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Tag: Bigg Boss

  • Dish TV bets on Bigg Boss to flog its all-in-one smart television

    Dish TV bets on Bigg Boss to flog its all-in-one smart television

    MUMBAI: Dish TV is gambling that Indians will pay for convenience. The satellite broadcaster’s new VZY smart television—which bundles DTH and streaming services into one device—has signed on as sponsor of Bigg Boss in both Hindi and Kannada, hitching itself to two of the country’s most-watched reality franchises.

    The move, announced on October 1st, positions VZY as co-powered sponsor for Bigg Boss Hindi on Colors SD and HD, and co-presenting sponsor for Bigg Boss Kannada on Colors Kannada and JioHotstar. It is a calculated play: Bigg Boss commands fanatical viewership across demographics, making it prime real estate for a brand trying to crack both urban and regional markets.

    VZY’s pitch is straightforward. Rather than juggling a set-top box, streaming stick and multiple subscriptions, buyers get everything bundled into the television itself. The company also offers integrated set-top box models for those who prefer that route. It is, Dish TV claims, “India’s first truly integrated smart TV.”

    “Bigg Boss, both in Hindi and Kannada, is a show that unites audiences across regions and languages,” says Dish TV India chief revenue officer Sukhpreet Singh. The association, he argues, positions VZY as the television of choice for “entertainment-first consumers”.

    A JioStar spokesperson described Bigg Boss as “India’s most-watched and talked-about reality series” and welcomed VZY’s “smart TV proposition” as complementing the show’s immersive experience. The language suggests both parties see this as more than a typical sponsorship—it is a bet on convergence.

    Whether Indian consumers will embrace an all-in-one television remains uncertain. The market is crowded with smart TV brands, streaming devices and DTH providers, each vying for living-room dominance. Dish TV is wagering that eliminating complexity—and piggybacking on Bigg Boss’s massive audience—will give VZY an edge. The show’s millions of viewers will soon discover if the pitch holds up.

  • Havas India teams up with Banijay Asia to bring entertainment firepower to advertising

    Havas India teams up with Banijay Asia to bring entertainment firepower to advertising

    MUMBAI: Advertising is eating entertainment—or is it the other way round? Havas India has struck a strategic partnership with Banijay Asia, the regional arm of Europe’s largest studio, to fuse the art of selling with the craft of showmaking. The alliance marks a bet that brands can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines of culture; they must wade into the thick of it.

    Banijay Entertainment, the Paris-headquartered titan behind global juggernauts like Survivor, Big Brother and Temptation Island, has built its Asian operation into a content factory. In India alone, Banijay Asia has churned out The Kapil Sharma Show, Bigg Boss, Nach Baliye, The Night Manager and The Voice—hits that have shaped prime-time viewing and water-cooler chatter.

    Under the new arrangement, Havas India will plug into Banijay Asia’s storytelling muscle to create what it calls “entertainment-led brand storytelling”. Translation: adverts that don’t feel like adverts. The partnership stretches beyond India to cover Havas clients across South-East Asia, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, South Korea and Japan.

    “Advertising today is no longer confined to conventional mediums; it thrives at the intersection of entertainment, content and culture,” said Havas India, South-East Asia and North Asia group chief executive Rana Barua. The goal, he added, is to help brands “drive cultural and business impact” by thinking bigger and bolder.

    Banijay Asia founder & group chief executive Deepak Dhar argued that India and the wider Asia-Pacific region are “ready for a more immersive, content-first approach to brand building”. With Havas’s network reach and Banijay’s format expertise, the two aim to make brands “part of everyday conversations”.

    The tie-up reflects a broader trend: the blurring of boundaries between advertising and entertainment. Banijay Entertainment has already launched a specialist division, Banijay Branded Entertainment, to capitalise on brands’ hunger for original content. This partnership takes that ambition eastward, where audiences are younger, mobile-savvy and increasingly allergic to traditional ad formats.

