SRK lends his voice to ‘OSO Crazy’ for Nokia mobisodes

Farah Khan’s second directorial venture, ‘Om Shanti Om’ (‘OSO’), starts in the 1970s, with hero Shah Rukh Khan playing a junior artiste in Hindi films. After his untimely death, he is reborn and becomes a super star of modern times. As with Farah Khan’s directorial debut, ‘Main Hoon Na’, MATES has handled the brand activities for ‘OSO’, too. MATES is Madison’s entertainment unit.

“In keeping with the 1970s and contemporary settings of the film, there were four brands that were associated with the movie,” says Sooraj Bhalla, director, creative and content, MATES. Sia Jewellery, present right from the preproduction stage, provided all the jewellery used in the film. Cosmetic brand Maybelline was associated through in-film and other promotional activities. After the interval, the heroine of the film, debutante Deepika Padukone, is given a makeover using Maybelline products.

Nokia took part in the movie through in-film advertising and other means of co-branding. All mobiles used in the second half of the film are Nokia phones. A scene has a director narrating the next scene on a set to super star Om Kapoor (Shah Rukh Khan), who is busy with a Bluetooth device attached to his ear. When the director persists in his instructions, Om tells him that he’s on his ‘Nokia Bluetooth’ and not really listening to him.

Nokia has carried out extensive embedded advertising as well. Nokia users have access to exclusive ‘OSO’ movie clips, behind the scenes videos, ringtones and wallpapers. A special mobisode has been created. There is a contest to meet Shah Rukh Khan. Consumers who purchase a Nokia 5310, 3110 Classic, 3500 Classic, 5200, 5300, 5700, 6233, 6233 M or 6300 will get the chance to answer a question on Nokia and ‘OSO’. Based on a lucky draw, 40 couples across India will get the opportunity to meet Shah Rukh Khan in Mumbai in early December.

The special mobisode, called ‘OSO Crazy’, has five different animated characters of protagonist Om. These include Om the friend, Om the cowboy, Om the dacoit, Om the thinker and Om the super star. The short video episodes are dubbed in Shah Rukh Khan’s voice. The animated ‘OSO Crazy’ caricature is available on Nokia GPRS enabled handsets.

The other brand that has associated itself with ‘OSO’ is departmental store Shopper’s Stop. Shopper’s Stop has launched an entire collection for the movie. Karan Johar and Manish Malhotra are responsible for the styling for the film. Each of the characters in the movie has a collection dedicated to them. Shah Rukh Khan’s checkered coat look is part of the line called Mario Zegnotti. His modern times’ six pack image is in the line called Push & Shove. Deepika Padukone’s big bun and long ringlets 1970s look and her peppy, zesty style later are depicted in the Haute Curry line. Villain Arjun Rampal’s wicked yet stylish look is captured under the Vetrio Fratini label. A fashion show was held in the second week of October with the stars of the film walking the ramp in the clothes of the collection.

Sia Jewellery, Maybelline and Shopper’s Stop can be seen in the movie in a scene in which Shah Rukh Khan is standing on a bridge with hoardings in the background. The hoardings are of Shopper’s Stop, Maybelline, Sia Jewellery and Tag Heuer (a watch brand endorsed by Shah Rukh Khan).

All four brands, Sia Jewellery, Maybelline, Shopper’s Stop and Nokia, have conducted outdoor activities for the movie. Sia Jewellery has put up creatives on bus shelters. It has launched an entire ‘OSO’ collection. Maybelline has conducted mall activity, offering the Deepika look to visitors in malls that are playing the film. All four brands have created TVCs as well.