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Tag: Bigg Boss

  • Viacom18 takes a bold bet with Bigg Boss, to launch Season 15 first on Voot

    Viacom18 takes a bold bet with Bigg Boss, to launch Season 15 first on Voot

    KOLKATA: In an industry-first move, Viacom18 will launch its marquee entertainment property, Bigg Boss, first on Voot for six weeks. Titled Bigg Boss OTT, it will premiere in August 2021 with unprecedented access, engagement, and interactivity empowering viewers to immerse themselves in the journey of contestants in the Bigg Boss house. 

    In addition to the hour-long episode on Voot, viewers will get a chance to watch exclusive cuts, round-the-clock content drops, and a fully interactive 24*7 LIVE feed from the house. After the completion of the digital exclusive, the show will move seamlessly into Colors with the launch of Season 15 of Bigg Boss, said the channel on Friday.

    A high-priced entertainment property, Bigg Boss has stamped its pull even in the hyper-competitive digital entertainment space. With over 8.5 billion views, the show has dominated the digital space with a 92 percent share-of-voice. It has also garnered significant patronage of brands and advertisers who continue to engage with the property, season after season.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures chief operating officer Gourav Rakshit said, “The launch of Bigg Boss OTT exclusively on Voot before TV is poised to be yet another game-changer in digital entertainment and a step forward in further cementing our position as the most loved consumer entertainment brand. This season is set to empower our audiences through unparalleled category-defining innovation through interactivity which we are sure will provide significance to our users, advertisers, and brands alike.”

    While the OTT exclusive starts in August, Bigg Boss will go live first on Voot, and after six weeks of exclusive streaming on digital, the show will launch in a fresh avatar in its 15th season on COLORS.

    Viacom18 Hindi Mass Entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, “The new digital exclusive format will take the show’s fandom to its next level through active engagement with viewers being able to play a part in the show’s progress. The beauty of this show lies in the versatility of format and the massive popularity it commands – both aspects helping us in customizing the show as two different content offerings for the two different platforms while maintaining its core ethos.”

  • Star Vijay reinvents Bigg Boss with BB Jodigal

    Star Vijay reinvents Bigg Boss with BB Jodigal

    KERALA: BB Jodigal, a dance reality show featuring former Bigg Boss contestants, is set to premiere on Star Vijay this May, the channel revealed in a press statement.

    The ultimate aim of this dance reality show is to identify the best Bigg Boss dancing pair. The makers also claimed that BB Jodigal will be the most entertaining, stupendous dance battle ever. 

    BB Jodigal will feature popular contestants from all previous Bigg Boss Tamil seasons. Celebrities from different seasons will pair together as jodis, and they will showcase their dancing skills in this show. Prior to the premiere on 2 May, Star Vijay has uploaded promo videos on its social media pages. 

    “Popular personalities from all four seasons of Bigg Boss will pair up to fight against each other through various rounds of dance and drama to win the title and cash prize. Every week the dance jodis will have to go through various rounds of dance battle given on certain topics and themes,” the channel said.

    Star Vijay has roped in actress Remya Krishnan and actor-singer Nakhul Jaidev as the judges for this show. The contestants will be scored by the judges based on the drama and emotion they bring out through their dance performance. Just like Bigg Boss, a weekly elimination process will be part of the programme’s format

  • Will non-fiction shows witness growth post IPL?

    Will non-fiction shows witness growth post IPL?

    MUMBAI: IPL 2020 was the first major live sporting event since the lockdown began. Despite a delayed start owing to the pandemic, it proved to be a respite for Indian audiences who were wilting on a diet of TV news and reruns. Not to mention that it gave a new lease on life to advertisers to once again build a connect with consumers and attain the pre-Covid reach levels. BARC reported that the 13th edition of the league, which has an estimated brand value of $6.8 billion drew record television and digital viewership. The IPL opener was viewed by 200 million plus audiences and a staggering 31.57 million watched the tournament, clocking a 23 per cent rise in eyeballs.

    This year, marquee non-fiction properties Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) season 12, Bigg Boss season 14, Fear Factor-Khatron Ke Khiladi, India’s Best Dancer, The Kapil Sharma Sharma, Super Dancer were launched while the IPL was underway. Indian Idol season 12 started after IPL ended. The upcoming non-fiction shows are Taare Zameen Par and Dance Deewane 3. While the league may have gone relatively unscathed in terms of sponsors and revenue (BCCI being cagey about financials notwithstanding), several media experts had pointed out that the overlap of the tournament with the festive season and audience shift to OTT platforms would impact the revenues of television networks.

    By the by, both shows managed to rope in a sizeable number of sponsors and partners (KBC – 10, Bigg Boss – 15). But they failed to make a splash in their opening week – BARC data reflects that none of them broke into the top five shows in the Hindi GEC category. However, the report also stated that Bigg Boss clocked 3.9 billion minutes in the same period, the highest in the last three seasons.