    Havas India, which operates 24 agencies and divisions across media, creative and health verticals, has been on a tear. The network has won multiple clients and industry gongs over the past three years, including being named a Great Place to Work three times running. With over 2,500 staff across Mumbai, Gurugram, Bengaluru and four other cities, it is positioning itself as one of India’s nimblest advertising shops.

    Banijay Asia, meanwhile, continues to expand its slate. The studio has Indian adaptations of Monk, House and Suits in the pipeline, alongside non-scripted fare like Rise and Fall and Temptation Island. Its parent company, Banijay Entertainment, operates over 130 production companies across 21 territories and delivered more than 17,000 hours of content in 2024. Revenues hit €3.35bn last year, with EBITDA of €528m.

    Whether brands can truly become entertainment—or merely crash the party—remains to be seen. But with this partnership, Havas and Banijay are betting that the future of advertising looks less like a 30-second spot and more like a binge-worthy series.

  • Flipkart turns Bigg Boss house into a fashion battleground

    Flipkart turns Bigg Boss house into a fashion battleground

    MUMBAI: They said no one dresses well inside their house. The Bigg Boss housemates begged to differ—and proved it by ransacking a Flipkart fashion rack in record time.

    What unfolded inside India’s most-watched reality television house was part retail experiment, part feeding frenzy. When Flipkart installed its Fashion Studio inside the Bigg Boss residence and Salman Khan announced the Flipkart Fashion Icon contest, contestants descended upon the carefully curated collection with the urgency of shoppers at a clearance sale. Within minutes, the rack stood empty, its trendy offerings claimed, worn and paraded before millions of viewers.

    The audacious collaboration, timed to coincide with Flipkart’s Big Billion Days sale bonanza, represented a watershed moment in Indian entertainment commerce. It wasn’t merely product placement or brand integration—it was retail theatre performed live, where the country’s biggest e-commerce player turned a television set into a functioning fashion outlet and contestants into unwitting style influencers.

    The machinery behind this spectacle involved three distinct organisations working in concert. Flipkart deployed a team led by Pratik Shetty and Akash Jain, alongside Nikita Prakash, Pooja Sha, Sneha Narang, Vijay Sharma, Rahul Valecha and Akshay Doshi. Creative agency Essence, steered by Sunny Rangwani and Tejashree R., handled the conceptual heavy lifting. JioStar’s production apparatus, including senior supervising producer Tanya Chopra—who served as creative lead for the Bigg Boss contingent—along with Sameer Tripathy, Nandita Ramesh and Patrick Ignatious, wove the commercial proposition into the show’s narrative fabric.

    The result was seamless, if slightly chaotic. As housemates draped themselves in Flipkart’s latest offerings, the boundary between entertainment and shopping dissolved entirely. Viewers watched contestants model, mix, match and compete in outfits that could be purchased with a few taps on their phones—a real-time fashion show with immediate purchase potential.

    For Flipkart, the payoff extended far beyond traditional advertising metrics. This wasn’t a celebrity endorsement or a sponsored segment; it was organic consumption captured on camera, complete with genuine reactions, styling choices and the implicit endorsement that comes from watching someone actually want to wear something badly enough to compete for it.

    The speed with which the Fashion Studio sold out suggested that Bigg Boss contestants, despite living under constant surveillance in a sealed environment, harbour the same fashion anxieties and aspirations as viewers watching from home. Perhaps everyone, regardless of circumstance, wants to dress well inside their house after all—especially when cameras are rolling and millions are watching.

  • Why OTT only is proving to be a boon for SonyLiv’s Shark Tank S04

    Why OTT only is proving to be a boon for SonyLiv’s Shark Tank S04

    MUMBAI: There’s been some sort of negative noise around Sony Pictures Network India’s decision to stream Shark Tank India only on SonyLiv and take it off television completely Some chatter on the internet has it that the program had a reach of 700 million in its previous season. (700 million wow!; Sony you should have charged your clients a helluva lot more).

    Taking it off television has meant a loss of eyeballs for advertisers who are paying more, is what the doomsayers are alleging. And in the process a loss of sales for some who are coming on the show pitching the sharks for investment. As well as for sponsors and advertisers on the show. 

