Tag: MTV

Viacom18: The ‘Bigg Boss’ of brand integrations

MUMBAI: Evolution is the key to survival. And the Media and Entertainment industry has mastered the art.

With changing times, the broadcasters, advertisers along with media agencies are coming up with newer and better ways to put forth their message to their viewers beyond the 10 sec or 30 sec TVC. Innovative ways are being found and negotiated to go beyond the 12 minute ad cap authored by the government.

One such network, which through its numerous entities, can be said is at the forefront of it is Viacom18. Take a look at its latest film Mary Kom or Colors’ Bigg Boss. They are a perfect example of how brands can be integrated.

According to Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, as the network offers sponsorships, it will continue to strengthen the value additions like in the case of Snapdeal and Bigg Boss.

Madison Media, recently did brand integrations with the reality show for TVS Scooty Zest and Britannia. Says the media planner from the agency, who didn’t want to be named, “No other network has so many reality shows under its belt. And they all provide a perfect platform to showcase what the sponsor needs to communicate to the audience.”

The deal is made on the table when sponsor and title sponsors come on board. The value additions help the brands to get value for the big bucks they spend on them.

For instance, in Bigg Boss, the key carriers of the brand integration which is also an integral part of the show’s format are the various ‘tasks’ that are given to the housemates to prove themselves. “We ideate in a manner that a brand /product gets woven beautifully in a given task and their positioning and offerings gets highlighted in a seamless manner. For example, the Snapdeal portal used by the housemates to buy essential household items,” says Colors CEO Raj Nayak.

Brands that associate as sponsors, gets branding presence in the house most suitable for their category. The Garnier Men’s Products posters are put up in the bathroom, which gets featured in the show every day; similarly, making a call to a loved one, using the Oppo Smart Phone. Nayak adds, “Suitable to the format and content, brand consumption/ usage is also integrated within the day’s activities.”

The network’s youth entertainment channel, MTV, started embedded advertising in the beginning of the year and since then have had many clients willing to take the new form of advertising. The first few ones being Nokia, Tuborg, ITC and Gionee.

The phenomenon isn’t new, but a lot of broadcasters are taking the route to keep the advertisers happy as well as get in the mullah. The network, which follows the restricted advertisement air time, hikes its rates at regular intervals to keep the in-flow going. And through its numerous properties keeps the marketers happy.

With the onset of reality shows, advertisers have got more opportunities. Also, one can have repeat messaging in non-fiction shows, which is not too easy to introduce in fiction shows. However, if ample development time is given, then even in fiction shows brand stories can be fused, as Colors did with Tata Motors for its show 24.

IPG Mediabrands India GM (content and experiences) Dhruv Jha elaborates on the Tata Motors and 24 deal. “These integrations are more like an extension of the media deals, but they need to done in a smart manner. A forced-upon integration can put off a viewer and not benefit both the channel and the brand as well.”

To make the integration an integral “part” of the show, one needs to draw the fine line. The task isn’t easy.

Ideation starts with the brand brief; next comes synergising the key messaging of the brand with the most suitable content piece so as to hit the viewers/ consumers in the most fitting manner. It is also important to review the operational aspect during ideation – arranging for the products, branding scope in the scene, feasibility of integrating the brand ambassador etc. Social media is often used to create pre and post telecast buzz around the integrations.

“Innovation is something that has been ingrained in our channel’s DNA, and as the saying goes, if you’ve seen it before, it ain’t innovation. We challenge ourselves with every show – whether its Bigg Boss, Khatron ke Khiladi, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, India’s Got Talent or 24 to ensure that there’s a delight factor both for the viewers as well as the sponsors,” boasts Nayak.

The brands which show the most interest to come on board are e-commerce and smartphone companies. And now with the markets stabilising, the channels are also seeing renewed interests from auto sector, food and FMCG sectors.

The trend is now veering towards integration of brands “strategically” across all engagement points and not be uni-dimensional or have a shotgun approach.

