ITV

Tag: Hungama TV

  • New formats bear fruit for Disney, Hungama this summer

    New formats bear fruit for Disney, Hungama this summer

    MUMBAI: Summer leaves a lot of time for kids to enjoy and bury themselves in fun activities. Activities that could include going to a park, seeing a movie or going to a beach.

     

    So while they do this and more, for the kids channels, this is the time they want to engage the kids with their programmes. And with this in mind, kids’ channels, Disney and Hungama TV had this summer, designed a special summer programming line-up. This proved to be a jackpot not only for the kids but for the channel as well.  Both Disney and Hungama TV have proved to be front-runners across age brackets and the kids’ entertainment genre.

     

    With new format shows like Captain Tiao and Arjun: Prince of Bali on Disney and Pokemon on Hungama, the Disney network has seen a nine per cent growth in viewership, this summer.

     

    Since its launch, Hungama’s prime play slot (Weekdays, 1pm) ranks number one in total TV among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) and younger boys (CS M 4-9 ABC) in HSM. Viewership during the prime play slot has strengthened by 15 per cent, post the launch of Pokemon (In comparison to the previous four weeks before launch for the same slot) among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) in HSM. Moreover, the show reaches out to 35.8 million audiences (CS4+) across All India of which 16.9 million audiences are kids (CS 4-14) across all play.

     

     “We are always on the lookout for content that resonates with kids. We listen to them and understand the entertainment expectations kids have today,” reveals Disney India director, programming, kids channels Devika Prabhu.

     

    Disney consciously also looked at scheduling short format series this year, which has also added to its success this summer. For example, the channel featured the Mickey Mouse short series which was well received by the channel’s target audience. “The mix of long form and short form formats brought great results for us. It kept our viewers surprised and we also offered something unique, innovative, and novel and it really kept our audiences engaged with the channel,” reasons Prabhu.

     

    Besides this, Disney’s Jet Set Go three campaigns also received an overwhelming response. “This time we had experimented something new, and that stuck the right chord for us,” reveals Prabhu.

     

    On Hungama, shows like Ninja Warrior continued to do well for the channel, but the breakaway hit was the Pokemon series. “What was heartening to see was that it was launched as a daily, and for a daily to get that kind of traction across that slot is very encouraging,” asserts Prabhu.  “The response to the Pokémon series on Hungama TV has been phenomenal and the success of it is testimony to the fact great content packaged with interesting elements can definitely excite the kids of today.”

     

    Prabhu says that re-launching the series was a right move. “Pokemon is a series that is a blend of action, comedy and fun. It truly celebrates the spirit of childhood as it captures a child’s imagination, playfulness and a zest to be adventurous. The internationally popular series, which embodies Hungama TV’s philosophy of enthusiasm, fun, adventure, and friendship, brings in moments of unexpected adventures and entertainment as it captures the escapades of 10 year old Ash Ketchum who starts his action packed journey with his first Pokemon, Pikachu. It connects with Hungama TV’s proposition and takes this position forward and so it was a perfect fit to showcase the series on Hungama TV,” explains Prabhu.

     

    To reach out to the greater audiences, the channel launched a few innovative on-air campaigns. For the launch of the Pokemon series the channel had a campaign that showcased the distinctive elements that brought out the exciting nature and characteristics of the world of Pokemon. From a Pokemon rap song with lyrics around his masters, and the power of the Poke Ball to a special Poke Ball stunt. The on air campaign had a series of fun elements that engaged and connected with kids of all ages.

     

     “The great thing is, we don’t really need to woo the audience on the channel because we are the top channel when it comes to viewership. It is more about giving them reasons to stay engaged with us,” informs Prabhu.

     

    Dream Theatre founder and CEO Jiggy George who represents Pokemon for content syndication, licensing and merchandising in India is excited about how well the show has done. “This is Dream Theatre’s first foray into content syndication and kudos to the Hungama team on the superlative launch. We have always believed in Pokemon’s timeless value and it is very gratifying to see a new generation take to Pokemon with such gusto.”

     

    Moreover, Dream Theatre is also working on mega Pokemon consumer product launch in January 2015, which will see a slew of licensed Pokemon products in stores for its millions of Indian fans.

