“Our trailer got lakhs of views, but the opening weekend was thin.”
Add a booking link to every video production cut and see which one fills seats.
This is mineHome / Industries / Media & entertainment
Industries · Media & entertainment
Media &entertainment marketing
For film and OTT releases, music, live events, leagues and channels. Judged on tickets, streams and pre-saves, not views.
/ 01 Entertainment marketing agency
Sell the date,then show the trailer.
Most of what a film, a show or a song earns comes in a few days, so the plan has to work backwards from the release date. PromotEdge plans release campaigns for films, OTT (streaming) shows and music, and for live events and sports leagues.
We also work with regional TV and radio, publishers and gaming brands. We make the trailers and short video, work with creators and the press, and book the launch media. The aim is that people buy the ticket, press play or pre-save the song in time. We have worked across India since 2015.
Entertainment marketing is selling a date: a film's opening weekend, a song's release day, a concert's ticket sale. So the plan works backwards from that date. Film promotion follows the same rule: the poster, teaser and trailer each get their own moment before opening day.
That changes what we count. Views and likes are easy to buy. We count tickets sold, first-week streams, pre-saves and subscribers. What can't be measured can't be achieved.
Public-service and awareness films, radio and print have their own rules; see our political campaigns and government awareness drives page.
/ 02 What usually gets in the way
What gets in the wayand the way through.
“Everyone came to our press junket, but every story was the same.”
Give each outlet its own angle. In public relations (PR), we plan different stories for national, regional and trade press, spaced across the release window.
This is mine“Our app or news site gets downloads, but people don't subscribe or return.”
Use search engine optimisation (SEO) so pages show for show names and "where to watch". App store optimisation (ASO) does the same in app stores. New-episode reminders bring viewers back.
This is mine“A gaming app wants to sponsor our show or league. Can we say yes?”
Online money games cannot be advertised under the 2025 law, but esports and no-money games are different. Our gaming and esports page shows the line, so you can choose with confidence.
This is mine/ 03 Proof
Who we haveworked with.
Sony Music and ZEE are on our client list. For Kolkata Thunderbolts we made the launch film, teasers and many short reels, and ran the club's social content.
Brands in this trade we have worked with
“Working with PromotEdge has been an enriching experience for ABP at many different levels. Your understanding of the digital space, customized brand solutions and prompt servicing have helped us achieve our brand goals with so much ease.”
Satabdi SahuLead - Brand and Content, ABP EducationOur beliefWe'd rather show you results than a nice presentation.
/ 04 Order to start
Five stages,one countdown.
| Stage | What we do | What we count |
|---|---|---|
| Before the announcement (Strategy) | Fix the date, cities, languages and budget. Market research shows who follows the cast. | Targets for tickets, streams or pre-saves |
| Announce and first look (Digital) | Poster and teaser go out with a pre-save or "notify me" link. We open the fan channels through social media marketing. | Pre-saves and sign-ups |
| Trailer and songs (Advertising) | Cut the trailer for every screen. TV, cinema and Connected TV ads reach your audience. | Trailers watched to the end |
| Release week (Events and on-ground) | LED screens, a premiere and a press junket, delivered through PEXORA, a joint venture of PromotEdge and Prodigy. | Tickets by city, first-week streams |
| After release (Digital) | Reaction clips and fan edits keep week two alive. We report what sold. | Second-week tickets, repeat streams |
A single and a league keep different calendars, so stages stretch or shrink.
/ 05 Cost
What affects the cost of entertainment marketing.
No price list. These things move the number.
We don't publish a price list. After a 30-minute strategist call, a written quote follows within 2 working days. Media, production and event costs are billed at actuals, and you approve each first.
What affects the cost
- Release window. A single needs less than a film.
- Cities and languages. Each needs its own cuts and media.
- Video. Cuts, reels and lyric videos take edit time.
- Creators and launch media. Talent time, hoardings, LED, TV, radio.
