I went to the launch of the Harry Potter Book (Harry Potter & the Half -Blood Prince) at Crossword, a leading bookstore, in Mumbai. This was a brilliant case of PR, WOM, Event and experential marketing rolled into one.
Crossword was buzzing with parents and kids. Kids were vying with one another to take their copy of the book. The enthusiasm, excitement and passion around the brand was visible all round the store. I met a parent who said his son was sending SMSs to him asking them to pick-up a copy of the book as most stores went out of stock!
Crossword, opened early in the morning at 5.00 am in India! Kids walked into the store to grab a first copy of the book with their parents, very early in the morning. The mania hit all the cities across India - Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, B'lore and Calcutta. Bookstores started pre-booking orders a week in advance. Oxford bookstore had a Harry Potter party thrown for kids yesterday. All bookstores had Quiz contests, magicians and tatoos right in the store. The Harry Potter merchandize was also selling in large numbers in addition to the book that was being launched.
Today, Harry Potter as a brand is worth over a $ 1 billion globally. Books, films, games are a rage here in India too.
Over 100,000 copies got sold just on the day of the launch in India!
If brands have a story to tell, then consumers are willing spend time, get involved and build a world of fantasy around the them.
Does your brand have one?