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Tag: MX TakaTak

  • We are second only to YouTube: MX Media’s Karan Bedi

    We are second only to YouTube: MX Media’s Karan Bedi

    Mumbai: Times Internet backed MX Media is expecting to triple its revenue for its advertising video on demand (AVOD) business in the year 2022, according to its CEO Karan Bedi. “We have more than tripled our revenue last year and expect to triple again next year,” he said while speaking about its OTT business.

    In 2021,  MX Media’s OTT platform MX Player successfully scaled to more than one billion downloads and 280 million monthly active users globally. As its user base expands, the platform is effectively monetising its audience base by expanding its video offering. From a client perspective, MX Player is a part of all media plans and comes only second to YouTube in the consideration set for digital video advertising, remarked Bedi.

    Moreover, the company’s brand funded content business was spun off into a separate unit MX Studios. Bedi said, “The core focus of MX Studios is to provide brands another outlet to connect to their consumer. Branded content is something we’ve started to grow as a business and are bullish about it for the next few years. In terms of branded content, we’re second only to YouTube. Since, there’s only us and YouTube who have scale when it comes to AVOD in India, we’re very much a part of every client’s marketing plan.” 

    In February, MX Media sold its short video platform MX Takatak to Indian social media company Sharechat (Mohalla Tech) in a deal estimated at $700 million. Notably, MX Takatak was launched only in July 2020. Now, the company will focus on its long format video offerings including on-demand video and its game streaming offering MX Games.

    On the content front, the platform recently announced the launch of a reality series called ‘Lock Up’ in partnership with Balaji Telefilms. The show, which premiered on the platform on 27 February, is the streaming service’s first foray into unscripted content.

    “We are a data led organisation and were starting to see that our audience was ready for more. We have various partners who have done shows for MX Player and we have a lot of faith in Balaji (Telefilms) and Ekta (Kapoor) as someone who’s reinvented this business many times,” said Bedi.

    The OTT platform offers exclusive content in the form of MX Originals and has launched popular series such as “Campus Diaries,” “Bhaukaal 2” and “Raktanchal 2” this year. Despite being an AVOD platform, several MX Originals span across multiple seasons and garner more than 100 million views on the platform. It recently launched MX VDesi to house its international content acquired from Turkey, Latin America, Korea and Middle East and dubbed in Hindi.

    MX Player has not shied away from direct monetisation, with the launch of its MX Gold feature which allows subscribers to watch videos without any ads whatsoever. “MX Gold is not monetising access to content but rather it allows you to watch content ad free,” explained Bedi.

    “MX Player overall has multiple layers of monetisation. As we go forward, we think there is an opportunity to add on newer monetisation models as we continue to expand our user base. That can be NFTs or other blockchain based currencies. We have said from day one that we are a super entertainment aggregator. Our shows are an important vehicle for taking some of these opportunities and scaling them,” concluded Bedi.

  • Sharechat to acquire short video platform MX Takatak for $600 million

    Sharechat to acquire short video platform MX Takatak for $600 million

    Mumbai: Indian social media platform Sharechat has agreed to buy Times Internet-owned short video platform MX Takatak in a $600 million deal that includes a combination of cash and stock.

    MX Takatak is slated to be rebranded in six months and the target for the closure of the deal was at the end of this month, according to Moneycontrol.

    The report indicated that the value of the acquisition may change towards the closure of the deal.

    Mohalla Tech, the parent company of Sharechat, will also integrate 180 employees under MX Takatak as part of the acquisition. It currently employs over 2000 people. 

  • MX TakaTak partners with chef Ranveer Brar for its latest offering ‘#BawarchiBrar’

    MX TakaTak partners with chef Ranveer Brar for its latest offering ‘#BawarchiBrar’

    Mumbai: Short video app MX TakaTak has announced the launch of a new property titled ‘#BawarchiBrar’ with chef Ranveer Brar.

    Starting 5 February with #DesiJugaad – viewers can stream interactive food content pieces that are quick & easy to make like Maggie Golgappa and an egg made on an iron, followed by #BachpanKaPyaar that will take you down memory lane of your favorite dishes as a child and #MainPakaunga where the chef himself will validate and bust some myths around certain dishes and ingredients, said the platform in a statement.

