ITV

Tag: KBC 2

  • Vijay TV all set to lure Tamil viewers with ‘KBC 2’

    MUMBAI: This Friday, that is 5 August, at 9 pm, as Amitabh Bachchan re-unites with Computerji to rekindle the KBC phenomenon yet again on Indian television, Star’s Tamil channel Vijay TV will also have for its viewers its own dubbed version of KBC 2 with the tagline “Nambikku Mele Double” (twice more than you hope).
     

    The Big B’s familiar deep baritone voice is being dubbed by renowned Tamil film artiste Nizhalgal Ravi who made it big in Kollywood with a reportoire that includes Nayakan, Nizhalgal, Indian, Kandukondain Kandukondain and Annamalai.

    The channel has already kicked off its aggressive promotional activities for the big property. On ground activities which had participation by school kids, the distribution of KBC 2-branded merchandise, outdoor and print campaigns are being employed to create hype.
     
     

    Says Vijay TV DGM Harsh Rohatgi on the upcoming biggy, “The show which made television history is back again and this time it will create a bigger impact among the Tamil audience.”

    Regional advertisers who have been roped in by Vijay TV for KBC 2 are confident that the dubbed version of the Hindi show will be accepted by Tamil viewers. “KBC 2 is a property that re-defines Indian television’s regional spirits. The show targets all segments of society whether it is the youth, the family or the kids segment. So I think the experiment will really work,” says Chennai-based retailer Pothy’s Ramesh.

    Other regional advertisers figuring in the Tamil version of KBC 2 include Univercell. The channel has also national advertisers Airtel, Fairever, LG Electronics and Chlor-Mint in its line up.

  • Sameer Nair – Setting up the kayo punch

    Sameer Nair – Setting up the kayo punch

    ‘What‘s up dude?‘ ‘Much more than just KBC 2 mate.‘ An imagined exchange maybe, but not too far off from what Sameer Nair, among the country‘s most celebrated TV honchos, would likely tell you about what‘s in the works programming wise at India‘s lead broadcast network.

    Even as the media noise around KBC‘s second coming rises to cacophonic levels as the 5 August launch D-Day draws closer, there is a whole lot else the fortyish bespectacled Star India COO has brewing in terms of programming initiatives.

    In a freewheeling tete-e-tete with Indiantelevision.com, Nair offers a peek into the strategies Star is putting in place which, he believes, will at the very least wrong-foot the competition, if not take them out completely.

    Read on for some Sameer Nair speak:

    KBC 2 in Tamil

    There was a thought that we should dub it into Tamil, and we got the rights for that. We are going to simulcast it in a para dub. The reason why we think it will work is firstly because Mr Bachchan is arguably the most recognizable face in India and secondly because the questions come in English when they come on air. So, in any case we got a lot of interest from South India, so as much as people could not understand Hindi, they could still understand the questions. We are producing an extremely expensive and popular show, so it makes sense to broaden its appeal. One could not do the same with fiction; as it would have the issues of milieu. In fact, the last time round (as well) we wanted to do it, but we didn‘t have the rights. This time round when we found out about the dubbing rights, we saw there were two ways we could deal with it – either remake it or dub it. Remaking it becomes a whole new enterprise; we need a host and have to go through that whole process. The dubbed version is a more simplistic approach.

    In any case, people in South India have watched KBC; now getting a version of it in their own language – I think it should work. Additionally, we also get a lot entries in South India.

    Didn‘t Sun try it as well with a show called ‘Koteshwaran‘ with little success?

    But they had no intentions of giving money or anything. And because it didn‘t work on Sun does not mean anything. This is the original show. We are hoping to get local advertisers from there, because it will be focussed on Tamil Nadu, maybe one or two of the big national sponsors will also be a part of it in the South. This is a programming idea. With regards to Vijay, we are looking at airing it from Monday – Thursday for Vijay and that will continue. KBC 2 on Vijay will expand its mass appeal. It would be a waste if not done. Even if you look at India‘s Child Genius, we had a very strong following in the South (Bangalore, Kerala and Tamil Nadu).

    Merchandising efforts for KBC 2

    No, we are not getting into that – India as a retail market has not specificated; you can do stuff but retail is tough. Mumbai does not have a toy store. Even in a mall, it is very, very small. It will take some time for it to pick up in India. We make merchandise but just to give away.