    BARC is yet to release data on how these shows have performed since they premiered this season.

    But the question remains that with IPL over, viewers of the non-fiction genre need the next big thing for their daily dose of entertainment. Will this quest for serotonin give a boost to the genre and viewership? 

    The industry is divided, where some believe that now the IPL is over, things will get better for non-fiction shows in terms of ratings and revenue. Others think that overall market sentiment is low with the festive season behind us. Revival will come, but not before January 2021.

    The Media Ant CEO and founder Samir Chaudhary said, “Both KBC and Bigg Boss have not performed as compared to last year. IPL definitely has a role to play, given that both shows launched during the tournament, which is an unusual scenario. Diwali was the peak season for all advertisers, but now overall ad volumes have gone down. The volume was driven a lot by automobile and e-commerce companies, and both have now come out of their peaks. We are expecting the volumes to come back by mid-December when the second round of sale comes up."

    He further qualified this by saying that since the IPL is over, the shows may see traction and gain a new set of advertisers by mid-December, but that remains to be seen.

    Wavemaker India managing partner Mansi Datta echoed the sentiment and added, “Post IPL (data for four days post IPL), these programs have seen an increase in viewership across different cohorts by 5-15 per cent. This indicates that the audience viewership movement is to be further expected across both genders/age groups. This would also hold the case as momentum for these episodes gain, the viewership will climb.”

    Traditionally, Dussehra-Diwali is the reaping period for TV networks as they launch big-ticket fiction and non-fiction properties, helping them attract advertisers. Estimates are that marketers signed checks to the tune of Rs 24,000 crore during the festival period last year. The pandemic and the lockdowns over the past six months have resulted in Indian advertising expenditure shrinking by as much as 39 per cent since. Soothsayers predict that 2019’s festive season ad-ex will not be breached this year.

    Elara Capital vice president Karan Taurani observed that both ratings and ad volumes of non-fiction shows have gone up but the issue is pricing. Viewership ratings have increased by 10 to 15 per cent but compared to last year the rates are still low. “From October to November, the TV advertising segment grew by 10 to 12 per cent. But post festivities, the entire media plan was put on hold based on how the market functions in terms of consumption pattern. The growth was not sustainable.”

    Taurani projects December to be slightly down in terms of advertising. “But hopefully, January and February will see some relief and the market will bounce back,” he added.

    In terms of ad volumes, both properties have brought in a lot of advertisers, in fact the difference in the total number of advertisers onboard with the IPL and Bigg Boss was just 10 per cent. Others emphasise that these programmes got new sponsors, even those that stayed away from IPL, and the inventory level is almost full.

    Havas Media buying national head R Venkatasubramanian pointed out that now advertisers have the option to choose between HD and SD platforms separately. Hence, the number of advertisers are more in both properties, a win-win for brands and channels.

    During the pandemic, the lines have blurred between primetime and non-primetime. Content consumption patterns have also changed. In an average household, while women and family audiences have been glued to fiction serials, young viewers have taken either to the IPL or to online content that is slowly attracting Hindi-speaking viewers.

    Omnicom Media Group chief investment officer Mamatha Morvankar shared that initial trends post the closure of IPL 2020 are certainly encouraging. Both KBC and Bigg Boss, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, have shown an uptick in TVRs. In the case of Bigg Boss, the increase was largely attributed to time spent by viewers, whereas for KBC the surge was both with regards to reach and time spent. KBC had its one crore winners in the weeks following IPL and that aspect would have had a positive impact on ratings.

    A media professional, on the condition of anonymity, mentioned that Bigg Boss – which is already on the verge of completing two months – is introducing new formats and twists to lure viewers. And while advertisers are coming on board, they’re doing so on discounted rates.

    But despite challenges, reality shows are slowly but steadily gaining the power to create an impact in the wake of IPL. Morvankar explained, “This is also showing in terms of the ad volumes. Both these reality programs are signing on new sponsors post the IPL 2020 season and going full-on their inventory. KBC has even gotten an extension of four weeks, now stretching to end in January, which should also extend the ratings momentum. These early signs are promising enough for us to anticipate that impact reality shows such as these are set to take the coming quarter by storm.”

    If reports are to be believed, the IPL has already eaten up a Rs 2,500-crore slice of the ad-ex pie. But some experts still hold that non-fiction shows are on a growth trajectory. It will be interesting to see if the genre will hit it out of the park in the coming months or if it’s samay samaapt for it.

