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Tag: Dharma Productions

  • TheSmallBigIdea bags social media mandate for Dharma Productions’ ‘Good Newwz’

    TheSmallBigIdea bags social media mandate for Dharma Productions’ ‘Good Newwz’

    MUMBAI: Strengthening its presence in social media marketing of films, full service digital agency, TheSmallBigIdea has now bagged the social media mandate for Dharma Productions’ upcoming comedy film ‘Good Newwz’. The account was won post a multi-agency pitch. As per the mandate, the agency will be responsible for the ideation and implementation of the entire social media promotion of the film set to release on 27 December, 2019 across India.

    The mandate includes managing the social media strategy for the film. The agency will be responsible for conceptualising and executing social media campaigns across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. In addition to this, TheSmallBigIdea will strategize and execute content associations to create engagements and interactions across social media platforms. The agency will work towards the objective of showcasing ‘Good Newwz’ as the ‘Blockbuster Movie of the Year’

    TheSmallBigIdea CEO and co-founder Harikrishnan Pillai said, “This is our first film with Dharma Productions and we are quite excited about it. The film has all the right elements to make it a blockbuster, from a superb plot to a great starcast. After films like Badhaai Ho, Dream Girl and Bala, Good Newwz gives us at TheSmallBigIdea yet another opportunity to work on a compelling script with great performers."

    Dharma Productions marketing head Siddharth Kadam said, “‘Good Newwz’ is an exceptional script with an amazing cast and great songs. Our fundamental aim was to have an agency on board who could take into consideration the magnificence of this project and deliver a fresh take on a unique plot. With a great approach, great execution & involvement in campaigns, we’re pretty excited to collaborate with TheSmallBigIdea for this movie!"

    Previously, TheSmallBigIdea has successfully promoted movies such as ‘Bala’, ‘Dream Girl’, ‘Badhaai Ho’, ‘Junglee’, and ‘Judgementall Hai Kya’ to name a few.

    TheSmallBigIdea provides services such as social media management, video content production, digital media planning & buying, social listening & ORM services, augmented & virtual reality amongst other ancillary marketing services. Recognized for their propriety creative-tech tool ACE, ‘TheSmallBigIdea’ has enabled brands to arrive at campaign messaging by integrating insights from social sentiments & enterprise data.

  • Netflix announces ‘Drive’, first original film with Dharma Productions

    Netflix announces ‘Drive’, first original film with Dharma Productions

    MUMBAI: Netflix announced that Dharma Productions’ Drive will premiere as a Netflix Film exclusively on the service around the world. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the action-thriller heist film is Netflix’s first original film with Dharma Productions.

    The fast-paced film, high on action, stars Jacqueline Fernandes, Sushant Singh Rajput, Boman Irani, Pankaj Tripathi, Vibha Chhibber, Sapna Pabbi and Vikramjeet Virk. The film’s edgy car chases, interspersed with high octane music, make Drive a thorough entertainer.

    "At Netflix, we want to be a home for films across genres that delight our viewers in India and around the world. As we rapidly build our diverse film catalogue, we are excited to work on our first-ever film with Dharma Productions and bring Drive to Netflix. It is a complete entertainer led by a brilliantly talented cast and crew and is filled with foot tapping music and pulse-pounding action and drama. We can't wait for our members globally to enjoy it," Netflix India international original film director Srishti Behl Arya said.

    “Our vision for Drive was to make a film that elevates the genre of action-heist films. With nail-biting chases and action sequences, fronted by a spectacular cast, Drive combines the best of Bollywood storytelling with international production quality. I’m thrilled to partner Netflix once again in bringing this incredibly fun film to millions of fans of the action genre around the world,” Dharma Productions’ Karan Johar said.

  • D’Décor launches new campaign ‘Beautiful Homes tell Beautiful Stories’

    D’Décor launches new campaign ‘Beautiful Homes tell Beautiful Stories’

    MUMBAI: D’Decor India’s leading home furnishings brand unveiled its new campaign – ‘Beautiful Homes tell Beautiful Stories’ with a series of short films featuring Gauri and Shahrukh Khan. The campaign celebrates 10 years of marquee association of country’s power couple with D’Décor. Touted as the world's largest producer of upholstery and curtain fabrics besides being at the forefront of providing home design solutions, D’Décor enjoys a long standing partnership with Gauri and Shahrukh Khan in bringing to life visions that meld expertise with art.

