Show and sell

Blogs, SMS contests, radio spots and caller tunes find favour with filmmakers who are using new media to hype their films and lure people into theatresu00a0u00a0 Kannada filmmakers have woken up to the power of marketing. Looking beyond print media ads, posters and hoardings, they are using new media to promote their films among a tech-savvy generation of viewers. Their new playing field includes blogs, SMS contests, caller tunes, radio blitz and sale of merchandise.u00a0u00a0 Smart move: Hat-trick director Prem believes that creating the right buzz goes a long way in ensuring a film's successThe stupendous success of the Aamir Khan-starrer, Ghajini, underscored the importance of aggressive marketing campaigns. Aamir devised a smart and creative plan to interact with the media using the Internet. He started blogging on his personal website and kept the media and his fans updated on every new development on his project. Other filmmakers were quick to follow in his footsteps. TalkathonNot so long ago, Kannada filmmakers were hesitant to even talk about their films before the release. But they are now going all out to promote their products. Talk shows, television interviews, audio release functions, pre-release press conferences and invitations to the mahuratsu2026 they are going the whole hog.u00a0 Hat-trick director Prem used the power and popularity of mobile applications, which had just entered the market in 2005, to the fullest to promote the music of Jogi, the Shivarajkumar film. The hype he created drew a record audience at the opening. He now has a clear marketing strategy for Raaj-The Showman, which has Puneeth Rajkumar in the lead role. The producers of the film have tied up with a leading mobile communications company, and Puneeth fans can now download Raaj caller tunes, ring tones, movie updates and trailers onto their phones. If this blitz sets the box office registers ringing, there's no doubt more filmmakers will follow suit.