November 15, 2014
BBC Worldwide’s Kaisi Yeh Yaariyaan breaks through for MTV!

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide’s “Kaisi Yeh Yaariyaan”(KY2), airing on MTV has caused a stir this week by winning in its slot and ranking highest within the youth genre with a TVT of 180, on some days overtaking other current leading youth fiction TV shows.

In spite of being on air for less than three months, KY2 has rapidly climbed the ratings chart and is also wowing online viewers. The episodes uploaded on Youtube have more than 80k views, with some of them crossing 1 lakh views and counting. The comments & likes posted by fans has resulted in a lot of chatter on the show’s social media and networking sites-Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Blogs etc.

The characters portrayed by the star cast on KY2 resonate soundly with Indian youth today – they are contemporary and instantly relatable. Parth Samthaan & Niti Taylor in particular, who are portraying the characters of Manik & Nandini, are being addressed as ‘Manan'( Manik-Nandini) on social media forums. They are amongst the youngest actors to have reached the top 50 television celebrities on the India Forum website.

Myleeta Aga, SVP & General Manager India and Content Head Asia said, “Following the success of “Yeh Hai Aashiqui” on Bindass, we are delighted with the response KY2 has received. Over the years we have produced impactful and entertaining youth-centric shows, while maintaining a balance between local influence and the high quality international production qualities that BBC Worldwide brings to the table.

November 14, 2014
Viacom18’s digital plan is about ‘mobile first’

MUMBAI: As the world, including the television industry, moves to digital, ways are being found to capture and engage audiences on multiple screens. Viacom18, the JV between Viacom International and TV18, the subsidiary of Network18, is also thinking digital to get a hold of audiences when they skim online.

Its nine channels – Colors, Rishtey, Nick Jr, Nick, Sonic, MTV, Vh1, Comedy Central and MTV Indies – form the network’s broadcast side.

Viacom18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats sees digital as an accompaniment to television viewing. “In India digital is at a very nascent stage. In the US, over the years, TV viewership has remained the same or inched up a little. It is consumption in the digital space that has grown and the same trend will be seen in India,” he says. While India boasts of a 1.2 billion population seated in 250 million homes, the number of TV homes is just about 160 million. “This gap of 90 million means that there will always be room for classic TV content as well,” adds Vats.

Much of this digital contribution currently comes from urban India but Vats says that data shows a reasonable amount of rural India also utilising the digital medium. As per him, traffic coming from PCs and laptops is an urban phenomenon while rural India is more hooked to the mobile.

Its flagship channel, Colors, boasts of 414,000 followers on Twitter, thanks to its extensive thrust on the social media platform. It is way ahead of competition on both Twitter as well as Facebook. It also has commendable followers for its non-fiction properties such as Bigg Boss and Jhalak Dikhkhla Jaa.

In terms of content exclusive to digital, Viacom18’s MTV has experimented a lot with webisodes of which a few have never appeared on television. Now the focus is on creating content that suits the smaller screens. “We need to revisit how best to customise content for the small screen from the way it is shot as well as the duration. What are these short stories? Do they invite to action or a combination of narrative and time span, etc. When you say mobile first, it is what you will do for this screen first that matters,” points out Vats.

Vats agrees that the business model for monetisation of TV content is superior to digital, which is still in an evolution phase. So the need of the hour is to understand how to target multiple screens. “As transportation develops in India, ‘snacking’ will gain shape. Digital will offer more snacking content and less long-form. The minute you have the option of watching stuff on a bigger screen you will, but on the other hand, you will snack. Also, the current online content stream is low on quality and high on price. We are exploring avenues in the mobile space to change that for the better,” he explains.

However, Viacom18 is also focused on increasing traffic to its channel websites rather than to its Youtube page. Colors diverted traffic to its official website rather than its Youtube page for people who wanted to watch Comedy Nights With Kapil. “We had to focus on where people were viewing Comedy Nights With Kapil, and direct it to where we want them to view it. So we figured having a smaller section on YouTube and baiting them from there to the Colors website made more sense in this case,” explains Vats.