    Over the years, there has been a significant change in the perception of designing homes. Everyone strives to raise the bar with a perfect home that not only represents an extension of their personality, but reflects passion, comfort  and lifestyle choices. Conceptualised by JWT, the season’s campaign captures cherished moments of the couple in their homes reveling in D’Décor.

    Produced by Dharma 2.0, the creative unit from Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, the TVC is directed by the very talented Punit Malhotra and integrates the new collections of fabric, bedding sets, rugs and blinds.

    The new film reveal; brings the viewers into the middle of Gauri and  Shahrukhs’ living room  where a celebration is in commencement to celebrate the couple’s 22nd wedding anniversary. Set against the backdrop of their beautiful living room the story goes on to highlight the appreciation that guests show towards their furnishings, praising Gauri in particular. Shahrukh who feels left out by not being included in the compliment of good taste is told by Gauri that marriage is teamwork,  there is no I or You, its “US”. The home is a refelction of togetherness and companionship of two people.

    D’Décor is a household name and continues to be a pioneer in the textile industry by bringing chenille upholstery and embroidered curtains to India. Being the largest manufacturer of soft furnishing fabrics, D’Decor has gained an enviable reputation in innovation and customisation. With a team of over 250 members who develop new colours, design trends, substrates, weaves and finishes giving customers over 20,000 products to choose from.

    Speaking about the new milestone, Sanjay Arora & Ajay Arora of D’Decor said, “D’Décor is proud to unveil its new campaign marking the longstanding association with Gauri and Shahrukh Khan. The brand journey with the Khans’ is over a decade old and we are aware of the magic they bring to the people across India. Dharma 2.0 has beautifully translated our vision and the celebration of this beautiful partnership. The couple together, are an ideal image of homemakers and imply 'family' for us. There is a seamless synergy between D’Décor and its values being narrated with Beautiful homes tell beautiful stories.”

    They also added, “We have always been ahead of the curve, keeping consumer experience at the helm of our ethos. D’Décor’s endeavour is to create a sense of pride and ownership of its product offerings. Our mills in Tarapur hold pride of place, using cutting-edge technology that has given India its first water-repellent and flame-retardant fabric. We deliver true value and are committed to giving our customers innovative beautiful designs.”

    Expressing his excitement about directing the campaign film Punit Malhotra said, “This collaboration between D’Décor, Dharma 2.0 and Gauri-Shahrukh is very special because it’s all about one family coming together. The ethos of the campaign to value our family every day by creating a beautiful home is simple yet so impactful. The campaign narrative is vibrant and everyone’s best intention to make the best film is very much evident in the film.”

    JWT VP & executive business director Dipika Narayan says, “With D’Decor when we started the journey, we pledged to make every city, street, home, door and window of the country beautiful. We continue to partner D’Décor in this successful jouney with the new campaign. When you a have a beautiful home, there is always a beautiful story to share; and the thought behind the new film is all about humanising the desire and bring in more relatability with this dream cast of Shahrukh & Gauri. Our focus has been on making the brand even more meaningful by highlighting the strenghts of the brand ethos, and values that Gauri & Shahrukh brings with their dedication and understanding. We are proud to be assoicated with D’Décor on this journey.”

  • How brands made the most out of Friendship Day on Twitter

    How brands made the most out of Friendship Day on Twitter

    MUMBAI: As the world celebrated Friendship Day this Sunday, some brands also bonded with their fans on Twitter to mark the relationship they share with them. From extending messages to fellow members of brand-verse on Twitter to coming out with cheesy friendship messages for fans, to hosting social media challenges for fans, the brands did all and more to make this day special. Here are some of the most creative friendship day campaigns that Indiantelevision.com came across on Twitter:

    1. Amazon Prime Video India

    Amazon Prime Video tagged a number of brands including Starbucks, Zomato, Ola in cheesy friendship day messages, using Shah Rukh Khan from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai as a template. Here are some of the most creative takes:

    Other brands also followed suit and came up with some really interesting and creative friendship day messages for their users. Have a look!

    2. Amul

    3. Dharma Productions

    4. Google India

    5. Honor India

    6. Manforce India

    7. Maxxis Tyres

    8. Netflix India

    9. Red Chillies Entertainment

    10. SBI Life Insurance

    11. UP Police

    12. Vivo India

    13. YouTube India

    14. Zee 5

    15. Gaana

  • Paytm partners with Dharma Productions to launch loyalty card for fans

    Paytm partners with Dharma Productions to launch loyalty card for fans

    MUMBAI: Dharma Productions will be launching an industry-first exclusive loyalty card for its fans. The production house that has given the Indian film industry some of the most iconic films, enjoys an unprecedented fan-following across the globe. 

