Prime Video was launching one of India’s biggest shows of 2023 – Farzi (Fakes). How does our show about counterfeit currency stand out when audiences are exposed to movie and show promotions all the time?

Instead of just conventional promos and content, we created a series of unconventional experiences that were all true to to the show. From a fake trailer to a perfume that smells of money, from an AR-enabled counterfeit detector that unlocks exclusive footage to delivering fake currency with eCommerce orders.

Farzi was not just a launch campaign but an integrated series of branded, sensorial experiences.

Farzi (Fakes), show about how a small-time artist is catapulted into the high-stakes world of counterfeiting when he creates the perfect fake currency note was a major launch for Prime Video in 2023.

Bollywood & OTT content promotions are a non-stop affair. Building hype in the crowded OTT space is easier said than done with hundreds of titles, hitting the screens both big and small, each with their own array of music videos, trailers, promos, behind-the-scenes footage and more. We run the risk of being ignored by the audience. How do we stand out while remaining true to the show?

Our objective was to drive awareness, make the show launch buzzy and anticipated.

Our challenge was category clutter & modest budget. We threw out the marketing playbook and instead of creating promotions, we created an overall brand experience with each activity being sensorial. Having talkability shareability built in to each activity meant that visibility and organic reach automatically got a boost.

Fake currency, Fake Trailer: What better way to launch a show about fake currency, than by launching a fake trailer?

Perfume not promos: To create anticipation about the show, why not formulate, bottle and package the smell of freshly-minted money?

BTS content that is earned, not dropped: Instead of simply dropping some pre-release footage – we used AR to get viewers to ‘earn’ the right to watch the footage by scanning a 10 rupee note.

Surprising Quick Commerce Buyers with Souvenir Counterfeit notes: Swiggy customers shared the Farzi money they received along with their shopping orders

Our Audience: Young, crime drama genre fans, aged 18-34. They want to dive into the world of the show. They want BTS content and .pride themselves on knowing show trivia. They do not just watch shows, they immerse themselves in the content experience.

But this is often easier said than done. Our audience is not easily impressed.

So, breaking clutter and reaching out to them is especially challenging.

Our strategy to achieve this was straightforward. Our story & content is all we have to leverage and we did not stray away from it. We leaned-in strongly into the ethos, tone and tenor of the story and infused it into all the elements of our campaign.

We made use of our plot elements and characters to ensure our campaign activities feel consistent, unmistakable and authentic. We brought alive this strategy of uninhibited authenticity through innovations launched across various touchpoints.

Bringing Alive the Farzi Experience Across Touchpoints

A Fake trailer to signal the Con is On: Shahid Kapoor dropped the hotly anticipated trailer on Instagram. But true to his con-man persona, this trailer was a fake, starring a full-time Shahid impersonator.

A Custom Fragrance that made you feel Stinkin’ Rich: We captured the essence of the show, literally. A specially created one-of-a-kind perfume was formulated and delivered to top Bollywood influencers. They shared the Stinkin Rich experience on their handles and millions of fans got hyped.

Access Farzi footage with real money: An AR-enabled microsite where you scan a genuine tenner unlocked content

Quick Commerce Shoppers Got a Surprising Cash Back: Shoppers who used Swiggy are used to cashback offers but they were not expecting counterfeit currency along with their order. Shoppers shared their fake notes on social media spreading the hype further.

Campaign Performance

Fake trailer – 6M views, 400k likes Show trailer – 46M views

Show Performance:

Currently, the biggest opening for a new Local Original show on Prime Video in India

Currently, the Highest watched Original web series on Prime Video India till date

Most Watched SVOD Indian original series across OTTs in 2023 with a combined, unduplicated viewership of 37.1 Million (Ormax Report)

The series scaled a global milestone as it entered the top 10 trending titles lists on Prime Video in multiple countries/territories including India, U.S., UK, Canada, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Singapore, Australia, NZ & Malaysia

Featured in Ormax Media’s “Top 10 OTT Originals of the Week” for 16 continuous weeks

IMDB Rating - 8.5/10 (22k responses)

The music of Farzi - 53.53MM+ streams on Spotify & 4.7MM streams on JioSaavn

The song 'Paisa Hai Toh' was awarded Gold Certification by IFPI (International Federation of Phonographic Industry)