Since 2005, YouTube has changed our lives dramatically (literally, remember the number of hours you spent on YouTube watching gossips about celebrities). But do you know that on an average, more than 300 hours of video is uploaded on YouTube every minute? While this number may seem exaggerating, there is no denying that today’s generation is more inclined toward online media than conventional TV shows for entertainment and even for infotainment. Do you know why? Because YouTube is no longer just a social media channel with few people asking you hit that bell ‘icon’, it has now become a way of leading life and no one wants to miss out on incredible opportunities to connect with youth and showcase their content.
Being an active YouTube watching millennial, which I think most of us are, (Duh!) every filmmaker in the country wants to exploit this large viewership base, so do not let anybody tell you that your channel preferences don’t matter because on YouTube if you’re a viewer, you’re the king. A lot of data analytics and marketing strategies go into capturing the ever-shortening attention span of an average YouTube viewer and filmmakers and promoters have long been at the task of cracking the code to garner views at a lightning speed.
Thus, no wonder, in recent years YouTube has emerged as one of the most desired platforms of movie makers to promote their upcoming projects. Take for instance the movie trailers, the success for which are now calculated based on the number of views they receive in last few hours after their release. When the trailer of Shah Rukh Khan movie, Zero, was launched back in November last year, fans went gaga over the news and the trailer was viewed by more than 54 million people on YouTube. No, this is not an overstatement, there are the real numbers. In fact, Shah Rukh Khan also made an appearance in Bhuvan Bam’s Talk Show, Titu Talks, to promote Zero. On the same note, other movie trailers, which were launched on YouTube, racked in a huge amount of views within just a couple of hours.
Besides launching movie trailers on YouTube, the new fad now is YouTube collaborations. Most followed YouTubers are partnering with most desired celebrities to make videos, which usually attract viewers in huge numbers. Actresses and actors consider this video platform as a gateway to promote their upcoming movies on famous YouTube channels. Appearing in the video of most followed YouTubers either for an interview or for a small cameo appearance gives actors and actresses a wide open field of audiences to connect with and promote their movies in front of. Recently, Emraan Hashmi, who is on spree of promoting his new movie ‘Why Cheat India’, appeared in one of the videos of BeingIndian titled ‘Types of Teachers in an Exam Hall’. Emraan Hashmi also appeared in a video of Be YouNick for the same movie’s promotion.
In the past too, several celebrities have graced many YouTube channels with their presence for promoting their movies. Mostlysane, a YouTube channel run by Prajakta Koli, has seen many actors and actresses such as Ayushmann Khurrana for ‘Andhadhun’ and Saif Ali Khan for ‘Baazaar’, for movie promotions. Similarly, famous Indian YouTuber Ashish Chanchlani also collaborated with Akshay Kumar for the promotions of the movie ‘Gold’, Shahid Kapoor for the movie ‘Batti Gul, Meter Chalu,’ and with the entire star cast of Fukrey Returns.
These regular appearances by celebrities are the clear proof that they along with filmmakers know the power of this video streaming platform and wish to exploit it in the good manner of promoting their movies to a vast audience range.
Today, without a doubt, YouTube is the most coveted platform to ensure a hit movie in the theaters and this red play button is the new hot trend in the market for movie promotions.