He also says that digital is a lot about windowing. “What is running live on television, when is going to be linear in that sense on digital – simultaneous or windowed later – and what is the monetisation plan for each of them. If you want to watch it in the linear format, then it may be subscription based. If you want to watch it later, it might be a combination of subscription and advertising,” concludes Vats.

November 12, 2014
Music is a natural fit for brands

MUMBAI: One cannot deny the strong connection between brands and music in the ever evolving music industry. More and more labels, artists and musicians are becoming aware about brand association that could help them attain a more successful outcome. The second day of the 6th edition of MixRadio Music Connects in Mumbai had CNBC TV-18 editor storyboard Anant Rangaswami lead a panel discussion called “The brand story”. Through this panel, the audience got to learn about the importance of brands in the music ecosystem. The invited panelists included Viacom18 EVP media and business head MTV and MTV Indies Aditya Swami, Bacardi India general manager marketing Ali Imran and Vivanta by Taj GM Manojeet Bhujabal.

The panel discussed the role of brand partnerships within the music industry. The session started with Branded co founder and CEO and Music Matters president Jasper Donat and indiantelevision.com group founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari present an award to Imran, for Bacardi’s excellent brand association with music.

The key point of the discussion began with understanding how brands develop their strategies when collaborating with music.

Speaking about Taj’s music connect, Bhujabal elaborated: “Music is a primordial expression for us. Our hotels are well-known but we want to present an alternative life outside the realm of hotels. It was tough to initially develop a notion for Vivanta. We started on a basic level through house music. We went onto present Urban Tease, Barn Fest, Divas of Rock and Urban Folk. We also developed the Vivanta Sound Lab series and we look forward to discover emerging talents with fresh content.”

Imran felt there is no straight substitute for music. He commented, “Music is like oxygen for us. It reaches humans in a way that probably no other passion does. For Bacardi, music is a natural fit considering what the brand stands for, its lineage of parties and celebrating the human spirit.”

Providing his perspective as a channel head on why brands get associated with a music channel, Aditya Swami explained, “Digital has become a key part of the consumer ecosystem. It has allowed brands to talk to consumers in the language of music. We have attracted brands that want to create conversations and we have successfully done so over the years”.

Swami added that the presentation of music is of paramount importance in the industry, today. He said, “With brands supporting us, we have managed to showcase original music in the best way possible. Today, a brand like Pepsi is a partner of MTV Indies, a dedicated destination for non-film, non-mainstream music. We have given Pepsi a great platform for people to talk about what the brand is doing for the youth. Music is the voice of youth. It’s not just TV ratings that matters now. Traditional metrics are changing and there is a need to build brand love. Platforms like music are fantastic for this”.

Swami elaborated further that the music industry has an opportunity to develop within the area of music and brand partnerships. He said, “In the last 12 months, every interesting music idea that we have taken to the market has had at least a brand that is interested, as opposed to taking an idea of a reality show or TV soap where the market has become very saturated. Today, retail and lifestyle products are also part of the music ecosystem”.

At this point, Rangaswami added that brands might have a set of guidelines that would help attain a more successful outcome. He asked the panel how do the brands decide what kind of music to select when working on a campaign?

To that, Bhujabal replied: “We initially work with content partners who know the domain well. We enunciate what are the idioms and what to bring on the floor. We look at the audience and decide who we are targeting. After that, it is the job of the content creator to curate”. Bhujabal also emphasised on the importance of social media and social engagement to see how many people are engaged and liking their association with that selected genre of music.

Ending the panel discussion with some food for thought, Swami commented: “Today, I do not see enough brands or content players doing interesting cuts of our pop music industry. The content guys need to come up with interesting ideas and content relevant for brands around pop music industry. That is a huge space for us to tap into”.

November 6, 2014
“Non-fiction is expensive, hence need to strengthen fiction”: Siddharth Anand Kumar

MUMBAI: Vidya Balan’s famous line about entertainment sells, stay true to the television business as well.

