ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • Netflix steps up marketing drive in India, finally

    Netflix steps up marketing drive in India, finally

    MUMBAI:  There are finally some ripples in sight in the otherwise still surface of Netflix’s marketing efforts in India. From carefully curated short videos hashtagged #LifeWithoutNetflix that are doing the rounds on social media, to meme wars with market rival Hotstar on Twitter, we are seeing more of the American over-the-top video giant’s activity recently — a change from its initial presence in the market.

    https://www.facebook.com/NetflixIN/videos/1008915785888828/

    “The #LifeWithoutNetflix social campaign was created primarily to share with our users the things we love about Netflix and the great stories they can find on our service. We want to build communities within the Indian audience to help them discover content they will love, and also to understand what they want in an entertainment experience,” shared a spokesperson from Netflix team based in Singapore.

    On the recent Twitter spat with Hotstar over an internet meme and its omnipresent rivalry with the Star India owned OTT platform Hotstar, Netflix shared, “Because the entertainment market is so broad, there is an opportunity for multiple brands to be successful. Many people will subscribe to several services (including Netflix) since we have different, exclusive content.”

    For more details on this, please read

    Apart from its quick rise to be a market leader in the digital video space, what makes Netflix stand out is its effervescent marketing campaigns.  Believe it or not, its trademark ads are part of the reason it is a brand to be reckoned with, in several mature markets. And there are no rewards for guessing which media it’s best at. Netflix is known to be bullish with its social media campaigns, with each new market it enters. And yet, its touchdown on Indian soil earlier this year was marked with limited fanfare on the company’s part. No gala launch events, no press conferences with big names, no over the top PR drive. It was left to the overzealous media and enthusiastic netizens to spread the word organically.

    Therefore, industry couldn’t help ponder if this was a strategy of some sort, or Netflix simply wasn’t ready enough to take on the Indian market head on. Or maybe it is not on its priority list, given the fact that Indian audience still hasn’t fully accepted the SVOD way.

    Studying the market and spotting the real problems that is native to the audience was part of the reason for keeping a low profile before taking a plunge, a Netflix official pointed out. After all, a campaign gone wrong is probably worse than no campaign at all.

    “It’s early days in India and there’s still much to learn and discover so that we can keep making the Netflix experience better. We are pleased with how consumers in India are discovering Netflix. They like the fact that we are a flat-fee unlimited viewing commercial-free experience, can cancel anytime without commitments. They can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen,” Netflix shared. Therefore, to start with, building awareness is Netflix India’s primary task when it comes to marketing.

    Netflix has also somewhat caught the nerve of the Indian audience’s watching taste. “For now, we very quickly see that the shows Indians love are very much similar to what we see in other markets and the top ones are Netflix Originals like Master of None, Narcos, Marvel’s Daredevil and Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” the spokesperson pointed out.

    Analysts and brand consultants have time and again cited Netflix’s ads as the perfect blend of problem solving and brilliant storytelling. A good example is when Netflix coined a whole new term – ‘Netflix Cheating’ to address couples who watch shows together.

    Thus, building that niche in every market is an essential part of the brand’s communication strategy. Building a culture around  local content, of course, is the key to that.

    “On the local front, we are pursuing recent Bollywood titles, notable indie films, memorable classic Bollywood titles and the best of regional cinema (Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi). Our goal is to bring Indian cinema to not only all regions of India but to the world so you’ll find Indian film titles in all countries in which Netflix exists, accessible to all our over 81 million members. For example, Brahman Naman, a coming-of-age comedy by celebrated Indian director Q, is now available globally only on Netflix. Coming up, Raman Raghav 2.0 is also among the titles that we picked up at Cannes this year as an exclusive on Netflix. Sacred Games is Netflix first original series from India, which will be produced in partnership with Phantom Films,” the Netflix official added in parting.

    With so much on the way for Netflix audiences in India, one can anticipate the company to maintain a consistence interaction with streamers online through more engaging and snaky videos, and memes. Although the market has yet to see a high decibel campaign from digital media giant.
     