  • Why Bigg Boss remains the most bankable property for Colors

    Why Bigg Boss remains the most bankable property for Colors

    MUMBAI: Ever since its launch more than a decade ago, reality show Bigg Boss – fashioned after the Dutch series Celebrity Big Brother – has never failed to entertain and titillate audiences. The first edition of the show, with Arshad Warsi as the host, aired on Sony Entertainment Television with a TRP of 2.72. Then it passed into the hands of Colors, where it scored an impressive TRP  of 6.99. According to BARC data, Bigg Boss 13 garnered 13.8 million impressions in the finale week last year, breaking the record set by its previous seasons.

    Season 14 kicked off ahead of the festive season and has already racked up 3.9 billion viewing minutes in its launch week, the highest in the last three seasons.

    With the exciting matches in the IPL hogging up daily viewing time,  Bigg Boss has not made it into the top five programmes of Hindi general entertainment channels in week 40, but Colors  has consistently been in the top five channels in the HSM (U+R) market and urban market for the past five weeks. In fact, with the launch of the reality show, Colors secured the second position on  BARC's  pay platform and urban market charts for the first time in five weeks. Weekly impressions recorded on the pay platform chart were 676930 billion and 497722 billion in the urban market. chart

    So, what makes Bigg Boss so popular?

    There could be multiple reasons. Just like the IPL is to Star Sports, Bigg Boss is a tentpole show for Colors. It is a franchise that allows brands and channels to grow with it, a show that grows year-on-year. When it comes to this dramatic reality show, there is no middle ground, one either loves it or hates it. For people who watch it, it's a cult following.

    The show currently has a total of 15 sponsors. Apart from the presenting sponsors – Mobile Premier League (MPL), Dabur Dant Rakshak Ayurvedic Paste and TRESemmé and Lotus Herbals – the channel now has 14 associate sponsors that include Captain food’s Chings, Vicco, Greenlam Laminates, Garnier Men, Mamaearth, Somany Tiles and Lifebuoy. The associate sponsors only for Colors HD comprise Philips, MDH Masale, Fogg, Honda, Urban Company, Duroflex and LG Electronics.

    Havas Media Group India MD Mohit Joshi predicted the latest edition of the reality show will be more popular and profitable than its predecessors. With all signs pointing to a subdued festive season, viewers are bound to tune in and get their thrills from elsewhere. “Bigg Boss 13 was the most-watched reality show with 10+ million impressions, as per data released by BARC India. Owing to the fact that the audiences have been starved for fresh content on TV, there is going to be huge traction which is why it will be preferred by brands and advertisers,” said Joshi. 

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma shared that with Bigg Boss, the network tries to break its own benchmarks and introduces something new and innovative every season. “It is an important cog in the wheel of our business at a network level and also creates viable opportunities for brand associations. The mechanics of the show is such that it has something for everyone; be it celebrities, viewers, brands, advertisers.”

    Since Bigg Boss grabs eyeballs, it makes sense for advertisers as well. According to a person closely associated with the show in the past, it is attractive to broadcasters not just because it’s a monetisable property, but it keeps paying dividends even in the long run.
     
    “Hypothetically speaking, if you spend Rs 140 crore on the property in three months, you will make a profit on it. It is compelling content for advertisers and brands," he said.

    Format

    Bigg Boss is a show that thrives on drama and controversy. It deliberately brings together highly opinionated and egotistical  individuals and leaves them to stew in a pressure cooker environment for three solid months. The show appears on your television screens every day, and, before you know it, becomes a habit.

    There are drama queens, a few foreign names (for example: Pamela Anderson, Jade Goody and Sunny Leone), struggling actors and a political or religious figure. Contestants are eliminated and replacements are introduced to keep things interesting. Love affairs and big fights abound; there is no telling friend from foe – it is like watching a Bollywood melodrama unfold in real time.

    The format of Bigg Boss indulges its viewers’ voyeurism, and makes for great gossip with friends, colleagues and family. It frequently ranks as one of the top trends on social media.

    “It generates an ecosystem of viewers, fans, and admirers that further builds the show up and creates conversations about it and the contestants,” Sharma further added.

    Brand Integration Opportunities

    Brands want to get associated with a programme  which gives them higher recall value. Think IPL and you associate it with the IPL,  Maruti Suzuki well the quickest connect is with India’s Got Talent. Bigg Boss as a reality show provides greater brand integration opportunities than daily soaps. It has evolved not only in terms of costs but concepts, scripts, marketing and production every year.

    Apart from regular brand visibility, the channel provides businesses with tailor-made tasks and branding opportunities for them for a span of 100 plus  days, said Sharma. They get higher visibility than any other reality show in the space. “The interesting content and higher viewership is also one of the factors that make Bigg Boss an apt engagement foreground for the brands and hence some of them also renew their partnerships with us year on year,” she elaborated.

    Bigg Boss is also a show which sometimes is at the receiving end of a heavy viewer backlash, but Havas' Joshi shrugged off this concern, saying, “We live in a ‘socially connected’ world where anyone can express his/ her point of view. Hence public opinion is what we as individuals and brands have to live with.”

