The media environment around us is becoming increasingly cluttered. Multiple new launches across categories, and the prevalence of social media and user-generated content, has made it difficult for communication assets to stand out in the clutter. And this is impacting how new content is finding traction initially.

260 Hindi films have released theatrically since Jan 2021 till date, but only 49 of them earned more than ₹10 Cr (nett domestic) on their opening weekend. When it comes to OTT shows, of the 519 Hindi language web-series and direct-to-OTT films launched since Jan 2021, only 19 had an Appeal (Intention to Watch) higher than 50%, and of these, only 8 were non-franchise properties. Things aren’t any better for television, with only 10 of the 164 new Pay Hindi GEC shows launched since Jan 2021 managing to the 2-TVR mark in HSM Urban.

In a cluttered media environment, the marketing campaign of a film/show, especially its main teaser or trailer, has a decisive impact on the opening of the property. All other assets can only have an incremental impact thereafter. The chart below shows the average percentage growth in Appeal (Intention to Watch) of theatrical films in various languages in India, from the teaser/trailer launch to the week of release.

The first reaction of the audience to the main asset of a film or a show typically sets the level at which the property will open. Hence, it becomes critical for the first asset to deliver.

Despite the need being well understood, campaign testing is used only sparingly in the Indian entertainment industry, for one significant reason: Not enough time to test. Assets are typically ready only a few days before they are scheduled to launch, rendering conventional testing timelines (typically two weeks) unviable. Our new product, Ormax Campaign Express recognizes this constraint, and is designed to deliver results in express timelines.

While we have been testing campaigns for films and shows for 15 years now, Ormax Campaign Express brings with it the capability to provide results within an express timeframe of just four days, hence providing a much-needed solution to the dynamic landscape of entertainment marketing.

The tool forecasts key business metrics for each category, i.e., first-day box office for films, first-weekend viewership for OTT shows, and first-week viewership for television. Combined with asset-level likability and qualitative feedback on campaign elements, Ormax Campaign Express delivers holistic recommendations to maximise audience delivery for entertainment campaigns.

If you would like to know more about Ormax Campaign Express (OCE), please reach out to us, through the Contact section of this website.