How we quote
- We talk about the title, release date and what success means
- We check your assets and past releases, then write a scope by stage
- A written quote follows within 2 working days. Nothing runs until you approve it
What you get in the quote
- The release calendar, first look to week two
- The video list: cuts, reels, posters, lyric videos
- Creators, PR and launch media, at actuals
- Tracking links for each channel, and a weekly report
How it is billed
| Way of working | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Release campaign | One title, announcement to week two. We confirm the timeline in the quote |
| Slate or season retainer | Releases all year. Minimum 3 months, 30 days' notice |
| Costs at actuals | Media, production, talent and venue fees, as charged |
Ask any agency which number the work is judged on. If it is views, keep asking.
Every client and project is different. The cost depends on the effort it takes, so we price after the first call.
/ 06 Services
Services formedia and entertainment.
All 15 services in one place. Tap one to see how it works.
Entertainment marketing plan
A release plan joining search, ads, social and WhatsApp for audiences, with results read on ticket sales.
Film and show branding
A title look and poster style that audiences recognise on the trailer, the hoarding and the screen.
Title pages and search
Pages and app listings found for "where to watch" searches.
GoogleAppleAndroidAI for release campaigns
AI sorts fan messages and drafts reports, and your team decides what is said and sent.
Brand strategy and positioning
Decide what your title, label or channel stands for.
WhatsApp reminders
A nudge for people who looked at seats but did not book.
WhatsAppAll services for media & entertainment (9)
Trailers, teasers and short video
Cuts and reels in every length, each with a booking link.
YouTubeInstagramYouTube and Google ads
Trailer and song ads aimed by city and language.
YouTubeGoogle AdsInstagram and Facebook ads
Release-week ads, run city by city.
InstagramFacebookCreators and influencers
Creators in your viewers' language make reels and song hooks.
InstagramYouTubeSocial media and fan groups
Posts and fan groups that keep the countdown alive.
InstagramYouTubePress and junkets
Different stories for national, regional and trade press.
Hoardings, LED, TV and radio
Launch media in the release cities.
Premieres and launch events
Premieres, fan meets and listening parties, tied to ticketing.
Ticket and pre-save tracking
One booking or pre-save link per channel, so every ticket traces back.
SpotifyGoogleNot sure whether the trailer, the songs or the first show should carry your launch? Let's plan the order together. Plan the order
/ 07 AI and automation
Where AI can help Media and entertainmenttoday.
Real business problems, from sales to back office, each with a plain AI fix. A person stays in charge of every step.
TV ad revenue fell in 2025 while digital now takes most ad money, so media sales teams must win advertisers with tailored proposals.
The AI fix AI drafts proposals from past deals, turns audience data into short reports and ranks enquiries so likely buyers are called first. The sales head sets prices and negotiates.
Source: Storyboard18 reporting the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment report, 24 March 2026
Viewers of pirated content cite too many subscriptions, titles missing online and high fees, so legal platforms lose paying viewers.
The AI fix Simple models on viewing data spot viewers who may leave, and an offer, like a pause or ad-supported plan, is sent. The marketing head approves every offer.
Source: EY and IAMAI, 23 October 2024
Some big Indian news sites saw steep traffic falls in April 2026, linked to AI in search, so publishers cannot rely on search alone.
The AI fix Build a direct audience with newsletters, WhatsApp and app alerts. AI drafts topic digests and headline tests. The editor checks every digest, and readers must opt in.
The regulator TRAI forwards individual broadcast and cable TV complaints to service providers, so each operator must answer its own subscribers.
The AI fix A WhatsApp assistant answers common questions such as recharge and pack change, and AI sorts tickets by type and language. People handle billing disputes and technician visits.
AI and automation systems WhatsApp automation Chatbots
These show what such tools do. Each card links its source. We do not claim a past project here.
Go deeperMore on this
Deeper reading if you want the research behind the plan.
The media and entertainment market in depth
Market size and trend
FICCI (the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) and EY report that India's media and entertainment sector grew 9% in 2025, to ₹2.78 lakh crore. Digital media crossed ₹1 lakh crore for the first time, and live events grew 44%.
Source: EY India press release on the FICCI-EY report, Stories, scale and impact, 24 March 2026
How buyers decide
Our view: a fan sees a poster or a reel, asks a friend or a family group, then searches the title for the trailer and showtimes. They book when the date, price and seat are clear. They drop out at a slow booking page, or when nobody can say where to watch.
What buyers expect
In their words: "Is it worth my time and money? Where do I watch it? Can I get my money back if the show moves?" Few say it aloud, but they judge you on an honest trailer, a clear date and a quick reply when plans change. Sponsors and venues ask for proof of audience.
