'I'm totally alien': Aamir Khan says he's 'zero' at marketing
What's the story
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan recently opened up about his struggles with understanding modern film marketing strategies, especially in the age of social media. In an interview with Screen, he reminisced about simpler times when promoting films was relatively easier. He specifically mentioned the ease of marketing during the release of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (QSQT) compared to today's fragmented digital landscape.
Marketing challenges
'I'm totally alien to this world...': Khan
Khan confessed, "I just feel that things have changed so much over the years...especially with social media coming in. I'm someone who doesn't understand this world at all. I'm totally alien, you know, I don't belong to this world." He added, "Earlier marketing was much easier, I feel, because you had television channels that you knew people were...watching TV, they were watching certain things, and where people were collecting that is where you go, and you plant your marketing."
Challenges
'I'm like totally zero in this'
Khan added, "But today, it's very difficult to know where people are. They're mostly on WhatsApp and very scattered. So, it's become much more challenging, according to me." "It's getting...more and more complicated. And I feel I'm the last guy to ask about it because I'm like totally zero in this. So I'm also trying to learn and understand how one does marketing in this new fractured, very scattered audience."
Nostalgic approach
He recalled how 'QSQT' team used Doordarshan for promotions
Khan also recalled how the team of QSQT used Doordarshan's music programming to promote the film. He said, "I remember when QSQT released, there was only Doordarshan, one channel in the entire country." "And our marketing was we had four songs." "So our marketing was done in four songs, four Thursdays. Because we knew the whole country has seen that song."
Digital dilemma
Khan also questioned current methods of calculating digital views
Khan also questioned the current methods of calculating digital views and ad metrics. He said, "How many people have seen my ad? How many people have seen my entire ad?" "If you see it in 10 seconds, it counts. But actually, until you see the entire trailer, you haven't seen the trailer." "So in today's date, it's getting much more complicated." On the work front, he recently produced Ek Din starring his son Junaid Khan and Sai Pallavi.