CODE NAME: URI

Gold Spike

Case Film

Presentation Image

TitleCODE NAME: URI
BrandTRIGGER HAPPY
Product / ServiceURI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE, THE FILM
CategoryA12. Excellence in Audience Engagement & Distribution Strategy
EntrantDENTSU WEBCHUTNEY Mumbai, INDIA
Idea Creation DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY Mumbai, INDIA
Media Placement DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY Mumbai, INDIA
PR DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY Mumbai, INDIA
Production LONGSHOT FLIMS Mumbai, INDIA

Credits

Name Company Position
NISHI KANT DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI EVP & Branch Head
PRAVIN SUTAR DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Executive Creative Director- Art
AALAP DESAI DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Executive Creative Director- Copy
Yash Kulshreshtha DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Creative Director- Copy
Ananda Sen DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Creative Director- Art
Bharat Singh DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI GROUP HEAD - ART
Rohan Naterwalla DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Creative Group Head - Copy
SANJEEV TRIPATHI DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI COPY SUPERVISOR
SANDIPAN DEB DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Copywriter
NITISH SARKAR DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI HEAD DIGITAL PRODUCTION
Sagar Desai DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Creative Group Head - ART
Vinayak Kharat DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Senior Visualizer
Sahil Chauhan DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Sr. Motion Graphic Artist
Harsh Shah DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI VP Client Servicing
Sumera Dewan DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI AVP - Account Management
Adele D'lima DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Account Supervisor
Sooraj Sj DENTSU WEBCHUTNEY, MUMBAI Sr. Executive

Why is this work relevant for Entertainment?

Traditionally, In India, film promotions are limited to trailers, songs, and interviews by actors and directors. The talent (the actors of the film) is mostly used to simply amplify the three before mentioned assets. As the actors have millions of followers, the organic reach is phenomenal. Rarely this reach and platform are used for a greater cause. We, however, wanted to do something different. Therefore, we used the talent (actors) to create a campaign that gave the audience a feel of the real film and at the same time addressed a larger issue. The issue of piracy.

Background

Situation: Illegal Torrent Downloaders cost the Indian Film Industry Billions of Dollars in lost revenue, each year. Many times, a mainstream movie gets leaked onto torrent websites before the movie has even released, costing it gravely, on account of missed box-office numbers. URI: The Surgical Strike – a film on the verge of release, was dreading a similar fate. Brief: Effectively promoting a movie based on a military covert operation. Objectives: A creative communication targeted towards torrent users; wherein, for a film based on a covert strike, we wanted to conduct a covert strike of our own on illegal torrent downloaders in-order to generate awareness about the issue of piracy on a national scale in a unique & humorous way.

Describe the creative idea

To promote a movie based on a real covert operation carried out by the military, we devised a covert strike of our own in order to bring forth the issue of online piracy onto the national dais. We shot a fake film using the lead actors of the actual movie – Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam, wherein we got them to break the 4th wall and hilariously condemn those who downloaded the film thinking it was a leaked copy of the movie. Subsequently, we uploaded our film on multiple torrent websites in the guise of it being a leaked copy of the actual movie. We even got Cat-C Influencers to spread the news that the movie had been leaked on the same day as the release of the film, for would be torrent downloaders to catch the bait.

Describe the strategy

Target Audience: Illegal Torrent Downloaders The Problem: The Indian film industry loses around Rs. 18000 crores ($2.7 billion) & over 60,000 jobs every year because of piracy. According to the latest KPMG-FICCI report, the industry is projected to grow to $3.43 billion by 2020 & piracy could also grow exponentially unless it is checked. The Approach: After extensive qualitative research – in the form of personalised interviews with illegal torrent downloaders, it was found that most of these individuals didn’t necessarily think that what they were doing was illegal. Furthermore, it was discovered that they enjoyed a sense of anonymity on these websites which made them feel devoid of any consequence while committing online piracy. This is why our communication needed to speak to them in a way where it seemed more personal yet not preachy. CTA: Stop illegally downloading movies & watch them in the movie theatre.

Describe the execution

1. We shot a fake film using the actual movie’s 2 main leads – Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam. 2. We uploaded our fake film on multiple torrent websites on the day of the movie’s release, to make it seem like the movie had been leaked online. 3. We packaged our fake film in such a way that it would fool even the most seasoned torrent downloader. a. We uploaded the film in the 2 most widely downloaded torrent sizes and resolutions [3.4GB / 1.3GB | 1080p / 720p] b. We even added a fake censor certificate and opening credit sequence. c. The length of our film was also looped as per the 2-hour runtime of the actual movie. 4. We constantly seeded our file so that our film would appear at the top of the search results. 5. CAT-C influencers were used to spread the word of a leak.

Describe the outcome

1. Many downloaders proclaimed that they were going to go and watch the film in the theatre, as a result of this activity. 2. Our torrent file was downloaded over 20,000+ times on each of the websites. 3. Once thousands of downloaders openly admitted to getting trolled, on their personal SM profiles, the story got picked-up by virtually every major news and content portal in India. 4. The Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi addressed the issue. 5. In a country notorious for bureaucratic stalling; on account of the momentum that our idea had generated, the Indian Government amended the Cinematograph Act of 1952 in just 22 days. Perpetrators could now face a jail term of 3 years. 6. Earned Media = $1.5 Million+ 7. Reach: 20 Million 8. Engagement: 730K Engagement across platforms 9. URI: The Surgical Strike became the 10th highest grossing Indian movie of all time.

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