    Every Saturday at 7 pm, viewers can tune in to chef Ranveer Brar’s profile on MX TakaTak and watch the videos.

    MX TakaTak VP and head of content Parul Menghani said, “Categorised into three segments, #BawarchiBrar is an attempt to further expand our content buckets by bringing in food, which is an emotion to most people. We are certain that this IP will keep all food enthusiasts entertained and also appeal to viewers who are looking for unique and engaging food content on the platform.”  

     

     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

     
     
     

     
     

    A post shared by MX TakaTak (@mxtakatak)

     

    With almost two decades of rich experience in the food industry, Lucknow-born celebrity chef Ranveer Brar enjoys a huge fan base owing to his authenticity, relatable cooking tips and fun banter with his fans. “This is the first time that I am part of such an interesting short format video concept which makes this collaboration with MX TakaTak all the more special for me. At some point or other in our lives, we’ve all had to be jugaadu when it comes to food and I know, sometimes – I still am. While cooking may seem tedious and intimidating for some, I plan to make it fun through this platform by sharing some of my personal tips and tricks, revisiting our school/hostel days through the dishes I make and even cooking in a kitchen with limited resources,” said Brar.

  • MX TakaTak launches #TodPhodDiwali campaign

    MX TakaTak launches #TodPhodDiwali campaign

    Mumbai: Short video app MX TakaTak has launched a new Diwali campaign #TodPhodDiwali providing its community of users a chance to win gifts and prizes including touchscreen tablets by simply uploading their unique video of celebrating Diwali.

    Creators can take inspiration from influencers like Rugees, Neetu Bisht and comedian Kiku Sharda for content ideas such as ‘guides to Diwali outfits and looking your todphod best’, ‘ghar ki saffsafai – todphodhouse cleanup’ and ‘celebrating Diwali responsibly.’

    “Short video apps have become one of the critical mediums for artists like us to connect with our fans. I am incredibly thrilled to partner with MX TakaTak for #TodPhodDiwali, it’s such a simple yet fun challenge that allows you to be yourself and celebrate this joyous festival with content across any genre of your choice. The audiences on this platform have always been encouraging and interactive, making the collaboration with it seamless,” said comedian Kiku Sharda.

    Announcing his soon-to-be released video, Rugees added, “The lockdown has restricted our celebrations for the festive season, but MX TakaTak is allowing me the chance to share my happiness with so many Indians across the country. You can make any video you like, be it lip sync, food recipes, rangoli tips, Diwali prep or whichever aspect you most enjoy this season.”

    “Topical challenges like #TodPhodDiwali by MX TakaTak allow us to bring out the best in us as content creators and I will soon be posting an engaging dance/ lip sync video that highlights the spirit of this festival,” noted Indian model and MX TakaTak creator Neetu Bisht. “Diwali is the one time in the year that I gorge on sweets, play cards with my friends and overall get together with loved ones so we can enjoy each other’s company. I am glad to be able to extend that to my MX family as well.”

  • Voot announces eight sponsors for ‘Bigg Boss OTT’

    Voot announces eight sponsors for ‘Bigg Boss OTT’

    Mumbai: Viacom18’s Voot on Thursday announced that it has brought on board eight sponsors for “Bigg Boss OTT”. After Swiggy and CoinDCX joined as ‘co-powered by’ sponsors, the OTT platform roped in Vimal Elaichi, MX TakaTak, Netmeds, H&M, Durex, and Lotus Herbal as sponsors.

    Vimal Elaichi has come on board as ‘presenting’ partner, MX TakaTak as ‘social media’ partner, H&M as ‘style’ partner, Netmeds as ‘pharmacy’ partner, Durex as ‘special’ partner, and Lotus Herbal as ‘beauty’ partner for the show.

    Voot has driven deeper brand integration for sponsors of the show. For example, the sponsor Vimal Elaichi will leverage the ‘Bigg Boss’ fandom to connect and interact with viewers through IPs like ‘Video Vichaar’ and ‘Extraa Masala’ giving the brand more exposure throughout the reality series, said the platform in a statement. “While ‘Video Vichaar’ will enable viewers to share thoughts and opinions around daily developments within the house, ‘Extraa Masala’ is a successful content around content IP that traditionally attracts hordes of fans who can’t keep away from the ‘Bigg Boss’ phenomena,” it added.