    Agenda for Balaji

    Balaji is our biggest supplier. We have a wonderful relationship with them and they make our big shows. Any simple military logic will tell you that you must always secure your supply line. So, it made sense for us to have a stronger and a more bonded relationship with them. Both to grow the company and secure our supply line.

    Growth plan for Balaji

    To make more shows and movies. They should do more programming to increase their top-line growth. They are doing two new shows for Star One – coming up in October and December. She‘s (as in Ekta Kapoor) doing a one hour show and a daily.

    Southern initiatives

    Currently we have Vijay TV and that is pretty much it. We are focused on quickly consolidating the Hindi entertainment business which is Star Plus, Star Gold, Star One and Star Utsav. These are the immediate priority for the next six to nine months. South is not a priority for the next six months at least. South is already a cluttered market. At this point in time, we don‘t have a view on it.

    (That‘s not what Nair told mens‘ mag Man‘s World in its June cover issue though. To quote him: “We have spent the last three to four years focusing on Hindi entertainment which we have got sorted out. Now we have plans for regional channels both in the north and south.”)

    Growth for Star

    NRS has grown by 43 per cent. Absolute volume is going up. So that‘s where the growth for Star will come from. Growth will come from the expanding cable market. This fiscal the growth will come from the growth in the number of cable homes.

    Star Plus has already reached its peak?

    No, there is a glass ceiling – once we shatter it, it will go higher. We are doing weekends. This time it is a concerted strategy to go up to the weekends. Complete new frontiers from thereon.

    From the Hindi market, from the growth in the number of cable homes; from the rationalization and the transparency that we have introduced with our advertising sales and the programming that we have got in our weekends – by Star One, Star Gold, Star Utsav.

    Star One: The road ahead

    Star One will become Number 2 to Star Plus. November is the plan. It is growing week on week. TGILC (The Great Indian Laughter Challenge) has really caught on; Remix is doing very well; the game shows are performing. It takes time, it‘s a new channel. Sony, Zee and Star Plus for that matter have been around for 10 years. And now there are some super hot shows coming up in the next couple of months. In the next two to three months, we‘ll do exciting programming and build on it and expand it.

    The challenges it is facing is that being a new brand it has made remarkable progress, but our expectations are higher. If we were not Star TV, we would actually be having a party celebrating Star One‘s success.

    We have in any case got a lot of audiences who have sampled the channel, we just need to collate that audience and make it a critical mass. In that sense the Tam Elite panel coming is a good thing for all the channels. In fact, it will help the English category a lot. At the end of the day India is (still largely) a single TV home and the larger measurement usually tends to get subsumed. The niche channels usually get buried between the mass of Hindi entertainment. This (Elite panel) will bring in a degree of qualitative differentiation into how audiences are measured.

    The challenge for Star One is really to overtake Sony and Zee. We are expanding its appeal. We wanted to start off with a differentiation, so that you create that distinction.

    It was a really difficult thing to do. Especially when it stems from the same family and tackles the same Hindi entertainment genre. Now having created that distinction, we are broadening that distinction‘s appeal. When we launched, the aim was not to clone Plus. So, we started off with a complete distinct identity and now we are broadening its appeal. So that we have two versions of Hindi entertainment. We are very well coordinated on this. The plan is to become number two and monetize it.

    Star One, is all connected to value for money; network sales.

    “Indian English” shows on Star World moving to Star One?

    Koffee with Karan we are doing repeats on Star One, Now Simi‘s second season is coming up. I am not entirely sure where to slot it – Star World or Star One.

    Apprentice is slated to launch in November-December on Star One, although the hunt for (India‘s) Mr Trump is still on.

    Star World ramp up plans

    Big plans I think. Great shows coming up. Star World is very aggressive on that front.
     

    Star Gold

    The plan for Gold is to overtake Zee Cinema and Max by December. In the last two – three years we have maintained a very non-aggressive position with regards to Hindi movie acquisitions. With Star Gold we used to earlier buy movies with a set pack of producers who we had a good relationship with. Starting this year, we are expanding our positioning on Star Gold and so we are going to be aggressively buying movies.

    Also, movies have gone off Star Plus. Movies will now premier on Star Gold. On weekends too we don‘t play movies on Plus anymore. We are looking at doing more programming stunts, festivals, and better movies.

    The new rate card

    At the end of the day we have an absolute top of the line product to sell. And I don‘t think one needs to go through so much negotiating over what its inherent value is. This is the best way. This is what we think we are worth.