     

    Surprisingly, the kids genre viewership has remained unaffected by the IPL. According to the data received by the TAM subscribers, kids genre which had a 15.6 per cent share prior to IPL among all kids (CS 4-14 ABC) in HSM held on to its viewership.

     

     “This summer too, we’ve been happy to present to them yet another mix of memorable stories and wonderful characters and in a short span of time they’ve been exceedingly well received. Our focus will always be to ensure we stay connected with our audience by offering new forms of storytelling, that seeks to entertain and inspire them, all executed with quality of the highest caliber,” concludes Prabhu.

     

    The network has received tremendous response from the advertisers as well. In addition to the ratings, the network has seen positive response from categories such as organized retail, apparels in addition to FMCGS and more across the network.  Moreover, categories in consumer durables such as water purifiers, cooking oils, printers have come on to the channel as well.

  • Hungama TV’s wildlife adventure offering on Sunday noons

    Hungama TV’s wildlife adventure offering on Sunday noons

    MUMBAI: In the month of April, Disney’s Hungama TV is coming up with ‘Junglee Hungama Movies’ to take its viewers on an exciting journey, exploring the wildlife adventures in its natural habitats.

     

    Be it the jungles of Madagascar, the oceans ruled by the sharks or the vast blue sky where the dragons soar; the channels’ new programming block will look to add to the excitement over the weekend this April. The block began 6 April onwards and will showcase some of the most loved animated movies every Sunday at 12:00 pm

     

    The line-up of movies includes How to Train your Dragon, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and Shark Tales. With stories of friendship, courage, determination and adventure coupled with hilarious antics and comedy by the lovable characters these movies are expected to keep one and all entertained.

  • Makeover helps Hungama hike ad rates by 25%

    Makeover helps Hungama hike ad rates by 25%

    MUMBAI: A little over two months since its makeover and Hungama TV has already upped ad rates by 25 per cent on the back of an estimated 25 per cent growth in viewership.

     

    It was in October this year that Disney UTV’s kids’ channel underwent a reboot, wherein a local flavour was imparted while keeping its ‘unapologetically fun loving, mischievous and boisterous’ character intact.

     

    The three-pronged revamp saw a new tagline Hungama Machaya Kya?, a new on-air look and packaging as well as a fresh interactive feel.

     

    The strategy seems to have worked for ever since, the channel has registered a 25 per cent growth in viewership as per TAM ratings (CS: 4-14; Mkt: HSM; Data period: Wk 1-48’13 All Days; 0700-2300 HRS, Basic TVTs, Kids Genre).

     

    Elaborating on what tipped the scales in Hungama’s favour, Disney UTV kids’ network programming director Devika Prabhu says: “Apart from the refreshed look, we now have new shows like VIR: The Robot Boy and Ninja Warriors (dubbed by Javed Jaffery). New episodes of popular shows as well as new movie titles are also in the pipeline. Hence, apart from the new look and feel, children have new and exciting things to look forward to.”

     

    Buoyed by the growth in viewership, the channel has hiked ad rates by 25 per cent and roped in advertisers the likes of Hero Honda.

     

    Says Disney UTV media network ad sales executive director Nikhil Gandhi: “Our confidence has only grown and we see ourselves in the top position very soon. And our clients too believe in it and hence have come on board even after a hike in ad rates.”

     

    “Today, the kids’ genre isn’t about kids anymore. It is all about co-viewing and hence, advertisers feel that they can target the whole family through this genre as well,” he adds.

     

    Going further, Hungama will be focusing on home-grown content. “Vir has got an excellent response from the viewers and we would like to explore and expand Indian content,” signs off Prabhu.

  • Hungama TV to Launch Vir, the Story of A Robot Kid on November 9th

    Hungama TV to Launch Vir, the Story of A Robot Kid on November 9th

    MUMBAI: In line with its new look and proposition of Hungama Machaya Kya, Hungama TV will premiere a brand new series, VIR: The Robot Boy. A weekly animated comedy/adventure series set in the desi heartland of India. The channelhas associated with Maya Digital to bring this show weekly starting November 9th, 2013 at 11.30 am.