With new channels launched and new genres explored every now and then, the production houses have a lot on their platter. One such production house, Colosceum, known for its non-fictional properties like Roadies, Splitsvilla recently got on board Siddharth Anand Kumar as scripted content head to strengthen its overall approach.

A graduate in filmmaking, he has worked as an assistant to Mira Nair during the making of Kamasutra (1995), as DOP and editor for Bobby Bedi during the production of the TV series Rajdhani (2000), and as the executive producer for Shekhar Kapur’s company Digital Talkies during which he oversaw the production of two feature films and the country’s first International Digital Film Festival (2001).

He has directed two films: Let’s Enjoy (2004), a film about a Delhi farmhouse party, and Semshook (2010), a coming of age story set in the Tibetan exile community. And his TV projects include Seven and Khotey Sikkey by Yash Raj Films on Sony and Mahabharat by Swastik Pictures on Star Plus.

“We have a partnership with Colosceum. And our aim is to bring in some really interesting new content into the Indian television which is currently happening and we want to be a part of it,” says Kumar while elaborating on his role. “In the industry there is a position of content director and director and I will be mixing both these roles. It is also something which the channels want and are eager to do because it is the director who makes the show. And sometimes we have creative director who doesn’t engage in day to day procedure of the show or while communicating with the broadcasters. We want to bridge that gap.”

He along with the Colosceum team is currently busy conceiving and pitching ideas to broadcasters, which will then be taken forward if the broadcaster shows interest.

The production house is known for its seasonal shows, but with this hire it wants to strengthen its fiction side as well. Kumar goes on to explain why. “Colosceum had non-fiction bend but if you look at the trend, all the big production houses whether they are Endemol or Fremantle, you will see a small shift little away from non-fiction because non-fiction costs a lot. And the numbers that you get are pretty much the same as a hit fiction property. So, everyone understands that the return of investment is higher on fiction. Producers who have had a very strong non-fiction background like Colosceum need to partner with strong fiction heads to tell the broadcasters ‘look we have the right team in place’.”

Furthermore, he believes channels are now moving towards fiction. Stating the example of how Bindass, which once used to air shows like Big Switch and Dadagiri, today has fiction shows. Similarly Channel V and MTV have now become youth general entertainment channels (GECs).

Moreover, even GECs which offered their viewers two to three non-fictional properties over weekend, now only have one such property.

“Take Colors for instance, apart from Jhalak Dikhla Ja it doesn’t air any other non-fictional property on the weekend. I won’t take Comedy Nights with Kapil to be one as it is scripted. The trend is indicating that every channel is putting their money into one non-fiction show because they are expensive and rest on fiction,” he says and adds, “Right now we are in the phase when there is a greater demand for fiction than non-fiction. At some time, the circle might change again. So, this is a good time to generate some quality fiction content and strengthen it so we are able to serve the broadcaster in both the genres.”

Kumar believes that as audiences mature, the content will change as well and hence, channels are moving towards younger content as well as dealing with social issues apart from the regular saas-bahu dramas. Another aspect which is also a main reason for this shift in content today is the demand from the advertisers. “The consumer categories which are very hot at the moment are smartphones, cars and e-commerce, and they need to talk to a younger-skewed audience not only in metros but also in tier I and II cities where there is high aspirational power. Youth has more spending power because as one grows older, the commitments/priorities change. So advertisers need to talk to them and hence broadcasters need to create content for this audience.”

One needs to just turn on the TV to see who is advertising so if it’s a Karbonn mobile it doesn’t want to advertise on Saath Nibana Saathiya but need a show like Airlines or Shastri Sisters.

In the coming years, he proposes that as more and more people start consuming content on digital, production houses might have to start making specific content for that medium and also learn how to monetise it well. As media proliferates there is going to be more fragmentation and niche programming.

Hence, Colosceum will focus on creating tailor-made shows for broadcasters based on what that broadcaster wants in its programming lineup. Currently, the team has a lot of ideas on the platter and will soon approach broadcasters with the innovative and interesting ideas.

