Social media reverberates with the roar of greasepaint marketers

Actors blur the personal and professional to drive the online chatter for a string of newly released movies

A new generation of actors is bringing their social media skills and huge fan followings to bear upon their movie releases. Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha, Sara Ali Khan and many others are going beyond the usual marketing techniques of sharing a few songs or posting updates on their movies, these actors are keeping the greasepaint on as they turn brand ambassadors for their movies on Facebook, Instagram andTwitter.

Take Ranveer Singh, who is probably the savviest marketer among all. He keeps a hawk eye on the team that posts stories on his behalf on his Instagram account, monitoring every twist and turn to keep the interest alive in his new release. For his recent release, Gully Boy, he posted pictures of himself with the rappers profiled in the movie. Just weeks before, he was posing in outlandish costumes and striking outrageous postures on his social media timelines for another movie, Simmba. His co-star, Sara Ali Khan dressed up in colourful attire and posted that she was taking a cue from her ‘hero’ Ranveer Singh. Her personal post was linked to the movie’s marketing hashtag.

Vicky Kaushal who has taken his time to get comfortable with his social media avatar turned ace marketer for Uri. He posted videos with people from all age groups and in diverse professions, all mouthing the movie’s line How’s the Josh? 

A still from Uri

“Actors using their personal accounts for subtle marketing is a good idea. They are taking ownership and they can do so well. But there is a thin line to tread in this case, mixing personal and professional personal on social media,” says Jagdip Kapoor of Samsika. What he means is that actors need to watch what they say and do, because their lives are being lived in the glare of social media spotlights.

For now, however, actors and movie producers are not too concerned about the blurring lines. Given the huge following that actors command online and the targeted approach that social media affords, social media has become the most effective mode of movie marketing.

This also helps actors stay in the news. Take for example the case of Sonakshi Sinha who regularly posts about the movies she is shooting for, even if their release dates are far into the future. Shraddha Kapoor does the same as does Alia Bhatt. In this way, the young actors are using their felicity with social media to generate greater interest among younger audiences. In other words, point out marketers, they are building themselves up as brands.

Brand experts say that this works well in an age where personal lives are increasingly public. “It can be a boon and a bane. It primarily depends on the content that is being pushed through these platforms,” says Amit Chandrra, chairman and managing director, Trigger Happy Entertainment Network. 
 

“The next step should be figuring a way to include a call to action. One must convert the awareness to commerce and close the loop as such,” says Kapoor.

Actor marketers

• For Simmba, Ranveer Singh wore outlandish costumes as did his co-star Sara Ali Khan to create special Instagram stories and videos
• For Uri, Vicky Kaushal shot a series of videos with people from all walks of life and across age groups mouthing a line from the movie “How’s the josh?” So popular did the line become that interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal also used it while presenting the Union Budget 2019
• For Gully Boy, Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt have been sharing intimate details of the movie’s shooting schedules and their experiences on the set, building up the anticipation for the release