ROUND 03

Indian film industry is multi-lingual and the largest in the world in terms of ticket sales
and number of films produced and fifth largest in terms of revenue mainly due to having
amongst the lowest ticket prices in the world. Not only is the number of films huge, the
range is also very wide. It has everything from family dramas to thrillers, from biopics to
romance. The Indian movie audience likes variety in its industry but some topics are still
taboo for it and it is not very open to movies made on those topics.
Karma Productions is a reputed production house in the country. In the 16 years of its
existence, most of its films in various genres have been positively received by the public
and they have been able to rope in top directors and artistes for their projects over the
years.
Karma Productions has now hired you to devise a marketing strategy for its new film
Happy. The film is centered on Section 377(which criminalizes homosexuality) and
shows the life of four homosexual adults. The protagonists lead a normal life until section
377 comes into place and negatively affects their lives. It also shows how the section is
against free will and propagates its abolition. The title is a reference to a synonym of
happy, gay. It also points towards the protagonists life before the section came into
place.
The artists in the movie are all new barring one who had appeared in a movie last year
which did not do well. However, Pulkit Nath, a renowned theatre and movie artist is also
in the movie playing a retired lawyer. The director of the movie had given Bollywood its
biggest blockbuster last year and the year before that. This is her fourth film. Her debut
was also well received. However, all three movies were mainstream Bollywood family
dramas.
The plot of the movie was intentionally kept under wraps during the pre-production and
shooting stages to maintain the enigma around the movie. The movie includes scenes
showing the protagonists being harassed and tortured by the police and other groups.
Such films, in the recent past, have also caused much hue and cry among various sections
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of the society in different parts of the country. Thus, considering the sensitive content of
the movie, the producers are wary about going about promoting the film as they fear
uproar among some parties. As such, the producers want you to be very careful in going
about how to project the film to the audience.
Phase

Date

Post Production Phase begins

5th December 2016

1st Promo Release

11th December 2016

Music Launch

2nd January 2017

Official Trailer Release Date

27th January 2017

Film Release Date

24th February 2017

Its the start of December. You know that the first few promos will be the key to setting
the tone for the rest of the campaign by the public. The trailer of the movie is slated to
be released in a few weeks.
In this context, your task is to devise a comprehensive Integrated Marketing
Communications strategy for the first two months of the post-production phase till the
end of January when the trailer would be released.
This would take care of the promotion and public relations of the film and all its concerned
stakeholders. You have to keep in mind that the primary goal is to mould the perception
of the audience towards acceptance of the film.

JUDGING CRITERION :

Originality
Innovative out-of-the-box ideas
Feasible implementation
Meticulous audience coverage
Risk Mitigation Measures

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Since the production house is a large one and has invested a lot in the movie, so, to save
the movie, it is willing to invest a substantial amount in your strategy. Finance is not a
concern till the time the production house sees results. The movie is due to release in the
last week of February.

DELIVERABLES:
A PowerPoint Presentation containing not more than 5 slides (excluding the title
slide, thank you slide and appendices/exhibits).
You are free to include any other file as part of your IMC strategy (photos, posters
etc.)
All submissions are to be made at mantra@iimraipur.ac.in by 19 January 2017,
11:59:59 PM.
Please follow the naming convention: Manovra_TeamName_CollegeName
The shortlisted participants will be invited for the on-campus round.

Hope you enjoy negotiating this delicate situation and hope to see the enthusiastic
participation continue in this exciting final round!
Mantra
The Marketing Club
Indian Institute of Management Raipur

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