    Joshi also asserted that the show's nature and format are such that it is bound to attract a lot of positive as well as negative chatter. The reason why brands continue to associate with the property is for its reach. When their promotional vehicle faces flak, brands have to manage their online reputation smartly and sensitively, pointed out Joshi.

    Every brand that comes on board is very well aware of the nature of the show, and the publicity that it garners, added Sharma. “We also manage our clients very well who put in immense trust in us which is the reason they keep coming back to us.”

    Salman Khan As The Host

    One of the biggest draws of Bigg Boss is undoubtedly the celebrity of its host – Salman Khan. The actor has an army of diehard fans, many of whom tune in on weekends just to watch Khan delivering justice to contestants who caused chaos in the house that particular week. This time around though, viewers are missing the hand slapping, physical contact,  between Khan and his coterie of famous friends, courtesy the Covid2019 pandemic. However, clever creative and production is more than making up for this minor absence. 

    Big Boss 13 got high traction in both urban as well rural markets and Joshi said this was due to the fact that it is like a doorway allowing the audience to virtually enter into the lives of celebrities. And the presence of Salman Khan adds an extra dose of excitement.

    Monetisation

    Given the sheer scale and viewer base, Bigg Boss is one of the biggest reality shows on Indian television right now. It has all the ingredients that make it a winning property. It is the most talked about, most trended show, and has created a community that thrives on it for entertainment. “Bigg Boss takes things to another level for us in terms of content and viewership. It possesses the power to catapult the channel to the number one spot and contribute in a big way to the revenue,” said Sharma.

    Even with the kind of expense that is resting on the property, Bigg Boss is a great opportunity for brands and advertisers to get on board, she explained, since the viewers connect and engage with the show because they can see contestants going through a whirlwind of emotions in the midst of great angst and drama. “It is a perfect blend anyone can ask for and the kind of integration opportunities we end up doing on the show is humongous. It benefits the brands massively.”

    Winners Get Popularity

    Bigg Boss has proved to be a stepping stone to bigger and better things for many of its contestants. Just by participating in the show, they’re able to amass a loyal fan base, leading to brand endorsements, TV shows, and much more.

    But fame is a fickle friend. Season six winner Urvashi mentioned that her life did not particularly change post-Bigg Boss in any manner. However, winning the title did mean a lot to her because people got to see her as a person, she added. “It has given me a title, helped me in reaching the audience and the masses… A show like Bigg Boss plays in different ways for each contestant's careers. For me, the show added a trophy to my kitty while for others it may lead them to other things. To each their own, I say.”

    Though Colors has time and again proved its mettle, it would be interesting to see how long it can sustain the Bigg Boss phenomenon raging through India.

  • Bigg Boss 14: The brand countdown has begun

    Bigg Boss 14: The brand countdown has begun

    MUMBAI: A century. That’s what Viacom18 head of network sales Mahesh Shetty is hoping to hit with the fourteenth edition of celebrity reality show Bigg Boss. “It will be great if we manage to hit last year’s 100 advertiser landmark we did with the show,” says Shetty.

    Recently, the sales team once again signed on Capital Foods Ching’s Secret as an associate sponsor for the show. It already has e-sports and mobile gaming league platform MPL as presenting sponsor, while Dabur Dant Rakshak Ayurvedic Paste and HUL’s Tresseme have come on as co-powered by sponsors.

    It looks like Shetty has his work cut out for him with only around a fortnight to go before the show starts filming in Mumbai’s Film City on 3 October. However, he is confident that the sponsorship and advertising contracts will start rolling in faster now.

    Says he: “It’s not that this is the first time the team that is selling Bigg Boss is facing environmental pressure. At some point of time there was demonetization followed by GST, which created huge pressure on the economy. The feedback that we got from brands who wanted to associate with us has been phenomenal. I’ll give the credit to the equity of Bigg Boss and to my team also.. I am very optimistic about this season as well. We are expecting the same traction this year itself.”

    Read more coverage on Bigg Boss

    He further explains why he is not worried. Says Shetty: “There are certain brands who come on board for the entire season while others come only for half-season. Some of our key brands have been associated with us since the last season. We have 106 episodes, so there are many brands who wish to come in the later part of the show. Apart from that a lot of revenue comes from the Free Commercial Times (FCT).”

    He has no regrets that he has pegged the advertising and sponsorship rates at least year’s levels when Star Sports has managed to command higher pricing for its IPL inventory than last year. Explains Shetty: “It is not a short-term relationship as some brands also come back. We have kept similar rates as last year because Bigg Boss is a 106-day property. At the end of the day, it is a demand-supply game.“

    He is hopeful that Bigg Boss this year will be able to command higher sticker prices than the Rs 300,000-350,000 per 10 second spot that it did last year. “Depending on how the property performs and demand-supply it creates, we will look at increasing the prices. When the show starts and if the demand is very good, we will definitely hike the prices,” he says.