  • Netflix steps up marketing drive in India, finally

    Netflix steps up marketing drive in India, finally

    MUMBAI:  There are finally some ripples in sight in the otherwise still surface of Netflix’s marketing efforts in India. From carefully curated short videos hashtagged #LifeWithoutNetflix that are doing the rounds on social media, to meme wars with market rival Hotstar on Twitter, we are seeing more of the American over-the-top video giant’s activity recently — a change from its initial presence in the market.

    https://www.facebook.com/NetflixIN/videos/1008915785888828/

    “The #LifeWithoutNetflix social campaign was created primarily to share with our users the things we love about Netflix and the great stories they can find on our service. We want to build communities within the Indian audience to help them discover content they will love, and also to understand what they want in an entertainment experience,” shared a spokesperson from Netflix team based in Singapore.

    On the recent Twitter spat with Hotstar over an internet meme and its omnipresent rivalry with the Star India owned OTT platform Hotstar, Netflix shared, “Because the entertainment market is so broad, there is an opportunity for multiple brands to be successful. Many people will subscribe to several services (including Netflix) since we have different, exclusive content.”

    For more details on this, please read

    Apart from its quick rise to be a market leader in the digital video space, what makes Netflix stand out is its effervescent marketing campaigns.  Believe it or not, its trademark ads are part of the reason it is a brand to be reckoned with, in several mature markets. And there are no rewards for guessing which media it’s best at. Netflix is known to be bullish with its social media campaigns, with each new market it enters. And yet, its touchdown on Indian soil earlier this year was marked with limited fanfare on the company’s part. No gala launch events, no press conferences with big names, no over the top PR drive. It was left to the overzealous media and enthusiastic netizens to spread the word organically.

    Therefore, industry couldn’t help ponder if this was a strategy of some sort, or Netflix simply wasn’t ready enough to take on the Indian market head on. Or maybe it is not on its priority list, given the fact that Indian audience still hasn’t fully accepted the SVOD way.

    Studying the market and spotting the real problems that is native to the audience was part of the reason for keeping a low profile before taking a plunge, a Netflix official pointed out. After all, a campaign gone wrong is probably worse than no campaign at all.

    “It’s early days in India and there’s still much to learn and discover so that we can keep making the Netflix experience better. We are pleased with how consumers in India are discovering Netflix. They like the fact that we are a flat-fee unlimited viewing commercial-free experience, can cancel anytime without commitments. They can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen,” Netflix shared. Therefore, to start with, building awareness is Netflix India’s primary task when it comes to marketing.

    Netflix has also somewhat caught the nerve of the Indian audience’s watching taste. “For now, we very quickly see that the shows Indians love are very much similar to what we see in other markets and the top ones are Netflix Originals like Master of None, Narcos, Marvel’s Daredevil and Marvel’s Jessica Jones,” the spokesperson pointed out.

    Analysts and brand consultants have time and again cited Netflix’s ads as the perfect blend of problem solving and brilliant storytelling. A good example is when Netflix coined a whole new term – ‘Netflix Cheating’ to address couples who watch shows together.

    Thus, building that niche in every market is an essential part of the brand’s communication strategy. Building a culture around  local content, of course, is the key to that.

    “On the local front, we are pursuing recent Bollywood titles, notable indie films, memorable classic Bollywood titles and the best of regional cinema (Tamil, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi). Our goal is to bring Indian cinema to not only all regions of India but to the world so you’ll find Indian film titles in all countries in which Netflix exists, accessible to all our over 81 million members. For example, Brahman Naman, a coming-of-age comedy by celebrated Indian director Q, is now available globally only on Netflix. Coming up, Raman Raghav 2.0 is also among the titles that we picked up at Cannes this year as an exclusive on Netflix. Sacred Games is Netflix first original series from India, which will be produced in partnership with Phantom Films,” the Netflix official added in parting.

    With so much on the way for Netflix audiences in India, one can anticipate the company to maintain a consistence interaction with streamers online through more engaging and snaky videos, and memes. Although the market has yet to see a high decibel campaign from digital media giant.
     

