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December, 1940
FILMINDIA
laughing up their sleeves at the idiocy of the whole thing.
I could fill this page and probably a couple more with glaring howlers made by our so-called publicity experts but I am sure it will be needless as any paper will give you the examples I refer to.
WHY IS THIS SO?
So the whole question boils down to: WHY IS THIS SO? WHY IS INDIAN FILM PUBLICITY SO FEEBLE AND FOOLISH?
Because the film magnates forget the all-important fact that it is only publicity, wisely and effectively used, that can sell. Because they have got the impression that any newspaperman without a job is good enough to handle the work. Because they have never cared to realise that publicity is a highly technical and specialised job that cannot be handled by any Tcm, Dick or Harry who smatters a few words of English, writes a caption or two and has "influence" with newspapers. Because they never care to know that a man who may be proficient in writing up news is the most unsuitable to write up their advertisements; in fact it is tantamount to asking an engine driver to sit down and knit socks for the Ladies' War Funds Committee.
What beats my understanding is the fact that a studio will spend lakhs and lakhs on a picture, will go all out to collect a galaxy of stars, will compete with the devil himself to get the best directors, will build huge sets, will distribute money lavishly to engage cameramen, recordists and other technicians.... but will not think twice even before engaging a publicity man.
Of what use arc those stars, directors and technicians when the man who is to sell the finished product does not know one bit of human psychology and dees not even understand the underlying motive of publicity and how to use it most effectively at the minimum of cost?
CLEVER PUBLICITY OF
"WOMAN".
For a brief spell in Bombay it was felt that at last a real publicity
man was born. The clever way the publicity of "WOMAN", National Studios' first picture, was handled made me feel that a new era had dawned. From week to week the cleverly worded captions, correctly displayed with a marshalling of facts of appeal with a deft skill which showed a masterly understanding of the psychology of the masses, woke up men, women and children from their slow lethargic life and brought them to the theatre. . . .all. . . .Hindus, Muslims, Parsis. Christians and even Europeans.
Yes. It was publicity which made this picture run for 25 weeks here and it was publicity again, badly managed, slipshodily put with big splashes and little emotion, that killed the drawing power in Delhi, Lahore and other key cities.
Let this lesson of "WOMAN" be an example to all our studios and let them now wake up to the true facts and set about repairing the great dents created by their indifference to the most important part of their business. It pays to advertise.... only when it is well advertised !
a Tamil picture of Famous Films.
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