Driving the brandwagon

Mohini Bhatnagar
29 July 2003

Leo Burnett Entertainment head Sanjay Bhutiani explains how in-film placement works and how brands and films connect

Mumbai: Brands and popular Indian cinema have aligned quite famously, and the trend of in-film advertising is gaining ground as both producers and advertisers see long-term benefits . Now, advertising agencies also see film advertising as a big revenue-earner and a way to build big brands.

Since February 2001, Leo Entertainment, a division of Leo Burnett India, has been providing an entire gamut of services such as marketing strategies, in-film placements, creative campaign, outdoor, print and online advertising, ground promotions and contests to film producers.

Sanjay Bhutiani, who heads Leo Burnett Entertainment, says in-film placements is a hugely lucrative business and is raking in anything between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 5 crore for film producers.

The first film for which Leo Burnett Entertainment managed the promotions was Ajay Devgan's home production Raju Chacha, after which the company bagged films such as Pooja Bhatt's Jism, B R Chopra's Baghban and Sanjay Gupta's Kaante.

Leo Burnett Entertainment is already an independent profit-centre due to billings received from films such as Kaante, Raju Chacha and Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai in which it leveraged brands such as Coke, Thums Up, Maaza, Provogue, Castrol, Tata Tea and Blowplast.