    Vir is a heartwarming story of a robot with human like qualities and a unique blend of emotions and superhuman abilities. The series follows his humorous escapades as he manages to save the day with his quick thinking and a wide array of robotic abilities, along with his closest friends – Chulbul the pet Donkey, 8 year old Imli and Gintu, his magical Djinn. Vir is naughty yet intelligent, funny yet compassionate, playful yet helpful and street smart yet has a golden heart, all of which define the kids of today.

    “We recently launched a fresh new look for Hungama TV, which embodies the spirit of friendly mischief and spontaneous laughter which is our core proposition for the channel. VIR: The Robot Boy truly celebrates the spirit of childhood and personifies what the channel represents. We are confident that kids will develop a great affinity to the local narrative, humour and situations that Vir and his friends find themselves in” said Devika Prabhu, Director, Programming, Kids Network, Disney UTV.

    According to Ketan Mehta, CMD, Maya Digital Studios,times are changing for the Indian animation industry. “We already have Indian animated shows on air which has become immensely popular. With Vir, we are expanding more. The channels, till now, were basically thriving on recycling of American or Japanese shows. But slowly, they are opening up to the idea of home-grown shows. To penetrate the Indian market, it is important to come up with Indian content that is relatable to the audience,” he says.

  • Disney India goes brave with ‘Vir: The Robot Boy’

    Disney India goes brave with ‘Vir: The Robot Boy’

    MUMBAI: Riding on the immense popularity of Chota Bheem and Motlu Patlu comes one more animation series with the ‘made in India’ tag.

    Launching on Hungama TV on 9 November and created by Maya Digital Studio, Vir: The Robot Boy, is a sci-fi animation that promises to tickle the kids’ funny bone while teaching them a lesson or two about life.

    With Vir, we intend to build further on the weekend slot by bringing engaging and relevant shows on Saturday as well exults Prabhu

    Waxing eloquent about ‘India’s first animated fiction show’, Maya Digital Studio managing director and chairman Ketan Mehta says: “It has been made on a big scale. It has multiple characters and a well-developed storyline revolving around the central character, Vir, a young boy who is a robot with all human emotions instilled in him.”

    Hungama, which has recently had a makeover, wanted to introduce fresh new programming that embodies its mischievous, youthful spirit. And what better than the weekend to bring in the new series!

    “Currently, we have Ninja Warriors on Sunday, which is performing exceedingly well and is a favourite among kids. With Vir, we intend to build further on the weekend slot by bringing engaging and relevant shows on Saturday as well,” exults Disney UTV director, programming, Kids Network, Devika Prabhu.

    Vir: The Robot Boy is set in the heart of Delhi and takes viewers through the wonderful journey of Vir, the robot, created by brilliant scientist Dr Prem Sahay. The extremely intelligent, extra emotional and fearlessly funny Vir manages to stay out of harm’s way, but not without some hilarious moments and a lot of help from his two sidekicks.

    About the collaboration with Maya Digital, Prabhu says: “Creativity and innovation is at the heart of what we do and we are always looking for partners with whom we can collaborate to create compelling content for our audiences. We were really happy to associate with Maya Digital on this series – Vir: The Robot Boy and we are confident that kids will love the local narrative, humour and situations that Vir and his friends – Chulbul, Tiklu and Sajjani, find themselves in.”

    Hungama believes in letting children experience stories first-hand by creating engagement opportunities beyond television. This time too, the channel is confident about its new series and plans to engage with its viewers in interesting new ways, like it did with “Shinchan Parivaar Iss Ravivaar”.

    According to Mehta, times are changing for the Indian animation industry. “We already have Indian animated shows like Chota Bheem and Motlu Patlu that have become immensely popular. With Vir, we are expanding more. The channels, till now, were basically thriving on recycling of American or Japanese shows. But slowly, they are opening up to the idea of home-grown shows. To penetrate the Indian market, it is important to come up with Indian content that is relatable to the audience,” he says.

    Mehta feels the indigenous animation industry has finally come of age and is finally ready to produce content, which is at par with countries leading the genre.

