By Hindustan Times
During the discharge of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), Aamir Khan had got ushers of a multiplex to sport the shaved-head Ghajini look to advertise his film. Now, Akshay Kumar is piggybacking at the massive success of Salman Khan’s Ek Tha Tiger (ETT) to advertise his film Oh My God (OMG).
In a singular marketing strategy, the makers of OMG have placed donation boxes — resembling those you notice in temples — in two multiplexes within the city. The boxes say: ‘Have you bribed God today?’ Vikram Malhotra, COO, Viacom18 Films explains: “OMG is a movie with mass appeal. It's for those that believe in God and people who don’t. So we decided to have interaction the audience in a fashion that may be thought-provoking.”
Explaining why they selected to advertise their film with ETT, he says, “The release of Salman’s film, combined with I-Day and Eid, has drawn a lot of people to theatres. We placed these daan petis (donation boxes) in order that people can return with the message — ‘Aren’t you actually bribing God to get a wish fulfilled?’ A wish could range from good exam scores to school admissions to marriages. Donation and prayers are offered with an objective instead of solely out of devotion. That may be some of the things that OMG addresses.” For now, the boxes have received coins, notes from young girls in search of grooms and other notes from youngsters saying ‘You cannot bribe god for anything.’
The makers are involved in the response in city multiplexes and now plan to take the promotion national. “We’ll spread it across 15 cities and 80 properties and concentrate on multiplex chains that attract youth,” he adds.