In his 12 years career, Kumar says that even today “we don’t know what the audience wants.” There is still a lot of guess work even though there are various research agencies doing a lot of footwork. So when it comes to talking to the audience and seducing them with the work there is still a bit of hit and miss. “We usually have the tendency of coping what becomes a hit, but it won’t serve our purpose as we will start creating same content that will create fatigue amongst audiences.”

“We need to provide a varied content to audience which is also dynamic. So that we can learn what the audience wants,” he concludes.

September 13, 2014
Raghu-Rajiv and Ravi Luthria team up for new venture ‘Monozygotic’

MUMBAI: Days after Rajiv Lakshman quit his as COO of Coloscem, he has announced a new venture with his twin brother Raghu Ram. The duo has come together with Ravi Luthra, a marketing veteran to start a new content and communications hub – Monozygotic. This new startup will mainly focus on content creation across various avenues of media from TV to digital to on-ground.

Speaking about their new venture, Monozygotic co founder and managing zygote Rajiv said, “There has been a tectonic shift in the consumption of media in the past decade and it is critical for any brand manager to not only figure the right media mix but also the right communication for a specific media. This is where Monozygotic steps in with our cumulative experience in building enduring, genre defining brands like Roadies, Splitsvilla and Masterchef India”.

“We have had the opportunity of multifunctional experience in content, both behind the scenes and facing the camera. The experience has helped us not only to understand the business of content but has also to develop a deep insight into audience psyche. I believe Monozygotic will be able to bridge the need gap, catering to audience and advertisers with equal ease. We have been contemplating this venture for a while now. I view Monozygotic as a natural progression in our respective careers”, added Monozygotic co founder and managing zygote Raghu.

While majority of people know them as the face of the cult show Roadies, the dynamic duo Raghu Ram and Rajiv Lakshman, with experience of more than two decades have also been responsible for creating a number of other enduring, genre defining television shows such as Splitsvilla and instrumental in the launch and success of Masterchef India. They have also broken new ground in the digital content space with Roadies Battleground and Jack & Jones Hitched. Ravi Luthra, with 15 years experience, has also made a mark in the industry with companies like Marico Industries, Visa, Star TV, MTV and Sony Entertainment Television among others.

“The twins are masters at content creation and community building. Monozygotic aims to create clutter-breaking content catering to a wide array of audiences and marketers. The duo has a keen understanding of the audience which we plan to leverage with a focus on new media, the future of content consumption. Unfortunately, a huge gap exists in this space in the connect between brands and consumers. Herein lies a great opportunity to create innovative and customised market driven content that is both sharable and sustainable” said Monozygotic chief executive zygote Ravi Luthria.

Monozygotic has already started working with some established brands on new, exciting projects.

August 6, 2014
MTV launches 3 new digital branded content properties

MUMBAI: Continuing its winning streak after launching yet another successful season of Nano Drive with MTV and clocking in over 11 million visits on its website, iconic youth brand, MTV, is all set to wow its online audiences further with three exciting new shows on the web. Starting with a return of the extremely popular show CEAT MTV Chase The Monsoon which gets into gear from August 6th 2014, the brand is adding two new shows to its ever increasing kitty of web only content – Philips MTV Bachelor Pad and MTV The look. All these shows, along with being showcased on MTV’s website www.mtv.in.com will also be promoted extensively through dedicated Facebook fan pages and MTV’s vast social media presence with a reach of over 27 million.

MTV has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to web content as it has been creating successful digital branded content for the last four years. MTV long ago understood that as content becomes more and more platform agnostic, advertising on secondary platforms is becoming a little redundant. People don’t want to sit through an ad before the video begins, especially if they’re are on a laptop/tab or mobile phone. But the evolution of video consumption has also lead to a lot happening in the video advertising space. And MTV is clearly leading the digital branded content surge in India with a host of innovative shows targeting different segments of audiences.

