Top Gun: Maverick

By now, almost everyone interested in the Top Gun sequel knows it is a good movie. Well, I think it is a super good movie, great actually, and I would like to watch it again. I was 4 years old when Top Gun was released in 1986, so yeah, missed it then. No way I am missing it now. Plus I like Tom Cruise and Jennifer Connelly.

As a Marketing Communication Consultant, this post is my analysis of the observations on the movie promotion and release in Mumbai. If I apply Project Management Stages to the entire promotional campaign so far I have observed, then I would say that all the promotional activities were very well conceptualized, planned, executed and monitored. It is yet to close, the last stage in a project management job, as the movie is just released.

The Event/PR/Marketing/Communication team/s, a few were visible in the background in the UK premiere videos, timed every aspect of the event very well. From the choice of the location for the event to the red carpet Top Gun themed décor to the Photo op sites to the selection of right angles for the Press to click pictures and take interviews—all was probably studied in detail prior to the event/s, hence well executed. To have very important people attending an event alongside ensuring everything goes as intended, is a lot of hard work.

Top Gun: Maverick trailer launch, interviews on the most watched talk shows, various events at different geographical locations, press coverage, promotions on various social media pages/channels, Official Music Video: Lady Gaga – Hold My Hand (From Top Gun: Maverick), the launch of Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One trailer, Top Gun Maverick Microsoft Flight Simulator and Air Combat 7 Xbox game…what I see is an excellent marketing strategy with maximum utilization of all the resources involved. And considering time as the main resource, it was a very beautifully choreographed marketing campaign. Great work team!

This for sure is going to be one of the PR Case Studies to be discussed in my class—a great example of Integrated Marketing Communication, which utilized both the Traditional and New Age Media to reach the defined audience.

Now, in Mumbai, I noticed two digital screens at Juhu Circle (recently launched), one of the prime and expensive locations for the OOH media exhibit in the city, displaying the movie poster on both the screens. Besides, the Malls have OOH display (Print and Digital) of the movie poster. There wasn’t any Photo Op installation in the theatre as generally observed at the time of a Marvel movie release–something that people like to click pictures against and upload on their social media pages.

We (my friend and I), chose PVR Cinema at the Infinity Mall Andheri West (close to both our residences) to watch the movie yesterday, Saturday, 28^th May 2022, morning show – 11:40 am in a D-Box Screen. Well, we reached late, both of us, and by the time we reached the Screen 3 door it was National Anthem time (around 11.50 am and thanks to the advertisements, we did not miss the beginning of the movie). Post which we were seated followed by two more advertisements: First one was of an upcoming Bollywood movie followed by the next one – Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part One trailer. And then the movie began…loved every bit of it! Planning to watch again, hopefully.

Now coming back to the observations part, the theatre was not as full as I expected it to be. Only the top four rows had people—age group 28 to 55 years almost all relishing popcorn – it was cheese and caramel mix for us. There are shows scheduled at 6 am and 8.50 am. I wonder if 11.40 am was low on the audience count, then what about the earlier shows? I should have checked the seat occupancy for all shows for yesterday, which I did not, so can’t comment on that. The tickets were booked a week before on bookmyshow.com by my friend. Hence, I missed on that analysis. Today, a Sunday, on the app, the afternoon shows of Top Gun: Maverick indicate fast filling, yet the late evening show isn’t all booked, which ideally should have been the case. In comparison, other movie shows presently indicate higher number of seats booked.

There could be many reasons for this; some that I could think of include…

• Fear of infection—the pandemic has scarred our memories forever
• Extreme heat, the city is presently suffering from
• It is May month – vacation time as schools reopen next week
• Higher ticket prices
• Inclination of the youngsters towards Marvel characters as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has some very good reviews
• Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 is presently running on screens and is a very good movie (we watched the evening show yesterday) with lower ticket prices
• Tendency to watch movies on apps like Prime Video and Netflix (the popular ones – I had watched Top Gun on Prime Video as I said earlier, I had missed it in the theatres then and on cassettes or DVDs)
• Physical offices have started and people are getting used to travelling again post two years of Work From Home scenario, hence weekends are relaxing-at-home-days now
• Ongoing cricket matches, could be, not necessarily a reason not to visit cinema
• Demand versus Supply: Through promotional activities, demand could have been generated. But in the absence of that the supply, as in the number of shows, considering the ongoing and upcoming movie releases, is high. Say if there are six shows scheduled in a day on more than one screen, with three having 20 percent occupancy and the remaining with 80 percent occupancy, an average of the six would be 50 percent occupancy. Now, if there were four to six shows but on selected screens and selected timings, then the occupancy would have been 100 percent. A movie as big as this for sure has good advertisers. However, the question is about the occupancy of the shows, and for the advertisers, the exposure of the ads to the expected number of people in the audience. Study of the data generated possibly could answer these questions.

So, that’s about it. Wishing good luck to the entire Top Gun Team!

Until next, take care!

…Ashu Bolar
ashubolar@gmail.com

Waffle Time!!!

A picture is worth a thousand words – therefore, some of my blog posts this year will have a few words and many pictures…and it begins with this post on Whatta Waffle!

In short newly opened outlet on Bonbon Lane, 7 Bungalows, Andheri – Mumbai…features…

#WafflyWaffles #PerfectBlend #StrawberryChocolate #PannyPancakes #TemptingOptions #MenuBeyondWaffles #SmallSweetHangoutPlace #QuickService #QualityEnsured #GoodExperience #1stJan2018

And here are some of Ashu-Dia waffly moments…

 

…Ashu Bolar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pudhil Station Andheri…Agala Station Andheri…Next Station Andheri

Sounds familiar…feels like you have heard it before. Let me refresh your memory. It is the recorded voice in the Mumbai local trains; Western line to be specific.

