Yes I am talking about the movie “Wake Up Sid”, but not about how good or bad is the movie, it’s something else. It’s about marketing; not marketing of the film but marketing in the film.
As I was watching the movie, my marketing mind was stimulated with something really interesting. The stimulator was the brand of products, services being used by the protagonists in the movie. Everyday there are movies getting released and in each movie the character is shown using products/services, be it a car, camera, laptop, mobile phone, eating pizzas, dining at the restaurants, going to discs. Have you ever wondered what brands are they of? Does use of particular brand of product convey any meaning regarding their positioning in consumers mind?
I think the answer is a big YES. Let me explain how this works. We several times try and portray ourselves as a famous character of a movie. We try to see ourselves as Aamir Khan of DCH or Hrithik of Lakshya or any other famous character which relates to our lives in one way or the other. Further we do like to use the brand of product our heroes use to portray the movie character of our interest.
This concept is appropriately tapped in Wake Up Sid. The movie starts with ‘Sid’ a rich, easy go lucky guy clicking pics of all unique and innovative things with his digicam of brand “Nikon” and that same camera helps him become photographer for the famous “Mumbai Beat” magazine. Clearly indicating Nikon positioning as a camera which can turn an amateur into a professional photographer. The same creative lad is shown using “AppleMacbook” in sync with Apple’s positioning of being innovative, creative and trendy. One more instance is that of “Jazz By the Bay” shown as a place for all creative people to relax and enjoy their dinner alongside Jazz music played by prominent brands. When Sid is hungry he orders Dominoes pizza, a 30 min delivery specialist. The movie shows if you are hungry and dying to eat something, think of pizza delivered to you in 30 mins.
There are many more such instances all throughout the movie. It surely goes a long way in enforcing the positioning of brands in consumers mind.
Probably such instances provide a sea of opportunities for marketers to indirectly promote their brands. However this path needs to be tradedwith a word of caution, because without a proper selection of right character for your brand the complete exercise may go haywire. I am not sure whether movie with Govinda shown using Apple Macbook would convey the same meaning or not.
So what do all of you say.....??