Announcing the launch, Eklavya Bhattacharya, Head of Digital, MTV India said, “Digital branded content is something we started nearly 4 years back and now we are working with a lot of brands and partners. We are really excited about the launch of 3 such properties and each is a unique format. We have always focused on offering a mix of good programming content to our digital viewers and this time it’s no different. MTV The Look can broadly be called a style show for hair care, CEAT MTV Chase the Monsoon is pretty much the future of reality shows and with Philips MTV Bachelor Pad, we are experimenting with fiction on the web.”

MTV is all set to race after the monsoon again with the second edition of MTV CEAT Chase the Monsoon about to take off. The show is about an ultimate test for 4 teams of 8 Riders, who will be riding through some of the harshest conditions through the most challenging roads. This year’s journey takes the riders from the driest place of the country, Kutch to the wettest place in the country- Cheerapunji. With a central involvement of social media and skills and determination pushed to the absolute limit, MTV CEAT Chase the Monsoon is sure to keep fans exhilarated!

MTV has got men all figured out in a fun, fiction show about five goofy roommates battling the basics through Philips MTV Bachelor Pad. The series made up of 16 webisodes takes views on a journey through the lives of five youngsters living in a cool bachelor pad in Mumbai. The show focuses on how they live their lives and the issues with the city. With the promise of appealing to millions of youth making a living in the metros, this show is one to look forward for!

And for the audience who have always been ahead of the style curve, Philips MTV The Look is a property that keeps their hair woes at bay with no effort at all. MTV is making bad hair days an urban legend. Exclusively for the ladies, MTV The Look, in association with Philips, will have short webisodes centered on women’s hairstyles and help them get the perfect hair-do. The show will be especially the one to look out for the millions of fashion savvy MTV fans.

With the latest arsenal of digital content, MTV is all set to keep the monsoon blues at bay and bring limitless hours of exhilaration, entertainment and glam to all their fans across genres and demographics!

August 6, 2014
Web series ‘Chase the Monsoon’ back on MTV

MUMBAI: We don’t want the website to be an extension of television, but want it to be a separate entity, is what MTV India EVP and business head Aditya Swamy plans for his online properties. He believes that the channel cannot ignore the platforms where the youth is.

Catering to a segment called screenagers, the channel is ready to offer a lot more in terms of content.

Come 5 August, and the channel is back with the second edition of MTV ‘Chase the Monsoon – Driest to the Wettest’. CEAT continues to be the title sponsor for the show.

This web reality programme fuelled by social media is all about eight riders (two in a team) who will for 21-days go on a road trip across the country with a limited budget to explore the sights, scenes and life during monsoons.

Like last year, the teams will have to share their daily experiences on social media – Pinterest, Vine and Instagram – to earn social fuel which will help them increase their daily budget. Apart from fuel generated through interactions, the teams can also earn points through various tasks.

With a focus on creating content which people will love to consume and more importantly share, MTV India digital head Ekalavya Bhattacharya points out, “Our research highlighted that bikers love riding for various reasons, but most of these experiences are linked to nature, food, culture, and heritage.” These are the four themes which the teams will pursue, this year.

What personally excites Bhattacharya this season is the route from Kutch to Cherrapunji. “It is going to be an experience which no one will ever forget. It is also a route not many bikers would have taken.”

With a tight budget of Rs 3,000 – Rs 6,000 per day, the teams will have to manage fuel, food, shelter and every other expense with it. “Often this money runs out and that is when your social skills come to the fore,” he adds.

It was last year that the channel first experimented with web-based reality series. The response then was not at par with that of channel’s expectations even though it tried to generate attraction through numerous hashtags on Twitter, videos and content on its Facebook page.

However, for this season, Bhattacharya is not concerned about the engagement level, as he believes the channel’s online attraction has increased manifold over the past months. “The show is social in its design and engagement is least of an issue as of now.”

