Leveraging technology for lowering access barriers: The case of Moser Baer in the Indian Film Industry

Access to cultural products across large sections of Indian society has traditionally been restricted as a result of relatively high monopoly prices and the exercise of strict copyright controls. Although this flaw in the conventional delivery model of the entertainment industry has lead to limited availability, it has also created an opportunity for new emerging firms such as Moser Baer. Moser Baer, an Indian multinational and a leader in storage media technologies, made a surprising move by entering the entertainment industry and has since contributed to a considerable restructuring of the industry´s existing landscape. It has, through its proprietary and patented technology, significantly contributed to the radical lowering of storage media costs. The firm has subsequently licensed-in several hundred films, burnt and sold the contents on its inexpensive DVDs. By providing movie DVDs at a price that is the lowest in the world and distributing it to the remotest corner of the country using a multi-tiered distribution network, Moser Baer has almost single-handedly revolutionized access. We would like to examine through a case study how Moser Baer is able to create a unique strategy using technology, creative licensing strategies and an FMCG-like distribution channel as a differentiator to revolutionize access to films within India.