ITV

Tag: Saurabh Yagnik

  • Sony Pix to premiere 4 movies on 16 February

    Sony Pix to premiere 4 movies on 16 February

    MUMBAI: The English movie channel from the Multi Screen Media (MSM) stable – Sony Pix – is continuing on its clutter breaking innovations as its gearing up for one of its biggest day yet.

     

    Living up to its brand promise; Stay Amazed, Pix will present its viewers, a unique opportunity to experience the amazement of four big movie premieres back to back for the first time ever on Indian Television. The date is 16 February, when viewers will get to see the premiere of Expendables 2 at 12:00 pm, M. Night Shyamalan’s sci-fi thriller After Earth at 2:00 pm, deep sea thriller Dark Tide starring Halle Berry at 4:30 pm and the critically acclaimed The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo at 7:00 pm.

     

    Sony Pix EVP and business head Saurabh Yagnik added: “We constantly strive to interact and engage with our viewers, by not just offering exceptional titles but also presenting them a completely memorable viewing experience. ‘Premiere Pixathon’ is one such initiative that will break the clutter and help differentiate us in the genre. It’s for the first time ever that any Hollywood movie channel in the genre has come up with such initiative.”  

    Sony Pix has always been amongst the front runners when it comes to promoting and marketing their premieres in an innovative way. With ‘Premiere Pixathon’, the channel will again heighten the amazement of its viewers and engage them like never before.

  • Sony PIX aims 20 per cent market share by 2014 in English movie space

    Sony PIX aims 20 per cent market share by 2014 in English movie space

    KOLKATA: Hollywood movie channel Sony PIX is looking to increase its market share to 20 per cent by the end of the current year 2014 in the Hollywood movie channel space from the present 18 per cent by strengthening its content.

     

    “Our aim is to grow our share and take it upwards to around 20 per cent by the end of 2014. In terms of viewership, the company has a market share of 18 per cent,” said Sony PIX EVP & Business Head Saurabh Yagnik, while announcing two initiatives – premieres of four big movies back to back and Pix Premiere Nights with the latest movie, Robocop in Kolkata, on Friday.

     

    “In 2013, we were consistent and maintained the second position, we even banged Star Movies occasionally from number one spot,” he said.

     

    On being asked the strategies to achieve this target, he said that the channel would focus on strengthening its content, while being innovative and relevant. “We are evaluating for other tie ups for content,” Yagnik said as he said that the channel plans to pump in more money to acquire content.

     

    When asked about the channel’s penetration in the Kolkata market, he said Sony Pix’s market share was 22 per cent in 2013, more than its average pan India share as people in WB are more inclined towards English movie channels.

  • Stay Amazed with the New Sony Pix

    Stay Amazed with the New Sony Pix

    MUMBAI: Brand Sony is getting a makeover. Days after Sony Entertainment Television Network announced its fresh new look, Sony Pix is following suit, starting with a repositioning from ‘Hollywood is here’ to ‘Stay Amazed’.

    The new brand identity will be unveiled along with the world television premiere of Skyfall on 27 October at 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm on the channel.

    As opposed to the earlier tagline ‘Hollywood is here’, ‘Stay Amazed’ defines what it is about Hollywood that people like, breaking the clutter and making the channel stand out from the crowd. Significantly, it’s a brand promise that viewers of the rebooted Sony Pix will never have a dull moment, whether they’re watching it on television, social media or on-ground.

    The channel rifled through pitches from some 24 companies across five continents before zeroing on Argentina-based Medialuna (MDL) for designing the new look

    Says Sony Pix executive VP and business head Saurabh Yagnik: “The whole idea is to break the clutter and give the audience what they truly want to see and experience. The revamped look propagates the brand philosophy of being fresh, innovative and progressive. Our content and branding will establish Sony Pix as the most exciting, fun and entertaining English movie channel.”

    The repositioning has been a gruelling exercise with Team Sony Pix burning some serious midnight oil to brainstorm and understand what Indian audiences really want from in particular English movie channels and in general Hollywood. The channel has rifled through pitches from some 24 companies across five continents before zeroing on Argentina-based Medialuna (MDL) for designing the new look.

    Our content and branding will establish Sony Pix as the most exciting, fun and entertaining English movie channel says Saurabh Yagnik

    And the result is for all to see – an all new packaging in eye-catching ‘neon green’, which is part of Sony Pix’s revamped strategy to stay-in-sync with an increasing number of young viewers. What’s more, synergies have been worked out between the upcoming instalment of the Krrish franchise and Sony’s rebranding campaign.

    “The whole revamped look took nearly six months to execute, and we narrowed down on Medialuna after taking a close look at their body of work. We are really glad with the final outcome,” exults Yagnik.

