ITV

Tag: Saugato Bhowmik

  • Viacom18 welcomes Peppa Pig & George, largest party with Hamley’s

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 Consumer Products, the consumer products arm of Viacom18, is all set to welcome the internationally acclaimed character of Peppa Pig and her brother George, to India this July. The show – Peppa Pig, started to air in India on Nick Jr. from December 2016 along with our fast growing video on demand platform Voot and rapidly gained a massive following among tiny tots and their parents in India; following which, Viacom18 is gearing up to enhance the viewer’s experience further by providing an exclusive meet and greet with their favourite characters across Hamley’s outlets in Delhi on 22 July, Chennai on 30 July and Mumbai on 5 August.

    The mega launch of the characters will be hosted in association with none other than kid’s leading toy brand- Hamley’s. A never-seen-before ‘Peppa Pig Party’ will be organized and a meet and greet exclusively in Hamley’s stores across four cities. Kids will get to interact with Peppa Pig and George while participating in fun activities such as coloring contests, Peppa maze game, Peppa pong game, and an exciting magic show. An extensive marketing and communication plan has been activated to maximize the reach of the Peppa Pig characters.

    Peppa is one of the most celebrated animated characters internationally. British pre-school animated series- Peppa Pig provides for healthy kid’s content like creative lessons and other elementary learnings for kids.

    Viacom18 Consumer Products and Integrated Network head Saugato Bhowmik said, “We have previously launched iconic international characters like Dora-the explorer, Spongebob, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Peanuts and Charlie brown with a wide range of consumer products for kids along with our home-grown beloved characters Motu Patlu. With the launch of Peppa Pig Viacom18 Consumer Products truly establishes itself as the leader in bringing the world’s best licensing programs to India.”

  • VH1 Supersonic ’17 to hit big, 20 sponsors on board, more IPs in pipeline

    VH1 Supersonic ’17 to hit big, 20 sponsors on board, more IPs in pipeline

    MUMBAI: “At this moment and time, our mandate is very clear – to build the live industry in India, for which you need to have real ticketed events.”

    Standing true to his words, Viacom18′ Integrated Network Solution (INS) and consumer products business head Saugato Bhowmik is focused on building the industry in the live entertainment business for Viacom 18 through ticketed events. Of the five IPs under Live Viacom18 banner, the gigantic music event VH1 Supersonic is all set to take Pune by storm by taking the viewers to a fantasy world. Transforming into a multi-genre international music festival with this edition after a successful run in the past three years, the mega event claims to have doubled its sponsorship value since it’s launch.

    With Gionee as the title sponsor, the festival is powered by Budweiser and has locked deals with as many as 18 other sponsors from various sectors such as — Fastrack, Mexitos, Ajio.com, Reliance Digital, Bisleri, Spraymint, Dot Shot, etc, several hopping on board for the first time. If media punters in the events space are to be believed, the three-day festival has managed to get approximately Rs. 12-15 crore from their sponsorship deals.

    “VH1 Supersonic has nearly doubled its sponsorship value since the previous editions by partnering with brands from diverse sectors on the back of tremendous success in the past editions and a transformed genre line-up. We have got the highest number of partners for this edition. Apart from the several partners that we have already on board,  more sponsors are always welcome,” said Bhowmik.  

    The network has signed a long-term partnership with all the brands on board. According to Bhowmik, only in the long run can a true brand’s value be maximised and leveraged for the people to associate the festival with the partners’ brand value and vice-versa.

    In its fourth year, the music festival has adopted a unique approach to promote its brands across platforms. Going beyond the conventional route of sponsorship, the festival is in the process of creating customised branded content for its sponsors.

    After movies for two of it’s main sponsors, Gionee and Budweiser, webcasts as well as web-series are in the making. A six-part web series on music hosted by Nikhil Chinappa titled Gionee VJ Hunt and another six-part web series bringing the lives of Supersonic fans on the screens is also in the pipeline. All this,  plus some highlights from the festival, will be aired across the network’ bouquet of channels mainly VH1 and it’s OTT platform, Voot.

    The brands associated with the music festival would be able to successfully reach out to 90 million viewers through  the campaigns running in their TV channels and Voot, claimed Bhowmik.