How media and entertainment earn
Films and concerts sell tickets, so the job is to fill seats on a date. Streaming apps sell subscriptions (up 60% to ₹16,300 crore in 2025), so the job is to bring viewers back. Free channels earn from ads. Leagues add sponsors, as on our sports leagues page. More in our business models guide.
Source: EY India press release on the FICCI-EY report, 24 March 2026, for digital subscription revenue
Where it is heading, and AI today and next
FICCI and EY expect ₹3.3 lakh crore by 2028, with new media over half of it. AI today answers 'where do I book?' on WhatsApp and reminds people who looked but did not book. AI next may name shows in its answers, so clear title pages matter. AI cannot make a story people love. See our AI systems.
Source: EY India press release on the FICCI-EY report, 24 March 2026, for the 2028 estimate
People, bodies and stories
Associations and bodies
Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC): certifies films for public showing as U, UA, A or S.
Producers Guild of India: the producers' body for film, television and digital content, set up in 1954.
Indian Music Industry (IMI): speaks for record labels, and runs the ISRC code (an ID for each recording).
Indian Performing Right Society (IPRS): the copyright society for music writers, composers and publishers. It licenses music at events.
Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF): the body for TV broadcasters and streaming platforms, set up in 1999.
Source: Each body's own website, read 10 October 2026
People who scaled the category
Ashish Hemrajani is founder and chief executive of Big Tree Entertainment, which owns BookMyShow. Pollstar says it sold tickets offline from 1999, and BookMyShow began online ticketing in 2007.
Bhushan Kumar is chairman and managing director of T-Series, and took charge of it in 1997, the company says. In May 2019 its YouTube channel was the first to pass 100 million subscribers, Guinness World Records reported.
Source: Pollstar, Impact INTL: Asia 2026 Honoree: Ashish Hemrajani, 2 October 2026. T-Series, About Us, read 10 October 2026. Guinness World Records, T-Series becomes the first YouTube channel to surpass 100 million subscribers, 29 May 2019
A brand journey worth knowing: Saregama
Saregama is a music company with roots in 1902. Its 2015 research found that people above 40 found getting music a hassle. In May 2017 it launched Carvaan, a player with 5,000 old songs, pitched in ads as a gift for parents.
Outlook Business reported in March 2019 that a million units sold in under 17 months, through 17,000 retail points.
Source: afaqs, Consumers wanted a lean-back experience: Saregama's Vikram Mehra on Carvaan, 25 January 2018; Outlook Business, Carvaan: A journey begins, 19 March 2019; Saregama, About Us, read 10 October 2026, for the 1902 roots
What you can do, and how we would deliver
What you can do, and what is not ours
The story, casting, music and rights are yours, and a lawyer should check clearances and contracts. The producer applies for the CBFC certificate. Ticketing platforms handle sales and payments. Hire in-house when you need a daily social media lead. We plan and run the campaign around the release.
How we would deliver, and why each step
First, communication and media planning fixes the date, cities and budget, because money spent before that is a guess. Then the announcement goes out with a pre-save or 'notify me' link, so fans are counted. Then the trailer and songs, cut for every screen. In release week come the premiere, launch media and press. After release we report what sold. Sayantan Guha, our Chief Creative Director, writes the creative brief and the campaign ideas, and directs ad films and sports work. Rima Shaw, our Senior Account Manager, is your day-to-day contact and sends the weekly reports.
/ 08 Worth knowing
Worthknowing.
Useful before you start. Open it when you need it.
Checklist, rules, AI for operations, global events (4)
Brand basics checklist
The basics
- Logo and brand guidelinesOne set of logo files and a one-page guide to colours and fonts.
- Domain and business emailyourname.com and name@yourname.com, not a free mail address.
- A website that works on phonesFast, secure, with Call and WhatsApp buttons.
- Google Business ProfileCorrect name, hours, photos and category.
- WhatsApp BusinessCatalogue, quick replies and an away message.
- Social media handlesThe same name on each platform you use.
- Business cardsName, role, phone, email and website.
- Letterhead and invoiceYour legal name, address and tax details, with your logo.