    It‘s one thing about improving your rate, it‘s another about improving your yield; the third is about increasing your volume. The new system will enable us to do all three.
     

  • Vijay TV spins separate story around ‘KBC 2’

    MUMBAI: With the clock ticking down to the launch of KBC 2 on 5 August, Star India’s Tamil channel Vijay TV is putting together its own plans to monetise the biggest property of 2005.

    Vijay TV is separately selling KBC 2, which will be dubbed in Tamil, targeting all the advertisers – national and retail. Two of the main sponsors of Star Plus have already tied up with the channel and officials expect that more will follow suit as launch date comes closer.

    Explains Vijay TV deputy general manager Harsh Rohatgi, “The retail market is showing a greater response as they are glad to be associated with a show of such scale and grandeur.”

    While the consumer proposition is the same in Tamil as it is across the country, the endeavour very clearly is to optimise the million dollar format extending its appeal to the southern market at well.

    Says Rohatgi, “KBC had huge viewership and recall in its original Hindi avatar on Star Plus in Tamil Nadu as well and we are building on that heritage. Instead of ‘Ummeed se Dugna’, on Vijay we are promoting the show as ‘Nambikkaikku male Double’, which means twice more than your hopes.”

    One critical aspect of the dubbed version of KBC2 will be the Tamil “voice” of show host Amitabh Bachchan. The search is on for a famous artiste from the cine world with whom the Tamil audience would relate to spontaneously. “There will be a near-perfect replication of Amitabh Bachchan’s voice and style of delivery even post the dubbing,” assures Rohatgi.

    For Tamil Nadu, Vijay TV has planned a cross media campaign entailing print, outdoor, radio and ground activation. The channel will follow the same brand communication as is being used in the Hindi speaking markets adapting it to the region.

    While Rohatgi was very tightlipped about the programming that is being planned around KBC 2 , he pointed out that there will be a new show on Fridays from 8-9 pm. Currently the 9 pm slot on Fridays and Saturdays airs martial arts movies which is being pushed to the 10 pm slot. “On the whole, there will be a slew of weekend programming around KBC,” adds Rohatgi.

    Vijay TV has managed a loyal audience base in the 9-10 pm band with their recent special movies/events on Fridays and the successful Chinese dubbed movies on Saturday. Vijay is hoping to create momentum that would also help them in creating an audience base on Sunday evenings.

  • Star Plus to premiere KBC 2 Entry Questions on June 6th

    MUMBAI: Kaun Banega Crorepati 2 (KBC 2) thats makes its comeback on Star Plus on 5 August has opened its phone lines for aspiring participants. The entry question will air on Star Plus from 6 June onwards.
     

     
    Viewers can call either using a MTNL/BSNL landline or an Airtel mobile connection only.

    Entry mechanism

    Starting 6 June at 9 pm there will be one entry question per day which will be flashed only on Star Plus. This question will be flashed till 5 pm. on the next day. There will be four answer options along with this question.

    Viewers using a MTNL/BSNL landline will have to choose one correct option from the four options and dial the number 1904-424-7827 followed by their option number (01 or 02 or 03 or 04). There will be one new question on Star Plus every day till 19 June.

     
     
    Each day’s question is valid for one episode only. The viewers can answer the question starting 9 pm. till 5 pm the next day. Airtel mobile users can also participate via SMS.

  • Star takes ad rates to new highs for ‘KBC 2’

    MUMBAI: The biggest television property to be unleashed this season is coming with a heavy duty price tag attached. Star India today presented the KBC 2 upfront pitch to the media and client fraternity.

    The highlight was most definitely the ‘Big B’ who was there himself during the presentation. If the original series of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) in 2000 changed the face of Star India, then by looks of KBC 2’s business proposition, it could well change the face of the revenue inflow of Star India in 2005. Or so is the expectation of Star India COO Sameer Nair and his ad sales team.

     
     
    Remember the famous KBC kicker line – “Nau Baj Gaya Kya?” (Is it 9?). It’s the same this time round as well, except that KBC 2 will not be in the daily prime time slot. Scheduled to hit the tube in August in the 9 pm weekend slot (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Star officials have confirmed that KBC 2 is going to be the last of its kind, ruling out any possibility of a series 3. Also, KBC 2 comes with a limited edition of 85 episodes (the backlog remaining as per Bachchan’s original contract with Star) as compared to the 309 aired during KBC’s first run in 2000.

