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Home , Excel Entertainment, Ritesh Sidhwani

India’s platform for Events and Experiential Marketing

Print Newsletter September 2008 14 Photographer - Abheet Gidwani Photographer -

…Dil Karta Hai Sadko Par Jor Se Gaau Sab Apne Apne Ghar Ki Khidaki Khole Phir Main Aise Joshilein Geet Sunaau Mere Geeto Ko Sunke Sab Yeh Bolein Rock On, Hai Yeh Waqt Ka Ishaara…

Ritesh Sidhwani, Producer, ‘Rock On’ BY Jagadeesh Krishnamurthy ne wonders whether the lyrics at Infiniti Mall, Andheri, where concerts were managed by Big complete 360-degree marketing Oof the song ‘Rock On’, from introduced the Music and ’s effort, involving traditional the movie by the same name, songs by singing them on-stage. marketing team. mediums like radio, print, and inspired the promoters to take In Delhi, a full-fledged concert television too. “Along with these the on-ground route in such traditional mediums, an unprecedented manner, we also had a lot of on- to promote the movie. The ground activity going movie, based on a rock on for the with live band, is filled with music concerts before and after concerts and shows. These the release of the movie,” were replicated on ground he explained. as part of its promotions across the country – and On the idea behind live abroad soon. concerts for promoting the movie, Sidhwani added, The rock band from the “It (live events) blends movie, MAGIK, comprises itself into the movie as it of actors Farhan Akhtar, forms a major part of the , storyline. I ’t know and Luke Kenny. They whether I can do it for my performed in front of live next .” audiences in and Delhi. In Delhi, the musical Sidhwani elaborated on trio of Shankar, Ehsaan and the rationale of having Loy, the composers for the live concerts to promote movie’s music, also joined the a film. He noted that performance. was organized after the movie’s Marketing ‘Rock On’ audiences had started recognizing release. Over 15,000 enthusiasts Speaking on the marketing the star cast of the film as actual The first concert was for the attended the show. Talks are on to aspects, Producer musicians. He reasoned that music album release in Mumbai take it to other cities as well. The observed that the movie had a building up on that recognition ’s platform for Events and Experiential Marketing

Print Newsletter September 2008 15

Explaining the idea “behind live concerts for promoting the film, Sidhwani explained, “It (live events) blends itself into the movie as it forms a major part of the storyline. I don’t know whether I can do it for my next films.” Entertainment) with Farhan Akhtar, Sidhwani started his career with his family business - Marlex, a home appliances brand. Marketing movies has been a different ball game altogether, admitted the producer, and added that making the switch was not easy either. helped the movie, and said, “We communication mileage for the held before November 2008. wanted actors from the movie movie,” Sidhwani added. But the shift is done, and to be identified by audiences A positive association with Sidhwani has already made the as part of a band. And so, real The encouraging response for the Reliance ADA Group’s ‘Big’ move. He seems well-settled in concerts worked very well for us. ‘Rock On’ live shows in Mumbai banner of companies -Big Music, his new role now. He emphasized The concert held for the music and Delhi has egged organizers, Big FM, and Big Adda - has paid the need to create a differentiation release in Mumbai too helped Excel Entertainment, to create a off for Rock On a well. It is a fact while marketing movies, without us in establishing the film in our tour with the movie’s cast in more that Sidhwani acknowledges. It getting carried away by a one-way audience’s minds. To increase the cities. Plans have been worked out is understood that Big Events communication approach. interaction, we also gave away for performances in Bangalore, chipped in as well, to the success guitars and drums used while Shillong and Dubai. Sidhwani of the shows. “While marketing a film, the filming the movie as prizes and expects a 30,000 strong audience advantage is that you feel like gifts for various contests.” to attend the concert in Shillong, He noted, “It is tremendously you have a monopolistic product which he believes has the biggest beneficial for us and it is very with select actors and unique “These days, marketing has rock culture in India. important to have a partner storylines. However, at the same become so vital and people have who backs you with the same time, you realize that there are become so spoilt and pampered “The Shillong show is a tribute passion. Moreover, it is the only other films to sell too. It is very for choice, when it comes to to the passionate rock music company to have all necessary important to leverage your work, movies. They are making choices fraternity there. On an average, at arms for a movie promotion - and create a ‘connect’ between the based on a promo, and with more least one member of a family in radio, events, music and web.” (movie) brand and its audiences,” television channels coming, the city is a rock music fan,” he he said. increasing marketing budgets said. While the exact dates of the Marketing Movies is not at all a solution. The only live concerts are not known, it is Before starting his own film Noting that the split between option left is to increase PR and understood that the shows will be production house (Excel ATL and BTL marketing spends will vary depending on movie in question, he pegged the industry average at 80:20 favoring the former. He noted that the split was likely to remain the same, and reasoned that sheer number of people ATL caters to was likely to ensure that.

Brand associations are being leveraged by movies increasingly, for on ground and other BTL promotions too. Rock On’s producer noted that these associations helped optimize the BTL spends too. For the movie, Saville Row Company London and Mojo Sunglasses joined the bandwagon alongside the Big banner companies from Reliance ADA Group.

