ITV

Tag: Max

  • Blackberrys launches new TVC with the theme of ‘Go Sharp’

    Blackberrys launches new TVC with the theme of ‘Go Sharp’

    MUMBAI: The apparel brand Blackberrys has launched a new TV commercial that aims to bring to life the “Go Sharp” philosophy of the refurbished brand.


    The TVC is created by McCann Worldgroup TAG Ideation. It reiterates Blackberrys‘ position as a fashion brand.
     
    “Set in a surreal world, our protagonist is seen playfully dodging the paparazzi as soon as he adorns his Blackberrys. The geometric figures and the device of them getting slashed, even through an accidental touch by him, reiterate how everything is ‘cut to size‘ before our protagonist,” Blackberrys spokesperson said.


    The TVC also establishes a “near perfect consistency” with the still campaign. The international fashion looks and the Indian twist perfectly blends in to reflect the brand as well as audience.


    The company has also made a 3- minute Blackberrys music track.
     
    The company has identified that its TG is as much in metros, tier 1 as they are in tier 2 cities. “We also recognize the growing potential of the tier 2 market segment. Therefore, our choice of genres and channels have been basis this understanding of our audiences,” the company said.


    It is using various genres for TV promotions including movies, general entertainment, English and Hindi news, Hindi entertainment etc.


    “We will be present on the leading channels in each of these genres, some of which are NDTV India, AXN, Zee Business, NDTV Good Times, Max, Zoom, Discovery Network, CNBC TV 18, Awaaz, CNN IBN, IBN7, Star Movies, Zee Studio, Zee Café, NDTV 24 X 7, Times Now, and Star News,” the spokesperson said.

  • ‘Max is an extremely successful channel’ : Max Sr EVP and business head Sneha Rajani

    ‘Max is an extremely successful channel’ : Max Sr EVP and business head Sneha Rajani

    Multi Screen Media‘s hybrid channel Max has completed 11 years and today is a prime asset of the company.

     

    While it telecasts the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL), in the movie space it is in close fight with Zee Cinema for the top spot.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Gaurav Laghate, Max Sr EVP and business head Sneha Rajani talks about how Max has successfully run its movie and cricket businesses separately and profitably.

     

     

    Excerpts:

    Max has been both, praised and criticised, for changes in cricket programming. Your comments…
    What we did with cricket was pioneering. We changed the way cricket was viewed and consumed in this country. Till then it was like a match being aired and a little bit of analysis thrown. What we wanted to do, and which is where we revolutionised cricket viewing, was that we wanted to increase the base.

    Cricket was predominantly male viewing till we came into the market. We knew that in order to increase the base, it couldn‘t be just confined to the men. We had to make it all inclusive.

    So we took some seriously bold steps like introducing a woman anchor way back in 2002 (Ruby Bhatia) and Extraa Innings.

     

    In the 2003 World Cup, we had three women instead of one – and purists went ballistic. The ratings increased five times, women audience grew 200 per cent and Extraa Innings touched a 19 TVR.

    Another milestone was duplicating the success of Extraa Innings with movies – Extra Shots. Mandira Bedi became the first movie jockey.

     

    From 2008 we are having IPL. There has been no dull moment since then – we are made for each other.

    What about movies?
    Blockbuster movie acquisition is something Max has been associated with always. Out of the 10-12 big films every year, Max has easily over half of them. Be it Lagaan, Devdaas, Om Shanti Om or 3 Idiots – you will always see the best and biggest movies on Max.

    3 Idiots is, perhaps, the biggest coup that Sony has pulled off. Look at the ratings of the first three airings.

    With so much controversies and bad publicity going around IPL, will it have any adverse impact on your revenue targets?
    I won‘t comment on numbers but any publicity is good publicity…it helps you look positively. And at the end of the day, the IPL is a league that the audience wants to watch. The thought and vision is so strong that the IPL will continue to be the biggest entertainment spectacle.

    Max being a hybrid channel, the cost of investment is much higher compared to a pure play movie channel…
    Yes, but we look at the two as completely separate businesses. And both are doing fairly well independently.

    And yes, as for cricket, the rights have been acquired for 10 years. We are well aware of the costs. But as far as movie acquisition is concerned, we know the prices have gone up tremendously, which is why we have been extremely careful about how many movies we have picked up this year and at what price.

    But you have acquired very few movies this year?
    Let me put it this way… We have not acquired as many films as we normally do simply because we did not want to pay unrealistically high. Acquisition has to make business sense.
    ‘We have not acquired as many films as we normally do, simply because we did not want to pay unrealistically high. Acquisition has to make business sense‘

    As Colors is buying movies aggressively for its upcoming movie channel, what will be your plan of action?
    Not just Colors, Star has also picked up a lot of them. Colors is in a different life cycle; they are in a launch phase. We are nowhere in the launch phase, we have a very solid library. We have acquired enough number of premieres.

    So what are the parameters that you look for while acquiring the movies?
    We have a budget and a set of parameters. Our recent acquisitions are Robot, Crook, Raktacharitra, We Are Family and Hisss.

    When you are airing movies, you do not have scope for creative programming. How is your channel different from the other movie channels?
    The scope is very limited simply because we run movies back to back; there is very little space available for us to do anything else. But in the next quarter, we are trying to bring in at least a couple of innovations.

    So far we have Extraa Shots – which has a different look to it every month. We shoot with TV stars; we have picture-in-picture type shots etc. It has been refreshed continuously over time.

    But how will you differentiate between your channel, and say, Zee Cinema and Star Gold if everyone is playing the same movies?
    You are talking about the syndication model. But there are very few movies that have been shared between the broadcasters like Jab We Met airing on 10 different channels.

    I can say 99 per cent of our library is exclusive, and so is Zee‘s and Star‘s. There are very few – around 50 films that are shared in the market.

    So you don‘t believe in the syndication model?
    We as broadcasters are extremely and completely against the syndication model. If you talk to other broadcasters, I think they will also share the same views.

    I think it is not right for the broadcasters and for the movie itself. I think producers also should not encourage this as it completely devalues the product.

    But many channels have formed business models on syndication. Like Colors acquired first airing, Imagine TV got second airings…
    The response to that is the pricing is wrong. It does not mean that you change the model and introduce a model that completely kills your product and the brand of the channel.

    We had to acquire some movies on syndication as they were not available otherwise. But going forward, we have not acquired any film that is on syndication. It is outright acquisition model that we are following.

