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Mona Lisa posters anyone?

Film goers in town can look forward to `Da Vinci Code' related paraphernalia

COLLECTOR'S ITEM There's something special for movie lovers

Some time back vibrant portraits of dolphins splashed all over the dome of Prasad's Imax were successful in goading nature buffs to see the breathtaking 3D film on the friendly mammals.

Likewise the cut outs for Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire had viewers flocking to see the Rowling celluloid version. And now, how about taking home posters of Mona Lisa? As Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code comes alive with the Tom Hanks starrer, viewers can look forward to see the film and also bag some attractive film related paraphernalia.

Coasters with puzzles, posters of Mona Lisa that you can frame , table calendars in metallic paper and the volume itself available at a discount, are sure enough bait for the filmgoers and a sure success for the flick, adding to the gripping narrative and the controversy it has raked up.

But there is more. "Talks are on with brands for promotion in twin cities to go with the screening of Da Vinci Code," says Arindom Basu, Sony Pictures. As for the viewers, they couldn't have it better.

With cinema halls going the retail way--opening in malls as multiplexes, hoarding seem just not enough to attract the popcorn-eating-impulse-shopping crowd. And theatres are swearing by the in store, here in theatre promotions that seem to reap rich harvest at box office.

From sets of icicles for Chronicles of Narnia to merchandise such as Casanova jewellery the options are varied. And the name of the game is experiential marketing. "We do a promotion for every movie and they are successful. We created a wall for Harry Potter's Goblet of Fire and till today people take pictures with it in the backdrop. The T Rex models have been a hit too so we decided to keep them in the multiplex. This is another way of promoting a film," says Kris Kishan, marketing manager, Prasad's Media.

"It does help to draw crowd. Inflatables and people dressed as Spiderman interacting with the crowd definitely created a buzz. The film gets a lot more visible rest depends on the merit of the film," says Akshat Mishra, Sangeet.

"The trend of movie going is changing. Earlier the whole family planned to see a movie, checking listings and booking tickets in advance. Today advance booking has come down and you have more people walk in for tickets. Film promotion helps to attract the audience then. For Rang De Basanti and Zinda we had a contest where in audience met up with Aamir Khan and John Abraham respectively. We have a lot of promotion lined up for Krrish and for the forthcoming Da Vinci Code," says Saurabh Varma, head marketing PVR Cinema.

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