    Great arguments! The rebuttal is that not even the IPL gets 700 million eyeballs over an entire season; and that’s for India’s favourite past time – cricket. Then a recently-concluded much bigger show Bigg Boss  (to which Shark Tank can be compared even after stretching one’s  imagination  to breaking point)   managed just 200-odd million eyeballs over an entire season. That too after showcasing round-the-clock-behind-the-scenes action in the Big  Boss house. 

    Sony Entertainment TV, would be around 35 million subs or homes for the whole channel. Which basically with average 4 viewers per home, the reach would be 140 million. Shark Tank may get about about 20 per cent of all these viewers on TV giving us approximately 28  million viewers. 

    So this 700 million TV viewer is not just an exaggeration, but a massive overestimation.

    With 33 million subs  (each sub will have at least two or three  viewers) – B2c and B2B2C (telco bundling) and the free content window (AVOD); most of the TV viewers have now shifted to OTT. Thus, SonyLiv is now on course to hit close to 100 million viewers for Season 4 of the show. 

    Now is it a right decision to have a SonyLiv exclusive?

    SonyLiv also had the following figures made public for season four.  

    “SonyLiv’s  Shark Tank India 4 has redefined the entertainment landscape, breaking records since its exclusive OTT launch on 6 January 2025. The season has seen a remarkable 40 per cent  surge in connected TV (CTV) viewership and 22 per cent more users tuning in to watch as compared to the previous season. Additionally, the platform has witnessed a 27 per cent increase in engagement as compared to season 3, indicating how bold pitches, unique ideas, and innovation have captivated millions of viewers.

     One of the standout successes of this season has been the incredible 100 per cent user growth in 42 Tier 2 markets, demonstrating the show’s deep connection with aspiring entrepreneurs and viewers from small towns, creating significant impact. The platforms’ exclusive streaming model has proven to be a game-changer, amplifying the reach and engagement of the show across the nation. Shark Tank India 4 continues to inspire, empower, and elevate entrepreneurs, bringing groundbreaking business ideas to the forefront.”
     

  • Swati Sapna elevated as director for unscripted & docs at Netflix India

    Swati Sapna elevated as director for unscripted & docs at Netflix India

    MUMBAI: Swati Sapna, a seasoned content and strategy expert, has been moved upstairs as director for unscripted and documentaries at Neflix India. She will  also continue as commissioning executive  for south original series at the streamer.

     “In this role, I’ll be leading content and strategy for all unscripted and documentaries,” she said.

    Having joined Netflix in 2020, she previously served as manager for unscripted and south originals, contributing to acclaimed projects such as Vir Das: Landing, The Romantics, The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives, and The Hunt for Veerappan. Her work on Vir Das: Landing earned international recognition with an International Emmy nomination.

    Prior to Netflix, Sapna held leadership roles at Viacom18, BBC Studios, and Wizcraft International, contributing to major television properties including Bigg Boss, Filmfare Awards, and IIFA Awards. She has also worked as an assistant director on the National Award-winning Tamil film Pithamagan.

    An alumna of Sophia Polytechnic and Stella Maris College, Sapna has made  Mumbai her  home for over two decades, but she says “the small-town girl in me has kept me rooted with a firm hold on the pulse of audiences. The immense amount of learning, collaboration, faith and support I have experienced from my colleagues and partners in the five  years in Netflix  has been overwhelming! And I hope to achieve new milestones and embark on more exciting journeys together as the dream team 🙂  I believe that effective communication, empathy and empowerment are key pillars to build a successful team.”

  • myTrident Partners with Bigg Boss Season 18 for home textile collaboration

    myTrident Partners with Bigg Boss Season 18 for home textile collaboration

    Mumbai: myTrident, the home décor and luxury textiles, makes history by partnering with one of India’s most iconic reality shows, Bigg Boss Season 18, as the official home décor partner. In a groundbreaking collaboration, myTrident’s exclusive range of luxury bedding, and home textiles will elevate the entire décor of the Bigg Boss house, adding an unmatched level of sophistication and style.