    Which movies you had to take on syndication?
    Om Shanti Om, Chandni Chowk to China, Bhootnath, Jab We Met and a few others. But after that, we haven‘t. Like 3 Idiots – which we acquired exclusively.
    The window between theatrical release and TV premiere has shortened. But a movie channel gets the movie after it airs on the general entertainment channel. Is there a return on investment?
    If not, why will Colors launch a movie channel? And let me tell you, I can‘t talk about the other movie channels, but Max is a very successful channel. Not just from the ratings point of few, but as a business it is extremely successful.

    And as you rightly said, the big premiere happens on a general entertainment channel simply because the effective rates on a GEC are far higher than a movie channel. But there is a model there which works, and that‘s why everyone is doing it.

    In other words, we recover what we invest.

    But Zee Cinema is not investing heavily on acquisitions and rates higher than Max. So is it not a more effective business channel?
    They do buy, maybe not as much as Star or Sony or Colors, but it is because their business model is different.
     

    And talking about Sony, even before we launched Max, our brand promise was that we are known for our blockbusters. Our strategies

    are different. I wouldn‘t say theirs is more effective or ours is.

    And if you see the last five years, Max has been leading more than them. Obviously our strategy is also working.

    Also don‘t forget that Zee Cinema has got a first mover advantage. It‘s a far older channel. People are used to it and in the Hindi heartland they have a huge following.
  • Max to up store count to 56 by March 2011

    Max to up store count to 56 by March 2011

    BANGALORE: Dubai-based Landmark Group’s value fashion retail brand Max plans to increase the number of stores in the country from the current 38 to around 50-56 by the end of March 2011. This was revealed by Max executive director Vasanth Kumar during the launch of the 37th and 38th store in Bangalore.

    “Next Friday, we open an outlet in Cochin. Till the end of March, we’ll be opening a store almost every 10 days,” informed Kumar. The chain has witnessed year on year growth of around 35 per cent over the last three years.

    The Landmark uses radio strategically for its Max brand of stores- during store launches in any city. It uses ‘bursts of advertisements’ on any of the top three radio stations based on listenership numbers, to create awareness about its presence in a locality. It uses the print media and outdoor billboards within a five kilometer radius of the new store. Besides mass media communication bursts during launches, it also holds local events with a social cause and/or invites the common people to see celebrities in the new store.

    It spends around 3-4 per cent of its revenues towards marketing, brand building and mass media communications.

     

     

  • ‘GEC space will see turmoil this year’ : Rohit Gupta – MSM president (network sales, licensing & telephony)

    ‘GEC space will see turmoil this year’ : Rohit Gupta – MSM president (network sales, licensing & telephony)

    2 009 is expected to be a rough year for all in media. Television is no exception. With the stockmarket collapsing and balance sheets getting battered, advertisers have become cautious and the current quarter is expected to be extremely choppy. Multi Screen Media president (network sales, licensing & telephony) Rohit Gupta concedes that clients are consistently assessing the environment and signing quarterly deals as against the annual ones earlier. He, however, is confident that Sony Entertainment will ride through the stormy times on account of the strength of its network.

     

    Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto caught up with Gupta to find out about what lies ahead, the mood in the market, the importance of tentpole properties etc.

     

    Excerpts:

    How was 2008 for Sony in terms of revenues? What growth was managed over 2007?
    It was a successful year for us. All our channels grew their revenue. Some by 25 per cent, others grew in the range of 10-15 per cent. The other success story was the IPL. We created benchmark rates for Indian cricket before the event had even started.

    This year is expected to be challenging with the recession. What impact will this have on Sony and the television industry?
    As we move forward this year will present challenges. The key one is the meltdown. A client would cut marketing spends but television as a genre will still grow. We believe that television is the cheapest form of advertising in terms of the reach it delivers. TV gives you the best RoI and this is what clients focus on during a slowdown.

     

    Print and outdoor will take a larger hit but television will still grow. A recent report projected a 10 per cent growth which is fair. TV has been growing at 18 per cent over the last few years. While that will not happen this year, there will still be growth.

    For the IPL what is the upside being looked at this time around?
    We have established rates that are in line with what we had decided upon earlier. IPL will be a bigger property this year.

     

    Everybody including the franchisees have more time to prepare. Last time we just had 45 days to prepare. This year the hype will start after the auction ends. We will hold a meeting with the franchisees after 6 February to decide on the course of action to take. Also at the point of time there is no other major property on television.

    So you are confident on the financial performance of Sony for the IPL despite the slowdown?
    Yes! What happens during a slowdown is that the clients’ ability to take risks decreases. IPL is a proven property. There is no risk in being associated with it. People will put money on ‘sure’ properties. The IPL is one of them. Last time the IPL had an 80 per cent reach on Max.

    Have deals been closed?
    Yes! However I cannot divulge any details. Some deals are for both the IPL and the New Zealand series that comes before it. We do not have category exclusivity this time around for spot buys.

     

    This allows us to access more brands. Last time the IPL was not tested. Exclusivity was an incentive that we had to concede. By not giving exclusivity we will ensure that multiple brands can co-exist.

    But won’t it be a challenge to get many brands on-board in a difficult climate?
    You have to understand that cricket’s cost rating per rating point (CPRPs) are still holding up. The reach of the channel is key. Max does not have this issue. So we are confident of getting the desired rates.

     

    I don’t think that the rates are a problem. The challenge will lie in the outlay that a client puts on IPL. So this time around we will have smaller packages. The number of clients taking spot buys will go up. One does not have to buy all 59 games. A company can buy for ten games at a stretch. There is flexibility.
    Has the revenue split within the group changed over the last couple of years?
    I cannot give any numbers. However our dependence on the large channels is not that high. AXN and Pix are growing substantially. Max is now a very big channel in our network.

    What is the clients mood like in general?
    They are more cautious. They are adopting a quarter by quarter approach. They are not signing large deals for a year which used to be the case. For this quarter ending March, clients are being extra cautious. Companies want to show better results with this being the last quarter. So it will be tough.

     

    The key is to have tentpole properties that can be sold. You need to have a distinctive niche in the market. Clients want more accountability. As a broadcaster you need to be responsive and understand clients’ needs. You have to make sure that the client gets value back. Everything is not necessarily about a rate. The question lies in the effectiveness of the media buy.

