Beyond Lockdown: How BookMyShow uses social media to inspire consumer confidence for stepping out

As people navigate their life outside lockdown, BookMyShow is facilitating the shift with information, entertainment, and comfort on social media, we take a closer look.

Due to the restrictions imposed by the government to curtail the impact of COVID-19, people have now been at home for months on end. Be it for work or leisure, they are hooked to the screens. The ache to step out, albeit safely, is real and so is the urge to take part in activities that involve meeting people. We take a look at how BookMyShow is trying to inspire confidence among potential consumers on social media, as they step out of lockdown.

My Safety First

‘My Safety First’ is a safety shield tag that is designed to help create awareness and prepare consumers for the various safety and hygiene measures available across different entertainment experiences listed on BookMyShow. It enables users to see the various safety and sanitisation measures employed by the platform's partners at the premises.

These include social distancing-based seating, thermal screening, contactless security check, availability of hand sanitizers, daily temperature check for staff members, availability of packaged food & beverages, limited occupancy in restrooms, compulsory masks, and sanitization before every show, amongst others.

"Our marketing and consumer communication efforts across channels are tailored towards this core development so users are reassured to step out after making an informed decision," Marzdi Kalianiwala, Head - Marketing & Business Intelligence, BookMyShow tells us.

Unlocking Life

Unlocking Life is a consumer campaign by BookMyShow that celebrates India's love for outdoor entertainment as the team reimagines the vast array of entertainment experiences and how they would be rolled out in the times to come. The campaign's target audience includes entertainment-lovers across age groups, geographies, and social setups.

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Sharing insight into the campaign, Kalianiwala tells us, "For over 20 years, we have built compelling loyalty amongst consumers who come to us for all things entertainment and through this campaign, our aim was to restore consumer confidence as they get ready to make memories again."

Social Media Strategy

Broadly, BookMyShow's social media strategy through the unlock can be divided into three parts: Humour, trending conversations, and the nudge to book experiences. The umbrella theme of safety is common across posts, which are inherently bright with the prominent use of red and white hues.

As cities undergo unlock, BookMyShow is focussing on nostalgia as a key ingredient in their content. They are calling out to movie enthusiasts, asking them to remember the good times and gear up (with masks and sanitizers) for more such experiences.

Trending conversations are a big part of BookMyShow's social media content. They often participate, especially when the trend is about entertainment or a specific movie. Though this has always been a part of their strategy, it is now more important than ever before as it is a key element that helps them create contextually relevant content and strengthen brand recall.

Nudging people to register for events being conducted by partner brands is another important aspect. BookMyShow routinely supports such campaigns as premises open up for events after lockdown. A part of the commercials, such content helps them generate and convert leads for partner brands and inform people about the events they should check out in their city.

Speaking about their strategy, Kalianiwala explains, "On social media, we have been engaging with our consumers through contextual posts and contests, providing an exhaustive collection of information, which in turn has been enabling them to make a well-informed decision even before they step out of their homes."

"As new content kicks in, we will expand our social media outreach, making it an all-encompassing programme with offers, contests and influencer marketing," he adds, talking about the road ahead for BookMyShow.