  • Rajshri Entertainment MD & CEO Rajjat Barjatya no more

    Rajshri Entertainment MD & CEO Rajjat Barjatya no more

    Mumbai: Rajjat Barjatya, the affable, soft-spoken managing director & CEO of Rajshri Entertainment, passed away Friday evening in Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital. Rajjat had been battling a blood cancer relapse since end-March this year. He was 41 years old.

    He was first detected with lymphoblastic leukemia in 2010. But he fought and conquered the life-threatening disease and had started aggressively expanding Rajshri in the digital space over the past couple of years. The dreaded disease resurfaced earlier this year.

    He is survived by his wife Neha and two daughters, aged 11 and six.

    Rajjat was a big votary of digital and online video and Rajshri Entertainment had emerged as amongst YouTube’s most preferred partners in India under his guidance.

    Confirming the news, Jaslok Hospital CEO Dr Taran Gianchandani said that the death occurred at around 6:30 pm and refused to comment further.

    According to sources, Rajat was supposed to travel to London next week for a bone marrow transplant. “He had been in and out of hospital over the past three weeks. In the ICU and out. On Thursday, he became quite serious and was put on the ventilator,” says a source close to family. “His body gave up the fight on Friday evening.”

    His last rites will be performed on Saturday at Mumbai’s Worli Crematorium at 1 pm.

    A cousin of renowned film maker Sooraj Barijatya and the son of Ajit Kumar Barjatya, Rajjat was also the founder & managing trustee of Rajshri Foundation, the non profit social enterprise of the Rajshri Group. He was actively involved in the Barjatya family’s Rajshri Productions, which has been behind family based movies such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Apke Hain Kaun and the recent 2015 Salman Khan starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

    May his soul rest in peace.

    (Updated on 1 August 2016, 12:54 pm)

  • Rajshri Entertainment MD & CEO Rajjat Barjatya no more

    Rajshri Entertainment MD & CEO Rajjat Barjatya no more

    Mumbai: Rajjat Barjatya, the affable, soft-spoken managing director & CEO of Rajshri Entertainment, passed away Friday evening in Mumbai’s Jaslok Hospital. Rajjat had been battling a blood cancer relapse since end-March this year. He was 41 years old.

    He was first detected with lymphoblastic leukemia in 2010. But he fought and conquered the life-threatening disease and had started aggressively expanding Rajshri in the digital space over the past couple of years. The dreaded disease resurfaced earlier this year.

    He is survived by his wife Neha and two daughters, aged 11 and six.

    Rajjat was a big votary of digital and online video and Rajshri Entertainment had emerged as amongst YouTube’s most preferred partners in India under his guidance.

    Confirming the news, Jaslok Hospital CEO Dr Taran Gianchandani said that the death occurred at around 6:30 pm and refused to comment further.

    According to sources, Rajat was supposed to travel to London next week for a bone marrow transplant. “He had been in and out of hospital over the past three weeks. In the ICU and out. On Thursday, he became quite serious and was put on the ventilator,” says a source close to family. “His body gave up the fight on Friday evening.”

    His last rites will be performed on Saturday at Mumbai’s Worli Crematorium at 1 pm.

    A cousin of renowned film maker Sooraj Barijatya and the son of Ajit Kumar Barjatya, Rajjat was also the founder & managing trustee of Rajshri Foundation, the non profit social enterprise of the Rajshri Group. He was actively involved in the Barjatya family’s Rajshri Productions, which has been behind family based movies such as Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Apke Hain Kaun and the recent 2015 Salman Khan starrer Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.

    May his soul rest in peace.

    (Updated on 1 August 2016, 12:54 pm)

  • YuppTV and Culture Machine partner for YuppTV Bazaar

    YuppTV and Culture Machine partner for YuppTV Bazaar

    MUMBAI: YuppTV Bazaar has tied up with India’s leading digital media firm, Culture Machine, to feature its network of media brands on the YuppTV platform.

    With over 500 million monthly views, Culture Machine has emerged as one of the leading producers of content across genres. Further to this association, YuppTV Bazaar viewers will now be able to watch various digital channels like- Being Indian, Epified, Old Delhi Films, Put Chutney, Blush, Rascalas, Being Indian’s Awesome Sauce, Whack and VIVA to name a few, all ‘owned and operated’ by Culture Machine.