    As far as the promotions are concerned, the network is heavily marketing the festival across print and its TV channels. Apart from this, they are heavily leveraging social media platforms. They have also set up over 100 OOH sites across India.

    With the venue moving to Pune from Goa, the festival and its philosophy remains unaltered. “The change in the venue was part of the journey and a transformation for the brands itself. Our philosophy is to provide transformational experience and we, at this venue, can develop a lot of experiences that we have always promised the audience. We want more and more people to experience us at an affordable rate. Our prime audience is the youth and the young professionals. A large part of them is right in the heart of the youth capital ie Pune. It was a very easy decision to make. The vision of the brand was well communicated and everyone was excited about the multi genre festival,” added Bhowmik.

    The promising artist lineup for this year comprises over 50 artistes with three headlining acts. After sending fans into a frenzy with Eric Prydz and going in for an encore with Macklemore, Vh1 Supersonic recently unveiled Zedd as its third headliner.

    In addition to the immaculate lineup, the music festival has unique on ground experiences. The audience can also enjoy a gamut of experiential activities and can lose themselves in numerous hangout zones, filled with fun and adventurous activities, enjoy in a curated beer garden, weave through engaging art installations, shop at flea markets, etc.

    Apart from the wide expanse of three stages- main strange, spectrum stage and Gionee bass stage, the festival has taken on several social initiatives such as women safety, zero drug policy, fire safety, health and sanitation, ets so as to send a resounding message to the young audience.  Pune police would be providing security to the event besides private agencies. The venue has been converted into WiFi cloud zone for the audience.

    Going ahead, Live Viacom18 plans to scale up its IPs to lot more. The network has already mapped clear consumer segments and will fill in the gaps in its portfolio. “IP interactions and crafting is a very difficult taste and has to be done in a detailed manner. We are crafting those ideas at the moment. There is no lifeline to the launches as it requires a lot of preparatory work and will take sometime.  Without worrying about the timeline, Viacom18 assures to launch many more IPs in the future,” concluded Bhowmik.

    Also Read:

    After Eric Prydz, Macklemore, Gionee Vh1 Supersonic now ropes in Zedd

    Reinstating optimism in youth, Zing to launch ‘Aye Zindagi’   

    ‘MTV Unplugged’ 6 line-up includes Rahman, Shreya, Badshah & Amit Trivedi   

    Sony targets 9m HD subs & diaspora with youth-focused Rox in Dolby quality

    Over 50 HD channels now available in Dolby Audio in India

  • VH1 Supersonic ’17 to hit big, 20 sponsors on board, more IPs in pipeline

    VH1 Supersonic ’17 to hit big, 20 sponsors on board, more IPs in pipeline

    MUMBAI: “At this moment and time, our mandate is very clear – to build the live industry in India, for which you need to have real ticketed events.”

    Standing true to his words, Viacom18′ Integrated Network Solution (INS) and consumer products business head Saugato Bhowmik is focused on building the industry in the live entertainment business for Viacom 18 through ticketed events. Of the five IPs under Live Viacom18 banner, the gigantic music event VH1 Supersonic is all set to take Pune by storm by taking the viewers to a fantasy world. Transforming into a multi-genre international music festival with this edition after a successful run in the past three years, the mega event claims to have doubled its sponsorship value since it’s launch.

    With Gionee as the title sponsor, the festival is powered by Budweiser and has locked deals with as many as 18 other sponsors from various sectors such as — Fastrack, Mexitos, Ajio.com, Reliance Digital, Bisleri, Spraymint, Dot Shot, etc, several hopping on board for the first time. If media punters in the events space are to be believed, the three-day festival has managed to get approximately Rs. 12-15 crore from their sponsorship deals.

    “VH1 Supersonic has nearly doubled its sponsorship value since the previous editions by partnering with brands from diverse sectors on the back of tremendous success in the past editions and a transformed genre line-up. We have got the highest number of partners for this edition. Apart from the several partners that we have already on board,  more sponsors are always welcome,” said Bhowmik.  

    The network has signed a long-term partnership with all the brands on board. According to Bhowmik, only in the long run can a true brand’s value be maximised and leveraged for the people to associate the festival with the partners’ brand value and vice-versa.

