and is still counting.
So, here I end my post that provides an overview about the 4 captivating Content Marketing innovations that have been applied for 4 fascinating movies of Hollywood. If you enjoyed reading this post, I would be very thankful if you could share the same on Twitter or Facebook, or even email your friend. Thank you!
4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood
4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood
From time immemorial, horror movies, for the factor of ‘ghost’ alone that has been involved in them, have been garnering the attention of significant number of movie-goers. But, in order to take such movies further closer to the audience, the distributors of the same have been deploying innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies. Let us have a look at 4 of such eye-catching strategies implemented by horror movies in Hollywood.
1. ‘Hoax Death Threat Call’ for ‘The Ring Two’:
The Ring Two (2005)
Prior to the DVD release of The Ring Two, the London based Marketing Consultancy, New Media Maze came up with the idea of a marketing campaign, for the DVD release, by taking cue from the scary ‘tape scene’ of The Ring.
‘Hoax Death Threat Call’ for ‘The Ring Two’
Initially, the website – www.7daysleft.com – was set (Now, the domain is up for sale) and it offered a provision to people, who wish to play a prank by sending a ‘Hoax Death Threat’ call to their friends. People, who wished to do so, provided the e-mail address and cell-phone number of their friends. The website then sent a mail, with a link possessing the trailer of The Ring Two, to the friends. After opening the trailer from the mail and while watching it online, the friends received a call and a voice in their receivers whispered “Seven Days”. After the friends got to experience this scary moment, they were conveyed that the attempt is just a prank and that they could try to attempt this to five of their friends. This campaign which was launched in U.K. had emerged as one among the scariest viral marketing campaigns ever.
Click here to watch the ‘The Tape’ scene from The Ring.
Marketing Journo
2. ‘Demand it’ campaign for ‘Paranormal Activity’:
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Initially, in September 2009, the screening of the movie, Paranormal Activity was held in Hollywood, California. As a follow-up to this screening, an intriguing trailer was made by combining the audience’s reactions, which were captured during the screening of this show, and specific clips from the movie. The trailer was then uploaded to the official website of the movie (www.paranormalmovie.com) and telecast in television channels.
Towards the end of the trailer, a list of cities where the movie is about to be screened was put up. Also, the availability of the ‘Demand it’ option in the website, for the people who felt fascinated by the trailer and wished to get Paranormal Activity to be screened in their city, was let known. The motive, by the movie’s makers, behind this ‘Demand it’ provision was to opt first with the city, with the most demands, for the future screenings.
‘Demand it’ campaign for ‘Paranormal Activity’
The movie was initially released in 7 cities of U.S. on September 25th, 2009. From thereon, in less than a month, the movie was released nationwide.
Click here to take a look at the trailer of Paranormal Activity.
3. ‘TV Store Prank’ for ‘Rings (2017)’:
Rings (2017)
Almost a fortnight prior to the release of Rings (Third film in the Ring franchise following the movies, ‘The Ring’ and ‘The Ring Two’), Paramount Pictures shared a video titled, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ in their official YouTube channel.
‘TV Store Prank’ for ‘Rings (2017)’
In this video, firstly a TV store in New York is shown. Then, we get to see people setting a fake wall inside the store and mounting a specific number of televisions over the wall. These arrangements resemble the interior of a typical TV store. Behind a particular television, a girl with the makeover of Samara (Antagonist of the Ring franchise) is made to sit.
Subsequently, customers, one by one started visiting the store, greeted by a staff, guided towards the fake wall mounted with televisions and are being attended by the staff to let them know about the televisions that the store possesses. Initially, some random videos are being played in the televisions. Then, the videos are being replaced with the trailer of the movie, Rings. At one point of time, the Staff switches the display of the televisions to a new technology, which is available in the televisions and asks customers about their experience of the technology. This is when the television, behind which the girl is made to sit, scrolls up. The girl pops out of the television in the similar way in which the ‘Samara’ character crawls out of the televisions in the movies of the Ring franchise. She even goes on to sneak up on few of the customers. What other reaction would the customers render other than ‘shock’ when they encounter such a prank? Some screamed and few others even ran out of the room due to fear.
Hidden cameras placed inside the store captured the reactions of the customers. The video, ‘Rings (2017) – TV Store Prank’ was made out of the footage that has been obtained from such hidden cameras. Till now, the video has got more than 8 million views and is still counting.
Every time when we get to see Tom Cruise performing daring stunts in his movies, we feel astonished. But, how would we feel when we are provided with an offer, to experience the making of one such adventurous sequence, in a virtual manner? Wouldn’t we feel very enthusiastic and eager to undergo such an adventure? Such is an offer which Universal Pictures has come up with, as part of their marketing strategies, for the Tom Cruise starrer The Mummy.
‘Zero Gravity VR Experience’ for ‘The Mummy’
Who would have forgotten the terrific zero gravity sequence taking place prior to the plane crash, predominantly featuring Tom Cruise and Annabelle Wallis, which were shown in the teasers and trailers of The Mummy? The making of this sequence is which the Universal Pictures has offered a ride to by leveraging the Virtual Reality technology. This pop-up experience was first made open to the public in SXSW (South by Southwest). As part of this event, individuals, who were about to virtually experience the sequence, were provided with a headset and made to sit in a gyroscopic chair assisted by a haptic feedback. In the VR experience, which has been narrated by Tom Cruise, people were made to experience the behind-the-scenes look of the action sequence. This interesting event then appeared in Rockefeller Center, New York and in Los Angeles.