    Shetty’s opinion is that very platforms can offer the brand integration that Bigg Boss does.”I don’t think there is any property like Bigg Boss when it comes to brand integration and brand engagement. The show not only gives them a wide visibility and reach, but helps them connect with the end consumer,” says he. “We engage very deeply with brand owners, and not just with the agency. Every integration of ours is something that we kind of take them through, also at the same time our programming team, people who run the show are very well equipped and experienced.

    Shetty points out to how last year presenting sponsor Vivo used the platform to showcase the video features of its brand new phone the V17 Pro. For Dabur, the programming team innovated by enrolling contestants of season 13 – Shehnaz Gill, Madhurima Tuli, Rashmi Desai, Mahira Sharma, and Shefali Bagga to promote Dabur Amla Hair Oil while walking the ramp after they were tasked by Salman Khan to do so. Shefali Zairwala and Aarti Singh became the hair stylists for the ramp walkers. Siddharth Shukla, the ultimate winner of the season, and Asim were the judges and chose Shehnaz Gill as the winner. “Again, it was very entertaining and brands’ core values got communicated. It is something you will see again this year,” says Shetty.

    He is quite emphatic that advertisers will hitch themselves to the Bigg Boss bandwagon. “Today, if there is so much traction for IPL, it is because there isn’t anything like IPL. In the same way, I would say there is nothing really like Bigg Boss. It’s not just another property,” he says. “It starts on 3 October goes on all the way till January 2021. It covers all the key festivals from Dussehra to Diwali, Christmas, New Year, and Sankranti. In terms of consumer spending, this entire period is a big chunk as far as consumer spending goes. So brands would want to latch upon the properties like Bigg Boss.”

  • Colors’ Bigg Boss promises to give a befitting reply to 2020

    Colors’ Bigg Boss promises to give a befitting reply to 2020

    MUMBAI: The year 2020 has been the most trying and difficult year for humanity in the recent past. From everyone getting exiled within their homes to embracing uncertainty, we are living in the new normal. As we all look forward to the first rays of a restart, the new season of Colors’ reality show, MPL presents Bigg Boss powered by Dabur Dant Rakshak Ayurvedic Paste and TRESemmé will hopefully change the course of events and bring back normalcy into our lives. Featuring a great mix of contestants and bringing back the magic of the inimitable host, Salman Khan, the new season of Bigg Boss promises to be packed with drama, thrill, and excitement. Through the new brand campaign, Bigg Boss Dega 2020 Ko Jawaab , Colors is set to give viewers a peek into the regular life through various innovative engagements. Bigg Boss will premiere on 3 October 2020 at 9 pm and air Monday- Friday at 10.30 pm and Saturday-Sunday 9 pm on Colors and before TV exclusively on Voot Select.

    Conceptualised by advertising agency Leo Burnett, the campaign highlights how this year has robbed us of our freedom, limited our entertainment avenues, and forced us to live in a confined environment without actually being able to enjoy the normal aspects of life. But the new season of Bigg Boss will serve as an antidote to the viewers’ humdrum and fuel their lives with unlimited entertainment, drama, and emotions. The promos of the show have also been interestingly shot and they showcase Salman Khan mopping the floor resonating with everyone’s sentiment of being caught up with daily household chores. In the next one, he is seen sitting in a theatre relishing popcorn while watching a movie signifying that 2020 might have put a brake on our entertainment outings but Bigg Boss will give it a befitting response by bringing Manoranjan back into our lives. In the recent promo, he is seen depicting that Bigg Boss will break the chain of monotony and boredom and set the ball of entertainment rolling once again.

    Read more news on Bigg Boss

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment & brand solutions marketing & digital head Sapangeet Rajwant said, “Bigg Boss is one show that over the years has brought the viewers together and been the most sought after entertainment reality show. With an unprecedented disruption and uncertainty looming of when things will improve, we wanted to evoke a sense of normalcy through the campaign and give a befitting response to all the challenges that 2020 has put us through. Taking into consideration the shift in the marketing paradigm, we have also pivoted our promotional strategy to generate maximum talkability and engagement. By creating different zones in the Bigg Boss House, like a movie hall, mall, spa, and dining area , we have magnified the theme of the show, Ab paltega bhi scene, kyunki Bigg Boss dega 2020 ko jawaab. It also allows us to further our brand engagement and strike a better consumer connect.”

