Bollywood's Iconic Star Engineers Cinematic Comeback: Unconventional Ticketing Strategy Sparks Box Office Triumph
Renowned for being a hot property in brand endorsements, the superstar, during the pandemic, crafted a unique deal with all his brand partners
A Bollywood megastar is making a dazzling comeback to the silver screen with a rather unconventional strategy that's turning heads in the film industry. After a bit of a lull in the past decade, this iconic figure, often referred to as the "King," has ingeniously partnered with a Thailand-based Crowd Allocation agency to boost ticket sales for his movies.
Renowned for being a hot property in brand endorsements, the superstar, during the pandemic, crafted a unique deal with all his brand partners. In a departure from the norm, where brands usually pay the full endorsement fees upfront, this superstar directed his sponsors to allocate half of the fees to a Thailand-based Crowd Allocation agency. The agency, well-versed in managing crowds for various events, particularly political rallies, took on a new challenge in January 2023 by venturing into the realm of cinema.
Here's the gist of the plan: the agency takes a 5% commission from the total amount received and invests the rest in purchasing movie tickets. These tickets are then distributed for free across the country to create a buzz for the superstar's "comeback film." To add an extra layer of excitement, a premium is paid to individuals who play the role of "Die Hard Fans," showcasing their enthusiasm on social media and news platforms.
For the superstar's first film of 2023, tickets worth Rs50 crore were procured, followed by Rs75 crore for the second release. Now, there's anticipation about a whopping investment of Rs100 crore for the superstar's upcoming venture. The clever twist in this strategy lies in treating these expenses as marketing spends, with a fascinating twist—40% of the money invested in buying tickets comes back to the production house in the form of a distributor's share.
In essence, this approach is a masterstroke in manipulating box office numbers, leaving us to ponder why such euphoria and celebration weren't prevalent in the pre-pandemic era. The superstar's cinematic comeback is undoubtedly rewriting the script for success in the entertainment industry.