    Apart from IPL what are the other tentpole properties coming up for the group?
    In March we are launching Operation Dikhla Jaye on Sony. This will be a directors cut where four of Bollywood’s top directors will produce shows for us. It will be a 13 week initiative and will be the first time that anybody has tried it in India. These are one hour shows. We have roped in directors like Madhur Bhandarkar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Vikram Bhatt. Then the IPL starts. Post that we will have re-launches of our big shows.

    In the GEC space are the new arrivals having any impact? Is the ad pie growing or merely getting sliced further?
    There has been growth overall. But this year since growth will be restricted there will be some slicing of the pie. The GEC space will see turmoil this year. New players will come in and others will go away. GEC costs are huge and it is a question of who will survive. The like of Star, Sony, Zee will always be around come what may.

     

    New channels will come. They may be on top for a while but the fact is that nobody is on top all the time. Clients also look at networks as opposed to channels per se. They want networks which are strong enough to withstand pressure. They want networks that have the sustaining power to ride over the tough times. Besides that you need big properties which ensure that clients look at you differently.

     

    Each of our channels is in the top four in their respective genre. Sab is number one in the second level GEC tier. Sony has managed to hold on to its share more or less. Other channels have experienced a bigger fall in the GEC space. We may not have many channels but what we have done is to focus on building them.

    How has Sony built up its client relationship management efforts over the years?
    Our focus has always been on giving value back to the client. We were the first to start a client servicing team four years ago. Then other channels started doing this. We work closely with brands to integrate them into our properties. This is how we add value that goes beyond just 10 second spots. Therefore even though there are days when ratings have not been what they should be the clients have supported us. The relationship with clients makes a big difference in terms of your ability to raise rates.

    Which categories will be affected in terms of TV advertising due to the slowdown?
    If you look at it the categories most affected by the meltdown which are real estate and retail these are not big on television. Finance was not as big on television compared with other mediums. Auto companies are shifting budgets from print to television.

    Coming back to the cricket front the New Zealand tour is the first time that Sony will air bilateral cricket. How is this event being positioned for viewers and clients?
    This is a full blown tour. India has not visited New Zealand since 2002. We lost very badly then and so this is a big challenge. There will be anticipation. In fact this is the Indian team’s biggest challenge after playing Australia twice recently.

    But isn’t the timing an issue as the telecast of the matches is very early in the morning?
    The timings are good for the T20 Games which start at 11 in the morning. The ODIs start at around 6:30 in the morning. Test matches start earlier but they are not a big revenue contributor compared with the other two formats.
    How many sponsors are being looked at?
    We have clients who are interested in both the New Zealand series and IPL. That would give them visibility from Feb till June. So we are doing special deals for them. Generally we look at six to eight sponsors.
    Are you also looking at doing long term deals with clients for IPL?
    No! We believe that the IPL which is a big opportunity is better served through yearly deals. You have the option to re-look at things.
    IPL broadened the viewer base. Has the client base also grown for cricket as a result?
    Yes! Godrej an FMCG company came on board. They do not associate themselves with cricket. Max New York Life came on board. It worked well for them. It was not the traditional clients that came on board. This year also you can expect to see some surprise companies coming on board. IPL after all changed the way TV viewership happens. It is not just the male TG that tunes in.
    Will the IPL be simulcast?
    No! It will only be on Max. We did that with the Cricket World Cup in 2007 where some matches also aired on Sab. However viewership got disrupted and the channel loses share. Then it is difficult to get viewers back.

    When HBO left there was a gap created. Is Pix now starting to fill this gap?
    Pix has made a lot of progress over the last couple of years. Pix started when there were already established players. Now it is competing. In some weeks it beats HBO. Advertisers have followed this. Pix is making investments in terms of acquisitions. The aim over the next couple of years is that in terms of ad revenues it can reach the level of HBO and Star Movies.

     

    It is pitched as a premium movie channel. It delivers in the 25+ SEC A, B category which is what a lot of marketers target. All the large brands are on it.

    How come Pix decided to air soccer with the FA Cup?
    The audience for it is similar. It is SEC A,B. We decided to offer viewers something new and extra. Matches air on the weekends and so the movie schedule is not disrupted.
    The other two major distribution bouquets have two English movie channels – a mass one and a niche one. Isn’t Sony at a disadvantage here with just one channel that does not have the latest offerings?
    It does not affect the advertising side. Channels like MGM (which is in the Star Den bouquet) do not carry ads anyway and it is dependent more on a subscription kind of revenue stream.
    What is the roadmap forward for AXN?
    AXN is doing well and has been growing at 25 per cent CAGR. You will continue to see local content. You will shortly see the AXN Action Awards. Each year you will have three shows produced in India.
    Does cost control become important in this environment though?
    This is an area we always look at. It is something that we are always conscious of and it is not as if this area has suddenly assumed importance. For us it is business as usual. One has to see the returns more carefully though.
    On the licensing front how has business grown over the past year?
    This was small four years back. However we participate more actively in trade fairs like Mipcom and we showcase more content in the form of formats there. Our shows are sold in European markets, the US. We took all our formats to Mipcom. along with other shows like Filmfare, Stardust Awards. The other aspect is the Hindi movie licensing business. We syndicate them wherever we have rights.
    Finally we are seeing channels advertise on rivals. What is Sony’s policy?
    We do not advertise on competitors nor do we accept ads from them. We accept ads from kids channels, news channels as we do not operate in that space. But you will never see us air ads from a movie channel belonging to a rival network. We are not desperate for revenue.

  • Sony reaps benefits of innovation concerted effort

    Sony reaps IPL rewards for innovation, concerted effort
     

    The Indian Premier League‘s success has exceeded everybody‘s expectations, including that of broadcast rights holder MSM India‘s Max channel.

    While no one will argue against the fact that the kind of success IPL‘s inaugural edition has enjoyed could never have been anticipated, even by the most die-hard optimist, due credit must be given to the broadcaster on two fronts – innovation and a concerted marketing effort.

    Logistical challenges: Max business head Sneha Rajani notes the IPL was an innovative format to begin with. So everything done was innovative by default. “At the same time, though we needed to do a lot of things in two months, we sat together with the team owners to put it all together.

    “It was a day and night task. It was logistically more difficult that the World Cup. Mind you for the 2007 World Cup we had two years to plan things. The IPL had more crowds, more flight movements and more equipment – all of which had to be dealt with. I feel that it is a miracle that everything went off so smoothly.”

