Innovative Marketing in the Tamil Film Industry: Strategies, Audiences and Evolving Media Practices

Abstract

Tamil films are more than mere entertainment, for the stage on which they play out matters a great deal to people in Tamil Nadu and beyond. With the volume of films India produces in a year of over 1,500, Tamil Nadu accounts for a significant part, making Tamil films an integral part of Indian films. For the last few years, conventional means of advertising like posters and trailers have taken a backseat to digital-first efforts. This paper considers a variety of innovative marketing strategies used by Tamil Nadu filmmakers, such as influencer partnerships, memes and interactive narratives to activate audiences in the age of digital media. Drawing both on survey results and secondary analysis of previous research, the study examines the effects of these strategies in terms of audience perceptions, excitement and decision-making. Results seek to illustrate how new promotional practices are (re)positioning Tamil films’ relationship with their audiences in a shifting media milieu.