    The shooting of the show is expected to commence from April, and very obviously the plan for Star Plus with KBC 2 is to build its weekend franchise. The changes incorporated in the show is firstly that the prize money has been doubled to Rs 20 million. Secondly, branding associations have been explored with every single facet of the show. The last being the addition of numerous touch points to make an entry into the show and not restricting it to only telephone landlines.

    Key differences in approach

    While the launch of KBC in 2000 took place on Star Plus, which was then a weak platform, KBC 2 in 2005 will launch on the strongest general entertainment platform in the country. Also, an important point to note is the fact that in 2000 there were only 25 million C&S home, that figure is now well over 52 million. While the entry questions available for viewers in 2000 was limited to only landlines, KBC 2 will allow for new entry mechanisms via SMS, Internet and landlines with the entry question being aired frequently on prime time. While KBC in 2000 redefined prime time viewership, KBC 2 is positioned to redefine the weekend viewership on the Indian tube.

    Show me the money!

    Talk about optimisation! The monies involved this time round forms a new benchmark that has been created in Indian television. Star has proposed eight associate sponsors, who will have to cough up Rs 195 million each. What the sponsors will receive in turn is presence in the sum total of 7,295 promos that will air across the network. The break up being 4,165 on Star Plus, 630 on Star Gold, 840 on Star World, 840 on Star Utsav and 410 on The History Channel. The promos will incorporate the branding of each of the eight sponsors, plus 60 seconds of commercial time per episode which adds up to a total of 5,100 seconds across the 85 episodes. A point of note here being that the associate sponsors can only come on board for the entire series and not in parts.

    Other branding opportunities available are:

    1) Computer branding – Rs 90 million
    2) Money Tree branding – Rs 70 million
    3) Cheque branding – Rs 35 million
    4) 50:50 Life Line question – Rs 20 million
    5) Phone a friend – Rs 35 million
    6) 30 second clock – Rs 35 million

    A ten second spot buy for KBC 2 has been priced at Rs 595,000. The property also promises to the biggest multimedia barrage in 2005 with a lot of thematic activity with celebrity specials being incorporated. The campaign for the show is set to begin three months ahead of the launch. Media that will be used extensively are radio, Internet, print, outdoor and the Star network. All the associate sponsors will be present in the above mentioned media. Also, they will be given the first preference for any other branding option that may subsequently be made available.
    Viewers can also receive instant gratification by interacting with the show via SMS while it is on air.

     
     
    So, that is essentially the advertising plot for KBC 2. Star Plus will be coupling this blockbuster format with blockbuster movies which is a strategy to ensure dominance in the weekend slots. These movies would be played immediately after KBC 2, therefore not allowing the eyeballs to move anywhere else.

    Still, it is worth pondering upon the paradigm shifts that have taken place in the telly world since this story began. KBC in 2000 was a novel proposition. Will it still be able to retain that novelty with its viewers? The options posed in front of the viewer are many. On one hand there will be cricketing properties of the likes of the India-Sri Lanka series in the November-December period on Ten Sports, followed by the India Tour of Pakistan in January 2006. Considering the fact that we as a country are fanatics when it comes to cricket, will KBC 2 be able to overwhelm the rest?

    Last but not the least, the second leg of Sony’s Indian Idol is slated to make its come-back in August. Will Indian Idol be able to withstand KBC 2’s impact?

    The answers will be out in due course but there is no gainsaying that if any network has the muscle behind it to raise the price bar on a property like KBC, it is most certainly Star India.

  • Zee Cinema : Maximising the gains the new mantra

    Zee Cinema : Maximising the gains the new mantra

    Our Zee trilogy, examining the three main channels that now constitute Subhash Chandra‘s Hindi entertainment play, concludes with Zee Cinema…

    It was in May that Bharat Ranga, at the time managing both Zee Cinema and Zee Music, was told to devote his attention solely to the Group‘s movies channel. The network‘s think tank decided it was necessary to have a separate business head for the music channel as well. While this would provide both the business streams individual attention, the move also signified Zee‘s attempt to exploit the huge growth potential of the cinema genre to the maximum.

    Says Ranga, “It is a planned move. Same chief for both the channels would have made sense in that initial period. Now it is a different situation altogether. Each channel has a business of its own. Cinema genre is growing and hence there is a huge scope of improvement. We are expecting a growth of 25 to 30 per cent this year. So, we are bound to be more aggressive.”