    The production house has partnered with Paytm which is India’s largest payments company to introduce first-of-its-kind loyalty program will reward their fan family in the country with exciting offers, experiences and tempting discounts. 

    The loyalty card will be exclusively made available through the Paytm app from 3rd July onwards and there is limited availability of the cards.

    Dharma kick-started the year with the blockbuster Raazi along with other movies. Joining the loyalty program will grant fans first access to all Dharma films and they will also be eligible for exclusive Dharma rewards. Fans can buy their loyalty card exclusively on Paytm and get access to various rewards, right from availing a cash-back of upto Rs 1500 cash-back on their films to a trip to movie sets and locations where Dharma movies were shot among other exciting deals.

    Karan Johar said, “We have received unconditional love from our fans over the years and this has indeed been a blessed journey so far. This offering is our way of thanking them.”

    Paytm CFO and SVP Madhur Deora added, “We are excited to grow our relationship with one of the country’s top production houses Dharma Productions as the exclusive Loyalty & Reward Partner for the Dharma Loyalty Card. We have been focused on improving the movie-watching experience with the widest assortment of theatres and novel first-of-its-kind offerings like Cancellation Protect.”

    Paytm Movies is the country’s fastest-growing entertainment ticketing platform. It powers online ticketing for 4800 movie screens in 750+ cities, registering an exponential 500 per cent growth as compared to 2016, the year of launch for Paytm’s movie ticketing and event booking platform. It is aiming to sell over 100 million tickets by end of this year.

  • Digital industry celebrates Union Budget 2018

    Digital industry celebrates Union Budget 2018

    MUMBAI: The Union Budget for 2018 that was finally unveiled yesterday turned out to be a rather disappointing one for the industry at large but Digital India and digitisation got prime time attention. The budget focused on the middle class and rural population, guided by the mission to strengthen India’s agriculture, rural development, health, education, employment, MSME and infrastructure sectors.

    With a view to promote digitisation, the government is set to make the necessary investment in robotics, internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), digital manufacturing and big data analysis with the NITI Aayog to establish a national programme to direct efforts in artificial intelligence. The government has committed itself to the development of technology along with concentrating on AI and its applications, a revolutionary move for the digital industry. The ministry has decided to double its Digital India budget to around Rs 3073 crore. 

    The Indian media industry seemed to have mix reactions about this year’s budget and while some were disappointed, many seemed cheerful about it and considered it to be a welcome budget. 

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    Like the last few years, 2018 Union Budget too saw a dry spell for the entertainment industry with no big announcements. However, the government’s Digital India push by proposing to set up 5 lakh WiFi hotspots in the rural areas will pave the way for greater consumption of entertainment and news related content. It will also provide a boost to regional content, which is already expected to grow multifold in the coming years. Overall I would say the biggest positive highlight of this year’s budget was focused on agriculture and healthcare. This initiative will definitely help the marginalised part of our country in the long run.

    Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta
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    It was an expected budget. I think that it was widely believed the government would focus on the rural economy and so it came to pass. There was not much expected for the media and entertainment industry and there was nothing specific announced. Corporate India would be slightly disappointed though as corporate taxation was not reduced except for small enterprises. Aviation and farming were the big winners.

    Mukta Arts managing director Rahul Puri
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    Budget announcements signal a stronger ecosystem for media and broadcast industry. In continuation with my pre-budget expectations, I am happy that FM has kept his promise by reducing corporate tax rate to 25 per cent.

    BTVI COO Megha Tata
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    While the budget largely focuses on the upliftment of agricultural sector, there is an equal focus on technology by introducing national programme in the area of AI & exploring ways for using the blockchain technology for digital transactions. The emphasis on sectors like healthcare, education & skill development is a good step by the govt. Reforms in the education sector encourage more & more private institutions to expand or modernise to give students a more global perspective as part of their learning process, which also helps in tackling brain drain. Overall, the budget seems like a typical socialist one, without much to take-away for the common-man.

    Havas Media Group CEO India and South Asia Anita Nayyar
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    I’m glad to see that the budget for digital India has doubled and also the fact that AI and Blockchain technologies will be used by the government. But I’m disappointed that government is looking to put an end to cryptocurrencies. Globally cryptocurrencies is a phenomenon which points towards the future of currencies and maybe a more inclusive view was needed.

