Close
Up - 'Kyon Ho Gaya Na'
Aishwarya
Rai-Vivek Oberoi starrer 'Kyon Ho Gaya NA had a 360 degrees
communications from BTL, on-ground, outdoor, print coupled
with a burst on television with with Close Up.
The
producer wanted to capitalise on the on-screen and off screen
chemistry between Aishwarya and Vivek and approached Lintertainment.
And Linterntainment found the offer to be an apprporiate
fit for Close-Up. The agency also knew that the producer
was going to maximize on this chemistry and that they were
coming on screen for the first time along with an icon called
Amitabh Bachchan. So it was a win-win situation and hence
the hype that was created and strategised around this film
was humongous. "We explained this to our brand. Lintertainment
besides being facilitators, right from ideating and not
merely executing, we also direct and guide our brands to
invest at the right place," Rao says.
There
were no monies involved in the deal between 'Kyon Ho Gaya
NA and Close Up. It was a complete barter.
The
signature song of the movie was launched at the Inorbit mall
and there was no publicity done for it. Word of mouth publicity
was what worked and people got to know that Vivek and Aishwarya
were going to make an appearance. This itself instilled curiosity
levels and understanding that anyway there was going to be
an X number of people at the mall on a weekday. Close to 15,000
people turned up and the duo not only made an appearance but
went a step ahead and performed for the audience.
Retail
promotions, contests and also an auction of Aishwarya's outfit
in Delhi was done. On television, a character was created
for Close Up, which turned out to be the enabler. The entire
media activity that was done was worth Rs 10+ million and
at the end of the day the client was happy with the outcome.
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What is
branded entertainment? "Branded entertainment is not just about
the marriage between two isolated products - entertainment and brand
- but also about what goes behind creating this marriage," says
Rao.
While
Group M's BroadMind will focus primarily on television content,
Lintertainment is more skewed towards movies. There are big plans
but Rao is not willing to spell them out yet.
Lintertainment
is currently in the process of giving final touches to a couple
of in-film placements for a big banner movie, wherein the brands
have been seamlessly woven in with the storyline. Rao says, "Bridging
the gap between entertainment and brands has to be well thought
of. You can't be a mediator or a facilitator. It has to be well
ideated and well executed."
That
does not mean that Lintertainment will ignore television opportunities.
According
to her Lintertainment works in sync with other Lintas divisions,
among which is Initiative Media. The latter's big opportunity came
when it wanted to put Maruti Zen as a product placement in Sony's
popular serial Jassi Jaissi Koi Nahi. "Jassi, who hailed
from a middle-class family, couldn't think beyond an auto or a bus
for commuting. A car was a luxury for her and when she was gifted
with it, the gamut of emotions - ambition, need, desire and happiness
- that Jassi felt was very well portrayed and received. The brand
fit was perfect," Rao says.
Presently
Lintertainment is working closely working with the Tatas with brands
like Tata Tea Gold and Tata Indicom. Apart from that, the agency
is also associating with Nerolac, Close Up and a lot of other top
line Lever brands. Down South, Jaya TV is partnering with Lintertainment
by providing software for the South Indian Cinematographers Awards
(SICA), which was scheduled to take place last year, but got postponed
because of the Tsunami episode.
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Active
Wheel - 'Paisa Vasool'
'Paisa
Vasool' with Active Wheel was a cross promotion with Manisha
Koirala, which was very uniquely created by Lintertainment.
A
special television commercial was made with Koirala in it,
wherein she was promoting her movie and Active Wheel at the
same time.
Manisha
Koirala does a 'paisa vasool' with Active Wheel
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The
agency recommends ideas to both parties - the brand to the producer
and the producer to the brand. "We are involved in the entire
process right from the start. Since we are also involved with the
brands, we advice them on the investments too and we study the demographics,
financials and their need to invest into a product before finalising
anything," says Rao.
More
and more corporates have started setting aside budgets for branded
entertainment. However, the budget allocation differs from brand
to brand. "Initially brands were not receptive to entertainment
as much as they are now. Since this medium is expanding and evolving
and with this space having gained the "industry" status,
brands and corporates have started looking at it seriously. The
entire package that comes across in the market is a very high valued
product because you have a brand which is of repute and you have
a film. Obviously, the curiosity and expectation levels from a film
increase two-fold," says Rao.
While
ideating on branded entertainment and the fit with the brand and
the product, the content or the storyboard is important. Within
that story, there needs to be a right sequence wherein in-film product
placement can take place. "If we are able to come up with the
right sequence in the film, then it is great. If not, then we look
at post production. There are some brands that want to be involved
right from the script level (in-film) to the post production (media
tie-ups). It is an entire 360 surround," she adds.
Rao
gives the space five years time to reach its peak in India. "I
think by 2010 we would have achieved a lot. Earlier we never had
digital entertainment or gaming, whereas now both are industries
in their own right. Global players are seeing India as a potent
market, which can be milked to the fullest. In times to come, entertainment
will be evolving at a greater speed," she opines.
As
branded entertainment gains momentum, it is likely that traditional
media channels will be impacted in the near future. For example:
Initially channels weren't very receptive to in-serial placement
and came down heavily on the production houses when the latter tried
to do such things. But over a period of time, they saw it as a great
opportunity and also as an alternate source of revenue. Another
strategy that the channels devised was that in tandem with the brand
spend, in-serial was given as a value add. That's what Sony has
been doing. Star Plus was not receptive to it initially but has
started doing it now and is not averse to the idea.
"I
think traditional media will be impacted but not aversely. No sensible
and wise entrepreneur would like to let go of an opportunity that
will give added revenues and which will also heighten the scope
of opening up other avenues," Rao says.
The
branded entertainment market is very minuscule right now, but is
set for growth. "The branded entertainment market has grown
20 per cent from what it was last year. If a channel is receptive
in terms of software, a lot can be done via branded content and
the right kind of ad spends from the brand's side," Rao says.
Agencies
are now monitoring the viewing pattern of the audience in terms
of commercials and there is a lot of research taking place. Understanding
how branded entertainment can be leveraged and utilised and also
understanding the mechanism behind it, is what will take this space
forward.
"Brand
entertainment has more to do with furthering your communication
and riding on the success of the product and its creative ideas.
They both compliment each other. Brands have taken a step forward
from moving away from conventional form of advertising to integrate
themselves with non-conventional advertising," Rao says.
The
fact remains that branded entertainment is at a very nascent stage
in India. It has more to do with furthering one's communication
and riding on the success of the product. "At this point in
time, we can't say that we are at par with Hollywood. Much more
effort is needed. But we are adopting to the change. We are also
learning and that is very important," Rao concludes.
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read:
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takes flight with Kingfisher Airlines
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