    So what‘s the plan? While refusing to divulge the exact details, Ranga leaves a lot to be guessed in his customary response. “We have various plans in mind. These can‘t be really called innovations. Recently, We have put our maximum efforts to know the viewers‘ needs and our plans will heavily rely on the kind of inputs we got.”

    Quiz him further and he says the channel has identified the upcoming Star Plus show KBC 2 as a major challenge in the weekend slots. “We are learning from past experiences. Though I can‘t reveal our exact plans, you can expect something big from us in August. The strategy won‘t depend on blockbuster screenings.”

    Blockbusters are definitely not the channel‘s success mantra. From its last three years‘ experience, the channel has learnt that the kind of spikes blockbusters create contribute very little to the overall growth. “In the past three years, the entire genre depended on premieres. We have learnt that we can‘t over-use this device. Almost 75 per cent of a movie channel‘s budget is spent on acquiring big movies. So, instead of just attempting viewership jerks, we need to use it intelligently,” points out Ranga.

    Intelligent jerks? Sounds interesting! But that is exactly what the channel did with its premiere of the blockbuster movie Mujhse Shaadi Karogi in March this year. Ranga & Co. worked overtime to create a marketing hype for the channel around this single property. As per industry estimates, the telecast rights were grabbed for around Rs 45 million and over Rs 10 million was spent to market the movie.

    Zee Cinema conceived a reality game show Propose to Priyanka (P2P) and promoted the property across all media – print, radio, outdoor, SMS and Internet. By airing the show during the breaks of the MSK telecast, the channel made viewers stick on to the channel even during the intervals. According to Ranga, the innovative idea of promoting the breaks was taken from a channel in the Philippines. “P2P” promotions and the MSK campaign created a buzz for the channel.

    Zee Cinema used print, radio, outdoor, SMS and Internet to create a buzz around ‘MSK‘

    Ranga says hype was necessary in the present scenario. “Movie channels are drawing in new viewers at this juncture, a trend that has caught on since the last eight months. At a time when all the three movie channels are showing big films, it is crucial to build the image of the channel. This is why we decided to do a big campaign armed with a reality show to promote this movie.”

    Media agencies believe promoting big ticket movies should have such long term goals. Says Starcom MD (West and South) Ravi Kiran, “It is not right to judge such spends in isolation. It is the equity the channel is able to create that counts.”

    “MSK was the biggest premiere on Zee Cinema till date. The 360 degree marketing efforts were crucial because they were aimed not only at attracting viewers but, more importantly, to build the image of the channel,” adds Madison media director Vanita Keswani.

    On the promotions front, Zee Cinema has been trying everything possible. The same strategy used for MSK is used for some of the big movies from the Amitabh movie festival Shaniwar ki raat Amitabh ke saath. The channel conducted ground activities for movies Ankhein and Coolie. The brand film Paap Ka Anth the channel produced last year went on to win a gold for media category at Abby Awards 2005.

    The brand film ‘Paap ka Anth‘ was released in theatres across the country

    The fact that, post MSK, the channel didn‘t have a single biggy in its line-up supports Ranga‘s theory of not banking on blockbusters too much. Now the focus is on building strong brands across time bands. “Now it is common knowledge that movie channels have to rely on well-packaged blocks rather than these occasional outbursts. Our Amitabh movie festival is part of this strategy. More are in the pipeline,” says Ranga.

    Not surprisingly, compared to the earlier years, Zee Cinema has been lying low on the big property acquisition front this year. Some of the movies the channel has acquired this year so far include Kisna, Musafir, Aaitbaar and Raincoat.

    As regards the competition, Zee Cinema is in a comfortable position. Except in the prime time (8 pm – 11 pm) band, the channel is ahead of its competitors, as per the TAM data [TG: CS 4+ Markets: HSM, Period: 27 March to 23 April (see chart)]. Set Max‘s strategy for this year revolves around the afternoon and Sundays where Zee Cinema is maintaining a strong position. Max has already kicked off an afternoon Madhuri film festival and in August it will launch a Sunday vertical aimed at urban audiences.