- Company profile or brochureOne document you can send on WhatsApp.
- SignageMatches your logo and your Google listing.
- Photos and short videosReal work, real people, real premises.
For media and entertainment
- Press kit (EPK)EPK means electronic press kit: story, stills, posters, bios and contacts in one folder.
- Trailer or showreel on YouTubeOn your own channel, with the date and booking link in the description.
- Music and film rights statementClearances in writing. IPRS asks for a licence when concerts play its music. Source: iprs.org.
- CBFC certificate and music label credits, where they applyFilm ads say it is certified, with the certified title. Rule 35, Cinematograph Rules, 2024.
- Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube artist pagesClaimed and verified, with the same photo, bio and links on each.
- Ticketing pageOne booking link per channel, with date, venue, price and refund terms.
- Sponsor deckAudience, past reach and packages on slides, plus a one-page summary.
What every promo has to carry.
Four rules shape these promos.
Film ads. Rule 35 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024: ads for a film certified by the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) must say so and use only the certified title.
Streaming ratings. Under the IT Rules, 2021, OTT platforms rate each show: U, U/A 7+, U/A 13+, U/A 16+ or A. U/A 13+ and above need parental locks.
Creator posts. ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) wants an upfront "Ad" label on paid or gifted posts. Videos of 15 seconds or less show it for at least 3 seconds.
Gaming sponsors. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 bans ads for online money games.
General guidance, not legal advice.
AI for the back office
With platforms cutting spending, film rights now sell for less and studios are cutting high-cost projects, so producers must control costs closely.
The AI fix AI reads daily cost sheets, compares them with the budget, flags overruns and forecasts cash needs. The line producer and financier decide what to cut or approve.
Source: Storyboard18 reporting the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment report, 24 March 2026
Global events worth a trip
MIPCOM Cannes
Cannes, FranceUsually October. Next: 12 to 15 October 2026.
Book onsite matchmaking slots for your scripted, unscripted or vertical content, and sit in a session on AI or creator-led shows.
NAB Show
Las Vegas, United StatesUsually April. Next: 4 to 7 April 2027.
Follow the AI, cloud and creator economy sessions on the floor, and try hands-on exhibitor demos of tools you could use.
IBC
Amsterdam, NetherlandsUsually September.
Spend time in the Future Tech start-up area, and use the one-to-one conversation lounge to meet people outside your circle.
Cannes Lions
Cannes, FranceUsually June. Next: 21 to 25 June 2027.
Choose one of the three communities, such as creators or B2B, and watch past talks on demand before you fly.
Thin opening weekend, repeated press stories or viewers who don't return? Tell us which is yours, and we'll suggest a first step. Tell us your release
/ 09 Events and exhibitions
Events and exhibitionsworth your time.
Where producers, broadcasters, musicians and brands meet each year. Pick one or two, and plan the stall, the meetings and the follow-up before you book.
FICCI FRAMES
MumbaiUsually September.
Bring a pitch ready for the writer-to-producer platform if you make content, and use the policy sessions to track broadcasting rules.
Goafest
GoaUsually May.
Pick the workshops and masterclasses on AI in advertising and measurement, and swap contacts with creative people between sessions.
International Film Festival of India (IFFI)
GoaUsually November. Next: 20 to 28 November 2026.
Join the masterclasses and filmmaker sessions to learn how others work, and talk to international guests after screenings.
WAVES Film Bazaar
GoaUsually November. Next: 20 to 24 November 2026.
Look at the labs and the Co-Production Market if you have a project in progress, and meet sales agents at market screenings.
WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit)
MumbaiCheck the organiser's site for dates.
Watch for the 2027 dates, then plan to meet broadcasters, OTT platforms, gaming firms and policymakers who joined the first summit.
Dates change. Check the organiser's site before you plan.
/ 10 Learn from the leaders
What we can learn from the leadersin Media and entertainment.
Well-known Indian brands, each with one plain lesson for an owner in your line of work. Names only, as public examples.
T-Series
Put your content where people already watch it, and start early. Staying steady on a big free platform can build a large audience.
What they did T-Series started its YouTube channel in 2006. Guinness World Records reported on 29 May 2019 that it was the first YouTube channel to pass 100 million subscribers.