    WATConsult founder and CEO Rajiv Dingra 
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    The budget has focused on the right areas, particularly the rural and agricultural sector, which is definitely going to spur rural demand in the coming months and years. The rural economy needed a boost. I also like the fact that the Finance Minister has focused on ease of living rather than just ease of doing business and has introduced healthcare benefits which will benefit nearly 50 crore Indians. It is a landmark step. The emphasis on digital, particularly higher-end digital areas like artificial intelligence and usage of blockchain shows that the government is committed to providing a further digital thrust. The steps being taken, like provision of free WiFi and other forms of internet to all parts of the country will be extremely beneficial in the long run for the digital sector. It will help agencies like ours who are partnering clients for digital transformation.

    The introduction of the long term capital gains tax on equities will soon be digested by the industry I’m sure, but in some ways, I see a missed opportunity because the simplification of GST processes for the services sector would have gone a long way to help the advertising industry. The advertising industry doesn’t mind paying the taxes but abhors non-productive, complex procedures including filing of hundreds of returns every year. Overall I think the right sectors have got the incentives and therefore it should be good for the country.  If it is good for the country, it will be good for the economy and once the economy grows, the advertising sector will benefit from it.

    Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin
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    The ‘Digital India’ program has received a major boost with double the allocation of  Rs. 3073 Crore for the coming year. Budget 2018 has proposed the set-up of 5 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas thereby providing broadband access to 5 crore rural citizens. Much to the delight of digital media players, this move will open extended avenues for them and give a strong push to regional and mainstream digital content in these markets. With extensive broadband penetration, affordable data prices and smartphones, the vision for digital India could well come to fruition in the coming years. Lastly, the estimated over 7% growth for the next fiscal creates a positive sentiment for India’s economic and financial ecosystem.

    Worldwide Media CEO Deepak Lamba  
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    In the Union Budget 2018, there has been a significant allocation towards rural development. The proposal of setting up 5 lakh Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas will give impetus to media penetration in Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets. Media players are increasingly looking at Tier 2, Tier 3 and Tier 4 markets since regional content has begun to drive media growth. So, the infrastructure push in these regions will accelerate media consumption and inadvertently help the advertisers and the advertising business on the whole. I would certainly say it is a good budget, and we will gradually witness the positive results unfold in the future.

    TV18 president- revenue & Forbes India CEO Joy Chakraborthy
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    Government’s focus on rural and agriculture development, digitisation and digital education is going be a big demand booster for our sector. The rural demand for FMCG, beverages, automobiles, education and financial products are going to increase, this would increase advertising budgets of our clients from FMCG, education, financial services sectors. Government’s focus on digitisation brings in lots of rich data for us to better targeting for our customers. This focus would make India data rich country and the targeting and conversions on digital marketing front would be much easier and more accurate.

    Vertoz fand CEO Ashish Shah
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    FM Jaitley’s budget this year focuses on investments to be placed in artificial intelligence, machine learning and the Internet of Things with the NITI Aayog establishing a national program to direct efforts in artificial intelligence. The government has committed itself to the development of technology along with concentrating on AI and its applications which is a revolutionary move for the digital industry. Initiatives on infrastructure growth and education expansion have been looked at from a digital perspective, which reflects the significance of the ‘Blackboard to digital board’ movement. Decisions benefiting rural citizens–such as 5 lakh WiFi spots, give it a further impetus. Another game changer mentioned in this budget was the government’s will to proactively explore the use of blockchain technology. The allocation of digital India has been doubled which indicates the government’s emphasis on digital, heralding a stronger digital economy. I believe this was a great budget for the digital ecosystem.

    DAN Performance Group CEO Vivek Bhargava
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    The much-awaited announcement of Union Budget prompted a gust of anticipation & higher expectations. While the Finance Minister touts the Union Budget as primarily focused on the agricultural sector, it sure reeks of reforms beneficial for numerous other sectors as well.

    The government has always encouraged the digital sector to flourish & the budget rightfully justifies their farsighted approach. This year the allocation to Digital India Scheme has been doubled to Rs 3073 crore which is a worthwhile move for the industry as a whole. Not only that, with the onset of fast-paced technology and AI shaping the new segment of digital World, NITI Aayog will establish a national programme for it. This is a clap-worthy reform which will help organisations diversifying with AI to have a wider scope with vast awareness among everyone.  For a higher internet penetration, 5 Lakh Wi-Fi hotspots will be set up in rural areas, which again is beneficial for the rural dwellers. The need to eliminate cryptocurrencies which are funding illegitimate transactions was also mentioned. The government has proposed to revamp the system of sanctioning loans to SMEs. As per the budget reforms now the information will be linked with GSTN & will be fetched from the same. This comes across as a welcome move as not only will it streamline the process but will enable people to get accustomed to the digital ingress. Corporate companies with a turnover of up to Rs 250 crore will also be highly benefitted from the budget as the corporate tax has been further reduced to 25 per cent.

