POV: Are movie promotions on TV actually clutter-breaking?

Of late, almost every new movie gets onto a reality show on TV to announce itself. Are these as clutter breaking as they are made out to be?

Tejaswini Aparanji, COO, P9 Integrated

Yes, to a certain extent. We are living in an age where film producers are not content with running movie promos on 'X' number of reality shows - which are now a crucial part of a film's media plan. They want more innovation. If a movie is treated as brand then integration is a must.

The best part is that no money is exchanged in such deals, making it a safe bet for the producers on both the sides. Usually, general entertainment channels (GECs) are preferred as they ensure eyeballs. While it's convenient to do this in the case of big budget movies or movies with star power, small films lose out on this opportunity.

However, now regional markets are also exploring such associations between reality shows and films in a big way. Though in-programme integration is the future, many innovations in this segment are yet to see light of day.

Nitin Vaidya, business head, Zee TV

In today's context, the very fact that every film marketer plans appearances on reality shows on the eve of a film's release speaks volumes for the popularity of reality shows, their effectiveness in generating buzz around a film and the reach of television as a medium.

Having popular actors make an appearance on reality shows is definitely a delight factor for the viewers as well. Zee TV pioneered the initiative of roping in film celebrities for special episodes of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa way back in 2005 and the competition followed suit.

However, the current trend where the entire cast of an upcoming film visits every ongoing reality show dilutes the effectiveness of the publicity campaign. It is overkill.

It also substantially reduces the returns for the reality shows as there is little or no differentiator between the celebrity appearances across various shows. Now, is the time for film marketers to select the right platforms to showcase their upcoming releases in a way that makes it a win-win situation for everyone across the board.

Kanika Mohan Saxena, AV-P, marketing, UTV Bindass

The response depends on how a marketer has utilised - or underutilised - the platform. The success will solely rely on the synergy between the storyline of a film and the theme of a particular reality show. Such an association is fruitful either before the release of the film or within a few days post its release.

Film producers have realised the importance of being a part of the small screen. At the same time, a 13-week-long reality show has understood the significance of star power in titillating the viewers.

Recently, on the eve of the release of Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai, actors Ajay Devgan and Emraan Hashmi made an appearance on Emotional Atyachaar on Bindass where they became a part of the crew and not a single promo of the movie was played during the show. All this happened without disrupting the show's format.

While the makers of a film are able to reach a varied number of audiences across different channels, the right buzz is created for the reality shows as India is a star-struck nation.