    Channel
    All Day
    Prime Time
    (8 pm – 11pm)
    Weekend
    ( Sat and Sun)
    From
    7am – 12 midnight
    TVR
    Share
    TVR
    Share
    TVR
    Share
    TVR
    Share
    Zee Cinema
    0.48
    38
    0.92
    33
    0.57
    38
    0.65
    38
    Set Max
    0.44
    34
    1.07
    39
    0.54
    36
    0.58
    34
    Star Gold
    0.36
    28
    0.77
    28
    0.4
    27
    0.49
    28
    Source: TAM, TG: CS 4+ Markets: HSM, Period: 27/3/05 to 23/4/05

    Ranga is unperturbed. “We respect our competition. We are not doing anything specific in these blocks because competition is doing something. But we will go ahead with our plans, which is, giving viewers what they want. We are confident about it.” he says.

    That confidence is reflected in the channel‘s aggressive plans on the ad sales front. As already reported by indiantelevision.com, with an expectation that the movie channel genre would further grow in viewership this year, Zee Cinema has decided to double its ad rates. “We have made up our mind to activate a 100 per cent hike on our rates. We have already conveyed our plans to our clients and the planners,” says Ranga.

    “While there was a 12 to 13 per cent increase in the audience share last year among all movie channels, the advertising revenue grew by only five to six per cent. The audience share is expected to grow by 25 to 30 per cent this year. Naturally, we sense a huge scope for growth for movie channels on the ad revenue front,” he adds.

    It may be noted that the channel had instituted a 30 per cent hike in its ad rates early this year. But now the feeling is that it deserves a bigger increment. “That time, we didn‘t increase the rates the way we should have. The channel deserves much more than what it is now getting. It is not an irrational price level we are looking at. I feel that a 100 per cent hike is justifiable,” says Ranga.

    Zee Cinema has been the number two revenue earner for Zee Network last fiscal, behind the flagship channel Zee TV. “Last fiscal, our ad revenues went up by 45 per cent while viewership recorded a 15 per cent increase,” Ranga says.

    With Sahara launching its movie channel Filmi and B4U Movies planning a comeback, competition is only going to get tougher. Zee Cinema‘s eyes are on better returns and that sets the ground for an exciting contest.

  • Kickstarting the ‘KBC 2’ jackpot

    Star Plus launched KBC 2 on 5 August but preparation for the show started in early January.

    The show had a five phased launch – all of which happened before 5 August. The idea was to come back with a bang, which captured the grandness of the show as well as spark off a feeling of nostalgia. This activity started with the Umeed phase – which had Bachchan talk about what it was that made people come back and never give up – it is Umeed, Hope. This was done through two commercials which played for a period of three weeks. This promo was in fact released simultaneously across all Star channels in a network road-block.

    “We also decided not to overexpose Mr Bachchan, so the next phase was the “Are You Ready?” phase, where we showed people from across all walks of life getting ready for KBC 2. We did this through four commercials called – “The Coolie”, “The Marriage”, “The Increment” and “The Canteen”. These commercials were a first of its kind for KBC where we did not use AB nor the sets, but yet invoked a sense of ‘getting ready for the show’,” says Vidyasagar.

    Around this time, the phone lines were thrown open. A multimedia national campaign to signify this was unleashed. An on air commercial called “Makkhan Singh” was the first. Here the character Makkhan Singh is told by his rather naughty neighbour, not to give up hope even though he has been robbed – he should pick up the phone and dial the numbers that could get him onto KBC 2.

    Vidyasagar elaborates, “In this entry mechanism explanation promo we described how one could enter using landlines and mobiles. We also released print advertising across seventeen states in India with all the entry mechanism details. We also activated outdoor, internet and radio advertising for the same.”

    The role of PR was also immense as the entire country was literally hungry to read about KBC 2 and how one could get in to the Hot Seat. The entry questions were shown on Star Plus.

    The next phase was called “Fast Lane to KBC 2” which was a special entry mechanism for Airtel users, which would get them directly into the Fastest Finger First round.

    About five weeks before the launch date, the final bunch of commercials were released, which were the tune-in films. These picked up the thread of Umeed, but exploded the concept to talk about Umeed Se Dugna.

    Three commercials – “Actor”, “Cricketer” and “Musician”, each of which showed the principal character moving up in life because he never gave up hope were shown. Bachchan came back in his inimitable rap style to say “Don’t lose hope is the moral of the story.”

    Ten days before the launch date, 10 more short commercials – in the form of a countdown – one every day till the day of launch were unveiled. “On the day of the launch we again activated about 20 markets with print advertising to remind people to tune in tonight. In this final phase we also activated outdoor, radio, internet, mobile, ground, in-train, and word-of-mouth advertising to supplement the campaign,” says Vidyasagar.

    The entire five phased launch campaign lasted for three months before the launch date.