    As per my opinion, the Union Budget has surely set a benchmark & the year looks promising with excellent reforms leading to growth & development of the economy.”

    iCubesWire CEO and founder Sahil Chopra
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    This is an excellent budget from the digital perspective. As expected, the government has doubled its allocation to digital India initiative at Rs 3073 crore. This will grow the entire digital economy and the government has shown that this is going to be focus area. Its commitment to exploring blockchain and AI only ratifies its vision for digital India. The other game changer is enhancing rural regions with 5 lakh Wifi hotspots. This would lead to higher adoption, skills upgrade and rural citizens embracing digital quickly. This budget gives me hope that we are on our way to becoming a digital-led economy.

    Tonic Worldwide founder and CEO Chetan Asher

    Also Read :

    Industry holds bright outlook for budget 2018

    Union Budget 2018: Industry expects govt to favour consumption

    Is India ready for the impact of AI on marketing?

    A year after demonetisation: E-payment services emerged winners 

  • Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    MUMBAI: Digital video-on-demand (VOD) platform Spuul has partnered with Dharma Productions for its existing library. This move is in keeping with their strategy for 2016 to become the dominant player in the Indian movie content – both Bollywood and regional.

    In addition to the Hindi version of Bahubali, other blockbuster movies like Kapoor & Sons, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, will be added to the library for Spuul’s premium subscribers in countries rich in the Indian diaspora.

    Dharma Productions already has a licensing deal with Amazon Prime. With this, the streaming service will air the digital premieres of movies like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, Ok Jaanu featuring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which has Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

    With this deal, existing Prime members will have access to unlimited streaming of this popular content as a part of their Prime membership.

    “We are extremely excited to partner with Dharma, and to add their films to our library. Movies from Karan Johar’s production house continue to be a favourite amongst film lovers, and we’re only facilitating a platform for viewers to watch their all time favourite films,” said Spuul Global CEO Subin Subaiah. This is a non-exclusive deal for territories outside India..

    These movies will be available across platforms like web, mobile (iOS, Android), smart TV (Samsung, Panasonic, LG), Airplay on iOS, Fire on Amazon and Chromecast on Android)

  • Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    Dharma movies to be shown on Spuul VOD

    MUMBAI: Digital video-on-demand (VOD) platform Spuul has partnered with Dharma Productions for its existing library. This move is in keeping with their strategy for 2016 to become the dominant player in the Indian movie content – both Bollywood and regional.

    In addition to the Hindi version of Bahubali, other blockbuster movies like Kapoor & Sons, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kal Ho Na Ho, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, will be added to the library for Spuul’s premium subscribers in countries rich in the Indian diaspora.

    Dharma Productions already has a licensing deal with Amazon Prime. With this, the streaming service will air the digital premieres of movies like Ae Dil Hai Mushkil starring Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma, Ok Jaanu featuring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor, and Badrinath Ki Dulhania, which has Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.

    With this deal, existing Prime members will have access to unlimited streaming of this popular content as a part of their Prime membership.

    “We are extremely excited to partner with Dharma, and to add their films to our library. Movies from Karan Johar’s production house continue to be a favourite amongst film lovers, and we’re only facilitating a platform for viewers to watch their all time favourite films,” said Spuul Global CEO Subin Subaiah. This is a non-exclusive deal for territories outside India..

    These movies will be available across platforms like web, mobile (iOS, Android), smart TV (Samsung, Panasonic, LG), Airplay on iOS, Fire on Amazon and Chromecast on Android)

  • Amazon India seasonal sale boosts Prime Video subscribers

    Amazon India seasonal sale boosts Prime Video subscribers

    Mumbai: Amazon’s bet seems to have paid off. In the past few weeks, it has been accumulating original content and striking content licensing deals. Amazon had been firming up its content strategy by tying up with several Bollywood production houses for original TV shows and films while it was gearing up for its Prime Video service launch in India. Among the few notable deals it has made were with Dharma Productions and T-Series. Amazon Prime Video, the paid subscription service of Amazon India, yesterday emerged as the highest selling product for the e-tailer.