    For the first time, Bigg Boss has collaborated with a home textile brand, allowing myTrident to take centre stage in transforming the interiors of the house. The brand’s signature offerings—ranging from plush bedding to luxurious terry towels—will not only be displayed prominently but will also be integrated into the daily lives of the contestants. With a dedicated premium queen-sized bed and other key installations, myTrident’s influence will be felt in every corner, giving viewers a taste of the ultimate in-home décor luxury.

    Setting a New Standard in Reality TV Décor

    This association marks a pivotal moment for myTrident, as it steps into the spotlight during India’s most-watched reality show. By aligning with Bigg Boss, a powerhouse in pop culture and entertainment, myTrident positions itself to captivate millions of households, making an impression just in time for the festive season.

    “We are beyond excited to partner with Bigg Boss for the first time,” said Neha Gupta Bector, Chairperson of myTrident. “As a brand rooted in luxury and comfort, this collaboration allows us to highlight how our premium home décor collection can elevate any space. The Bigg Boss house serves as the perfect canvas to highlight the elegance and sophistication our products bring, inspiring viewers across India.”

    An Immersive Experience Beyond the Screen

    myTrident’s presence in Bigg Boss goes beyond aesthetics. Contestants will experience the brand’s luxurious terry towels and bedding every day, while audiences at home witness how these products can transform the look and feel of a space. This immersive product integration will be further amplified through strategic TV commercials and digital activations, making the brand’s ethos of comfort and sophistication a consistent part of the viewing experience.

    Pavitra KR, Revenue Head, Colors (Viacom18), shared, “Bigg Boss is at the heart of India’s entertainment ecosystem, setting trends and creating cultural moments. Its expansive reach and presence across television, digital, and social platforms ensures that our partner brands achieve exceptional visibility and interaction with diverse consumer groups. Through our innovative brand placements, we naturally integrate partners into the narrative of the show, significantly boosting brand prominence. We’re excited to welcome myTrident as our first home décor partner, marking a significant milestone as they bring their luxury textile range to the Bigg Boss house, transforming its interiors and enriching the contestants’ living spaces.”

    As the season unfolds, myTrident’s products will serve as a visual focal point in the Bigg Boss house, enhancing not only the living environment for the contestants but also creating aspirational décor ideas for millions of viewers.

  • COLORS transforms ‘Bigg Boss Chahte Hain’ to ‘Bigg Boss Jaante Hain’ for new season

    COLORS transforms ‘Bigg Boss Chahte Hain’ to ‘Bigg Boss Jaante Hain’ for new season

    Mumbai: Get ready for a new season of ‘Bigg Boss’ with the tagline transformation from “Bigg Boss Chahte Hain” to “Bigg Boss Jaante Hain.” This year, COLORS is launching the 18th season of its iconic reality show with a fresh theme: “Time Ka Tandav.” The show will not only entertain but also provide insights into contestants’ futures, as ‘Bigg Boss’ himself predicts their every move.

    Salman Khan returns as the host, promising tough questions and reality checks during Weekend Ka Vaar. Produced by Endemol Shine India and Banijay Group, the show premieres on October 6 at 9 PM, airing Monday to Friday at 10 PM on COLORS and live on Jio Cinema for premium subscribers.

    Viacom18’s Alok Jain stated, “At COLORS, we take pride in consistently innovating and delivering content that resonates with our audiences. Bigg Boss is a testament to this, with each season pushing the boundaries of innovation and entertainment.” He added that the theme of “Time Ka Tandav” reflects their commitment to fresh content and innovative integrations.

    Salman Khan expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “When the format of Bigg Boss 18 was narrated to me, I was quite intrigued. After hosting the show for 14 years, it’s exciting to see how it is bringing a whole new twist to the format… This is a welcome change, and I think it’s going to take both the contestants and viewers on an unpredictable ride full of surprises.”

    Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine India founder & group CEO Deepak Dhar emphasised the show’s legacy: “The legacy of entertainment created by Bigg Boss is a matter of immense pride for all of us at Endemol Shine India. With each season, Bigg Boss has not only captured the imagination of audiences but redefined the very nature of reality television… the stage is set for an entertainment extravaganza like no other.”