On creating the blueprint for the show, while he agrees that there is always chaos in the process, but for him, that is where joy lies. “We’ve got entire walls charted with possible routes, Plan B’s, content plans etc. It takes around a month of planning and hard work to pull off a show like this. It has also got a lot of learnings from the previous season, and we’ll amplify our effort where required,” informs Bhattacharya.

The contestants were shortlisted based on the channel’s primary research which comprised finding out information about the different types of riders and their riding experiences. “Like last year was based on one of our research parameters, we had specially blocked a team only for couples. Riding together in the rain, was seen by many as a romantic experience,” he recalls.

Post the web series, the channel will showcase the experience to its viewers through four TV episodes.

On the marketing part, digital will lead the front, but one will see a lot of on-air and print support as well. xBhp is the channel’s biking partner and will help them with community outreach as well.

The show’s Facebook page ‘MTV Chase the Monsoon’ has so far grossed 259,222 likes at the time of penning the article. It is also being talked about on Twitter through the MTV India profile, which has 1.2 million followers.

‘Chase the Monsoon – Driest to the Wettest’ won five awards last year, including Gold for the best non-fiction branded content show at the Abby’s.

August 1, 2014
MTV reads ‘Curious Minds’

By 2020, the average age of an individual in India will be 29 years, making it the youngest country in the world.

Keeping this in mind, marketers, broadcasters and researchers are trying their best to understand what does the youth want? What aspires them, what holds significance in their life…There are millions of things running on their head and it doesn’t take them much to change their minds.

The dynamic, confident and always connected Millennials speak a different language. A dialect understood by their peers and researched by marketers and others. In a bid to do just that, Viacom’s youth channel MTV partnered with Third Eye Qualitative Researchers and conversed with more than 11,000 young people across 40 plus cities in the country to find out what exactly makes them tick.

The study, MTV Curious Minds, throws light at various insights into the generation which likes to live it large. And this is not driven from the fear of missing out or by urgency that comes from having only one life, but it comes from the innate necessity to stay curious and curate.

Gone are the days when bumping into a stranger and starting a conversation needed courage; today they are open to new experiences and explorations. They might be called fickle minded but the generation has its head far more on its shoulders than we give them credit for.

Currently, they are all busy planning their career. For them, it’s not about just making a living; it is about living life with a sense of purpose. Hardworking, open-minded, happy and confident are the four primary values that define this generation.

Digital OD

Born with the technology gene, the youngsters have grown up on multiple screens. In the age of social media, where one can be followed, liked or favourited, nobody is a ‘nobody’ anymore. Technology has changed the lifestyle, beliefs and outlook of the young. It has removed the barriers of social status and geographic locations.

With everything happening with just a click of a button or the swipe of a finger, the youth navigate their lives smoothly intertwining the diverse elements of the internet, personal screens, apps etc. Three out of every four youth check details of a product online, if the advertising interests them.

They agree that the app-ification will only intensify and grow with passing years; 86 per cent believe app usage will be much higher in year 2020.

Hope the advertisers are paying heed.

The channel surely is listening to what the youngsters want, online. Name it and the channel is present on every social platform. From Facebook to Pinterest, it makes and promotes shows that trigger conversations on the internet including MTV Webbed and Coke Studio as well as web exclusive shows.

MTV India claims that its biggest achievement has been that it was recognised as a channel which talks back and cares for the audience. In an earlier interaction with indiantelevision.com MTV India digital head Ekalavya Bhattacharya had said, “One cannot talk or give feedback to a TV set but the TG can talk to it via the social networks. We often tailor our on-air content based on the online commentary.”

Social networking is not new, but what’s interesting is the new ways in which it is now being used. Smaller platforms that became fads are actually platforms of self-expression that are created on small and more niche circles. Then there are other networking apps that let them stay connected 24/7.

However, youngsters know it’s important to be safe and share discreetly. And yet, they cannot refuse the thrill of exploring the unknown on the internet. 83 per cent believe that social media can go terribly wrong if not handled properly. They are aware of dangers like cyber bullying, hacking, email spam, social network stalking etc.

No one is complaining about the digital OD.