    Speaking at the new alliance, YuppTV founder and CEO Uday Reddy said, “YuppTV Bazaar has gained traction within the young and dynamic internet users. We decided to associate with Culture Machine, following their repertoire of digital media brands and content that appeals to the South Asian internet audiences. We are positive that our users at YuppTV Bazaar would actively enjoy the refreshing new content.”

    Further elucidating on the same, Culture Machine CEO and co founder Sameer Pitalwalla said, “We are excited to partner with YuppTV and expand the reach of our brands to YuppTV Bazaar. The platform has already acquired a vast user base and we are looking forward to making our content available to them via YuppTV Bazaar.”

    The new and existing users at YuppTV Bazaar may now easily access vivid range of Youth Entertainment content, Recipes, Mythology, Audio Series, women’s & lifestyle channel, Tamil Humour and Desi Comedy.

  • YuppTV and Culture Machine partner for YuppTV Bazaar

    YuppTV and Culture Machine partner for YuppTV Bazaar

    MUMBAI: YuppTV Bazaar has tied up with India’s leading digital media firm, Culture Machine, to feature its network of media brands on the YuppTV platform.

    With over 500 million monthly views, Culture Machine has emerged as one of the leading producers of content across genres. Further to this association, YuppTV Bazaar viewers will now be able to watch various digital channels like- Being Indian, Epified, Old Delhi Films, Put Chutney, Blush, Rascalas, Being Indian’s Awesome Sauce, Whack and VIVA to name a few, all ‘owned and operated’ by Culture Machine.

    Speaking at the new alliance, YuppTV founder and CEO Uday Reddy said, “YuppTV Bazaar has gained traction within the young and dynamic internet users. We decided to associate with Culture Machine, following their repertoire of digital media brands and content that appeals to the South Asian internet audiences. We are positive that our users at YuppTV Bazaar would actively enjoy the refreshing new content.”

    Further elucidating on the same, Culture Machine CEO and co founder Sameer Pitalwalla said, “We are excited to partner with YuppTV and expand the reach of our brands to YuppTV Bazaar. The platform has already acquired a vast user base and we are looking forward to making our content available to them via YuppTV Bazaar.”

    The new and existing users at YuppTV Bazaar may now easily access vivid range of Youth Entertainment content, Recipes, Mythology, Audio Series, women’s & lifestyle channel, Tamil Humour and Desi Comedy.

  • Arré to launch ‘Re-Gender’, ‘Official Chukyagiri’ & ‘Abbas-Mastan’

    Arré to launch ‘Re-Gender’, ‘Official Chukyagiri’ & ‘Abbas-Mastan’

    MUMBAI: UDigital’s digital media brand, Arré has been in the news for its bold content after announcing its first digital reality series based on social experiment Ho Ja Re- Gender. The ten months old brand is all set to take entertainment level a notch higher with its two more series Official Chukyagiri and Abbas-Mastan.

    Co-founded by Ronnie Screwvala, B. Saikumar and Ajay Chacko in October 2015, the platform saw the exit of Screwvala in April 2016. The other two founders viz. B. Saikumar, Ajay Chacko along with Enam group acquired the residual stake held by Unilazer Ventures and Screwvala.

    Ho Ja Re-Gender has 20 episodes with the first episode to go on- air from July 23. It is the series is India’s first digital reality series based on a social experiment where six young people find out what it’s like to be the opposite sex. Three men and women will undergo the experience of a lifetime by transforming themselves into the opposite gender. Complete with prosthetics, makeup and clothes, they will role play the other gender through various everyday tasks and special missions inside and outside the house they live in.

    The series is about understanding what it truly means to be male or female in our times and what better way to understand it than becoming the opposite sex?

    Re-Gender, based on a licensed international format from Armoza Formats, comes to India after a successful run in Iran and Germany and will be hosted in India by popular television celebrity Ranvijay Singha and his wife. It also features Rithvik Dhanjani, Karan Wahi, Raghu Ram and Bharti Singh.

    Another series Official Chukyagiri is a slice-of-life fiction web series that is an emotionally charged yet humorous take on life in corporate India viewed through the eyes of an intern.