    Innovation: After five years of success with its wrap around show Extraaa Innings, Max decided to completely revamp it. “We wanted to refresh it and turn it on its head. We did not want to continue with the same format. It became a one hour show. We went from a remote central studio to a studio that was based on the ground closer to the action.”

    It also introduced young faces as anchors. 600 people were auditioned. Rajani explains that the aim was to have faces that the youth could relate with. “Mandira Bedi is an icon, a superstar. It is difficult for the youth to relate to her. So while the auditions made life more difficult for us we were determined to do it. We went with fresh young male faces.

    “We needed multiple anchors to be the main presenters in the studio and the roving reporters on the ground. We found the six anchors and the format was tweaked to make it crisper. We even conceived a song for Extraaa Innings Karo Ya Maro.”

    She asserts that after the channel introduced Mandira Bedi five years back, many channels started to copy the formula. “The best form of flattery is imitation. As we are leaders, we then decided to turn it on its head for the IPL. Nobody anticipated that we would go with youthful guys.”

    Astute marketing: Sony president network sales, licensing and telephony Rohit Gupta says that one of the main reasons for the IPL‘s success was the marketing effort that was done by all the parties involved. “The activities began well before the event kicked off. Different people marketed different properties. This generated huge interest among the media. As a result people sampled it. They stayed on thereafter as great cricket was on offer.”

    Rajani adds that at the start the broadcaster sat down with the franchisees to set up a blueprint in terms of who would be doing which activities and at what period of time. At the start the IPL did its campaign. This was followed by campaigns by the different team owners. Finally Max did its own marketing in the four-week lead up to the event.

    “A chart was drawn out as to who would be doing what and at what stage. The timelines were met. The IPL‘s campaign Cricket ka Karamyud was distinct. The owners had concepts reflecting their personalities. Preiti‘s for instance, had a North Indian Punjabi feel.”

    Max‘s IPL campaign slogan was Manoranjan kA Baap. Rajani explains that last year, when Max had made a presentation to the BCCI, they wanted to position the event as the greatest spectacle there is as far as cricket is concerned. The channel‘s team stuck to that positioning throughout. “We knew that the campaign had to stand out. We gave the campaign a 70‘s movie feel with a lot of melodrama. This was key as we were competing with the soaps and serials bang on. Our message was that the IPL was something that would break the shackles of the soaps and movies, which have been ruling the roost.

    “The feedback to our campaign stunned us. People understood what we were trying to say. Our message was that IPL is a quick fix reality show. It takes the same time as a film to complete.”

    Less is more: What is interesting is that Max did just one major interactive initiative for the IPL. This was in association with Godrej and through SMS one could win a fully furnished flat worth Rs 10 million. The aim was not to have a cluttered environment. Also the three-hour duration of a match does not give one too much time to do things.

    The Ad Scene: There was scepticism prior to the event that the cricket would not be serious. The fear was that huge money would dilute the game. All that though was hogwash and high quality cricket won in the end. “The T20 format is powerful. Ratings were above 7 among males 15+. This is what cricket advertisers target,” explains Gupta.

    On the revenue front, Gupta notes that Sony expects to at least be on the break-even point once final calculations are done. Earlier, the expectation was that there would be a shortfall of around $ 4 million in the first year. However, since the response was huge, the channel was able to scale up rates for the 200 seconds that it had in the bank for each match. “For the semi finals and final we sold at Rs 8-10 lakhs per 10 seconds. We have set a benchmark pricing for the second season,” asserts Gupta.

    The pricing for season two will be aggressive. In fact Sony is looking to do deals by mid-July. This would give the sponsors eight to nine months to plan activities. “Our existing clients are keen to return. We want to give brands enough time to get their act together so that they get full value from it,” says Gupta.

    Plans going forward: In terms of the rub off effect, Gupta notes that the IPL has given the broadcaster a good platform to launch Dus kA Dum. “We were able to promote our big shows well. Something similar happened in 2003 post the World Cup.”

    And what is life like for Max, now that it has returned to being a movie channel? Rajani explains that on 2 July, the day after the IPL finished, the channel started a film initiative Great Pictures Lagaataar (GPL). This is a festival of blockbusters that air from Monday to Friday at 8 pm. Max will also premier films this month like No Smoking and Gandhi My Father.

    In terms of the IPL the plan is to do activities with the franchises to keep the brand alive. In a few weeks time Max will sit down with the franchises and discuss initiatives that could be done. This could include specials on the teams, focus on key players etc. There would also be a retrospective on the first season. “People will not sit and wait for the next event that happens next year,” notes Rajani.

  • ‘With IPL you have the power of 10’ : Kunal Dasgupta – Set India CEO

    ‘With IPL you have the power of 10’ : Kunal Dasgupta – Set India CEO

    The Indian Premier League (IPL) has got off to a solid start. The ratings have been positive and crowds have thronged the stadiums. For Sony the IPL marks their return to cricket. Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta offers Thomas Abraham and Ashwin Pinto his views on what he expects IPL to do for the game, telecast channel Max, as well as the importance of sustaining the brand.

    Excerpts:

    As a broadcaster what do you expect?
    T20 is a made for television format. When India played a T20 match against Australia at the Wankhede stadium, ratings touched 20. I am looking for a rating of 4 or 5, which is possible, given that ICL, which has retired players, got 2.5. This is a good base for us to take off from.

    The format will mean that besides country against country, one will also view it as being team versus team. This is what exists in other sports like soccer, hockey, and baseball.

    IPL is being pushed as being the ultimate in reality television. In that case how do you get that competitive environment?
    The prize money (Rs 48 million goes to the winner) will ensure this. This is much more than you get for playing for the country and so the players will go all out. The matches will be hard fought. Here all the teams are evenly balanced and so you do not know the result. It will be unpredictable and matches will go down the wire. All teams have a good mix of batsmen, bowlers and youth.

    What are you hoping for in the first year as the telecast partner?
    Ideally I would want the IPL to be a successful brand that has a long term play. After June, I will continue to do promotions to keep the team brands alive. This was one of the conditions on which we bid.