    “Bigg Boss has grown to become a celebrated proposition for brands to connect and engage with viewers. Given the multi-touchpoint offering, the interest the show generates is unlike any other,” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures’ chief operating officer, Gourav Rakshit. “The diverse brands that have come on board as sponsors, some of whom have joined the Bigg Boss family for the first time in this exciting edition, is testimony to the popularity of the show.”

    “We are delighted to come on board as the presenting partner of Bigg Boss OTT – a new, pioneering idea for an OTT platform in India. Vimal has always been associated with shows and IPs that have a large mass audience connect; testimony to that are our brand ambassadors Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan,” said Vimal Elaichi in a statement.

    “With this exciting partnership, we bring reality television to short videos as well! Bigg Boss OTT shows the real side of celebrities to its viewers while MX TakaTak offers a great platform and encourages users, creators, digital enthusiasts to showcase their real talent across different genres. The natural content synergies that both platforms drive make it a win-win for us and we believe this will make for a great content fit for our users,” said MX TakaTak, business head, Janhavi Parikh.

    With Karan Johar as the host and 13 contestants, the show launched on 8 August exclusively on the digital platform. The season premiere episode witnessed viewers tuning in from across India registering the highest numbers of subscriber tune-in for a ‘Bigg Boss’ opening to date, according to the OTT player.

    “Bigg Boss OTT” airs every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m and on weekends at 8 p.m exclusively on Voot. 

  • MX TakaTak announces nationwide talent hunt to mark its first anniversary

    MX TakaTak announces nationwide talent hunt to mark its first anniversary

    Mumbai: MX Player’s short video platform MX TakaTak has turned one and to mark the occasion, the app has announced an extensive UGC talent hunt campaign – #MainBhiSuperstar, between 7-31 July.

    The #MainBhiSuperstar campaign will handpick outstanding talent from the country wherein creators would be required to showcase their acting skills in a 15 second video.

    The talent hunt aims to provide an opportunity for creators to fulfill their lifelong dream of becoming a star. Three best creators will get a chance to star in an MX Player Original, the platform said in a statement.

    “The last one year has seen phenomenal growth for this platform and we’ve successfully built an ecosystem of amazing  influencers and celebrities who keep our large user base entertained with engaging content across multiple categories,” says MX Group CEO Karan Bedi. “We’ve garnered interest from advertisers across categories and we’re delighted to join hands with renowned brands like PayTM and Pepsi to curate entertaining branded hashtag challenges at such a nascent stage of our monetisation journey. In the months to come, we will continue to invest in finding and enabling great creators, further investing in our recommendation engine and bringing our users state of the art features that will enhance their content creation and consumption experience.”

    “#MainBhiSuperstar is our small way of giving back to this large community of aspiring creators by making their dreams a reality and gratifying them with a chance to feature in an MX Player Original. MX Player is one of the biggest stages for the Indian creative ecosystem and this initiative will not only drive synergies between both platforms but also serves as a unique opportunity for the incredibly talented MX TakaTak community to enter the mainstream as actors,” Bedi added.

    MX TakaTak is growing to a large and diverse user base with over 150+ million monthly active users, a community of over 48+ million unique creators, and an impressive 355+ million Installs in this short span of time, the platform further said.

  • MX TakaTak co-powers the ninth edition of Miss Diva

    KOLKATA: Promising users compelling content across categories, MX TakaTak on Friday announced its association with the ninth edition of Miss Diva as the Co-powered by Sponsor for this coveted pageant.

    The nationwide hunt to select representatives from across the country commenced on 11 June and aspirant divas can participate to transform their dreams into reality. This entails an online registration process for specific audition task submissions on this leading short video platform.

    Speaking about this association, MX TakaTak business head Janhavi Parikh said, “We are delighted to associate with Miss Diva and help them in the hunt for finding strong, charismatic women who will go on to represent India before the world. MX TakaTak is the entry gateway for these participants to live their dream of being crowned as Miss Diva and the audition tasks on our platform will bring forth a new dimension of their personalities.”

    MX TakaTak’s extensive reach and penetration in Tier 2-3 markets will take the pageant and its opportunities to a wider audience, unlike ever before. Through the run of the event, the participation on this app would give viewers a glimpse into the lives of the finalists, whilst also highlighting the efforts that each of the contestants funnels into their work.