    In its fourth year, the music festival has adopted a unique approach to promote its brands across platforms. Going beyond the conventional route of sponsorship, the festival is in the process of creating customised branded content for its sponsors.

    After movies for two of it’s main sponsors, Gionee and Budweiser, webcasts as well as web-series are in the making. A six-part web series on music hosted by Nikhil Chinappa titled Gionee VJ Hunt and another six-part web series bringing the lives of Supersonic fans on the screens is also in the pipeline. All this,  plus some highlights from the festival, will be aired across the network’ bouquet of channels mainly VH1 and it’s OTT platform, Voot.

    The brands associated with the music festival would be able to successfully reach out to 90 million viewers through  the campaigns running in their TV channels and Voot, claimed Bhowmik.

    As far as the promotions are concerned, the network is heavily marketing the festival across print and its TV channels. Apart from this, they are heavily leveraging social media platforms. They have also set up over 100 OOH sites across India.

    With the venue moving to Pune from Goa, the festival and its philosophy remains unaltered. “The change in the venue was part of the journey and a transformation for the brands itself. Our philosophy is to provide transformational experience and we, at this venue, can develop a lot of experiences that we have always promised the audience. We want more and more people to experience us at an affordable rate. Our prime audience is the youth and the young professionals. A large part of them is right in the heart of the youth capital ie Pune. It was a very easy decision to make. The vision of the brand was well communicated and everyone was excited about the multi genre festival,” added Bhowmik.

    The promising artist lineup for this year comprises over 50 artistes with three headlining acts. After sending fans into a frenzy with Eric Prydz and going in for an encore with Macklemore, Vh1 Supersonic recently unveiled Zedd as its third headliner.

    In addition to the immaculate lineup, the music festival has unique on ground experiences. The audience can also enjoy a gamut of experiential activities and can lose themselves in numerous hangout zones, filled with fun and adventurous activities, enjoy in a curated beer garden, weave through engaging art installations, shop at flea markets, etc.

    Apart from the wide expanse of three stages- main strange, spectrum stage and Gionee bass stage, the festival has taken on several social initiatives such as women safety, zero drug policy, fire safety, health and sanitation, ets so as to send a resounding message to the young audience.  Pune police would be providing security to the event besides private agencies. The venue has been converted into WiFi cloud zone for the audience.

    Going ahead, Live Viacom18 plans to scale up its IPs to lot more. The network has already mapped clear consumer segments and will fill in the gaps in its portfolio. “IP interactions and crafting is a very difficult taste and has to be done in a detailed manner. We are crafting those ideas at the moment. There is no lifeline to the launches as it requires a lot of preparatory work and will take sometime.  Without worrying about the timeline, Viacom18 assures to launch many more IPs in the future,” concluded Bhowmik.

    Also Read:

    After Eric Prydz, Macklemore, Gionee Vh1 Supersonic now ropes in Zedd

    Reinstating optimism in youth, Zing to launch ‘Aye Zindagi’   

    ‘MTV Unplugged’ 6 line-up includes Rahman, Shreya, Badshah & Amit Trivedi   

    Sony targets 9m HD subs & diaspora with youth-focused Rox in Dolby quality

    Over 50 HD channels now available in Dolby Audio in India

  • Nick Jr to premiere ‘Peppa Pig’ show in India

    Nick Jr to premiere ‘Peppa Pig’ show in India

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 is all geared up to bring the popular international preschool property Peppa Pig experience to India. The show that can be experienced digitally on Voot, is now available in stores and on- air. Viacom18 consumer products, the merchandizing and licensing arm of Viacom18, has been appointed by Entertainment One (eOne) as the licensing partner for Peppa Pig in India.

    After its success on the network’s digital platform, Viacom18 will soon debut the show on India’s Nickelodeon’s preschool channel Nick Jr. The addition of Peppa Pig to the existing shows like Ninja Hattori, Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai, Shiva and SpongeBob SquarePants will further cement Nickelodeon’s eminence as the most the most preferred channel among the country’s kids.