    We will do shows around the IPL. You could see teams (franchises) practicing and discussing strategies for the next season.
    ‘The trick for us is not getting ratings for the first season. The challenge is to sustain the excitement after that‘

    But wouldn’t an ideal situation be for a franchise to build a brand without the big names who might be on national duty?
    This might happen. Apart from April-May, you cannot have another period where all the stars are available. What will happen is that once the league is built the new players who are playing will become the core. You can then have matches in different parts of the world to popularise the game there using these new players.

    The trick for us is not getting ratings for the first season. This will happen as a matter of course because of the way the IPL has been hyped. The challenge is to sustain the excitement after that and it is here where we will have to take a leaf out of the book of the EPL. Teams have marketed themselves and have thus become iconic brands.

     

    So Mallya for instance, will use the Royal Challenger brand name to go out there and create opportunities for exhibition matches. They can do charity work in Bangalore and build a fan base. Each franchise will have its own website where clips will be available. They can create merchandise.

    Sony will pitch in through magazine shows. Otherwise it will just be a flash in the pan. As we come closer to the next season you will see transfers and there will be speculation.

    New heroes will be born. It is possible that the likes of current heroes like Glenn McGrath, Kumble, and Saurav will not play beyond two seasons. Once that happens, then the brand will live outside the big names.

    One of the aims is to broaden the viewer base is to get in more children, women, But for that you have to create marketing that speaks to those demographics. What is Sony planning?
    One of the major attractions will be the presence of big Bollywood stars. Akshay Kumar will perform for Delhi. SRK will perform for Kolkata You will see proper Bollywood entertainment.

    We have even tweaked the timings of some of the matches to accommodate our entertainment specials. One match was supposed to start at 4 pm but we have pushed it back to 5:30 pm. We will even have stand up comedy for Extraaa Innings. On air we have gone in for fresh faces. We did not want Mandira (Bedi) for this. She is more suited for ODI cricket. I want 20-year-olds in T20. We also did not want Kapil Dev, Gavaskar. We wanted anchors who represent today’s kids. With the ICC World Cup we broke the mould and brought in females. Now we are breaking the mould back

    What is the distribution upside from IPL?
    This is a question mark. We are supposed to have a dip but we will retain the same level. There is no minimum guarantee now. Had Ten Sports still been present it would have been difficult to determine the value of IPL. Our team is happy as they are closing deals for the year and it is one of the distribution cornerstones.

    At $ 59 million in Year 1 and an average of $ 61 million over five years, IPL was literally sold at floor price. Wasn’t that a great deal?
    It was. Most of the payout ($ 612 million) is from the next five years. ESPN’s bid was $150 million for the first five years. They had put in conditions that the top players should be there. We did not put in any conditions.

    Anyway, the way it has turned out, all the top players are taking part.
  • “With IPL you have the power of 10”

    “With IPL you have the power of 10”

    It’s the festival of lights. And for many the festival of noise courtesy exploding fireworks. In the hope of reducing the number of those belonging to the latter tribe, we, at indiantelevision.com, decided to put a display of firecracker articles for visitors this Diwali. We have had many top journalists reporting, analysing, over the many years of indiantelevision.com’s existence. The articles we are presenting are representative of some of the best writing on the business of cable and satellite television and media for which we have gained renown. Read on to get a flavour and taste of indiantelevision.com over the years from some of its finest writers. And have a happy and safe Diwali!

    Written By Thomas Abraham

     

    Posted on 28 April 2008

     

    The Indian Premier League (IPL) has got off to a solid start. The ratings have been positive and crowds have thronged the stadiums. For Sony the IPL marks their return to cricket. Set India CEO Kunal Dasgupta offers Thomas Abraham and Ashwin Pinto his views on what he expects IPL to do for the game, telecast channel Max, as well as the importance of sustaining the brand. Excerpts:

     

    As a broadcaster what do you expect?
    T20 is a made for television format. When India played a T20 match against Australia at the Wankhede stadium, ratings touched 20. I am looking for a rating of 4 or 5, which is possible, given that ICL, which has retired players, got 2.5. This is a good base for us to take off from.

     

    The format will mean that besides country against country, one will also view it as being team versus team. This is what exists in other sports like soccer, hockey, and baseball.

     

    IPL is being pushed as being the ultimate in reality television. In that case how do you get that competitive environment?
    The prize money (Rs 48 million goes to the winner) will ensure this. This is much more than you get for playing for the country and so the players will go all out. The matches will be hard fought. Here all the teams are evenly balanced and so you do not know the result. It will be unpredictable and matches will go down the wire. All teams have a good mix of batsmen, bowlers and youth.

     

    What are you hoping for in the first year as the telecast partner?
    Ideally I would want the IPL to be a successful brand that has a long term play. After June, I will continue to do promotions to keep the team brands alive. This was one of the conditions on which we bid.

     

    We will do shows around the IPL. You could see teams (franchises) practicing and discussing strategies for the next season.

     

    ‘The trick for us is not getting ratings for the first season. The challenge is to sustain the excitement after that’

     
    But wouldn’t an ideal situation be for a franchise to build a brand without the big names who might be on national duty?
    This might happen. Apart from April-May, you cannot have another period where all the stars are available. What will happen is that once the league is built the new players who are playing will become the core. You can then have matches in different parts of the world to popularise the game there using these new players.

     

    The trick for us is not getting ratings for the first season. This will happen as a matter of course because of the way the IPL has been hyped. The challenge is to sustain the excitement after that and it is here where we will have to take a leaf out of the book of the EPL. Teams have marketed themselves and have thus become iconic brands.

     

    So Mallya for instance, will use the Royal Challenger brand name to go out there and create opportunities for exhibition matches. They can do charity work in Bangalore and build a fan base. Each franchise will have its own website where clips will be available. They can create merchandise.

     

    Sony will pitch in through magazine shows. Otherwise it will just be a flash in the pan. As we come closer to the next season you will see transfers and there will be speculation.

     

    New heroes will be born. It is possible that the likes of current heroes like Glenn McGrath, Kumble, and Saurav will not play beyond two seasons. Once that happens, then the brand will live outside the big names.

     

    One of the aims is to broaden the viewer base is to get in more children, women, But for that you have to create marketing that speaks to those demographics. What is Sony planning?
    One of the major attractions will be the presence of big Bollywood stars. Akshay Kumar will perform for Delhi. SRK will perform for Kolkata You will see proper Bollywood entertainment.