    Leo Burnett chief strategy officer south Asia & MD India Dheeraj Sinha said: “2020 has been a difficult year thus far. The word ‘unprecedented’ has made its way all the way up the charts. In these times, what people need in their lives are predictable anchors – familiar things and a part of our lives. Bigg Boss is one such pop-culture event in India. It has been a show that’s given us much entertainment and conversation material over the years. The unveiling of this season of Bigg Boss is not just an unveiling of yet another show, it is a statement that we are standing up to adversity and ready for a change of scene. Moreover, in terms of the sheer package, this year’s show is designed to be even more entertaining, a befitting reply to all the drama that this year has subjected us to. Just that in the case of Bigg Boss , this is the drama that we are eagerly looking forward to. The launch campaign this year, captures this sentiment of a comeback.

    Read more news on Colors

    Leo Burnett national creative director Sachin Kamble said: “This year, the challenge of creating a campaign for Bigg Boss , felt even bigger. But we knew if we ended up doing something that helped people feel positive about themselves and life, we would have done the correct thing for the show as well. As a result, we knew we had to upturn the scene altogether.”

  • Bigg Boss 14 & the big sponsorship question

    Bigg Boss 14 & the big sponsorship question

    MUMBAI: The moment we hear the name Bigg Boss, what comes to our mind is the cacophony of emotions and behaviours ranging from love to jealousy to anger to sorrow to Machiavellianism to kindness. And of course the paternalistic – at times – and strict – at others – face of superstar Salman Khan, who has been the host of the show since we ever can remember.

    Viewers are bombarded with a barrage of histrionics by contestants arguing, fighting, caring, romanticising, dancing, and doing a number of other acts – which is what the show has come to be known for. Interestingly, every year one or the other contestant turns into a household name such as Gautam Gulati, Shehnaz Gill, Rohit Shukla, Dolly Bindra, Gauhar Khan, and Hina Khan.

    Despite Covid2019, the Colors team has put in gargantuan efforts to bring back the show. Bigg Boss 14 promos have been getting impressive air time to whip up interest for the show – slated to air from 3 October at 10:30 pm on weekdays and 9 pm on weekends – from advertisers and viewers.

    SHETTY THINKS THAT THERE CANNOT BE A MORE
    PERFECT TIME FOR BIG BOSS

    “Bigg Boss is a much-needed respite for audiences, it enjoys a very strong and loyal fan base across age groups. There cannot be a more perfect time than now for a show like Bigg Boss as the audience will relate to it more than ever. The country has been through a lockdown and television has been a constant companion during this time. The audience has been eagerly waiting for it, a show that is packed with drama and entertainment and a great differentiator from the regular shows,” says Viacom18 network sales head Mahesh Shetty.

    Advertisers & Brand Integrations

    Industry estimates are that Bigg Boss earned Rs 180-200 crore in advertising revenues from nine sponsors and about 100 advertisers in 2019. Viacom18 has labelled Bigg Boss 13 as the most successful season that went on for 139 episodes setting new records in both viewership and revenue terms.

    This year the channel has already signed fantasy sports brand Mobile Premier League (MPL) as the presenting sponsor while Dabur Dant Rakshak Ayurvedic Paste and Hindustan Unilever's TRESemmé' have been roped in as co-powered by sponsors.

    Shetty highlights that due to ease in the restrictions, businesses are going back to normal and as a result, advertising spends are also increasing. According to him, television is doing good in terms of volumes which is a very positive sign. “As we enter the festive season with Bigg Boss, we are sensing a lot of optimism from advertising and viewers,” he adds.

    According to industry experts, Viacom’s revenue from the show is likely to get a 15-20 per cent cut compared to last year. Its card rate is between Rs 300,000 and Rs 500,000 for a 10 second spot. And it is not budging on discounts.

    Shetty shares, “In a normal scenario, we would have increased the rates by 25-30 per cent from last year but we are neither increasing nor decreasing the prices. As per the BARC data in June, our ad-volumes have also recovered. We initiated discounting in the month of April-May owing to the low demand but starting July, we have let go of discounting and as of this month, we are on zero discounting and the ad volumes are still holding strong.

    " Mediacom India south Asia chief growth officer Soumak Banik said that Bigg Boss is a marquee property, hence it will get the required viewership as audiences have not had much fresh content to watch over the past five months. It is not just Bigg Boss Hindi but the Tamil and Telugu versions will do better in terms of viewership and revenue.

    He adds: “There is already traction from advertisers for sponsorship on Bigg Boss. Also, I don’t think so impact properties will have 15 to 20 per cent of revenue cut. In fact, I think both viewers and advertisers are open to welcome reality shows on TV. Bigg Boss has already signed two sponsors and the makers are in discussion with other brands. Similar to IPL, Bigg Boss will also have sponsors on board before it begins to telecast.”

    In its fourteenth season, it is all set to cover everything from Dussehra, Diwali to Christmas and New Year during its telecast. Viacom18 is currently in talks with several brands for sponsoring other categories and is looking forward to brand integrations.

    Shetty points out that it Bigg Boss is a format which suiting all kinds of brands from e-commerce, automobiles, beverages, snack foods, appliances to gaming apps, and payment gateways. It appeals cuts across categories and offers great brand integration solutions across episodes and in between the episodes on the various Colors digital properties.