    “Peppa Pig is an international sensation and has been gaining popularity in India. Along with being the media network that introduced Peppa Pig to India, we are delighted to be the partner of choice for the brand’s retail entry into India. The launch has come at an opportune time when the consumer products industry in India is on the cusp of significant growth and Peppa Pig will be a valuable addition to our kids’ portfolio which has rapidly expanded over the past couple of years,” said Viacom18 consumer products and integrated network solutions business head Saugato Bhowmik.

    As the representative of the licensing rights for the brand across India and the Indian subcontinent, it recently rolled out the first line of Peppa Pig merchandise in the Indian market boasting a product line that includes plush toys, activity sets and much more. The products are available across all Hamleys Toy Stores in India and various other leading retail outlets, including e-commerce sites such as Amazon.

    “The latest international adventure takes Peppa Pig to India. The territory is a key component of our global growth strategy and by working with local experts, Viacom18, to steward the brand’s entry into India, we’re extremely excited about the commercial possibilities this territory presents,” added Entertainment One head of international licensing Ami Dieckman.

    The award-winning TV series made a strong debut in the country in June 2016 on Voot. Initial viewing figures demonstrate that the animated series is consistently one of the platform’s most frequently watched kids’ shows, alongside popular home grown animations such as Motu Patlu, Shiva and Pakdam Pakdai.

  • Nick Jr to premiere ‘Peppa Pig’ show in India

    Nick Jr to premiere ‘Peppa Pig’ show in India

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 is all geared up to bring the popular international preschool property Peppa Pig experience to India. The show that can be experienced digitally on Voot, is now available in stores and on- air. Viacom18 consumer products, the merchandizing and licensing arm of Viacom18, has been appointed by Entertainment One (eOne) as the licensing partner for Peppa Pig in India.

    After its success on the network’s digital platform, Viacom18 will soon debut the show on India’s Nickelodeon’s preschool channel Nick Jr. The addition of Peppa Pig to the existing shows like Ninja Hattori, Motu Patlu, Pakdam Pakdai, Shiva and SpongeBob SquarePants will further cement Nickelodeon’s eminence as the most the most preferred channel among the country’s kids.

    “Peppa Pig is an international sensation and has been gaining popularity in India. Along with being the media network that introduced Peppa Pig to India, we are delighted to be the partner of choice for the brand’s retail entry into India. The launch has come at an opportune time when the consumer products industry in India is on the cusp of significant growth and Peppa Pig will be a valuable addition to our kids’ portfolio which has rapidly expanded over the past couple of years,” said Viacom18 consumer products and integrated network solutions business head Saugato Bhowmik.

    As the representative of the licensing rights for the brand across India and the Indian subcontinent, it recently rolled out the first line of Peppa Pig merchandise in the Indian market boasting a product line that includes plush toys, activity sets and much more. The products are available across all Hamleys Toy Stores in India and various other leading retail outlets, including e-commerce sites such as Amazon.

    “The latest international adventure takes Peppa Pig to India. The territory is a key component of our global growth strategy and by working with local experts, Viacom18, to steward the brand’s entry into India, we’re extremely excited about the commercial possibilities this territory presents,” added Entertainment One head of international licensing Ami Dieckman.

    The award-winning TV series made a strong debut in the country in June 2016 on Voot. Initial viewing figures demonstrate that the animated series is consistently one of the platform’s most frequently watched kids’ shows, alongside popular home grown animations such as Motu Patlu, Shiva and Pakdam Pakdai.

  • Skoda to sponsor Comedy Central Chuckles festival

    Skoda to sponsor Comedy Central Chuckles festival

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central is all set to bring the third edition of the Chuckles festival – a laughter pack with some of the finest, up-and-coming comics of the country. The festival has been well associated with renowned names such as Russell Brand, Gabriel Iglesias, Eddie Ifft Paul Varghese, etc.

    Chuckle Stop will now take place as a bi-monthly property across cities and will promote and nurture upcoming, homegrown talent. This edition has been conceptualized by Live Viacom 18, with Skoda on board as the presenting sponsor along with Voot as the associate sponsor and digital partner. Content from the on-ground event will be made available to the digital audience and Native (Footwear Partner).