    “We are now doing a wide variety of shows in the animation sector. Our animation industry is just a decade old. Now, I feel there’s enough manpower for the industry to grow rapidly,” he says and hopes Indian audiences will soon be open to adult animation series such as The Simpsons.

  • Hungama TV rebooted

    Hungama TV rebooted

    MUMBAI: Disney UTV’s kids’ channel – Hungama TV – has had a makeover of sorts. The new avatar imparts a more local flavour while retaining the ‘unapologetically fun loving, mischievous and boisterous’ character of the channel.

    The redesigned page was launched on 1 October and it took the in-house team at Disney Interactive a little less than two months for the conceptualisation, direction and execution.

    Of the reboot, Disney UTV Media Networks director – creative services Prashant Madan says: “We have taken the traditional values of Hungama TV, and what it stood for, and just given it a new voice. And we wanted to reach out and put out a message as to what the new voice would be.”

    It's more like a challenge rather than a question explains Madan speaking about the new tagline – Hungama Machaya Kya?

    The brand refresh has been three-pronged; replete with a new tagline – Hungama Machaya Kya?, a new on-air look and package, and a fresh interactive feel.

    “So when we are talking about fun, we just don’t want to show it but make our users feel it, so our live action would really place our brand in a unique place as other kids’ brands don’t do that and it’s a very stand-out thing that we intend on doing. For our positioning, we used real kids to portray what we are trying to say. Like in adults, we have thought leaders, in kids, we have action leaders. So we wanted to inspire other kids and that is where the live action animation comes into play. And that kind of feeling can only be portrayed in true light with the right use of animation and graphics,” elaborates Madan.

    Supplementing the new look for the channel is a music video featuring kids in a colourful, playful mood, bringing alive emotions they experience in everyday life.

    “We have gone a step further with the graphic packaging as well, by adding a lot of things that kids find attractive and love to do. Like flying kites, latoos or playing marbles. So we have drawn inspiration from these small things that kids love to do at that age and converted them into something far more fun and engaging.”

    Incidentally, this is just the first phase of the revamp and the second phase will happen over the course of the year and will be more marketing and content-led.

    Madan says the new tagline is based on a recent survey by the channel where it emerged that there are always a few kids in every group who dictate the action and activities of the flock. Hungama decided to highlight these kids through its tagline while inspiring other children to follow their example and live life to the fullest. “So it’s more like a challenge rather than a question… so go out there and live life is what we are trying to say,” explains Madan.

    Additionally, the channel plans to go more local through its shows like Veer – The Robot, Luv Kush, King Vikram, and Suryaputra Karan.

    The brand refresh has been three-pronged; replete with a new tagline – Hungama Machaya Kya?, a new on-air look and package, and a fresh interactive feel

    So what’s the response so far? “It’s a bit too early to put numbers on the results of the revamp but with time, we will surely be studying them, as it’s something that our users need to acclimatise to,” says Madan.

    Of Disney UTV’s four youth-centric channels – Disney, Hungama, Disney XD and Disney Junior – Hungama is the only channel that is truly home-grown in nature. “We are a channel that is very Indian at heart, and extremely driven by Indian values and visuals, we drew our inspiration for this from the funfair that happens, because we wanted to imbibe the colours, the energy and the vibrancy that is in abundance in these melas, and so we have used those colours and also made ample use of symbols like the kite, latoo, see-saw or the marble contest to make the packaging very vibrant and Indian in nature,” rounds off Madan.

  • Failure of Govt to fix rates forces DAVP to extend dates for empanelment of FM radio

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) has extended by three months up to 31 March 2013 the empanelment of FM radio channels.

    This follows the failure of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to announce the guidelines for empanelment and rate of FM Radio channels.

    The current deadline was to expire on 31 December and it is understood that the Ministry is trying to iron out some thorny issues so that it can also clear the path for ascending e-auction of the FM Radio Phase III.

    Meanwhile, the DAVP has said that empanelment of certain television channels for the period 2012-15 has expired as they failed to apply for fresh empanelment before the last date, 15 December.

