3 idiots business mantra for success

We spoke here about the way Indian movies marketing mantra is changing and how movie making has become more of a business. It is indeed becoming more and more professional way of money making. From being an art now it has become a business.

One film which is a striking example of the same, about which I cannot stop raving is 3 idiots. Mainly due to the man at helm, Aamir Khan this movie can be taken as an example in business of film making.Four months prior to launch of the film a 40 member team was put up for marketing of the film.The film was shown to all Reliance Mediaworks employees and all other stakeholders, weeks before the release on December 24, to ensure that everybody spoke the same language and kept the communication consistent. It was followed by a full 360-degree campaign.

Two weeks before the release, a huge splash was made online. A site called idiotsacademy.com was started to engage the viewer. Aamir Khan, the star of the film, travelled to various parts of the country in disguise to create buzz about the movie. We have seen 3 idiots modelled seats in major multiplexes around the country as a marketing move.

Character of Chatur Ramalingam, a major factor to the film’s success mainly because of the humour associated with the character was fully kept under wraps. “All is Well” campaign by Reliance was symbiotic gains to both Relaince insurance and the movie.This ad took TV and Radio by storm in a never before fashion.

Digital media was used strongly. One of the first things the company did was to launch an alternate reality game on idiotsacademy.com where actor Aamir Khan said that he will travel through India, leaving clues about his whereabouts, and participants had two weeks to find him.

The site had over 600,000 unique visitors in a matter of two weeks. Along with that, the marketers of the film used Facebook extensively to make a point.

Piracy problems were also effectively handled. A core group working from India, the United States and the United Kingdom tracked and attacked piracy — physical as well as online — by issuing trade notices, warning letters specific to prospective infringing sites and outlets across the United States, Canada and Europe. Raids were also conducted following the release of the movie.

And to add to all this, the good old methods of strong distribution were done. In India, the film was released across 1,850 screens; overseas it opened in over 360 screens, making it the largest opening thus far.

Though I may not be proud of the product 3 idiots is, I am definitely proud of the business model it is. It surely serves as a case study in the business of movie making.