    “We are taking a different route this season by creating a platform to nurture homegrown talent. We are sure the audience will be in for a treat with Chuckle Stop,” said Viacom18 Integrated Network Solutions (INS) and consumer products, business head Saugato Bhowmik.

    Uninvited is a three-stop comic show that witnesses’ unaccountable comedians causing uncontrollable chuckles. The first edition has a line-up with the likes of Jeeveshu Ahluvalia, Sundeep Rao and Daniel Fernandes. The three-day long festival will take place in Mumbai on the 14 October, in Bengaluru on 15 October and in Delhi on 16 October.

    Skoda Auto always looks at innovative platforms that resonate with the brand’s image to connect with its audience. This association with Chuckles Festival also coincides with our recent launch of our campaign ‘Better made better’ that intends to transform the brand and ownership experience in the country,” added Skoda Auto India head of marketing Tarun Jha.

    It has also associated with YODA (Youth Organisation in Defence of Animals) through which 10 per cent of all Mumbai ticket proceeds will be going to them.

  • Skoda to sponsor Comedy Central Chuckles festival

    Skoda to sponsor Comedy Central Chuckles festival

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central is all set to bring the third edition of the Chuckles festival – a laughter pack with some of the finest, up-and-coming comics of the country. The festival has been well associated with renowned names such as Russell Brand, Gabriel Iglesias, Eddie Ifft Paul Varghese, etc.

    Chuckle Stop will now take place as a bi-monthly property across cities and will promote and nurture upcoming, homegrown talent. This edition has been conceptualized by Live Viacom 18, with Skoda on board as the presenting sponsor along with Voot as the associate sponsor and digital partner. Content from the on-ground event will be made available to the digital audience and Native (Footwear Partner).

    “We are taking a different route this season by creating a platform to nurture homegrown talent. We are sure the audience will be in for a treat with Chuckle Stop,” said Viacom18 Integrated Network Solutions (INS) and consumer products, business head Saugato Bhowmik.

    Uninvited is a three-stop comic show that witnesses’ unaccountable comedians causing uncontrollable chuckles. The first edition has a line-up with the likes of Jeeveshu Ahluvalia, Sundeep Rao and Daniel Fernandes. The three-day long festival will take place in Mumbai on the 14 October, in Bengaluru on 15 October and in Delhi on 16 October.

    Skoda Auto always looks at innovative platforms that resonate with the brand’s image to connect with its audience. This association with Chuckles Festival also coincides with our recent launch of our campaign ‘Better made better’ that intends to transform the brand and ownership experience in the country,” added Skoda Auto India head of marketing Tarun Jha.

    It has also associated with YODA (Youth Organisation in Defence of Animals) through which 10 per cent of all Mumbai ticket proceeds will be going to them.

  • Live Viacom18’s Vh1 Supersonic has a new address

    Live Viacom18’s Vh1 Supersonic has a new address

    MUMBAI: One of the most anticipated dance music festivals, Vh1 Supersonic, has a new home. Scheduled to take place for three days starting from 10 February, the live property, after much assessment, will be held in Pune. Known as ‘Oxford of the East’, the city exudes a vibe of being one large college campus and the cultural capital of Maharashtra.

    “Carrying a legacy of offering the best in dance music, we are excited to host the upcoming edition of Vh1 Supersonic in Pune. Deeply-rooted in culture and traditions, the city is known for its openness towards modern influences and thought. Party-goers can enjoy a gamut of experiential activities beyond the mammoth artist line-up across the three days of Vh1 Supersonic. They can lose themselves in numerous hangout zones, filled with fun and adventurous activities, weave through engaging art installations, shop till they drop at flee markets and a lot more!,” said Live Viacom18 head Saugato Bhowmik.

    The music festival has brought to India some of the greats from the international world of EDM like Skrillex, Axwell, Zedd, W&W, Steve Aoki Paul Van Dyk, Above & Beyond, The Chainsmokers, Dash Berlin, etc. Moving beyond just three days annual festival, Vh1 Supersonic is also popular for its year long-experience sets through multiple brand extensions; i.e.Vh1 Supersonic Club Nights, Vh1 Supersonic Arcades which enables fans to engage with their favorite artists in their city through the year.

