In a bid to attract more viewers, Telugu film producers are turning to marketing tricks similar to those used by large department stores like D-Mart, which offer enticing discounts to draw customers. This strategy is now being applied in the cinema industry with significant results.
This week, several new releases have implemented creative promotional schemes. For instance, the movie "Love Guru" starring Vijay Antony is offering a lucky draw where winners can enjoy trips to Malaysia, Kashmir, and Ooty. Despite a massive budget of over 300 crores, "Bademiya Chotemiya" introduced a buy-one-get-one-free offer on BookMyShow due to initially poor reception. Meanwhile, "Maidan", although well-received by critics, struggled with audience turnout, prompting the theaters to offer similar ticket discounts.
This weekend, trade reports indicate a notable increase in bookings, suggesting that these promotions might be a temporary solution to entice audiences to theaters. Such tactics are not new in Bollywood but offering foreign trips as prizes is unprecedented in Tollywood over the last decade. Going forward, offering free tickets, discounted snacks, and special rates for groups might be necessary to maintain occupancy rates. Even with all these efforts, films like "Tillu Square" and "Manjummal Boys" have performed better, showing that sometimes, content reigns supreme.
