Baby John’s marketing mixed traditional and contemporary methods. By leveraging Varun Dhawan’s popularity across multiple platforms, the campaign catered to diverse audience segments. With calculated regional outreach, celebrity meetups and collaborations, the film aimed for a pan-India buzz.
With cinematic saturation, marketing strategies for films have evolved from basic posters and trailers to intricate campaigns that span digital, on-ground, and collaborative efforts. The upcoming action thriller Baby John—directed by Kalees and starring Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, and Jackie Shroff—provides a compelling case study in creating a multifaceted promotional campaign. Released on December 25, 2024, the film’s marketing efforts reflect a calculated strategy to generate widespread interest across demographics.
Baby John is an adaptation of the Tamil hit Theri, a blend of action and emotional drama. The story revolves around a father forced to confront his past to protect his child, with Varun Dhawan stepping into a role originally played by Vijay in the Tamil version. Positioned as a high-octane yet family-centric narrative, the film’s marketing efforts play on its wide appeal and festive timing.
Campus connections: Engaging the youth
The campaign kickstarted with a high-energy visit to St. Andrews College in Mumbai, where Varun Dhawan interacted with students. His interaction with students—answering questions, taking selfies, and launching the film’s song “Pikley Pom”—set the tone for reaching a younger audience. Such campus events not only create a direct connection with students but also serve as effective social media content, amplifying reach.
City-hopping and local flavour
The promotional tour saw Varun Dhawan jet-setting across India, making stops in Jaipur, Delhi, and Gurugram. Each visit was carefully tailored to resonate with local audiences. In Jaipur, Varun embraced the city’s rich culture, donning a traditional Rajasthani pagdi and indulging in a thali of dal bati churma. His social media posts from the visit—complete with a snapshot of him enjoying a vada pav mid-flight—lent a relatable, personal touch to the campaign.
Delhi brought a different flavour, with Dhawan teaming up with rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh for an event that blended Bollywood charm with desi beats. Meanwhile, in Gurugram, he made a surprise appearance at Punjabi pop sensation Karan Aujla’s concert, electrifying the 12,000-strong crowd and amplifying the film’s pan-India appeal.
The cast and crew tapped into television’s broad viewership by appearing on popular shows. The Baby John team took center stage on The Great Indian Kapil Show, where Varun’s impromptu pole dance and comedic antics drew hearty laughs. The show’s finale, featuring co-stars Keerthy Suresh and Wamiqa Gabbi, became a key focus, leaving audiences entertained and curious about the film.
The promotions continued on Bigg Boss Season 18, where the cast performed the hook step of the chartbuster “Nain Matakka” alongside host Salman Khan. In a comedic moment, Salman challenged Varun to deliver a classic dialogue in a baby’s voice, drawing laughter from the audience.
Festive cheer and viral moments
Given its Christmas release, Baby John capitalised on the season’s festive spirit. A Christmas party hosted by Keerthy Suresh became a key highlight, with attendees including director Kalees, producer Atlee, and co-star Wamiqa Gabbi. Another heartwarming moment unfolded when Varun interacted with a sea of children wearing Santa hats. Brushing off his security team’s concerns, he famously quipped, “Bacho ke sath kya bodyguard?” The video of this interaction went viral, aligning with the film’s themes of family and innocence.
Social media played an integral role in building hype. From Varun’s Instagram posts about his meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the buzz around Salman Khan’s mysterious cameo in the trailer, the digital strategy kept audiences hooked. The trailer itself, launched at a grand event, showcased Varun in multiple avatars—a cop, a father, and a romantic lead—and teased Salman’s enigmatic appearance, sparking countless fan theories online.
Music became a cornerstone of the promotions, with tracks like “Nain Matakka” and the high-energy party song featuring Diljit Dosanjh becoming instant hits. The latter marked a first-time collaboration between Varun and Diljit, with the music video adding another vibrant layer to the campaign. From campus tours to television shows, these songs were omnipresent, ensuring they remained stuck in the audience’s heads.
In a move in keeping with the film’s themes, Baby John partnered with Chinese Wok, blending Desi Chinese cuisine with cinematic thrills. The campaign spanned multiple touchpoints, including bus shelters, metro branding, and in-theatre ads. Additionally, a tie-up with Swiggy and Deliciae by Bunty Mahajan saw cakes distributed to over 800 children during a promotional event, further merging the festive spirit with the movie’s themes.
If there’s one element that was bound to make waves, it was Salman Khan’s cameo. His appearance in the trailer, partially veiled and cryptic, became the campaign’s pièce de résistance, leaving audiences guessing and fueling anticipation.
In a dramatic flourish, Varun unveiled a 100-ft poster of Baby John outside a Mumbai cinema hall. Accompanied by a live performance of “Nain Matakka,” the event turned into a spectacle, with fans thronging the venue to catch a glimpse of the star.
The marketing campaign for Baby John mixed traditional and contemporary methods. By leveraging Varun Dhawan’s popularity across multiple platforms, the campaign catered to diverse audience segments—students, families, and urban professionals alike. Its alignment with the festive season, coupled with calculated regional outreach, positions the film to attract a wide demographic.
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