Edelman was entrusted to support the India launch of the global leader in audio books, Audible, in November 2018. The brief was to ensure a high impact launch through which mass audiences understood the offer. In a land hooked to Bollywood and cluttered with options in visual entertainment, how could we get them to listen instead?

Based on the insight that listening to stories sparks imagination, we conceived our strategy, “Listening is Seeing.”

Our big idea - India’s first “movie of the mind”- one never meant to be seen.

In order to deliver a unique narrative Edelman ideated, casted and executed the launch of the first-ever Indian production for Audible, ‘Mafia Queens of Mumbai,’ narrated by three stellar Bollywood stars, Rajkummar Rao, Radhika Apte and Kalki Koechlin. To create a mystery around the launch event, we created unbranded invites in the form of physical audio surveillance kits with only the voices of the three celebrities inviting people for the event. New cover art, rap title track, trailer and special behind-the-scenes recording of the stars were created and released from their personal social media accounts right before launch ensured that everyone thought they were going to witness a visual production.

As the audience at The Royal Opera House, came together expecting to ‘see’ the three stars at the premiere of their new project, they witnessed firsthand the power of listening. Leading to a 100% earned national takeover across consumer and corporate media leading to 300+ stories and counting. Vogue to ET-Now told the story across print and social, with an estimated reach of 284 million+ impression – results that speak for themselves.