     

    We have even tweaked the timings of some of the matches to accommodate our entertainment specials. One match was supposed to start at 4 pm but we have pushed it back to 5:30 pm. We will even have stand up comedy for Extraaa Innings. On air we have gone in for fresh faces. We did not want Mandira (Bedi) for this. She is more suited for ODI cricket. I want 20-year-olds in T20. We also did not want Kapil Dev, Gavaskar. We wanted anchors who represent today’s kids. With the ICC World Cup we broke the mould and brought in females. Now we are breaking the mould back

     

    What is the distribution upside from IPL?
    This is a question mark. We are supposed to have a dip but we will retain the same level. There is no minimum guarantee now. Had Ten Sports still been present it would have been difficult to determine the value of IPL. Our team is happy as they are closing deals for the year and it is one of the distribution cornerstones.

     

    At $ 59 million in Year 1 and an average of $ 61 million over five years, IPL was literally sold at floor price. Wasn’t that a great deal?
    It was. Most of the payout ($ 612 million) is from the next five years. ESPN’s bid was $150 million for the first five years. They had put in conditions that the top players should be there. We did not put in any conditions.

     

    Anyway, the way it has turned out, all the top players are taking part.

  • ‘We don’t need to change anything drastically. All we have to do is perfect our existing properties’ : Shailesh Kapoor – Filmy business head

    ‘We don’t need to change anything drastically. All we have to do is perfect our existing properties’ : Shailesh Kapoor – Filmy business head

    Filmy, the one and a half year old Hindi movie channel from the Sahara Group, has experimented with a varied mix of movies and shows to make a mark against established channels like Zee Cinema, Max and Star Gold. From spoofs to chat shows, Filmy is now set to foray into the reality genre with Bathroom Singer. To extend the Filmy brand even further, the channel has taken the acquisition route to bring the ‘Rajnikanth’ fever onto the channel.

     

    Shailesh Kapoor who was recently promoted to the position of business head, speaks to Indiantelevision.com’s Richa Dubey in an exclusive chat revealing the channel’s growth chart and its plans for the future.

     

    Excerpts:

    After the initial impact, is Filmy’s growth slowing down?
    The channel has done pretty well since we launched in February 2006. Our foundation has been built in a short span of time and the perception of our brand has become strong with our constant growth. We have been noticed by viewers as well advertisers and have been taken seriously. I think most of the channels which were launched in last three to four years have not been able to do that.
    But haven’t your GRPs dropped sharply?
    Though we had a slump in the period between April-June, our GRPs for the last three weeks have seen a rise. Tam expanded its coverage areas in January and older, popular channels have gained.

    Is there pressure to modify your strategy?
    We don’t need to change anything drastically. All we have to do is perfect our existing properties. We have already started taking a few giant steps like acquiring bigger films and latest hits. In fact, the acquisition of a few more big films are in pipeline. We also have old films which means there is more variety in our library.

     

    Additionally, we have also acquired hits from the Southern region including a few Raknikanth starrer films. We have planned a special Rajnikanth Festival in August.

    You also have shown Ganga. Are we going to see more Bhojpuri films?
    Our key focus is not Bhojpuri films. But being a movie channel we did find it right to explore the Bhojpuri segment because of its popularity. But we are not restricted to it.

     

    Secondly, Kaun Banega Champu was taken off the channel for a seasonal break and there was nothing big at the time as we were planning our present and future shows. In this context, this gave us good visibility as Ganga was a good success.

     

    If a film as big as Ganga comes, then we will acquire it. In fact post September we are planning to introduce a fortnightly slot for Bhojpuri films. But we are essentially a Bollywood channel and even in acquiring Bhojpuri films we have to be careful.

    Will this help in improving your channel share?
    Last week we had a relative share of 11. But most of our bigger properties are unfolding now. We have a slew of new films which will be telecast. We will have one premiere every month. And this, in turn, will help our distribution.

    Has Filmy sorted out its distribution problems?
    Our distribution has increased in the small towns and now it has gone up 70 to 75 per cent across SEC B and C. We are being viewed in a lot more towns where we were not previously available. So our relative share should rise further in the next few months. And we are going to promote our properties in a bigger way.

    How are you planning to push your upcoming properties?
    Previously all our activities were channel specific. As we were new, we promoted the channel as a whole. But now we are established enough to promote individual properties. Each of our properties have a specific audience base and keeping that in mind, we promote our properties. We use research, whether it be for movies or shows.

     

    Our marketing efforts also depend on the property we are promoting. Guru was promoted at face value. All we did was highlight the fact that it is one of the biggest films of the year and the Aishwarya-Abhishek duo are in the movie.

    Isn’t it more difficult when you are promoting a show like say Bathroom Singer which you are launching on 26 August?
    We have planned promotional activities across the various stages and have, in fact, kicked off the campaign as auditions are currently going on. The launch campaign of the show will start in August. Anything that is ordinary will obviously not be noticed. So our promotions will be completely fresh. However, they will all be property centric. Compared to other movie channels we have the advantage of airing shows. These are a lot easier to promote than films.
    ‘In the first year, the key parameter was how the property worked for the Filmy brand. But from Bathroom Singer onwards, ratings will be the parameter‘

    With channels already cluttered by music talent hunt shows, why bring in the concept of Bathroom Singer?
    The tone and treatment of Bathroom Singer has a different angle. As the name suggests, it is completely Filmy and not glamorous. Though it is coupled with a lot of emotions and drama, it is not stressful like other music talent hunt shows. One thing that worked for us is that it has no age barriers and it has opened up the flood gates to participation.

     

    In the first round of auditions, we received five times the crowd we expected. There was even an 80-year-old man who was selected for the second round. We got to see amazing talent from people who could sing in reverse, in multiple languages and in various voices. All this is possible because we are not looking for a trained voice. It is like a packaged deal. The originality of the content will come from its treatment. We have our fingers crossed and wish to get good results.

    How do you slot programmes on the channel?
    We showcase three movies a day and rest of our programming consists of shows like Meri Bhains ko anda kyun Mara, Rokky’s 99, Aaj ke Filmy Khabar. Bathroom Singer has been positioned as a weekly on Sunday primetime. We have also introduced a Sunday 10 am to 2 pm slot for kids where we are airing animated TV series like The Jungle Book. Based on the responses, we will show more properties that are unexposed in the Indian market. Our focus, though, is on Sunday primetime which is important for us.