A remarkable portion of life in Mumbai is spent travelling in trains. You have missed the essence of Mumbai if you have never travelled by Mumbai locals. Over the years, there have been many changes made in the train, train timetable, platforms, stations, etc., in order to improve the services offered by the railway authorities. A few years back, if you were unfamiliar about the train map, then to ask someone in the compartment was the only way to find out about the next stop as the map stuck above the entrance is always in a ruined unreadable state. However, the new trains with better facilities, recorded voice reminders and LED displays have made the journey more convenient.

While travelling in the locals, my train of thoughts is usually distracted by the recorded female voice that reminds the passengers about the arriving station in three different languages at uniform pauses.

Pudhil station Matunga…agala station Matunga….next station Matunga

7 to 10 am & 6 to 8 pm…Entering a local at the peak hours is a very big task, of which I was initially apprehensive, but it has become a habit now. Every day for me is a new experience as I get to observe so many different faces, expressions, clothes, accessories, accents, languages – all in my 25 minutes ride in a slow local from Dadar to Andheri. Some faces have become familiar over the past six months, yet there are many new faces that keep adding each day.

Pudhil station Mahim…agala station Mahim….next station Mahim

Hawkers…they play a very crucial role in keeping you busy during your journey by selling various products ranging from food and clothes to cosmetics, accessories & stationeries that are showcased by utilising every little unoccupied space in the train. Sometimes you feel very sad looking at them. A pregnant lady hawker with one kid in arm and balancing three cardboard boxes full of stuffs on her head with the other hand in a moving train is not at all a pleasant sight. The kids who sell stuffs are suppose to be in school, not trains receiving odd stares and comments – sad, a very sad glimpse of developing India.

Pudhil station Bandra…agala station Bandra…next station Bandra

Conversations…hmmm…sometimes interesting, sometimes very boring and irritating, however, they somehow keep you engrossed. No, no, it is not eavesdropping. People are loud and clear, therefore, I am forced to hear them. Again they come is various forms – a conversation between two friends, gossips and discussions on daily soaps, arguments between two ladies or blushing of someone while talking with husband/fiancée/boyfriend…you keep speculating as these days it is difficult to guess who is single and who is not with the fading marital signs like mangalsutras, sindoors and traditional wears.

Pudhil station Khar Road…agala station Khar Road…next station Khar Road

Posters…yes, they are very entertaining. These are stuck all over the metallic walls sometimes one above the other. Some of them are very hilarious like the very common one – ‘Contact Doctor Piles To Get Permanent Solution’. In my medical school, I never came across any subject that makes one a specialist in piles, so I keep wondering about this doctor’s qualifications. There are many more advertisements by astrologers, job vacancies, some brands, undergarments, etc., among the abusive words scribbled on these walls; some amusing and some annoying.

Pudhil station Santacruz…agala station Santacruz….next station Santacruz

View…Greenery at and around the tracks is beautiful. It reminds you of the lush green Indian farms. But your heart sinks when you see the amount of garbage piled at the corners of the track. Although this mess is cleared every single morning, there is always a new heap waiting to be cleaned for the next day. People forget the fact that the one who cleans this dirt is also a human being. It is a hopeless when you see a person carrying a fancy mobile, talking in style, reading some famous novel, but throws wafer packets out of the train window. What is the use of such education that enables one to read, understand but ignore basic mannerisms?

Clean and green Mumbai is a dream, which is impossible to achieve without support from all – EACH AND EVERY citizen.

Pudhil station Vile Parle…agala station Vile Parle….next station Vile Parle

Instruction Board…I wonder how many have ever noticed this board. A few of these instructions make me laugh my lungs out because passengers do every but what is instructed.

1. Smoking is strictly prohibited. Penalty fine up to Rs. 100

Well, as of now I have not seen anyone smoking in the ladies compartment. May be this instruction is taken seriously.

2. A person carrying dangerous goods on the railways could be given a prison term up to three years or fine up to Rs. 1000 or both.

Dangerous goods…a good reminder provided someone reads and understands the consequences of the action.

3. Unescorted students depend upon you for protection, please accommodate and look after them.

Yes, point noted though these days kids are smarter than adults.

4. It is dangerous to lean out of a running train.

Yet people perform various stunts even if there is ample space in the compartment.

5. Do not travel without proper ticket.

Every single day numerous passengers get into the first class compartment with a second class ticket and when asked, very cleverly make ‘an OMG face’ and say that it was a mistake. However, by the time they apologise, the train has reached their desired station and it is time to leave. Worst still, several people travel without tickets and are confident that they will never be caught.

6. Please do not keep luggage near the doorway.

Luggage at doorways is a major reason for many quarrels. People sit with their luggage at the doorways and expect others to jump over them & their belongings to get down at the platform

7. Please do not keep your feet on seat.

With lot of reluctance, this luxury is given away when someone comes and stands and stares at the royalty which says, “Even I have paid for the ticket so please move your precious feet from the seat.”

8. Please allow passengers to alight first.

Ask this to someone travelling in a Borivali train, who wants to get down at Andheri. If he or she gets down in one piece then they should not forget to thank God.

Pudhil station Andheri…agala station Andheri….next station Andheri…

…And once again my thoughts get interrupted by the recorded voice…Oh! I see the Andheri station platform…Now I need to move out quickly before I am crushed by the arriving mob…I get down and become a part of the huge ever-increasing crowd at Andheri station.

This is Mumbai…this is life in the financial capital of India…yes, this is Mumbai meri jaan! Jai ho!

…Ashu Bolar