    Amazon’s five-day festive season sale period ended on Wednesday, and one out every three units sold was membership of Prime Videos, Amazon India country manager, Amit Agarwal, told FE. The e-tailer moreover claims to have sold more than 5 million units over a period of five days. The paid subscribers of Amazon Prime will be default users of the video streaming service called Prime Videos.

    After the entry of global video over-the-top (OTT) player like Netflix in India early this year, Amazon is the second large player to announce the launch of its video streaming service in India. Amazon India is presently selling the membership at a 50 per cent discounted rate of Rs 499 for a year.

    “Despite a slump in the market, Amazon India has been growing at a rate of 150% over the the last three years. This sale was three times bigger and 30 times bigger than last Diwali,” said Agarwal. Mobile, fashion and lifestyle and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) were the other top selling categories on the platform during the sale period.

    The e-tailers claim that mobile saw a five times jump in number of orders placed apart from television which grew by 25 times. While large appliances saw a seven times growth in terms of sale.

    According to Agarwal, the platform saw a five times growth in the number of new customers who came online to shop, compared to last year. Tier 2 and smaller towns contributed to 70% of the orders. Agarwal added that during the festive season sale period, Amazon continued to witness high traffic both on the website as well as on its mobile app. “80% of the traffic came through mobile. In fact, the app recorded seven time growth in direct traffic,” he explained.

    Amazon has also signed deals with Excel Entertainment to create original TV shows for the platform and with Vishesh Films for its film catalogue. Given the backdrop of competition in the OTT space, Amazon is also reportedly participating in the IPL tender with a keen interest to bid for the digital rights.

    As a result of the partnerships with T-Series, Amazon Prime members would soon enjoy a wide variety of some of the best Bollywood movies in the country, all within a few weeks of their theatrical release, said Amazon Video India director and country head Nitesh Kripalani.

    Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had announced that the company would be investing an additional $3 billion in India, taking the total investment to more than $5 billion. It reportedly plans to invest around $300 million in producing original content for India. Amazon had launched its Prime subscription service in India in July.

  • Amazon India seasonal sale boosts Prime Video subscribers

    Amazon India seasonal sale boosts Prime Video subscribers

    Mumbai: Amazon’s bet seems to have paid off. In the past few weeks, it has been accumulating original content and striking content licensing deals. Amazon had been firming up its content strategy by tying up with several Bollywood production houses for original TV shows and films while it was gearing up for its Prime Video service launch in India. Among the few notable deals it has made were with Dharma Productions and T-Series. Amazon Prime Video, the paid subscription service of Amazon India, yesterday emerged as the highest selling product for the e-tailer.

    Amazon’s five-day festive season sale period ended on Wednesday, and one out every three units sold was membership of Prime Videos, Amazon India country manager, Amit Agarwal, told FE. The e-tailer moreover claims to have sold more than 5 million units over a period of five days. The paid subscribers of Amazon Prime will be default users of the video streaming service called Prime Videos.

    After the entry of global video over-the-top (OTT) player like Netflix in India early this year, Amazon is the second large player to announce the launch of its video streaming service in India. Amazon India is presently selling the membership at a 50 per cent discounted rate of Rs 499 for a year.

    “Despite a slump in the market, Amazon India has been growing at a rate of 150% over the the last three years. This sale was three times bigger and 30 times bigger than last Diwali,” said Agarwal. Mobile, fashion and lifestyle and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) were the other top selling categories on the platform during the sale period.

    The e-tailers claim that mobile saw a five times jump in number of orders placed apart from television which grew by 25 times. While large appliances saw a seven times growth in terms of sale.

    According to Agarwal, the platform saw a five times growth in the number of new customers who came online to shop, compared to last year. Tier 2 and smaller towns contributed to 70% of the orders. Agarwal added that during the festive season sale period, Amazon continued to witness high traffic both on the website as well as on its mobile app. “80% of the traffic came through mobile. In fact, the app recorded seven time growth in direct traffic,” he explained.

    Amazon has also signed deals with Excel Entertainment to create original TV shows for the platform and with Vishesh Films for its film catalogue. Given the backdrop of competition in the OTT space, Amazon is also reportedly participating in the IPL tender with a keen interest to bid for the digital rights.

    As a result of the partnerships with T-Series, Amazon Prime members would soon enjoy a wide variety of some of the best Bollywood movies in the country, all within a few weeks of their theatrical release, said Amazon Video India director and country head Nitesh Kripalani.

    Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos had announced that the company would be investing an additional $3 billion in India, taking the total investment to more than $5 billion. It reportedly plans to invest around $300 million in producing original content for India. Amazon had launched its Prime subscription service in India in July.