    “There are some sponsors who sign deals for both Bigg Boss and the channel while there are others who are only digital exclusive. Typically, we have separate sponsors for Colors and Voot. Last year, Voot had close to eight to nine sponsors and this year also we are expecting the same or more. On Voot, we also create some very similar shoulder content around Bigg Boss like Bigg Buzz that the brands find attractive.”

    Format

    The format of Bigg Boss 14 is going to remain the same with a bunch of people stuck inside a house. Shetty reveals that innovations are planned for the new season which will weave in the existing realities of the pandemic into its narrative. All the luxuries that most have been deprived of will be made available to the contestants. There will be small shopping and dining areas, a spa and a health club, and even a movie theatre. Some or all of these will be accessible to the contestants, if they do well on activities and tasks that are set for them. Shetty says the format affords a lot of opportunities brands to become a part of the narrative of Bigg Boss 14.

    Expectations are that the current edition will run for 106 episodes, with Shetty declining to talk budgets that are being kept aside for it.

    Why Brands Love it

    BARC India data reveals that Bigg Boss 13 garnered 213 million viewers and the finale alone witnessed 10.5 million impressions. Over the years, the show has been delivering very strong numbers and has helped brands generate a high top-of-the-mind recall and impact.

    Shetty reveals that the response from brands and advertisers has been very encouraging. A lot of brands are now looking at investing in big-ticket properties and Bigg Boss serves as a befitting platform for brand associations and integrations.

    Recently, the Indian government banned a set of Chinese apps, possibly one of the major reasons why Vivo backed out as a sponsor. According to Shetty, only due to certain operational issues and government norms certain brands may not be able to come on board.

    “We expect most of the brands that have partnered with us and have been associated with us in the previous years to come back and renew their partnerships,” he highlights. “Some of the brands which are keeping a low key because of government rule may not be a part of the mix. Dabur is a case in point of a returning partner. It was a powered by sponsor last year and has come on board this year as well.”

    Coinciding with IPL

    This is for the first time the IPL is clashing with Bigg Boss and there is a lot of buzz that it is going to impact the viewership. However, Shetty believes that the clash is very minimal.

    He mentioned that Bigg Boss starts on 3 October and runs for 106 days whereas IPL starts on 19 September and goes on until 8 November. So, the overlap is only for 37 days out of 106 days. Also, any head-on clashes between Bigg Boss 14 and the IPL this year will be rare, given the former’s telecast time of 10:30 pm and the latter’s at 7:30 pm. “The matches will most likely be over by the time Bigg Boss begins,” says an observer.

    The overlap will take place only on the weekends for eight days because Bigg Boss airs at 9 pm on Saturday and Sunday. “So, from a viewer's point of view, there is not much of an overlap. Both the IPL and Bigg Boss are very strong properties and have a very strong following and I am certain people who follow and watch both will continue to do so. From the advertisers' standpoint, they have a scope to invest in two big properties. The IPL ticket size being very high may not be affordable to some of the advertisers but I think there is enough space for both to coexist,” shares Shetty.

    And so shall it be!

  • Marketing sentiment is quite positive for festive season & IPL: Shashi Sinha

    Marketing sentiment is quite positive for festive season & IPL: Shashi Sinha

    NEW DELHI: While the road to economic recovery is long and troubled, there is a positive sentiment amongst the marketers to cash on the upcoming festive season, IPG Mediabrands CEO–India Shashi Sinha shared during an exclusive virtual fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari. Over an hour-and-a-half-long session, the duo discussed a number of industry trends, advertiser and consumer sentiment, and the way ahead for the industry. 

    Sinha noted, “India is a very sentiment-driven market. And while it is going to be a difficult recovery and the consumer demand might or might not be there, a lot of brands are wanting to invest at this point in time; maybe not at a large value scale, but definitely far higher than they would in the months of July-August. I'm not seeing the uptick in demand but the marketing sentiment is that let us cash in on this system.”

    He insisted that the advertisers want to capture the festive season and the initial signs are already visible in the dealings. “To give an example, auto sales are there. And then there is a client of ours called Indigo Paints, which is telling us that their sales are up. I am asking them how is it possible as according to me to call people home to paint, would be the last thing on someone’s mind now. But they tell me it is for outside paints. So, yes the market has already started moving.”

    But considering the Onam and Ganpati were both muted, how is the market sentiment moving, Wanvari asked. 

    Sinha elaborated that both the festivals were very localised events and he won’t take it as an indicator of the overall market sentiment. He added that IPL is looking very positive, much above the initial expectations the market had. 

    Sinha pointed out that the upcoming new programmings on TV channels, including big-budget properties, like KBC and Bigg Boss, will also attract a lot of advertiser attention. “I am not sure if they all will earn because they are coming at almost the same time, but the marketing sentiment is quite positive right now.