    These include the Lok Sabha TV, two channels of Disney, Hungama TV, Music India, and 17 regional channels.

    It has said that regional channels may apply for the empanelment from the first to the seventh day of every month through the online form.

  • Empanelment with DAVP of 22 TV channels expires

    NEW DELHI: The Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) has said that empanelment of certain television channels for the period 2012-15 has expired as they failed to apply for fresh empanelment before the last date, 15 December.

    These include the Lok Sabha TV, two channels of Disney, Hungama TV, Music India, and 17 regional channels.

    It has said that regional channels may apply for the empanelment from the first to the seventh day of every month through the online form.

    Meanwhile, DAVP has extended by three months up to 31 March 2013 the empanelment of FM radio channels.

    This follows the failure of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to announce the guidelines for empanelment and rate of FM Radio channels.

    The current deadline was to expire on 31 December and it is understood that the Ministry is trying to iron out some thorny issues so that it can also clear the path for ascending e-auction of the FM Radio Phase III.

  • Design Stack wins Disney Network’s creative biz

    MUMBAI: Mumbai-based design and communication studio Design Stack has been appointed as the creative agency for the Disney network of channels.

    The agency will handle the entire gamut of off-air publicity and promotional campaigns for the Disney Channel, Disney XD and Hungama TV.

    Earlier Design Stack had handled the creative duties for Disney Channel‘s Shooting Stars, a nationwide talent hunt in 2011.

    Walt Disney Television International India marketing director Bikram Duggal said, “The Disney Network is committed to further increasing the visibility of our brands and creating a deeper and richer connect with the viewers across India. We felt the time was right to appoint a creative agency that understands our brand values and can help bring them alive visually in our campaigns. The team at Design Stack brings an immense amount of enthusiasm and creative excellence to the table and we look forward to their contributions on our upcoming projects.”

    MDesign Stack partner Priyanka Bhasin added, “We‘ve all grown up with Disney as a part of our childhood and it‘s a thrill to be associated with such an iconic brand, especially at a time when they are building a strong local presence in India.”

    Design Stack was founded in 2004 by Priyanka Bhasin and Anoop Patnaik as a branding and strategic design studio located in Mumbai.

    Design Stack partner Anoop Patnaik said, “The Disney Channel is very particular about maintaining consistency of their brand. It is exciting collaborating with their team of sharp marketing strategists and visual communication design specialists, who have high standards when it comes to messaging and design. In a sense, it‘s a fitting partnership.”

    The firm has a diverse range of clients Asian Paints, Cox & Kings, Standard Chartered Bank, Times of India and Sahara Housing and Infrastructure.

  • ‘We will build on our global franchises and get other local content to create an environment for ratings’ : Antoine Villeneuve- Walt Disney TV International (India) SVP & MD

    ‘We will build on our global franchises and get other local content to create an environment for ratings’ : Antoine Villeneuve- Walt Disney TV International (India) SVP & MD

    The Walt Disney Company acquired Hungama TV in 2006 for $30.5 million, a sign that two of its global channels needed a local muscle to fight the might of Turner International in the kids TV turf in India.

     

    The Cartoon Network-Pogo duo still lead the space as the mouse house is busy finding the right content mix for its three channels. Disney Channel is positioned as a kids-driven family channel while Hungama TV is eyeing kids in the 4-14 years age group. Jetix is for the 6-10-year-old boys.

     

    The challenge for Disney is not just to gain more audiences but also to drive up revenues in a genre that is seeing slow growth.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Anindita Sarkar, Walt Disney Television International (India) senior vice president and managing director Antoine Villeneuve talks about the need to build on Disney’s global franchises while filling in the other pieces of content without disturbing the brand values.

     

    Excerpts:

    Disney Channel has failed to make a mark in India, as is evident from the ratings. What are the corrective steps you are taking?
    Our task is to build on our global franchises and get other local content to create an environment for ratings. But all this has to fit into the ‘Disney’ brand values.

     

    Being a kids-driven family channel, we have had to add other pieces of content. For the first time ever, we have moved ahead to acquire Bollywood content to draw in more eyeballs. We have bought two Aamir Khan movies, Hum Hai Rahi Pyaar Ke and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, which will be showcased on 12 April and 3 May.