    Can you identify the properties that have stood out for the channel and which were the underperformers?
    In the first year, the key parameter was based on how the property worked for the Filmy brand. But from Bathroom Singer onwards, ratings will be the parameter.

     

    As for shows that have done well for us, Kaun Banega Champu got us ratings. Lallan has been a successful character. Though Rokky was not popular initially, we gave it the right platform and this was supported by good creative content.

     

    There were some things that didn’t work for us. Our short film festival didn’t do well because it was very niche. Lal Gulab and Ruchi Reporter also did not go down well, so we discontinued it.

    What about Filmy Stock Exchange?
    Filmy stock exchange is an online property and was very successful. TV viewers are not familiar with it, so we are still evaluating whether to get it on TV or not. We might get somebody from the internet business to partner with us for this.

    Have advertisers been difficult to get with low GRPs?
    Advertisers come for three reasons. First they come for TRPs, secondly for good properties and thirdly for the brand image that the channel carries. Tam data reveals that our audience profile is different and advertisers targeting them will come to us. We have been doing well in metros. Although Filmy has a mass appeal as a Hindi movie channel, it has the attitude of being a youth channel. The youth are our loyal viewers.
    How would you evaluate the last year in terms of return on investments?
    Our revenues have been increasing month after month. We have kept our costs under control. We, in fact, have reached a break even status and and hope to do even better in the second year.
  • Sony to offer interactive feed for World Cup in DTH, Cas homes

    Sony to offer interactive feed for World Cup in DTH, Cas homes

    MUMBAI: With the World Cup scheduled to kick off later this month, Sony is ready with a few plans up its sleeve. One of these involves adding a value added feed for direct-to-home (DTH) and Cas (conditional access system) subscribers.

    Addressing a media briefing this afternoon Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India CEO Kunal Dasgupta says that the channel is looking at having two angles – stumps and mid wicket. They are also looking at making this interactive feed available in Cas homes. “The coverage from different camera angles will help DTH. We are also in talks with multi-system operators (MSOs) to offer this to their set-top box subscribers,” Dasgupta adds.

    SET India has sold out its entire inventory for the World Cup and expects an all-time high audience for the big event with the matches favourably positioned for prime time viewing in India. The company had earlier indicated that it was targeting Rs 5 billion in ad revenues from the ICC Championship and World Cup.

    The matches will not be shown on flagship Hindi general entertainment channel Sony TV (they will be telecast on Max, Sab and Pix) as the cricket telecast will disrupt viewing of its tradional programming content. Instead, the movie list on the Sony channel will be enhanced during the World Cup.

    “We are in the process of rebuilding Sony TV which has slipped from its number two position. When we put up matches on the channel in the last World Cup, we suffered. We won’t make that mistake this time. We are getting Indian Idol back and in the coming three to four months we will be coming out with new shows that we are confident will see the channel move up,” says Dasgupta.

    Sab TV, which Sony acquired to have a two-channel strategy in the general entertainment space, will be relaunched after the World Cup.

    In terms of viewership, Dasgupta says that the number of C&S homes have more than doubled from 32 million when the previous World Cup took place in 2003 in South Africa. DTH platforms will also give a boost. “There is a strong lead in which was not the case in South Africa where matches started at 2:30 in the afternoon.”

    He adds that this time there will be a lot of out of home viewing as the match starts at 7 pm. Already 70 organisations have asked Sony for permission to air matches during parties. “Places like Goa will have a carnival atmosphere. The trend will be for people to watch matches till late in the night. The World Cup will really kick off from 23 March when India plays Sri Lanka.”

    Dasgupta, however, was critical of the high acquisition cost for cricket properties. “As a standalone, it is a loss leader in the portfolio. You take it to boost other areas of the network like distribution and weaker properties.”

    In terms of ad revenue Sony recently came out with a 12 match package for spots. This involves the India games, the semi finals and the final. The other spots package it offers to advertisers is for the final 27 matches.

    Doordarshan will get to telecast 19 (including the India contests, semi-finals and final) out of the 51 World Cup matches.

  • ‘The focus for Nick in 2007 is to drive reach’ : Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Nick India vice president & general manager

    ‘The focus for Nick in 2007 is to drive reach’ : Nina Elavia Jaipuria – Nick India vice president & general manager

    While Viacom’s smallest wonder, Nick India wants to be synonymous with fun and laughter, the network seems to have found the perfect fit in Nina Jaipura as a head for the channel. With ‘all smiles’ Jaipuria epitomizes the values that the channel stands for and bursts into sudden bouts of laughter as she describes her favourite shows on the channel like Bakkom, the funny bear, which she gladly advices her team to watch (even at work) to de-stress. Although, the channel entered the Indian terrain in 2000, there has been a singular lack of activity, but better late than never, the Nick team seems to have finally got their act together. In a free flowing conversation with Indiantelevsion.com’s Renelle Snelleksz, Jaipuria outlines the game plan for Nick in India, and the efforts to sprint ahead in 2007.

    Excerpts:

    On recently assuming the position to spearhead operations at Nick, what strategy have you outlined to up its presence in India this year?
    During the latter half of 2006, we made several programming and grid changes as well as modified content strategy to get our content right. We also made inroads into distribution and we are now No. 2 in distribution with about 42 per cent C&S connectivity in the country today. Following this we doubled our time spent by 110 minutes, similarly the market share of Nick also doubled from 6 to 12 per cent over 2006. Once all this fell into place we got a ‘sticky’ audience.

    Having said that, the focus for 2007 is to drive reach for the channel because just having a sticky audience is not good enough, you need to increase the ratings. We will use this year to establish our brand and characters. Basically, it is a year for consolidation since we now have the content right and with distribution and promotion in place, now it’s about driving reach.

    How does the channel plan to implement awareness building initiatives?
    The way we want to do this is through a 360 degree marketing approach and while we have our on-air presence and promotion we are also going to step outside the channel as well.

    In fact, we started our marketing activities last year with the ‘Masti Dosti’ contest and the marketing campaign we did around it. It was about consolidating all the pieces and putting it together for the kids, so while we did school contact programmes, we also did cross channel promotions and even painted school buses with Nick themes. In addition, we did a lot of meet and greet sessions for kids, because it involves getting kids to learn about the characters. We are planning to continue to extensively use school contact programmes with our brand ambassadors SpongeBob and Patrick. In fact, we are also looking at bring Dora from Dora The Explora to India this year for our pre-schoolers.

