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Tag: Comedy Central

  • Comedy Central represents India with 13 awards at Promax BDA World in New York

    Comedy Central represents India with 13 awards at Promax BDA World in New York

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central, India’s 24 hour English Entertainment channel has proven its creative mettle on the global front once again by bagging13 awardsacross various categories at the PromaxBDA World Awards 2014, held on June 13, 2014 in New York, USA.

    The PromaxBDA Awards recognize excellence in promotions, marketing & design across the globe andthe channel ensured the county’s creativity was represented on a global platform, in the process bagging 5 Gold, 3 Silver and 5 Bronze across categories like Interactive Promotion, technical Innovation & Comedy Program Campaign amongst others.

    This win is a result of unique, innovative and engaging campaigns created by the brand to engage audiences on television and beyond. One such campaign was for the show ‘Anger Management’. The team put out a 360 degree marketing campaign that used both ATL & BTL marketing vehicles topping out the activity with the digital application called the ‘Destruct-o-matic. A never done before, real time anger venting apparatus to vent your anger at friends from Facebook&Twitter in a fun, healthy way. The Destruct-o-matic bagged three awards for Comedy Central.

    In addition the channel won another ten awards over 8 categories.

     

  • Viacom18 reigns supreme at PromaxBDA India Awards with 17 wins

    Viacom18 reigns supreme at PromaxBDA India Awards with 17 wins

    MUMBAI: Viacom18, India’s fastest growing entertainment network of iconic brands proved its creative mettle at the recently concluded PromaxBDA India Awards by winning a whopping 17 awards across categories. Viacom18’s brands MTV, Vh1 and Comedy Central brought in a total of eight golds and nine silvers for excellence in the creative campaigns. All the winning campaigns at Viacom18 have been conceptualized and produced in-house.

     

    MTV turned out to be the biggest winner amongst all TV channels at the PromaxBDA India Awards with a total of 11 awards being scooped up by its creative team alone.

     

    PromaxBDA India Awards recognizes excellence in on-air promotion, branding and advertising across India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The awards ceremony was held in Mumbai on 28th May 2014.

     

    Below is a list of the award-winning campaigns at the 2014 PromaxBDA India Awards:

     

    Gold:

    1. Best Print Campaign – MTV Rock The Vote

    2. Best Editing – MTV Spoken Words

    3. Best Campaign – MTV Webbed

    4. Best on air – Identz

    5. Best Interactive Promo – MTV Roadies Battlegroud

    6. Best Reality promo –MTV Roadies Journey

    7. Best Title Sequence – MTV Spoken Word

    8. Best Sales & Marketing Presentation –Comedy Central Superhero

     

    Silver:

    9.   Best Logo Design – Spoken Word

    10. Best Animation – MTV HI5

    11. Best Holiday Special event promo (Rock the vote) – MTV Rock The Vote

    12. Best Funniest Spot ()-MTV Serial box

    13. Best Use of Social Media – Anger Management – The Destructomatic

    14. Best Comedy Promo – Suits S3 – INDIAN HARVEY

    15. Best Entertainment Promo – Suits S3 – Indian Harvey

    16. Something for Nothing – Comedy Central’s 2014 Predictions

    17. Best Children’s Programme Promo – Silver – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – CP Promo 

  • Brands need to get inspired, innovate & then transform: Kendrick Reid

    Brands need to get inspired, innovate & then transform: Kendrick Reid

    MUMBAI: “How often have you asked yourself, who you want to be?” asked BET Networks’ Kendrick Reid to creative minds present at the Mumbai edition of promoaxbda. Reid went ahead to mention that just like human minds need a good dosage of inspiration to innovate and thereby transform, brands too need to take the same route.

     

    The first thing that brands need to keep in mind while rejuvenating its communication strategies is to hit on emotional chords. Only an emotional connect brands can help consumers to be with it at various stages of its transformation. Reid mentioned about how Steve Madden for 12 years didn’t believe in mainstream advertising. When they actually rolled an ad film it fell flat. After much introspection Steve Madden weaved perfect style in its communication. Steve Madden splashed communication messages at strategic locations recently. Interestingly it worked well for the brand in the retail space where the brand needs to captivate its audiences well.