    But all of this might not translate into consumer sentiment pulling up. “I see advertisers pumping money in September-October. And if the sentiment turns out to be false and they fail to move the consumers, the impact will be seen in the first quarter of the next year, which for Indian companies will start this year. So, the companies will evaluate whatever money they are investing in IPL and Diwali and if it doesn’t yield results, they might pull back.” 

    Overall, the earnings of the media companies and agencies will not be similar to what they recorded last year, but will be a great improvement from the past few months, he shared. 

  • Mobile Premier League joins as presenting sponsor for Bigg Boss 2020

    Mobile Premier League joins as presenting sponsor for Bigg Boss 2020

    MUMBAI: Bigg Boss 2020 will be back on Colors and take viewers on an entertaining ride packed with drama, thrill, and excitement. Hosted by Salman Khan, for the new season, COLORS joins hands with India’s largest esports and mobile gaming platform Mobile Premier League (MPL) as the presenting sponsor. 

    Speaking about the partnership, Viacom18 network sales head Mahesh Shetty shares, “Bigg Boss is the biggest reality show in the entertainment space, and it appeals to demographics across geographies. Given its strong fanbase makes it one of the sought-after marketing platform for sponsors. Over the years, several brands have come forward to explore innovative customizations and partnerships to deliver their business ambitions. Mobile Premier League (MPL) is one of India’s leading esports and mobile gaming platforms that provide unparalleled gaming experience to the users and we are glad to welcome them as the presenting sponsor for the new season of Bigg Boss.”

    Mobile Premier League (MPL)  growth and marketing VP Abhishek Madhavan said, “Bigg Boss is one of the most-watched reality shows in India and easily the most popular and most talked-about reality TV show across the country. With a superstar like Salman Khan hosting it, every season is eagerly awaited by millions and promises something new. With MPL expanding into areas like entertainment via its live-streaming and a bunch of video-first features, Bigg Boss was the most obvious choice for us to associate with. We eagerly look forward to this season and hope to cement MPL’s position as a household name through the partnership.”

    Elaborating on the partnership, Mediacom India & South Asia CEO Navin Khemka said, “We are delighted with this partnership of MPL and Bigg Boss. This is one show that has shown consistent performance over the years. We are confident that we will be able to leverage a strong association with the loyal Bigg Boss audience through some innovative associations that we have in store for our exponentially increasing gaming audience. India loves to play and this time it’s going to be inside the Bigg Boss house with MPL.”

    Being the most-awaited and entertaining reality show on Indian Television, the upcoming season of Bigg Boss will enthrall the audience who will once again witness all the high-voltage drama and action unfold on their screens.

  • Bigg Boss 4 on Star Maa promises entertainment like never before

    Bigg Boss 4 on Star Maa promises entertainment like never before

    Hyderabad – Bigg Boss, the most disruptive and highest-rated non-fiction show of Telugu television is back with its 4th season. The show that launched in 2017 on Star Maa has been a great entertainer for our audiences and has witnessed growth with each season.

    Each year viewers look forward to the show’s campaign for its uniqueness. This season’s campaign with King Nagarjuna in a triple role – a grandfather, son and grandson has surpassed expectations and garnered a huge positive response. Bigg Boss Telugu is uniquely poised as a show that is watched by all members of the family from kids to the grandparents. In a humorous take on people’s love for knowing what is happening with their neighbours, Nagarjuna promises the viewers a complete package of entertainment with a click of a button at one destination – Bigg Boss4 on Star Maa. Bigg Boss is a destination of 100+ days of non-stop entertainment where one shall be able to see myriad emotions and follow the journey of their favourite celebrities in the house.
      
    Nagarjuna who is going to be hosting the show for the second consecutive year said “It was fun being back on the shoot floor for the promo. After the tremendous success of last season this year our effort will be to up the ante and deliver even more entertainment and surprises for our viewers.” Known for his ability to experiment with his look he has certainly wowed the viewers with the 3 roles. Speaking about his look in the promo he added “Playing 3 characters and getting the body language, voice and mannerisms right in such a short span of shoot was quite a challenge but I enjoyed it thoroughly. I am a believer that life, hope and entertainment should never stop. We have all had a tough few months and I think clean wholesome entertainment is one of the luxuries we can all enjoy and our promise this year is to deliver exactly that with Bigg Boss season 4”

    Spokesperson, Star Maa said, “At Star Maa we pride ourselves on our ability to entertain our audience with meaningful content and keep innovating with our offerings to ensure they get the best of entertainment. Each season of Bigg Boss for us is about reinventing ourselves 

     
    and making the viewing experience more exciting for our viewers. We are thrilled to bring the fourth season of one of the most loved shows for our viewers to enjoy