    Speaking about the content strategy, Arre founder and managing director B. Saikumar said, “We wanted to launch Arré with a differentiated property, one that was entertaining, contextual and clutter-breaking. I am happy that A.I.SHA was the right show to launch with, since the viewer response has been overwhelming and it has set a good benchmark for our upcoming shows. We’re excited about Season 2 and hopefully will pack in enough thrills and chills for our viewers.”

    Third series, Abbas-Mastan is a show about two peace loving terrorists who are also movie buffs. Also producer of A.I.SHA, Raghu Ram, Founder of Monozygotic announced the launch of the show’s season two.

  • Arré to launch ‘Re-Gender’, ‘Official Chukyagiri’ & ‘Abbas-Mastan’

    Arré to launch ‘Re-Gender’, ‘Official Chukyagiri’ & ‘Abbas-Mastan’

    MUMBAI: UDigital’s digital media brand, Arré has been in the news for its bold content after announcing its first digital reality series based on social experiment Ho Ja Re- Gender. The ten months old brand is all set to take entertainment level a notch higher with its two more series Official Chukyagiri and Abbas-Mastan.

    Co-founded by Ronnie Screwvala, B. Saikumar and Ajay Chacko in October 2015, the platform saw the exit of Screwvala in April 2016. The other two founders viz. B. Saikumar, Ajay Chacko along with Enam group acquired the residual stake held by Unilazer Ventures and Screwvala.

    Ho Ja Re-Gender has 20 episodes with the first episode to go on- air from July 23. It is the series is India’s first digital reality series based on a social experiment where six young people find out what it’s like to be the opposite sex. Three men and women will undergo the experience of a lifetime by transforming themselves into the opposite gender. Complete with prosthetics, makeup and clothes, they will role play the other gender through various everyday tasks and special missions inside and outside the house they live in.

    The series is about understanding what it truly means to be male or female in our times and what better way to understand it than becoming the opposite sex?

    Re-Gender, based on a licensed international format from Armoza Formats, comes to India after a successful run in Iran and Germany and will be hosted in India by popular television celebrity Ranvijay Singha and his wife. It also features Rithvik Dhanjani, Karan Wahi, Raghu Ram and Bharti Singh.

    Another series Official Chukyagiri is a slice-of-life fiction web series that is an emotionally charged yet humorous take on life in corporate India viewed through the eyes of an intern.

    Speaking about the content strategy, Arre founder and managing director B. Saikumar said, “We wanted to launch Arré with a differentiated property, one that was entertaining, contextual and clutter-breaking. I am happy that A.I.SHA was the right show to launch with, since the viewer response has been overwhelming and it has set a good benchmark for our upcoming shows. We’re excited about Season 2 and hopefully will pack in enough thrills and chills for our viewers.”

    Third series, Abbas-Mastan is a show about two peace loving terrorists who are also movie buffs. Also producer of A.I.SHA, Raghu Ram, Founder of Monozygotic announced the launch of the show’s season two.

  • Hotstar to thrill viewers with ‘Shockers’

    Hotstar to thrill viewers with ‘Shockers’

    MUMBAI: If you are stuck at office or wondering what to do this weekend when it’s raining cats and dogs, fret not ‘cause Indiantelevision.com has got you covered with some exciting news to make your nights crazy. Director Faruk Kabir, who made his debut with Allah Ke Bandey (2010) has made a comeback into direction with web fiction show Shockers, which depicts six horror stories based on the life of six different individuals. “The web is an exciting space for me and is free of censorship and branding,” says Kabir.

    Targeting 15-40 demography, the show is available for free on Hotstar to give the viewers an adrenaline rush. From a supernatural love story to a philanderer’s gory end, midnight food deliveries to selfies, these stories are not for the weak hearted.

    It features six actors: Dia Mirza, Kalki Koechlin, Rajat Barmecha, Amit Sadh, Prateik Babbar and Amyra Dastur.

    We have several players in the digital eco-system like Viacom18’s Voot, Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Liv, Star India’s Hotstar, Balaji Telefilm’s soon to roll-out digital platform Alt Digital Media, Netflix, etc producing original content. But Hotstar original is probably the only one to have taken a plunge into the horror genre.