     

    While digital evolution has stormed the television business across the world content consumption has drastically changed. Reid explained how Comdey Central revolutionised its brand identity. Comedy Central wanted to cater to multi screens and revised its marketing outlook. The channel not only changed its look and feel but garnered much more attention of viewers. Another channel that refreshed its creative outlook was VML, a commercial channel in Belgium.

     

    VML involves its target audience in its various communication packages. As the channel targets families at various occasions it is creating strong impressions with every communication that it makes personalised. Reid emphasised on the fact that for marketers the challenge that they have ahead in front of them is to deal with the millennials. Brands need to break free with traditional thought processes if they are targeting the millennials. Reid gave the example Fuse TV which took a risk and started communicating in the lingo that its audiences speak. Along with this the channel also has started integrating content across different platform where the channel has presence. This was welcomed with open arms by the viewers of Fuse TV.

     

    Reid is of the opinion that brands need to be wise even if the collaboration is to target mass audience or a niche set of audience. According to him what Samsung did with the popular music artist JayZ was impressive and one of its kind of music releases in modern culture. Creativity is just about the right time. While brands should keep the TG at the core in its communication strategies, it is necessary that these brands also should think about the cultural influence that it will as in the long run. 

     

    When a brand is ready to reform itself then there is no looking back for it. It will set an example for others in the space irrespective of way it gets inspired, innovate & transforms itself.

  • Two time Golden Globe winning series BROOKLYN NINE-NINE now on Indian Television

    Two time Golden Globe winning series BROOKLYN NINE-NINE now on Indian Television

    MUMBAI: Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a workplace comedy that deals with a diverse group of detectives. Set in the 99th Precinct of the New York City Police Department in Brooklyn, the single-camera ensemble comedy follows a talented-but-carefree detective Jake Peralta and his colleagues, who have to prove themselves to the new Captain Ray Holt who has come on-board and wants his team to work hard and follow the rules.

    Together, these cops interrogate suspects, arrest perps and solve murders. But, ultimately, Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a workplace comedy that’s not really about the job. It’s about the men and women behind the badge – singing karaoke, eating gourmet ham and hitting on each other – all while protecting the fine people of Brooklyn.

     
    Andre Braugher and Golden Globe winner Andy Samberg are the most unusual yet compelling actor duo on the block. Catch them in action and get ready for all the drama starting. May 19, 2014 onwards, every Monday – Wednesday at 10:00pm exclusively on Comedy Central India.

  • This summer, laugh out loud

    This summer, laugh out loud

    MUMBAI: Ever since it first started in India almost two years ago, Comedy Central India has grown to be identified with fun, comedy and laughter. From popular sitcoms to exclusive show launches, the channel brings to its viewers some of the funniest shows from across the world.

     
    This May, viewers can brace themselves for an all new level of comedy with the launch of nine new shows on the channel. Shows like the Golden Globe Award winner Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the latest season of the globally acclaimed Suits and the extremely popular game series Wipe Out will be a part of the new line up.

     
    Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a workplace comedy that deals with a diverse group of detectives who are at the very edge of New York City. After the success of airing three back-to-back series of the legal drama, Comedy Central now brings the final six episodes of the third season of Suits. The channel will also Wipe Out, the game show series where the world’s largest obstacle course will be witnessed in which will see contestants making their way through a giant obstacle course to win a cash price.

     
    In addition to the latest seasons of the critically acclaimed The Mindy Project, Suits, Wipe Out and Citizen Kane, Comedy Central India will also premiere the 2014 reboot of the classic The Kumars at No. 42. The Kumars at No. 42 has seen two Indian adaptations viz., The Batliwalas’ at No. 43 and Comedy Nights with Kapil. Another reboot that will soon be seen on Comedy Central would be the 2013 revival of Whose Line Is It Anyway? with the same cast returning joined by Aisha Tyler hosting. Another sitcom that will soon be seen on Comedy Central would be Sean Saves the World, starring Sean Hayes, from the EMMY Award nominated writer of Better Off Ted. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart will also return to Comedy Central India with brand new episodes.