    The new look will unravel along with the premiere of ‘Skyfall’ on 27 October

    Coming to the Skyfall premiere, a 360-degree promotional campaign is on the anvil, which promises to engage viewers like never before. The channel is gearing up for the ‘Biggest secret mission ever’ on Facebook – designed to give viewers a once in a lifetime opportunity to win a trip to the ‘Bond in Motion’ exhibition in London. (Bond in Motion is the largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles over the past 50 years).

    Says Sony Pix vice president – marketing Neville Bastawalla: “This is something that is really going to get our viewers engaged and get more involved with the channel. The mission will be played over three phases: one to crack a maze of obstacles using clues, second being a first of its kind game where your mobile phone becomes a remote to chase clues, and the third being simply type in the codes that are flashed on the screen during the premiere to win a chance to visit the ‘Bond in Motion’ exhibition in London.”

    It’s all about getting our viewers engaged and getting them more involved with the channel believes Neville Bastawalla

    While the in-house team has designed, conceptualised and executed the on-air promos, the outdoor Skyfall campaign, to be carried out in Mumbai and Delhi, will be handled by Leo Burnett India. Tonic Media will look after the digital front. Approximately 80-85 per cent of the marketing budget has been kept aside exclusively for the repositioning, and the channel is confident of a great response from the trade and audiences alike.

    Snapdeal.com is the presenting sponsor for the Skyfall campaign while Dell and Engage Deos are the powered by sponsors. Other sponsors include Toyota, Lombard suiting, Whirlpool, We Chat and many more.

    In charge of the digital component of the entire rebranding exercise is Tonic Media. With nearly 33,300 followers on Twitter and a little over 3,275 likes on Facebook at the time of penning this article, Sony Pix is looking to intensify its engagement with viewers on social media.

    Notty Pixy will get the inside dope of all the gossip from behind the scenes in Hollywood

    On the cards is an interactive initiative with NottyPixy, who is touted as this Hollywood insider, who works hard and parties harder, is quirky, has loads of attitude and resonates with the youth. The #NottyPixy hashtag has been launched to promote the Notty Pixy character, with Notty Pixy taking over the @SonyPix handle every Thursday. Further, Notty Pixy will get onto the channel from end-November, every Friday, at 7:00 pm, to run a movie of her choice and interact with viewers through social media as well as on-air with ‘Wow trivia with a Notty Pixy twist’.

    While the repositioning is aimed at taking the channel to greater heights, even presently, Sony Pix appears to be in a good space.

    A 360 degree campaign will be carried out for the repositioning

    Movies-wise, the channel has nearly 250 – 300 active film titles, which include the Rocky series, Spider Man franchise, Mission Impossible series, Terminator franchise, animation films like Madagascar, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda plus a recent acquisition – the complete Bond franchise along with the latest flick, Skyfall.
    Pix also boasts some big-ticket releases of 2013 including: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Captain Phillips, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Hotel Transylvania, Smurfs 2, White House Down, Django Unchained, Grown Ups 2 and After Earth among others. Moreover, the channel is associated with five of Hollywood’s leading studios such as Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, MGM and Universal.

    So does Pix plan to restructure its FPC (Fixed Point Chart) with the implementation of the 10+2 ad cap rule? “Firstly, I really don’t believe that the ruling will make a very big difference to English movie channels, but if it does get implemented, then we are ready for it as we at Pix believe we can deliver engaging content to keep our viewers hooked on,” replies Yagnik.

    Currently airing (14+2) 16 minutes of advertisements per hour of programming and second only to Star Movies in the English movie channel space, Pix has seen a 35 per cent growth in terms of its reach pre-DAS and post-DAS, and a 36 per cent growth in terms of TSV (Time Spent per Viewer), so while the channel is well placed, it is also making all the right noises to pip competitors at the post.

  • Stay Amazed with the New Sony Pix

    Stay Amazed with the New Sony Pix

    MUMBAI: Brand Sony is getting a makeover. Days after Sony Entertainment Television Network announced its fresh new look, Sony Pix is following suit, starting with a repositioning from ‘Hollywood is here’ to ‘Stay Amazed’.

    The new brand identity will be unveiled along with the world television premiere of Skyfall on 27 October at 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm on the channel.

    As opposed to the earlier tagline ‘Hollywood is here’, ‘Stay Amazed’ defines what it is about Hollywood that people like, breaking the clutter and making the channel stand out from the crowd. Significantly, it’s a brand promise that viewers of the rebooted Sony Pix will never have a dull moment, whether they’re watching it on television, social media or on-ground.

    Says Sony Pix executive VP and business head Saurabh Yagnik: “The whole idea is to break the clutter and give the audience what they truly want to see and experience. The revamped look propagates the brand philosophy of being fresh, innovative and progressive. Our content and branding will establish Sony Pix as the most exciting, fun and entertaining English movie channel.”

