The Indian film industry, particularly Bollywood, is currently facing significant criticism from trade analysts and industry veterans. The reason for this is the adoption of questionable marketing tactics. The widespread use of Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) ticket offers and paid social media endorsements are a few of the tactics in question.
These practices are seen as desperate attempts to inflate ticket sales and boost online engagement. However, they are reportedly failing to achieve long-term success and are feared to be damaging the industry’s reputation.
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The recent trend of film producers implementing BOGO ticket sales from the first weekend of movie releases represents a shift from previous strategies. Earlier, such offers were reserved as a last-ditch effort to attract viewers to films underperforming weeks after release. Recent movies like Teri Baaton Mein Uljha Jiya, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, and Maidaan, despite aggressive promotions, have not fulfilled the expected box office targets. This has been casting doubts on the effectiveness of these marketing schemes.
Komal Nahta, a seasoned trade analyst, expressed serious concerns about the industry’s reliance on BOGO offers. “Launching such offers from the get-go is akin to admitting defeat. It indicates a lack of confidence in the film’s merits and undermines the authenticity of box office performance,” Nahta remarked. He further explained that such tactics distort a film’s true financial success. This is because a portion of the revenue is funded by the producers themselves.
This promotional strategy extends into the digital sphere with the rapid increase of paid social media reviews. Investigations have revealed that film producers have been spending between $150 and over $750 per post for positive social media coverage. The campaigns often extend to full-blown promotional blitzes, costing over $2400. This practice has cultivated much skepticism and mistrust among the viewers. After all, these strategies undermine the credibility of the reviews and the films they promote.
Trade Analysts explain why Bollywood’s marketing strategies are not working anymore
Veteran distributor Raj Bansal highlighted another unintended consequence of such BOGO deals. They condition audiences to delay their cinema visits in anticipation of such offers, which in turn impacts a film’s initial box office turnout. “People now tend to wait out the first few days, expecting that BOGO offers will soon appear if initial collections falter. This waiting game is detrimental to a film’s opening strength,” Bansal explained.
Another trade analyst, Himesh Mankad, suggested more effective alternative marketing strategies. He explained that these strategies do not have the negative repercussions associated with free tickets. “Adopting flat pricing for tickets could be a more straightforward and less deceptive approach. Setting tickets at a uniform lower price, especially during less busy showtimes, could help build a more reliable audience base,” Mankad proposed.
As Bollywood navigates through these tumultuous waters, there is a growing demand among stakeholders for greater transparency and integrity in film marketing and promotion. Analysts urge a reevaluation of current strategies. They want to advocate producing high-quality content that can attract audiences based on artistic and entertainment value rather than relying on gimmicks and manipulated narratives.
The industry is at a crossroads, and its future success may depend on its ability to adapt and restore its credibility among the Indian audiences.