    LIVA Miss Diva 2021, Co-powered by MX TakaTak stays true to its inherent philosophy of providing a stage for young, confident women, willing to take the world by storm and this edition will be held digitally, in a virtual format due to the prevalent pandemic.

  • MX Player deploys H.266, slashes video streaming data usage by half

    KOLKATA: Online video consumption in India has grown exponentially, accounting for 80 per cent of consumer internet traffic. However, the user experience remains highly dependent on data usage and network speed.

    Now, MX Player has upgraded its video encoding & compression technology to H.266 (Versatile Video Coding), cutting down data usage for streaming videos by more than 50 per cent. MX Player as well as MX TakaTak users will be the first in the world to experience the benefits of H.266, enabling them to consume higher quality HD video streams with significantly less data consumption.

    With H.266, MX Player users will be able to stream more content with less data and network bandwidth – video streams will load faster and buffer less since they require only half (or less) the data it would need otherwise. H.266/VVC is the world’s most advanced video codec designed to succeed H.264/AVC and H.265/HEVC, used by most streaming video services worldwide today. Unlike its competitors, the H.266 upgrade makes MX Player the first OTT platform in the world to deploy this technology.

    MX Player and MX TakaTak CEO Karan Bedi said, “Video consumption dominates internet usage wherever you go across India, but the quality of experience deteriorates in areas with inconsistent data networks. The new standard is an opportunity for MX Player to give millions of users, regardless of where they are, an exceptional streaming experience that allows them to consume content the way content creators intended: faster loading, buffering-free, and true-to-life HD quality.”

    MX Player SVP Product Sidd Mantri further added, “At MX Player, the future is now. We relentlessly focus on raising the customer experience bar for Indian users. We were amongst the 1st few OTTs to deploy AV1 that reduced data consumption by 20-30 per cent compared to H.265. With H.266, we are taking it to the next level. H.266 offers the most advanced video compression standard available in the world and reduces data usage by more than 50 per cent. Many users in India live on daily data consumption caps, so with H.266 they can watch more as well as watch better on MX Player.”

  • Cricketer Hardik Pandya signs up with MX TakaTak

    Kolkata: Short video platform MX TakaTak has onboarded cricketer Hardik Pandya on Monday. Pandya joins an increasing list of sportspersons who have joined the platform in the last few months. The Indian team player released an intriguing video as he makes a few bold fashion statements, grooving to the catchy MX TakaTak anthem.

    Here is a glimpse of what’s in store for the cricketer’s fans on MX TakaTak.

    With his eccentric yet incredible fashion sense already making headlines, Pandya takes it a notch higher on this short video app, giving his fans a chance to learn more about him off the field.

    Speaking on the same, Pandya said, “This platform allows me to show my fans my life beyond the field, and I am looking forward to participating in upcoming challenges while being at my candid best. I had a blast picking the looks for this announcement video, I love trying out new and offbeat fashion trends, and you’ll get to see more such fun videos in the time to come. While we all wait for things to be normal again, I hope to stay connected and entertain audiences through MX TakaTak.”

    MX TakaTak has shown exponential growth with consumer and creation experiences at its core. With maximum app downloads on Google Play Store and App Store in the first quarter of 2021, MX TakaTak has built a large community of content creators and long-tail influencers. 

  • Rahul Sarangi quits MX Player to join Disney+Hotstar

    Rahul Sarangi quits MX Player to join Disney+Hotstar

    KOLKATA: Senior media professional Rahul Sarangi has joined Disney+Hotstar as vice president- head of short form & new content initiatives.

    Last year, when streaming service MX Player branched out into short-format video through MX TakaTak , it had appointed Sarangi as MX Player new business vice president and head.

    Sarangi was earlier with TVF, one of the pioneers in the online content ecosystem of India, as global head-content and business.

    He is an Emmy nominated content creator with nearly two decades of experience across digital and linear content as well as production & content operations (short and long formats across scripted, unscripted & live Sports), with a comprehensive understanding of media business across geographies. He is also an active angel investor.

    In the early days of his career, Sarangi worked with MTV Asia as the senior supervising producer. He worked in India and Singapore in the content team and was also part of the MTV’s regional brand solutions team. Later, he was also a part of the launch team of Colors.