    The repositioning has been a gruelling exercise with Team Sony Pix burning some serious midnight oil to brainstorm and understand what Indian audiences really want from in particular English movie channels and in general Hollywood. The channel has rifled through pitches from some 24 companies across five continents before zeroing on Argentina-based Medialuna (MDL) for designing the new look.

    The channel rifled through pitches from some 24 companies across five continents before zeroing on Argentina-based Medialuna (MDL) for designing the new look

    And the result is for all to see – an all new packaging in eye-catching ‘neon green’, which is part of Sony Pix’s revamped strategy to stay-in-sync with an increasing number of young viewers. What’s more, synergies have been worked out between the upcoming instalment of the Krrish franchise and Sony’s rebranding campaign.

    “The whole revamped look took nearly six months to execute, and we narrowed down on Medialuna after taking a close look at their body of work. We are really glad with the final outcome,” exults Yagnik.

    Coming to the Skyfall premiere, a 360-degree promotional campaign is on the anvil, which promises to engage viewers like never before. The channel is gearing up for the ‘Biggest secret mission ever’ on Facebook – designed to give viewers a once in a lifetime opportunity to win a trip to the ‘Bond in Motion’ exhibition in London. (Bond in Motion is the largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles over the past 50 years).

    Says Sony Pix vice president – marketing Neville Bastawalla: “This is something that is really going to get our viewers engaged and get more involved with the channel. The mission will be played over three phases: one to crack a maze of obstacles using clues, second being a first of its kind game where your mobile phone becomes a remote to chase clues, and the third being simply type in the codes that are flashed on the screen during the premiere to win a chance to visit the ‘Bond in Motion’ exhibition in London.”

    While the in-house team has designed, conceptualised and executed the on-air promos, the outdoor Skyfall campaign, to be carried out in Mumbai and Delhi, will be handled by Leo Burnett India. Tonic Media will look after the digital front. Approximately 80-85 per cent of the marketing budget has been kept aside exclusively for the repositioning, and the channel is confident of a great response from the trade and audiences alike.

    Snapdeal.com is the presenting sponsor for the Skyfall campaign while Dell and Engage Deos are the powered by sponsors. Other sponsors include Toyota, Lombard suiting, Whirlpool, We Chat and many more.

     

    The new look will unravel along with the premiere of ‘Skyfall’ on 27 October

    In charge of the digital component of the entire rebranding exercise is Tonic Media. With nearly 33,300 followers on Twitter and a little over 3,275 likes on Facebook at the time of penning this article, Sony Pix is looking to intensify its engagement with viewers on social media.

    On the cards is an interactive initiative with NottyPixy, who is touted as this Hollywood insider, who works hard and parties harder, is quirky, has loads of attitude and resonates with the youth. The #NottyPixy hashtag has been launched to promote the Notty Pixy character, with Notty Pixy taking over the @SonyPix handle every Thursday. Further, Notty Pixy will get onto the channel from end-November, every Friday, at 7:00 pm, to run a movie of her choice and interact with viewers through social media as well as on-air with ‘Wow trivia with a Notty Pixy twist’.

    While the repositioning is aimed at taking the channel to greater heights, even presently, Sony Pix appears to be in a good space.

    Movies-wise, the channel has nearly 250 – 300 active film titles, which include the Rocky series, Spider Man franchise, Mission Impossible series, Terminator franchise, animation films like Madagascar, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda plus a recent acquisition – the complete Bond franchise along with the latest flick, Skyfall.
    Pix also boasts some big-ticket releases of 2013 including: Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Captain Phillips, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Hotel Transylvania, Smurfs 2, White House Down, Django Unchained, Grown Ups 2 and After Earth among others. Moreover, the channel is associated with five of Hollywood’s leading studios such as Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, MGM and Universal.

    So does Pix plan to restructure its FPC (Fixed Point Chart) with the implementation of the 10+2 ad cap rule? “Firstly, I really don’t believe that the ruling will make a very big difference to English movie channels, but if it does get implemented, then we are ready for it as we at Pix believe we can deliver engaging content to keep our viewers hooked on,” replies Yagnik.

    A 360 degree campaign will be carried out for the repositioning

    Currently airing (14+2) 16 minutes of advertisements per hour of programming and second only to Star Movies in the English movie channel space, Pix has seen a 35 per cent growth in terms of its reach pre-DAS and post-DAS, and a 36 per cent growth in terms of TSV (Time Spent per Viewer), so while the channel is well placed, it is also making all the right noises to pip competitors at the post.

  • Get your daily dose of Hollywood ‘gossip with a twist’ from Notty Pixy!

    Get your daily dose of Hollywood ‘gossip with a twist’ from Notty Pixy!