    “India is emerging as a digital consumer. Hotstar is a huge platform with 70+ mn users. Shockers couldn’t get a better platform than this. It did not interfere into anything and that is how a channel should ideally do. The producer and channel need a common match of belief in each other,” he further adds.

    Kabir is of the opinion that so far the players have played it safe by exploring only two genres namely comedy and rom-coms. “The kind of horror we have seen in our TV industry is not what it has to be. There is potential to explore new concepts in this category. Indian film industry, too, has had a very low focus on this genre. So I took it as a challenge to serve the large audiences with my series,” voices the director.

    All the six stories have been explored in the least convoluting manner and follow a simple writing style. Spanning between 10 to 15 minutes, each episode has been shot in different locations using different cameras within just 24 hours of prior planning. The storyline demanded each episode to filmed in different cameras, the directed explains. The captivating music has been given by Ishq Bector while the VFX is done by Doodleart Productions.

    Talking about getting A-list actors on board for the web-series, Kabir strongly believes that the actors need to be fearless and should like to experiment. “The actors were kind to act and understood the reason behind coming together for Shockers. All of them were interested in doing this and we all had fun shooting this series,” he adds.

    The director is already geared up for Shockers season 2 and In the Closet, which will hit on the taboos that exist in our society. He is also working on Stalkers showing true to life incidents. Kabir hasn’t locked in the distribution platform for it yet.

  • Hotstar to thrill viewers with ‘Shockers’

    Hotstar to thrill viewers with ‘Shockers’

    MUMBAI: If you are stuck at office or wondering what to do this weekend when it’s raining cats and dogs, fret not ‘cause Indiantelevision.com has got you covered with some exciting news to make your nights crazy. Director Faruk Kabir, who made his debut with Allah Ke Bandey (2010) has made a comeback into direction with web fiction show Shockers, which depicts six horror stories based on the life of six different individuals. “The web is an exciting space for me and is free of censorship and branding,” says Kabir.

    Targeting 15-40 demography, the show is available for free on Hotstar to give the viewers an adrenaline rush. From a supernatural love story to a philanderer’s gory end, midnight food deliveries to selfies, these stories are not for the weak hearted.

    It features six actors: Dia Mirza, Kalki Koechlin, Rajat Barmecha, Amit Sadh, Prateik Babbar and Amyra Dastur.

    We have several players in the digital eco-system like Viacom18’s Voot, Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony Liv, Star India’s Hotstar, Balaji Telefilm’s soon to roll-out digital platform Alt Digital Media, Netflix, etc producing original content. But Hotstar original is probably the only one to have taken a plunge into the horror genre.

    “India is emerging as a digital consumer. Hotstar is a huge platform with 70+ mn users. Shockers couldn’t get a better platform than this. It did not interfere into anything and that is how a channel should ideally do. The producer and channel need a common match of belief in each other,” he further adds.

    Kabir is of the opinion that so far the players have played it safe by exploring only two genres namely comedy and rom-coms. “The kind of horror we have seen in our TV industry is not what it has to be. There is potential to explore new concepts in this category. Indian film industry, too, has had a very low focus on this genre. So I took it as a challenge to serve the large audiences with my series,” voices the director.

    All the six stories have been explored in the least convoluting manner and follow a simple writing style. Spanning between 10 to 15 minutes, each episode has been shot in different locations using different cameras within just 24 hours of prior planning. The storyline demanded each episode to filmed in different cameras, the directed explains. The captivating music has been given by Ishq Bector while the VFX is done by Doodleart Productions.

    Talking about getting A-list actors on board for the web-series, Kabir strongly believes that the actors need to be fearless and should like to experiment. “The actors were kind to act and understood the reason behind coming together for Shockers. All of them were interested in doing this and we all had fun shooting this series,” he adds.

    The director is already geared up for Shockers season 2 and In the Closet, which will hit on the taboos that exist in our society. He is also working on Stalkers showing true to life incidents. Kabir hasn’t locked in the distribution platform for it yet.