New Book Launch at World Book Fair Sparks Deep Conversation on Cinema Branding
The recent launch event for the book When Branding Met the Movies at the prestigious World Book Fair in Delhi transformed into a comprehensive and insightful dialogue about the intricate intersections between cinema, culture, and commerce. Authored by Chaitanya K. Prasad in collaboration with Zoya Ahmad and Vaishnavie Srinivasan, this publication delves deeply into the sophisticated world of branding and examines how audiences form powerful connections with films long before the opening credits roll.
The Fundamental Nature of Branding in Cinema
Drawing from diverse examples across both Indian and global cinema, the engaging session explored multiple critical dimensions. The discussion highlighted how actors and filmmakers themselves function as powerful brands, why modern audiences invest in compelling narratives as much as they follow star power, and how contemporary films must skillfully balance cultural authenticity with global market appeal.
"Branding represents the art of making people feel something profound about your product, service, or in our specific context, a movie," explained Chaitanya K. Prasad during the event. Prasad, a retired senior civil servant who currently serves as Head of Promotion and Outreach at the Ministry of Education, Government of India, elaborated further: "It's comparable to being a master chef—but instead of mixing flavors, you're combining emotions, visuals, sounds, and experiences to create something that remains embedded in people's consciousness, similar to a memorable song you hear once and cannot stop humming."
He emphasized that at its very core, branding involves giving any entity—whether a product, service, or film—a distinct personality that people can readily recognize, remember, and ideally develop affection for. Prasad explained that branding resonates so powerfully because humans are fundamentally storytellers by nature. Audiences don't merely purchase tickets or products; they actively buy into narratives that reflect their identities and values. In the cinematic realm, this instinct becomes amplified because films themselves are constructed from compelling stories.
Actors and Directors as Powerful Brands
The session thoroughly unpacked how actors function as brands, while visionary directors like James Cameron and Christopher Nolan have evolved into brands themselves, shaping audience expectations even before their films reach theaters. "When you consciously choose a Christopher Nolan film, you're selecting to identify as someone who appreciates complex, intellectually challenging cinema," Prasad noted. "When you purchase a Marvel movie ticket, you're actively joining a vast, interconnected community of passionate fans."
Tracing the evolution of branding alongside cinema's development, Prasad observed that contemporary film marketing has grown remarkably sophisticated. "Branding has advanced to full three-dimensional chess in recent years," he remarked, highlighting how films are now strategically positioned simultaneously across multiple platforms, diverse geographies, and varied audience segments.
Global Examples of Successful Cultural Branding
Turning to international examples, Prasad demonstrated how effective branding enables films to travel across cultural boundaries without sacrificing their essential roots. "The global film landscape is more interconnected than ever before. Movies now release simultaneously across numerous countries and languages," he stated. "But this creates a significant challenge—how do you communicate effectively with everyone while still authentically honoring the story's cultural origins?"
The 2019 South Korean film Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, presented an exemplary model. Though deeply rooted in specific South Korean class politics, its branding strategically foregrounded universal themes, genre fluidity, and bold storytelling. Audiences worldwide discovered points of identification without the film compromising its cultural specificity. Prasad argued that its Oscar victory represented not merely a triumph for one film, but a significant milestone for global cinema, proving that authenticity need not be diluted for international success.
Indian Cinema's Global Branding Success Stories
Prasad cited RRR as another powerful example of culturally grounded global branding. SS Rajamouli's historical epic leaned unapologetically into spectacular elements—larger-than-life heroes, heightened emotional drama, and gravity-defying action sequences—while Oscar recognition and extensive streaming visibility carried its appeal far beyond audiences unfamiliar with Telugu cinema. Similarly, The White Tiger (2021), adapted from Aravind Adiga's Booker Prize-winning novel, utilized strategic branding to frame its sharp socio-political critique in ways that resonated internationally without softening its distinctly Indian context.
As films increasingly cross geographical and cultural borders, Prasad concluded that branding must navigate a careful balancing act—harmonizing global appeal with local authenticity, achieving scale while maintaining specificity, and expanding reach while staying culturally rooted. In today's dynamic cinema ecosystem, he suggested that enduring films are not those that flatten their unique identities, but those that possess clear understanding of exactly who they are and communicate that identity effectively through thoughtful branding strategies.