India’s platform for Events and Experiential Marketing

Print Newsletter September 2008 18 Music, Football and the Budweiser Life! Budweiser was launched in India in July 2007 by Crown Beers India, the JV between Anheuser-Busch and Crown International. The beer was launched in two states initially, and is now present in Goa, , Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and most recently, Puduchery.

With plans firmly in place to increase its presence in other markets, the brand has been promoting itself strongly in its current markets through events, promotions and sponsorships.

EVENTFAQS’ Karishma Hundalani interviewed Anil Manjunath, Marketing Head, Budeweiser India, to learn more about the brand and its BTL activities in India. Excerpts:

Budweiser has for long even organize our own amateur artists at popular night clubs in Then of course, we promote been associated with sport, football tournament 6v6 across the country. beach volley ball and beach and more specifically with the globe. Since football is a part Then, we have Football. We football tournaments as well. football. Given that football of our heritage, we don’t re-think now have Indians participate in is not seen as having the the association in new markets. our amateur football tournament Could you name some of same appeal in India as it ‘6v6’. It’s like a dream come the on-ground innovations does internationally, did you What is Budweiser’s true for footballers to play on the that have been made by the re-think before announcing marketing strategy in India? same grounds as other countries. brand to uniquely promote associations with football How is its positioning It is an international tournament and position itself? properties here? different from the increasing and the finals are held in the Old The 4x4 rally is a new sport Football is the second most number of beer brands in Trafford Stadium, which in itself and the experiential factor of popular sport in India after cricket. India? is an experience of a life time. this event is very important to Secondly, our global heritage is Our marketing strategy consists of The third platform is Budweiser participants. There are a lot association with football. We’re three verticals. Music: Budweiser Life. We promote polo (which is a of 4x4 rally enthusiasts in the associated with the English Clubbing is the platform through lifestyle sport). We also organize country, but they didn’t have a Premier League, the Manchester which we promote dance format a 4x4 rally, an off-road ride we do place or platform through which United Team, The FIFA World sounds. We bring down DJs from in different terrains. We’ve done they could pursue this interest. Cup and many other football all parts of the world. Last year, a couple till now. It’s untapped We provided them the platform platforms internationally. We we hosted 12 to 14 international by any other company till now. and it has done pretty well so far. India’s platform for Events and Experiential Marketing

Print Newsletter September 2008 19

and new - we created an outdoor dance floor! I saw people taking Music, Football and Almost every time, pictures and inviting other friends “with every activity, to come to the night club too. we look to meet our consumers and What efforts have been taken the Budweiser Life! interact with them. by the brand to promote and support football in India? That’s our focus 6v6, the amateur football and that’s what we tournament we organize, is now try doing. held in India as well. We have associated with the Mumbai - Anil Manjunath ” Football League to felicitate the man of the match and man of the tournament. We are the sponsors It also lives up to the consumers’ for the Goa Football team for the aspiration of the brand. Budweiser Santosh trophy. is premium not only in pricing but We might even be looking also in experiences. at creating our own platform to promote football in How much of such India. However, it’s too promotions and properties premature to talk about it now. by beer (and alcobev) brands are actually for reaching out to consumers in person, and how much of it is for the PR (media mileage)? What is the case for Budweiser events? Our approach is consumer interaction. Almost every time, It’s not a conscious effort. has been better than the previous with every activity, we look to time. The amount of participants meet our consumers and interact How do you measure the always increases. We continually with them. That’s our focus and effectiveness of such events innovate the way we go about that’s what we try doing. We for the Budweiser brand? doing this - very rarely are we think it’s a more effective way Or effectiveness of such monotonous. We improve an event of communicating our brand. activities or associations? Is or activity each time in terms of We don’t do many sponsorships. it true that most decisions production value. For example, in Because our brand is well defined, on events are still made by a particular event for Budweiser we take an approach where we gut feel or instinct, without in Bangalore, people walked Could you name the one conceptualise our own campaign measurement mechanisms? into a night club not expecting event/promotion that or promotion instead of just All our activities are well thought anything out of the ordinary. But Budweiser has done in associating with a ready concept out and not just by instinct. when they came to know we were India, that made maximum looking for brand sponsors. There isn’t a way of measuring a holding a promotion there, they impact? All the PR we get is from the promotion, but each time we’ve were pleasantly surprised because events and activities we do. done a promotion, the impact we did something that was unique It has to be the 6v6 tournament that we organized between Feb and May. It is an innovative platform and we are able to touch a very wide consumer base through it. We even promoted the tournament locally by creating the Old Trafford experience on a truck (Bud Cup Truck) which moved through many cities in the country. This created a lot of interest amongst audiences, who were curious to find out what it was and it eventually got a lot of people to participate in the tournament. Through the tournament, we had about 5,000 registrations. And the various promos done during this time reached about 74,000 target consumers. It was a well- integrated 360-degree approach to reach out to our consumers.

(Read the full interview on www.eventfaqs.com ) Size 23.5 X 34.8 cm

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