     
    Commenting on the all new prime time line-up, Viacom18 Media English entertainment  SVP & GM, Ferzad Palia, said that the channel’s objective has always been to bring fresh and funny content to viewers. “Since launch we’ve set out to expand our programming line-up year-on-year by bringing the most popular and globally renowned shows, be it contemporary or classics. This May, we bring viewers an award winning, all new Prime time line-up that is sure to engage both loyal & new audiences”, said Palia in a statement.

     
    Hitting off the summer cool is Wipe Out weeknights at 9 pm, starting 5 May. It will be followed by the season premiere of Suits from Mondays to Wednesdays at 10 p.m. followed by Sean Saves the World at 11 pm  and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart at 11:30. The Kumars revival will start on 8 May airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. The following day will witness the season premiere of Citizen Kane airing Fridays at 10 p.m. The Golden Globe Award winning comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine will make its Indian premiere on 19 May, airing Mondays to Wednesdays at 10 pm, followed immediately by the season premiere of The Mindy Project airing Mondays to Wednesdays 10:30 p.m. The 2013 revival of the improvisation comedy series, Whose Line Is It Anyway? will make its Indian premiere on 31 May airing Saturdays at 9 pm

  • ‘Awkward’ and ‘Complete Savages’ add to the LOL moments on Comedy Central

    ‘Awkward’ and ‘Complete Savages’ add to the LOL moments on Comedy Central

    MUMBAI: India’s only 24/7 comedy channel – Comedy Central is giving viewers two brand new reasons to laugh louder this March! As the festivities of the year begin, Comedy Central brings cheer & laughter with brand new episodes of Season 3 of Awkward that premiers onMarch 17, 2014 from Monday to Wednesday at 10 pm and an all new comedy show called Complete Savages airing March 24, 2014 – Monday to Wednesday at 10:30pm.

    Here’s a peek into the new shows hitting the screens this March from the house of Comedy Central India!

     

    Awkward Season 3:This popular teen show follows the life of Jenna, an unpopular 15 year old who gains immediate, yet unwanted, popularity at high school when the student body mistakes an accident she has for a suicide attempt. Season 3 will see Jenna and her friends take a trip to Europe while a lot more complications add to Jenna’s love life. It’s a show that focuses on entirely recognizable teenage pains, as endured by a teenager; the youth can immediately connect with. Winner of Favorite Cable TV Comedy at People’s Choice Awards, USA 2013 – Awkward is the perfect combination of fun, hilarity and sentiments. Tune in at 10 pm every Monday to Wednesday starting March 17, 2014 to catch up with Jenna in Awkward -Season 3!

    Complete Savages:The series focuses on single dad Nick Savage struggling to raise his unruly sons, Jack, Chris, Sam, Kyle and T.J. alone, following the abandonment of their mother ten years ago. His five sons are constantly stirring up trouble and creating unpredictable circumstances for the entire family to resolve in one way or another. With comic twists and turns, watch a single father learn a new lesson every day as he brings up his children on Complete Savages – premiering March 24, 2014 – every Monday to Wednesday at 10.30 pm.

    Get ready to ROFL this March with Comedy Central’s two latest offerings – Awkward season 3 and Complete Savages!

     

  • Suits Season 2 FB App: Are You a Real Suitor?

    Suits Season 2 FB App: Are You a Real Suitor?

    Brand and communication objectives:

    Promoting television shows – be it reality or drama or even comedy for that matter – is really serious business. Especially in a cluttered television space that is vying for audiences glued to their favourite programs. Viacom18 owned Comedy Central India, the Indian version of Comedy Central devoted to catering to our constant need to laugh, launched a social media game for the second season of its legal comedy drama series ‘Suits’.