Amar Chitra Katha
Old content can live in new formats. Try one format at a time and see how people respond before you spend more.
What they did Amar Chitra Katha began in 1967. Its owner ACK Media later made the animated film Tripura for TV and the 3D feature Sons of Ram for theatres.
Source: Business Today, 2013
Inshorts
Keep your message short and easy to scan. Phone readers have little time, so put the main point first.
What they did Inshorts says it cuts the clutter and gives news in 60-word shorts, for what it calls the mobile generation. Its page title says English and Hindi news.
Source: Inshorts, company website, 2026
Saregama (Carvaan)
Ask your buyers in many places what they really want, then build the product around the answer.
What they did Saregama's Vikram Mehra says it ran research in 23 cities in early 2015. It launched Carvaan, a 5,000-song music player, in May 2017, advertised as a gift for parents.
Source: afaqs, interview first published 16 Jan 2018 (web page dated 25 Jan 2018)
Pratilipi
Start with the one or two languages you can serve well, then add more step by step. People enjoy reading in their own language.
What they did Pratilipi started with Hindi and Gujarati, added Tamil in January 2015, then Kannada and Telugu in 2016. A Quartz report in March 2018 counted eight languages.
Source: Quartz India (Maria Thomas), republished by Scroll.in, 10 Mar 2018
Pocket FM
Let people try a part free, then charge for more. Small paid steps give buyers a choice besides a fixed monthly fee.
What they did TechCrunch says Pocket FM lets users listen to some series or episodes for free and pay with coins to open the rest, instead of a subscription.
Source: TechCrunch, 20 Mar 2024
These brands are not clients of ours and we use no logos. Each card links its source.
Want a second pair of eyes on your poster, trailer and creator labels before release week? Send them over and we'll read them with you. Send on WhatsApp
/ 11 What happens next
What happensafter you ask.
For projects we think we can help, this is how it goes.
- 01
A strategist calls you
In one working day: a 30-minute call with one of our strategists about your business and what is not working.
- 02
You get a 1-page plan
A short, honest plan: what to fix first and what we would do. It is free.
- 03
A quote, if you want one
If you want to go ahead, we send a quote within 2 working days.
We confirm the timeline in the quote. Contracts start at 3 months, with 30 days' notice to stop.
Brands and people are named only as public examples. They are not PromotEdge clients or endorsers unless stated.
Keep exploring
Related pages.
The expertise that fits your business, and the places we work.
Next door to entertainment
The services behind a release
Related industries
Releasing a film, a show, an album or a season?
Tell us what's not working.We'll show you where the tickets are.
Straight answers.
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It is the work of getting people to buy a ticket, press play, pre-save a song or subscribe, around a release date. It covers trailers, creators, PR, launch media and ticketing. What sets it apart is time: most of the result comes in a few days.
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It plans the release calendar, makes the video, runs creators and paid ads, and handles the press. It also books launch media and tracks bookings and streams. At PromotEdge, one team plans all of it. Hoardings, LED screens and events are delivered with the same partner.
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People search for a show, an actor or where to watch. SEO gets your title page, with cast, trailer and a watch button, to show up for those searches. App store optimisation does the same in the Play Store and the App Store. Both keep working after paid ads stop.
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Yes, once the film is certified UA (with its age marker), A or S. Rule 35 of the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024 says its ads in newspapers, hoardings, posters, handbills and trailers must show that, and use only the certified title. This is general guidance, not legal advice.
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A single can be planned in a few weeks. A film or a season needs longer, because the poster, teaser, trailer and songs each need their own moment. Start before the announcement, so cities and budget are fixed first. We confirm the timeline in the quote.
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The length of the release window matters most. Then come the number of cities and languages, and how much video, creator work and launch media you need. We don't publish a price list. A written quote follows within 2 working days of the first call.
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We won't claim to be number one. Ask any agency: will it agree on tickets, streams or pre-saves as the measure? Can it turn round an edit overnight in release week? Can it show real fan and creator work? Does it plan PR, digital and launch media as one calendar? Ask us the same.
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Yes. Our servicing team is based in cities across India, and most work runs online in hybrid mode. We stay in touch every day, meet you in your city at least once every three months, and for some clients a team member works from their office. Our in-house team of 65+ people runs premieres and events elsewhere.