    This season’s promotional campaign features ex-contestants and COLORS actors receiving cryptic notes about the show’s theme, while digital initiatives will include behind-the-scenes content, Snapchat lenses, and Instagram filters. Unique global spectacles will employ CGI technology to project the iconic Bigg Boss eye on clock towers worldwide, representing the show’s influence.

    JioCinema will provide 24-hour Live coverage, boosting interactivity with programs like Hype and Jeeto Dhan Dhana Dhan, where viewers can answer trivia questions for prizes, including an iPhone 16. Voting remains crucial, allowing fans to save their favourite contestants from nominations, along with engaging content segments throughout the season.

  • Bigg Boss in Southern India boosts brand metrics, reveals new research

    Bigg Boss in Southern India boosts brand metrics, reveals new research

    Mumbai: Bigg Boss, is a cultural phenomenon in India and even more so in the Southern states. A recent study by Unomer Technologies has reinforced the reality of “All ad impressions aren’t equal” with the extraordinary jump witnessed in brand outcomes with exposure on Bigg Boss Tamil and Malayalam. The research examined brands across 19 different categories associated with the show, revealing a disproportionate elevation in top-of-mind awareness (57 per cent), consideration (26 per cent), and purchase intent (33 per cent) among core viewers compared to light viewers and non-viewers. The show continues to be a game-changer for brands, significantly enhancing brand disposition across sectors such as auto, BFSI, consumer durables, real estate, telecom, local retail, and the three major FMCG segments of food, home care, and personal care

    Bigg Boss in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam remains an exclusive marquee content that delivers an immersive and attentive ad experience to a vast and diverse audience. The show attracted over 50 sponsors and 200+ advertisers, and garnered an impressive 150 billion minutes of consumption, reaching a total audience of 170 million.

    Unomer Technologies CEO Vinay Bapna weighed in on the research insights “Brands must seek ways to remain relevant to consumers, hence the choice of content they align with is crucial. The Tamil and Malayalam editions of Bigg Boss foster a deep emotional connection and empathy with the audience in their markets, which is maintained over time, offering brands a unique opportunity. Our data reveals significant improvements not only in brand awareness but also in down-the-funnel metrics like consideration and purchase intent among viewers, compared to those who didn’t watch the show.”

    Bigg boss

    Bigg boss

    1.2 per cent lift in purchase intent towards brands among Bigg Boss viewer vs non-viewer.

    The new season of Bigg Boss Telugu and Tamil commences from September 2024 on Star Maa and Star Vijay respectively. Disney Star head, entertainment ad sales & strategy Dev Shenoy stated, “Bigg Boss in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam has demonstrated itself to be an exceptional content association for advertisers. Apart from large national brands, it is exciting to see regional brands experiencing remarkable growth in metrics across the funnel. We look forward to collaborating with brands across the spectrum for the upcoming season.”

    Brands associated with Bigg Boss have echoed the show’s positive impact on their business. While commenting on the multi-year collaboration with Bigg Boss, Haier Appliances India president NS Satish said “Bigg Boss continues to be the most popular and captivating entertainment among Telugu and Tamil-speaking audiences. Its ability to attract millions of homes to watch together and a loyal fan base has great synergy with our target audience. For any brand looking to make a significant impact in AP & Telangana and Tamil Nadu, Bigg Boss is not just an advertising opportunity—it’s a catalyst for growth. We’ve found that leveraging Bigg Boss as a launch platform accelerates market penetration and consumer acceptance in multiple ways.”

    Jos Alukkas MD John Alukka shared his experience, “We’re thrilled with our association on Telugu TV’s biggest reality show, which has significantly boosted our brand’s presence and reputation. The increased footfall in our stores underscores the show’s wide popularity among our audience, contributing to our sales growth and brand recognition.”