    The objectives were twofold:

    1. To capitalize on the show’s wide appeal and provide a refresher to audiences before the second season
    2. To drive eyeballs to the latest episodes of the show

    Target Audience: Information on Demographics and Psychographics of intended target audience

    Comedy Central reaches an affluent, internet savvy audience. The average viewer is a working professional whose television viewing time is fairly limited.

    Campaign Details:

    How we achieved our outcome, including creative & media communication strategies and execution.

    Comedy Central created conversations around Suits through a “Suits challenge”. It tested die-hard fans of the show to find out if they have what it takes to be a real Suitor. It used an innovative approach of creating a treasure hunt across the web. Fans needed to hunt for clues across social media – spanning Comedy Central’s gamut of properties – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. Fans needed to watch a video on YouTube to complete a quote, find a hint on Pinterest image board or tweet with a hashtag #IfIWereJessica to @comedycentralin. In true Comedy Central spirit fans also needed to research funny laws and odd facts to complete the game.

    The game consisted of six levels and with six questions around the six key characters thereby increasing familiarity and recall. Participation was further incentivized with exclusive custom made Suits merchandise.

    The game was marketed through a mix of television and on-line promotions. And the fans loved it. Over 50,000 participants signed up to test their “Suits Quotient” giving us 308,000 page views and 199,160 unique views. A fairly healthy bounce rate of 30% proved that audiences were engaging with the content.

    Results:

    Comedy Central used a unique technology of weaving different social media platforms into a single game creating a truly platform agnostic experience. The application was integrated with Facebook and Twitter allowing fans to sign in and post and tweet without leaving the gaming interface.

    Another tricky element from a technology point of view was creating the mechanics of a Treasure Hunt. Fans could only move forward if each question was answered correctly. While they could keep trying again and again they were only eligible to win if they got all the questions right in their first try. This means that the backend needed to differentiate between users with single tries and users with multiple tries and throw up a unique “result page” for each category. This fed back into the campaign strategy of separating the true Suits fans from the others, while still keeping all participants engaged up to the end.

    The final question – did this campaign succeed in driving audiences to Suits Season 2? The answer is a resounding yes. Social media conversations around the show increased and the show hashtag  #SuitsS2onCC trended in India. 

  • FremantleMedia international expands with creation of FremantleMedia canada

    FremantleMedia international expands with creation of FremantleMedia canada

    MUMBAI: FremantleMedia International (FMI) has officially announced the creation of FremantleMedia Canada, a Toronto based sales office for its distribution operation. The office will be headed by Susan Hummel, who has recently been hired as Senior Vice President of Distribution and Sales and starts her new position early March.

    While FMI has always had a strong presence throughout Canada, the creation of this new sales office in Toronto exemplifies the company’s long term commitment to the market/region.  Having a dedicated team on the ground will enable the company to organically grow its business in the highly competitive market across Canada, in both the English and French languages, maintaining the company’s position as a leading global distributor.

    Reporting directly to New York-based Lisa Honig, Senior Executive Vice President, FMI, Hummel will lead FMI’s first local distribution office in Canada.  She will be responsible for developing and managing strategies to license FremantleMedia content to the various distribution platforms, including traditional broadcasters, pay TV, new media, digital, etc. She will also create local marketing initiatives that will support the sale of key content within the territory.  

    “It’s a very exciting time at FMI with the company’s larger commitment to the Canadian TV market. While this last year has been one of transition, the result has been an increased focus on investing in both in-house and third party content and development, as well as a re-energized commitment to building our scripted portfolio,” said Lisa Honig, Senior Executive Vice President, FMI.  “Canada has always been one of our largest territories for international distribution and having a local team led by Susan is going to help us to build upon on our already solid foundation and growing portfolio of content.”

    “I’m proud to be at the forefront of the creation of a larger FMI presence throughout Canada,” said Hummel. “It’s great to be part of the newest FMI office, right from the ground-breaking.  I look forward to expanding FMI’s existing relationships across all platforms throughout Canada.”

