I went into this Indiblogger without any expectations... I was in Andheri on a sales call, and was due at a friend's place for dinner - giving me a few hours in between; which meant I could register for the meet, which was in the evening. To cut a long story short, it was a very enjoyable event - both for me as a professional as well as for me as an individual. The event in question was the launch of the short movie RealFM - to be aired on MTV on the 23rd of March {Sunday}.
THE MOVIE
The movie is a power-packed punch by Anurag Basu - a Brand Promotion with a difference (More about this is the 2nd section below). It is a moving, heart-warming rollicking ride of emotions - all fun emotions; no tragedy here. Anurag has created a fast-moving and rapid-paced movie out of a relatively drab and in fact downright serious subject. In the process, he has also made it into a fun, touching, heart-warming movie that is genuinely hilarious in places, and packed with the entire range of entertainment. To put it in short and sweet terms - not one single emotion has been missed out; and in doing so, he has managed to keep to the plot, keep up the pace as well as held the attention of the audience.
The plot is around a Radio station that is facing some serious challenges, and is ditched by its unionised employees on the eve of Independence Day; leading to the MD getting an attack, and landing up in the hospital - and at death's door. At this point, the daughter, rather than hold her head, or her father's hand in the hospital - sets out to do the impossible- ensure that the Radio Station keeps running on the critical Independence Day - without any staff, or any programming. Sounds impossible, doesnt it? This is where the script scores - it has made us all believe in the impossible in the short span of around 70 - 90 minutes. So what does she do? She rallies 3 of her friends, and sets about turning the impossible, possible. And in a very believable, plausible manner - one that is, as I said above - touching, heart-warming, genuinely funny, entertaining, power-packed - giving us all a rollicking and enjoyable ride; and one that also delivers a very powerful message to boot. What more could you ask for?
Watch the movie on MTV on the 23rd at 7pm for a genuinely enjoyable ride with three ladies with chutzpah, courage, audacity, attitude and optimism in the face of near-insurmountable odds. Trust me, you wont regret it! The movie is 5-star rating material; and unforgettable. All the performances are spot-on, and will leave a mark on your memory... so enjoy this Sunday evening...
THE LAUNCH
The launch was, to be frank, thought-provoking. This is the latest trend among brands- using the blogosphere to connect with the youth; and I could see the reason on attending the launch, and looking at the fellow-attendees. It was an experience and an education for me as a professional, connecting with these younger people (given that I am on the wrong side on 40 now), and seeing their reactions to this frankly off-beat but highly entertaining movie. Going through the blogs and tweets also further buttressed this learning further. It was handled on a very professional and rich scale, with a high-end location to ensure a positive vibe, feel as well as attendance. The venue was top-class, as was the treatment.
The idea behind this movie was that the story should connect with the Sunsilk Brand through association with its target segment as well as its brand tagline or message, if you will. In other words, the story should portray what the Brand and its ideal (optimal?) target segment stands for, thereby creating a connect with the relevant audience, and ensure high recall and association, leading to influencing purchase decision choice at the point-of-purchase. It is too early to state, without supporting data, whether such strategies actually do succeed; especially given the nature of the vehicle chosen. Having said that, the response the storyline got in the younger audience indicates that the brand might just succeed its connecting with the target segment- the young, 15-35 girl or lady. All in all, for me it was an education in my new field of digital sales and marketing, an opportunity to observe things up close and personal from the within the audience.
These are early days in the digital marketing space, as I observed in my earlier articles on this subject :
This event is yet another in the stream of events that will contribute to building up this space. At this point, given the paucity of research on the effectivity, as well as the rapidly evolving nature of this space, nothing can be said; one thing is certain - it is emerging as a powerful tool to connect people, and one that can be eventually tapped into by companies in a big way. But is that day here? Cant be said. Having said that- events such as this one contribute in no small way in ensuring that that day arrives here faster than anyone expects.
Until that day comes, this remains a work in progress, and an area where at least I am learning with each passing day and event.
In closing - dont miss the movie, folks. No jokes; it is a seriously good movie. Top-notch!
Comments
Post a Comment