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Lessons in Marketing from Chennai Express

With the movie Chennai Express entering the elite “Rs 200 crore club”, I wonder if its content is really worth that much. I leave that to you to decide. However, there is one thing we should not miss noticing amidst the euphoria. That the success of this movie is in large parts due to a massive marketing blitzkrieg and not the content alone.

1. Rajnikanth

What has Rajnikanth got to do with this movie? Honestly, nothing. But what can he do to bring the crowds? Absolutely everything. Those who watched the movie in Chennai cinema halls say, “Not a single person left the theatre when the movie ended. Everyone was waiting for ‘The Talaiva’ song at the end. They enjoyed the song more than they did the entire movie.” That is what Rajnikanth can do.

2. Mobile Game

Smart phones are pervasive now. The movie producers launched a mobile game called ‘Chennai Express – Escape from Rameshwaram’ alongside the movie. The game is nothing extraordinary; just an approximate replica of Subway Surfers with a few user interface modifications. Not surprisingly, the game had been downloaded more than 50,000 times during its early release. What else could be a better way to reach the crowds.

3. Combo offer

You get a third free ticket if you buy two tickets as part of Raksha Bandhan festival promotions. At a time when the price of everything from jewellery to onions is hitting the roof, what better gift for your sister than a blockbuster movie ticket?

4. IIFA awards

Shah Rukh Khan, while hosting the International Indian Film Academy awards this year, mentioned the movie innumerable times. He went to the extent saying (in a light note) that he will advertise Chennai Express for the next 45 minutes as his co-hosts left the stage.

The movie content itself has its share of force-fitted product placement marketing about other brands. At least twice in Chennai Express, SRK explains all the technical details of the Nokia Lumia smartphone despite it having nothing to do with the plot. It all adds up: SRK owns the Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team, of which Nokia is the sponsor.

But in the end, he has managed to make money for everyone behind the movie, have Nokia marketed, and reach the South Indian audience all in one shot. Life is good.

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