    Hummel comes to FMI from MGM where she most recently served as Senior Vice President of U.S. Basic Cable and Canada Television Distribution based in Toronto.  During her time at MGM, Hummel also held positions as the Senior Vice President of North American Television Distribution, as well as the Vice President of Television Distribution for Canada.  In addition to her time at MGM, Hummel brings with her experience from the U.S. programming and acquisitions side of the business, having worked at Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and FX.

  • Bill Cosby set for comeback with NBC’s family comedy

    Bill Cosby set for comeback with NBC’s family comedy

    MUMBAI: Once a household name in the 1980s, Bill Cosby is believed to be returning with a half-hour family comedy. According to recent reports NBC has signed on the 1984, The Cosby Show star in an effort to revive the sitcom genre and pump in some much needed ratings for the network.

     

    Cosby will be looking to bring some of the old magic back to NBC, which has been going through a rough time with comedies. The deal brings the 76-year-old entertainer together with a writing staff to create a script for a comedy that casts Cosby as the patriarch of a multigenerational family and, like the comedian’s previous family sitcoms – Cosby Show and Cosby on CBS – will see him giving his take on marriage and parenting.

     

    Cosby’s latest TV venture is Bill Cosby: Far From Finished, a stand-up comedy special that premiered on Comedy Central in November.

  • Comedy Central announces its new year line up with four new shows

    Comedy Central announces its new year line up with four new shows

    MUMBAI: A brand new year calls for brand new reasons to smile and Comedy Central India, India’s only 24×7 laughter destination is bringing to its audience the perfect mix of humor that will set the ball rolling for a fabulous year ahead.

    Monday, 20th January 2014 will see the Indian premieres of – House of Lies,World’s Craziest Fools as well as the latest season launch of Arrested Development. Monday was never so much fun before!

    January also witnesses the premiere of Just For Laughsfor the first time on Comedy Central India starting 23rd January.

    Show synopsis

     

    House of Lies:
    This American drama comedy television series created by Matthew Carnahan follows a group of management consultants who stop at nothing to get business deals done. It is based on the book, House of Lies: How Management Consultants Steal Your Watch and Then Tell You the Time, written by Martin Kihn, a former consultant and is a subversive, scathing look at a self-loathing management consultant from a top-tier firm. Marty, a highly successful (played but Don Cheadle), cutthroat consultant is never above using any means (or anyone) necessary to get his clients the information they want.
    Don Cheadle has received the Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in 2013 and 2013 amongst other awards for best actor like Critic’s Choice Television Award. Tune in to Comedy Central India on 20th January at 10 pm every Monday-Wednesday and you will see why!

     

    Arrested Development

    Join Michael Bluth in the latest season as he juggles his job and the disruptive family his imprisoned father left behind. Since its debut in 2003, the series has received widespread critical acclaim, six Primetime Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe Award, and has attracted a cult following, including several fan-based websites. In 2007, Time listed it among the magazine’s “All-TIME 100 TV Shows”. In 2008, the show was ranked 16th on Entertainment Weekly’s “New TV Classics” list. In 2011, IGN named Arrested Development the “funniest show of all time”

    Catch up with the Bluth family frenzy on Monday-Wednesday at 10:30 pm as Comedy Central brings back the madness this year!

     

    World’s Craziest Fools

    This show features all sorts of silly accidents that people around the world have and in turn look like fools! From jumping off things they shouldn’t be on, parking in absurd places and indulging in a little too much magic water – this show will have you giggling forever.  Presented by Mr. T – it showcases clips, sometimes viral of people from all over the world. The more believable it is, the funnier– you could have been in a similar situation too!

    Tune in from Monday-Thursday at 11 pm to catch fellow humans in acts of silliness, on your favorite comedy channel – Comedy Central India!

     

    Just For Laughs

    Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world. Each day, street performers and other acts both vocal and visual perform throughout the city, particularly in the “Latin Quarter” — an area known for its theatres, cafés and boutique shopping. In the evenings, the nightclubs and live venue theatres offer special programs supporting the performers.
    Thursday-Friday at 10 pm, tune in to Comedy Central India and experience the magic of this festival of laughs!