    Pune has always had an intrinsic connection with theatre, music, arts and literature and been a centre of learning and research in all fields.

  • Live Viacom18’s Vh1 Supersonic has a new address

    Live Viacom18’s Vh1 Supersonic has a new address

    MUMBAI: One of the most anticipated dance music festivals, Vh1 Supersonic, has a new home. Scheduled to take place for three days starting from 10 February, the live property, after much assessment, will be held in Pune. Known as ‘Oxford of the East’, the city exudes a vibe of being one large college campus and the cultural capital of Maharashtra.

    “Carrying a legacy of offering the best in dance music, we are excited to host the upcoming edition of Vh1 Supersonic in Pune. Deeply-rooted in culture and traditions, the city is known for its openness towards modern influences and thought. Party-goers can enjoy a gamut of experiential activities beyond the mammoth artist line-up across the three days of Vh1 Supersonic. They can lose themselves in numerous hangout zones, filled with fun and adventurous activities, weave through engaging art installations, shop till they drop at flee markets and a lot more!,” said Live Viacom18 head Saugato Bhowmik.

    The music festival has brought to India some of the greats from the international world of EDM like Skrillex, Axwell, Zedd, W&W, Steve Aoki Paul Van Dyk, Above & Beyond, The Chainsmokers, Dash Berlin, etc. Moving beyond just three days annual festival, Vh1 Supersonic is also popular for its year long-experience sets through multiple brand extensions; i.e.Vh1 Supersonic Club Nights, Vh1 Supersonic Arcades which enables fans to engage with their favorite artists in their city through the year.

    Pune has always had an intrinsic connection with theatre, music, arts and literature and been a centre of learning and research in all fields.

  • AP Govt. signs up with Viacom18’s brand solutions arm BE Viacom18 to promote tourism

    AP Govt. signs up with Viacom18’s brand solutions arm BE Viacom18 to promote tourism

    MUMBAI: In a first of its kind initiative, media conglomerate Viacom18’s brand solutions arm BE Viacom18 has partnered with the government of Arunachal Pradesh to provide strategic consultation services to promote the tourism in the state. While BE Viacom18 had handled the strategic marketing and communication drive for Vivo when the Chinese handset brand marked its India debut, this deal with the Arunachal Pradesh government marks the company’s maiden foray into the PPP arena with a state government.

    Commenting on the partnership, Saugato Bhowmik, Business Head, Consumer Products and Integrated Network Solutions, Viacom 18, said, “We are ecstatic to have inked a deal to boost the state tourism of Arunachal Pradesh. Viacom18 has entered a PPP Model with the state government, wherein we will conceptualize and create the best possible plan of action to make Arunachal Pradesh a ‘Must Experience’ location. This unique association in the Indian Media & Entertainment sector will see Viacom18 tap into the huge potential of government Non DAVP partnerships and leverage the group’s domestic and international media platforms. ”

    BE Viacom18 will work closely with the state government to educate people about the unique highlights and various attractions of Arunachal Pradesh. In order to leverage the state tourism, BE Viacom18 will release a special Audio-visual brand film for Arunachal Pradesh tourism that will be reached out to audiences through the network’s broadcast channels. The promotions will also comprise media buys by BE Viacom18 as well as facilitating production houses from Bollywood and other film fraternities to shoot films, music videos, documentaries, television series, reality shows and also explore Strategic Business IP Partnerships on various cultural events in the state.

    Commenting on the association with Viacom18, Joram Beda, Tourism Secretary, Govt. of Arunachal Pradesh said, “Honorable Chief Minister Shri Pema Khandu firmly believes that tourism is one of the areas that can generate revenues for the state. The focus for the government this year, thus lies in boosting the tourism sector and making Arunachal Pradesh a ‘Must See, Must Experience’ state. For the success of this vision, we need like-minded partners that see and understand our vision and can help us chart this path. Being one of the biggest media houses check for the right citation again of the country, we are pleased to have Viacom18 on-board to help us reach out to the right audience through a robust campaign.”

    The partnership with Arunachal Pradesh marks yet another initiative by BE Viacom18 after being instrumental in launching global smart phone brand Vivo to Indian markets.