  • JioCinema Premium brings India’s biggest reality entertainer ‘Bigg Boss OTT Season 3’

    JioCinema Premium brings India’s biggest reality entertainer ‘Bigg Boss OTT Season 3’

    Mumbai: Bigg Boss chahte hai ki asli fans gather! Following the phenomenal success of JioCinema Premium and its content offerings, the platform just dropped the teaser announcing Bigg Boss OTT 3, coming in June. The teaser offers a sneak peek into India’s biggest digital reality phenomenon and promises that fans would forget all the highlights from previous seasons, including the most popular fights and viral moments.

    The previous season of Bigg Boss OTT set new standards for digital entertainment in India and globally, garnering unprecedented viewership and engagement, while drawing attention across various sectors.

    Brace yourself for the much-awaited season of Bigg Boss OTT where you can expect the unexpected. Stay tuned for all the drama and entertainment, only on JioCinema Premium!

  • “Reality TV shows like Big Boss Kannada often boast a wide viewership across diverse demographics”: GEF India’s P Chandra Shekhara Reddy

    “Reality TV shows like Big Boss Kannada often boast a wide viewership across diverse demographics”: GEF India’s P Chandra Shekhara Reddy

    Mumbai: In recent years, the integration of brands into popular reality TV shows has become a trend, providing a unique opportunity for companies to engage with their consumers. One such brand that has successfully leveraged this strategy is Freedom Oil, which has made a significant impact by aligning itself with the widely popular reality TV show, Bigg Boss.

    Freedom Oil strategically chose Bigg Boss as a platform to enhance its brand visibility. Bigg Boss, with its massive viewership and diverse audience, serves as an ideal medium for brands to engage with consumers from various demographics. By associating with the show, Freedom Oil has successfully embedded its brand into the daily lives of millions of viewers, creating a powerful connection with its target audience.

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with GEF India (Freedom Oil) senior VP, sales & marketing  P Chandra Shekhara Reddy to discuss more on this collaboration.

    Edited excerpts

    On the thought process behind selecting reality TV shows and the role they play in marketing the products

    Reality TV shows like Big Boss often boast a wide viewership across diverse demographics. Our decision to associate with such shows is strategic. These platforms offer an extensive reach to engage with our target audience in a more relatable context. The shows’ popularity allows us to showcase our product’s qualities in an environment where viewers are receptive to new information and products.

    On the effectiveness of sponsorships, like Freedom Oil’s presence in Big Boss, in reaching out to their target audience?

    Sponsorships in high-visibility programs like Big Boss provide a unique opportunity to connect directly with our target consumers. These collaborations offer visibility and brand recall, enhancing our market presence and fostering brand familiarity among viewers.

    On seeing Freedom Oil’s association with Big Boss making you more or less likely to consider purchasing their products

    Consumer behavior is subjective. Some may find the association with Big Boss positively impactful, while others may not consider it a decisive factor in their purchasing decisions. However, the goal is to create brand recognition and recall, and such associations contribute to that objective.

    On collaborations between brands and popular reality TV shows significantly impacting consumer behaviour or buying decisions

    While there might not always be direct, immediate impacts on consumer behavior, long-term exposure to our brand through such collaborations reinforces brand awareness. It contributes to a brand’s overall presence in the consumer’s awareness level, influencing buying decisions over time.

    On brands engaging with consumers through entertainment shows affecting your brand loyalty in their products

    Importance of Brands Engaging Through Entertainment Shows: Engaging with consumers through entertainment shows is indeed important in today’s competitive market. It helps in building an emotional connection between the brand and its audience. While not the sole strategy, it does not contribute significantly to maintaining brand loyalty and helps to sustain consumer interest.

    On brands utilising different marketing platforms rather than associating themselves with reality TV shows

    Diversification in marketing strategies is key. While associating with reality TV shows has its advantages, a comprehensive marketing plan should involve various platforms and strategies to cater to diverse consumer preferences. We continuously explore and evaluate different channels to ensure a well-rounded marketing approach.

    In essence, our partnership with shows like Big Boss is part of a broader marketing strategy aimed at engaging with our audience effectively. We value all feedback and continuously strive to refine our approach to meet consumer expectations while maintaining brand relevance and integrity.