    The core focus of the channel, however, is the tween segment (8-12 age group) and to increase penetration we have made the channel available in Hindi as well. We are building all the necessary bricks, but staying within the essence of the brand and the positioning of the channel.

    Which are the franchises you are maximising your investments on?
    Hanna Montana is appearing as a marketing phenomenon in India. She is on the path of a big success and we are taking her to the next level. We are increasing the ‘touch points’ with her so that kids can get more engaged. She appears in season 3 on 10 April and we are organising the ‘Big Pop Star’ event in India wherein the winning star will get a chance to meet Hanna. We also have a few more on ground marketing plans for Hanna to bring the character closer to the Indian kids.

     

    The Hanna Montana movie releases in May which is sure to have a great impact on building the brand value of this franchise in India.

     

    The other big property we are building is High School Musical. We are giving it a bigger dimension as season 4 kicks off soon.

    Why are ratings coming only from the locally acquired live action content?
    There has been an effect on ratings, but when it comes to a brand connect with the kids it is with our franchise properties. The best example of this is Hanna Montana. Our endeavour is to build a localised experience through Hanna Montana and our other properties. We have succeeded in this.

    How have you positioned Hungama TV after acquiring it from UTV?
    The three channels that we have are positioned separately and do not cannibalise audiences from each other. Hungama TV is transmitted only in Hindi and is positioned as a mad-comedy and fun channel devoted to the 4-14-year-olds. Also, its content is mainly driven by Japanese animation.

    The channel has slipped from its top position. How do you plan to revamp it?
    We are creating three new bands from 13 April. We have acquired two live action shows, Hatim from Star and Dharam Veer from NDTV Imagine. We will be introducing them under the action band, Dum Powder.

     

    The Trouble Soda band will feature shows such as Doraemon and Ninjaboy Rantaro while Fun Gas will showcase Shinchan and Asari Chan.

     

    Hungama TV will have all new shows this summer and the three bands will play on the theme ‘Mad fun with Adventure.’ We will also launch the mega summer contest – the Indian Pyjama League – on the channel, starting 11 May.

     

    On the movie front, we will be showing titles such as Andaz Apna Apna and Fantiastic 4 this summer.
    ‘kids GRPs are undervalued in other markets as well. More marketing solutions have to be offered and advertisers have to realise the real worth of the kids segment‘

    Jetix has been more successful in the south. What are you doing to elevate its status in the north?
    Of the two global channels, Jetix is a more defined channel as it has only action adventure content and is targeted at only boys between the age-group of 6-10. We have made it available in four languages – English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. We are happy that it is faring well in the south and have no plans to make special efforts to push it in the north as we have our other two channels to address the Hindi speaking markets.

    How do you plan to beef up your summer lineup this year?
    Apart from showing Bolywood films, we will be exploiting our own classics from the Disney library. The channel will feature titles such as Return to Neverland, Atlantis: Milo’s return, Mulan, 101 Dalmations 2 and Secret of the Magic Gourd. All these will be featured on the Disney channel. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s chest will premiere for the first time in Hindi on 5 April.

     

    We will also be launching brand new shows on Disney such as Wizards of Waverly Place, Sony with a chance, Imagination Movers and Aaron Stone. Aaron Stone will launch on 15 May and will be the story of Aaron, a master in video gaming. Summers will also see the second season of Mickey Mouse Club House (MMCH).

     

    For Jetix, we are launching the ‘Spectacular Superhero Summer Operation’. Under this brand, we will have all new superhero shows ( Zoran/ World of Quest/Ratman/ Power Rangers RPM).

     

    We will also carry new episodes of Hero, Detective Conan and Inspector Gadgets. Furthermore, we will show various martial arts and action adventure movies such as George of the Jungle 2, Hulk and X men.

    Why is the revenue from kids TV not proportionate to its audience share?
    The kids GRPs are undervalued in other markets as well. More marketing solutions have to be offered and advertisers have to realise the real worth of the kids segment. In India this is evolving and we are already seeing new categories such as financial services, FMCG and digital stepping in as advertisers.