Entertainment, everywhere

Entertainment is everywhere, 24/7, 365 days of a year, so there is no forgiveness for being bored or being bored. Friends and music are the most important elements for entertainment. They create and explore new trends as well as drive the nails into the coffin of all things outdated and boring.

College, school or work takes up majority of their time, closely followed by family time even as the internet as the all day companion.

When it comes to television, shows are a kind of a cultural graph. They can speak of trends and the language of these shows can quickly seep into the youth lexicon. The impact of TV on the lives of the young goes well beyond just latching on to the lingo and style statements beamed via the small screen. It’s clear that the youth picks up cues for life, bro-codes, friendship rituals and sometimes even a philosophy or an attitude from TV. The connect with TV content is something they carry into their social spaces, in the form of online and offline comments and discussions with their circles.

For today’s youth, watching TV is far from from being a passive, one-dimensional exercise. Comfortable as they are being on multiple platforms simultaneously, it is common to see them reacting live and instantaneously to TV content, as it unfolds, via Twitter or FB or even WhatsApp groups.

Also, the young don’t mind paying for the content if it provides them with flexibility in access and the choice to consume content.

They want different genres and content that catches their fancy. The channel recently launched its first fiction supernatural drama Fanaa- An Impossible Love Story.

In real life, though youngsters might resist commitment, they are exploring relationships. They romanticise the idea of eternal and true love. Building on these findings, MTV decided to come up with a unique story of teen love featuring vampires and werewolves.

MTV Insights Studio through the study aims to learn from the students and in the same bid try to give them what they want.

Times are changing and to survive in the highly volatile environment, knowing the mindset of the TG is sacrosanct.

July 15, 2014
9X’s new Jalwa

MUMBAI: Gone are the days when there were only two music channels, MTV and Channel V. These are highly competitive times with a host of music channels and each one having to come up with newer ways to keep itself ahead of the pack.

And so, one of 9X Media’s musical offerings – 9X Jalwa – has decided to reinvent itself with a fresh new look coupled with refreshed content plus a punchy tagline that reads ‘Forever Young.’

10 June onwards, audiences will be able to see the revamped 9X Jalwa, complete with a fresh playlist and new on-air packaging.

In the words of 9X Media SVP and content head Amar Tidke, “We are at work with music.” ‘Forever Young’ targets people across all age groups who enjoy music that is both enduring and forever young. The tagline also reflects the channel’s music construct which is perpetual and never grows old.

Tidke says they wanted to try and do something new in music. “Our endeavour is constantly to keep our viewers engaged, enhancing overall experience. ‘Forever Young’, the new tag line, is the channel attitude. It’s the promise of the channel which is reflective of the music the channel plays.”

The creatives have been done by an in-house team along with the design partner, Stars and Stripes, and are a mix of bright pink and blue hues.

9X Jalwa’s new look was screened at the recently concluded GoaFest 2014 and according to Tidke, the response from the advertising fraternity was amazing. A Jalwa-themed party was organised with all things Bollywood, right from photo ops on the red carpet to life size cut-outs of popular actors to Bollywood style dance performances to contests round Bollywood.

Says 9X Jalwa programming head Imtiaz Bhagdadi, “At 9X Jalwa, we pride ourselves in presenting our viewers with the best of Bollywood music across all eras. The new look further fortifies the 9X Media promise of providing the best music viewing experience on television. Along with the new packaging, the channel will also introduce Forever Dance, an hourly band dedicated to Bollywood dance numbers.”

Part of the revisited 9X Jalwa include special music blocks like Hits Forever , Melody Forever and Love Forever. Additionally, there is Jalwa Superstars over the weekend that will feature interviews and songs round a particular superstar.

What made the channel change its look and feel? “At 9X Jalwa, there has been growth month-on-month. It shows that people are loving it and enjoying it. It is a surprise for them,” says Tidke.

Apart from GoaFest, the channel is promoting its new self through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, the channel has garnered 101,000 likes. Special promos have been created only for the television screen.

June 9, 2014