Click here to have a glimpse of ‘The Mummy’ Zero Gravity Stunt VR Experience.
So, that’s it with my briefing about the 4 innovative and interesting Content Marketing strategies that have been implemented by horror movies in Hollywood. Now, in the comments section of this write-up, feel free to share your views about the article and let me know of any such interesting and innovative Content Marketing strategies, which have been deployed for various flicks!
Ads of Vodafone SuperNet 4G: Paragons of effective utilization of Storytelling in Content Marketing
Ads of Vodafone SuperNet 4G: Paragons of effective utilization of Storytelling in Content Marketing
Sometime ago, I happened to learn about Simon Sinek’s ‘Golden Circle’ concept. I would say that the concept gives a unique and an interesting line to the crux of the Content Marketing approaches of some companies, which have been globally recognized as distinct and successful. In the concept, Simon Sinek conveys that such companies, while communicating about their products or services to their potential customers, first talk on WHY do they offer a product or service and HOW is that offer going to benefit the customers, and then talk about WHAT are they going to offer.
He further goes on by saying that when a company shares about the ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of its products or services to its potential customers, it means that it is dealing with their behaviours by engaging with their emotions. In other words, the information of ‘Why’ and ‘How’ communicates with the human’s Limbic Brain, which deals with their emotions. But, when the company talks about the ‘What’ of its products or services to its potential customers, it means that it is speaking to their brains’ rationalistic part, Neocortex.
Going by the concept of ‘Golden Circle’, I feel that one among the best ways in Content Marketing strategies, to deal with the behaviours of the customers by engaging with their emotions, is to bring out a television commercial (TVC) driven by a well-crafted storytelling. Of late, during the IPL 10 season, many would have watched the series of television commercials (Total of 6), which have been rendered as part of Vodafone’s ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, featuring an elderly couple (husband and wife) and narrating their experiences on their Goa trip.
When it comes to a storytelling, there are three crucial factors involved, viz., Characters, Conflicts and Resolution. In a storytelling, the characters are the ones with whom, and whose problems, the audience would relate themselves with. In the case of the advertisements of the ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, despite the storytelling being driven from the point of view of an elderly couple, it also has characters with which people from across various generations could relate themselves with.
Marketing Journo
Conflict is a scenario in a storytelling, where the characters get stuck with a problem and resolution is what that eventually helps the characters to overcome the conflict. In the first TVC of the campaign, we see the elderly couple facing the problem of spotting their Goa trip’s prearranged guide, whom they haven’t seen before, in a crowded railway station. To overcome the problem, they do a video call to their granddaughter from that crowded place and she helps them to spot the guide in the station. In the second ad, the couple approaches the localites who are seated in the roadside of a particular area in Goa and enquires them about the route to Chapora Fort by referring to the place as ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ Fort. But, the couple doesn’t get concrete details regarding the route from the localites. So, on the spot, they choose to use the Google Maps and in turn, the app helps them to locate the fort.
In the third advertisement, we are shown that the couple has made some new friends in a place in Goa and are having a good time with them. The couple wishes to share the happy moments at once with their beloved ones. So, they make use of the ‘Group Video Call’ facility and express their happiness to their dearest ones. In the fourth commercial, the wife character in the couple goes for a parasailing from the shore and her husband makes her ‘parasailing’ moments go live in her Facebook profile using a mobile phone. By looking at the mobile phone, she goes on to wave at and ask her Facebook friends on them being able to see her in the live. As a result, the live gets flooded with reactions and comments.
In the fifth TVC, we get to see the couple sitting in a crowded shore, watching a dance video (HD) in their mobile and getting to know few steps. In the evening, the couple is shown shaking their legs along with strangers in a boat party. In the final ad, the couple is shown sitting in a crowded railway station waiting for a train. The husband character in the couple speaks with his granddaughter over the phone via a video call. He shares thirty photos, which have been captured during the Goa trip, all in one go via his mobile to his granddaughter.
In the ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign, we could very well observe the order – ‘Why’, ‘How’ and then ‘What’ – that has been followed. As part of the campaign, Vodafone India had initially stated that, as its customers are utilising mobile internet across various applications, such as live streaming, movie downloads and video calls, it has invested in building ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G – The Data Strong Network’ to provide faster and consistent internet connection to its customers. Thereby, Vodafone had made it clear on why they came up with a new service.
But, the aspects of ‘How’ and ‘What’ of the Vodafone SuperNet 4G have been conveyed in the television commercials. In all the above said television commercials, the order – ‘How’ and ‘What’ – has been followed in the well-crafted storytelling of the narrations. The ads first showcase us on how a fast and consistent internet connection enables the customers to perform data-heavy activities such as doing video calls, streaming HD videos and uploading multiple photos from crowded places, accessing internet based apps while on-the-go and making group video call. By that means, the commercials have let the users know the benefits of ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G’. Finally, in the advertisements, we get to know the name of the service and the campaign, ‘Vodafone SuperNet 4G’ and ‘Data Strong Network’ respectively accompanied by the slogan, ‘#MakeMostOfNow’.
So, with the above arguments, don’t the series of television commercials of Vodafone’s ‘Data Strong Network’ campaign sound as a paragon of effective utilization of storytelling in Content Marketing? Let me know your views in the article’s comments section, which is available below!