    By taking these characters into malls, multiplexes and getting them to run alongside kids during the Mumbai Marathon we wanted to give them a touch and feel experience as well as sample shows on the channel. That’s how we intend to look at Nick in the way forward.

    You will also see us across many other channels where kids are viewing other shows. We will have syndicated blocks and Nick advertising on Sony, Max, Zee and Zee Cinema. In addition, we are also into regional channels like an ETV Marathi or Zee Bangla. We are reaching out to kids through various means, as you have to touch them at their touch points.

    In the kid’s television space how will Nick differentiate itself from growing competition?
    As a channel we stand apart from the rest and what differentiates us is that everything on our channel today is something that is going to make you laugh. We are a comedy destination and this is the stand we want to take forward.

    The laughter quotient actually operates as a brand filter for all content that goes on our channel. The second aspect of our content is that it has to be appropriate in terms of being absolutely safe and completely non-violent. Therefore it goes through the gatekeeper, which is the mother and we have her trust as well. The content is also universal in terms of gender and is age appropriate catering to kids in the entire 4-14 age group.

    Apart from this, we do have a message for younger kids as well, with the Nick Jr. block which is a mix of education and entertainment. It’s about edutainment where you learn while you play and in which every story has a moral.

    Nick has been a leader in international markets especially US and UK. However, it hasn’t been able to deliver the same results in India despite its launch in 2000. Why so?
    Well it’s all about timing. The focus of the network is now on Nick which was not there earlier. We now have a core structure which is aligned to the business objectives of the channel. In fact we already saw it happening in the last quarter of 2006 and we will see more activity this year.

    We will continue to create a loyal audience and keep delivering on content that has been adopted globally, which has placed us in the first and second position in most countries.

    Why are Indian kids not yet hooked onto Nick, despite its seven year existence in India? Is it that they cannot relate to the content?
    It’s not about kids not liking the content on Nick, but more about kids not sampling the content on the channel because it’s not been out there for them. Once we spread awareness, we will get kids hooked as the content will speak for itself.
    ‘It’s about how much we can do and how fast we can do it.‘

    Nickelodeon recently unveiled a virtual community playground ‘Nicktropolis’ – What about an interactive website for the channel in India?
    We are also looking at launching a grand website for ourselves as what you see today is a very small portion of it. It will be very comprehensive, telling kids about the initiatives at Nick, it will have all the shows and characters and of course it will host several contests and games. It will give kids a chance to interact and play around with these characters.

    In today’s digital environment, is there effectiveness in reaching out to kids via the mobile phone?
    I think this is a metro specific phenomena, as most kids have access to their parents’ phones, so its still too early to say now, but it will definitely grow. Therefore, all our websites have a mobile SMS function for contests and activities. Once we believe that kids have direct access to this medium we will get onto downloads, ring tones and wall papers. We have already started with digital based products with the SpongeBob PC game.

    Can we expect to see an expansion on the merchandise front?
    We tied up with Bombay Dyeing for bed linen, a SpongeBob PC game has been developed and is available at Planet M, Dora the Explora apparel range has been unveiled and can be found in Landmark and Pyramid and a whole collection of party products in Big Bazaar and Hypercity.

    We have also kicked off what is called a ‘Nicksters Club’ using a database, to send out monthly flyers via snail mail or email. Along with giving kids activities to do, it also announces their birthdays and sends out a little gift to them, which is nice gesture from the channel.

    Apart from International acquisitions, do you think it’s time to strengthen localized programming, a strategy that several other kids’ channels have also adopted?
    The strength of Nick lies in its pedigree and the of kind that has been produced for over 27 years in various countries. That content has proven itself across the world therefore we need to first optimize on the content that we already have. There is a lot of scope to bring that content to India, package it and give it an Indian flavour and then roll it out to kids.

    While we may look at local productions sometime in the future, currently there is a great opportunity to cash in on the pedigree that exists with us. Kids are not really very culture specific, they are so universal in nature that everything works for them, and it’s really how you deliver it.

    Will the channel introduce any new shows?
    Yes, in fact we will launch two acquired shows Tumoya Island and Meteor and The Mighty Monster Trucks on the pre- school block Nick Jr. this month.

    Any plans to bring to Indian initiatives like ‘Kids Lets Just Play’ that encourage children to go outdoors and play or the ‘Kids Choice Awards’?
    It is just a matter of time, as the focus currently is to create a presence that will connect with kid’s, activities such as these will then be a follow up. These are our own International properties and there is no reason why we will not bring them here. But there is still time for that, first we need to establish a larger viewer base.

    What is the time line that has been set to achieve this?
    My clock is already ticking! (She laughs) There is really no time line, it’s about how much we can do and how fast we can do it. Like I said, the intent is there we just have make it happen.

    Could you elaborate on the NDTV Media’s role and some of their activities? Which new advertisers have been roped in and by how much has ad sales increased?
    The last quarter has been good for us even in terms of ad sales, we put the infrastructure in place by outsourcing this to specialists like NDTV Media. They have helped us rope in four main new sponsors for SpongeBob Pakdra Pakdri contest including LIC as the main sponsors, co-presenting sponsors Maggi rice noodles Mania and associate sponsors Perfitti’s Big Babool and Tata Sky. Britannia, Liberty Shoes and Zapak.com are a few more advertisers that joined in, so we look forward to a happy year on that front with a lot more brands joining us.

    As for the ad sales increase, it would be an abnormal percentage to mention, as you could almost say we started from scratch, however we look forward to many more initiatives and NDTV is surely going to have its hands full.
    Currently, what’s the management structure like in terms of a marketing, content and creative team?
    Under my stewardship I have a programming director – Anu Sikka, a marketing director – Shalu Wadhwa, on air promotions – Shuchita and a research director – Shatrupa Thakar and a team of about 18 youngsters.

    What do you perceive as the way forward for a kid’s broadcaster in the highly competitive scenario in India? What is the biggest challenge in catering to kids?
    There is long way to go, we need to get to the top of the chain and that’s the intent right now. The kid’s category has always been dynamic and competition will continue to be there but there is definitely space for more players, giving more choice to the viewer.

    The challenge lies in the fact that kids have a short attention span so if you don’t capture them in the wink of an eye you might as well not at all. At any point of time if the child is surfing channels, you should be able to grab his attention, therefore everything that you put on your grid of the channel makes a huge difference.