    National, 22nd August, 2013: Ever wondered what do your favourite Hollywood celebrities eat, breathe and drink? What do they do other than movies… All your search stops here! Sony PIX has announced the launch of a captivating and ingenious Hollywood Insider called NOTTY PIXY who plans to take us for a saucy ride through Hollywood’s secrets.

    Starting today, meet her on the Facebook fan page of Sony PIX, https://www.facebook.com/SonyPIX for your regular dose of inside gossip with a twist from the world of Hollywood. Be rest assured that you will know all the ‘Notty’ news way before everyone else, because Notty Pixy is always present and invited at all Hollywood parties, fashion shoots, behind the scenes, film sets and even baby showers! Nothing ever escapes her eyes and ears as she has a sharp acumen for inside news happenings and spicy gossips.

    Commenting on the innovation, Mr. Saurabh Yagnik, Executive Vice President and Business Head, Sony PIX says, “Sony PIX is the leader when it comes to audience engagement on the social media platform. It has a loyal Facebook fan base and being a premium Hollywood movie channel, we always strive to give our viewers out of the box content. Notty Pixy is one such attempt. We are confident that she is certainly going to be hugely popular with our audiences and this is another step in our building differentiation for the channel in the category. “

    Sony PIX is a front runner when it comes to engaging with its viewers on social media. All campaigns are targeted at being interactive and engaging. Sony PIX is recognised for appealing and smart ways of marketing their properties and premieres. With Notty Pixy, the audience will be able to relate to the character and in turn have a stronger association with the channel.

    So fasten those seat belts and hold on tight because Notty Pixy is here! She arrives today and she’s going to get her admirers up close and personal with the lives of their favorite Hollywood celebrities. It is time to party!

    Catch Notty Pixy on the Facebook page of Sony PIX!

  • Sony Pix’s ‘Pixathon’ will showcase various celebrated movies of popular franchises back to back

    Sony Pix’s ‘Pixathon’ will showcase various celebrated movies of popular franchises back to back

    Mumbai, July 24: Sony PIX has come up with yet another original and innovative property for its viewers. ‘PIXATHON’ will showcase various celebrated movies of popular franchises back to back which will have the audience glued to their seats. Watch your favourite movie series such as Rocky, Shrek, Iron Man, Spiderman, Mission Impossible and all of Bond series back to back only on Sony PIX. The channel is also carrying out innovative campaigns to promote the premiere of their blockbuster movies.

    To start with, the viewers got a chance to meet the ‘Green Hero’. The organic eating and eco-friendly hero Shrek launched the ‘Go Green’ project to promote the premiere of the movie. The viewers took part in the first ever Shrek PIXATHON and watched all 4 Shreks back to back on July 21.

    For the first time in India the viewer’s also got the chance to watch the sexy, hot and stylish Robert Downey as Iron Man 1 and 2 back to back only on Sony PIX. Tony Stark’s stylish and charismatic mean machine livened up the small screen on July 13.

    In future, the fans will also get the opportunity to be part of the Rocky legacy as they participate in ‘Discover the Rocky in You’ campaign. The motivational, inspiring and emotional story of the boxing icon will come alive on Sony PIX on August 4 as it premieres Rocky 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6. Also, swinging its way to the small screen is the Spiderman PIXATHON. The fans can catch all four parts of the web slinging superhero back to back on August 15. It doesn’t stop here…very soon; viewers will also get a chance to watch all of Mission Impossible and Bond series.

    To break the clutter around channel association the property has been termed PIXATHON.

    Saurabh Yagnik, EVP & Business Head, Sony PIX added, “This year we have enthralled our audiences with the two biggest premieres on television, Men in Black 3 and The Amazing Spiderman – the highest rated premieres of 2013. We have significantly stepped up our investments in acquiring high quality content and popular franchises. We also constantly strive to interact and engage with our viewers, by not just offering exceptional titles but also presenting them a completely memorable viewing experience. PIXATHON is one such initiative by us that will bring us another step closer to our audience.”

    So with titles like Shrek, Rocky, Spiderman, Mission Impossible and the entire Bond series to showcase in their library, Sony PIX is sure to pose a stiff competition to the other English movie channels.

  • Star World launches ‘Crime At Ten’ band

    Star World launches ‘Crime At Ten’ band

    MUMBAI: English GEC Star World has created a block called ‘Crime At Ten‘ that will kick off on 5 March.

    With the crime related shows airing every weekday at 10 pm, the broadcaster has taken a step towards imbibing the American style of showcasing programmes in a checkered format.

    The property will showcase the latest seasons of crime shows. These include ‘Dexter‘, ‘Castle‘ and ‘Criminal Minds‘ that will air everyday weekday at 10 pm along with new shows ‘Person Of Interest‘ and ‘Unforgettable‘.

    Star India GM, senior VP, English Channels Saurabh Yagnik said, “Star World is constantly designing ways to engage viewers either by bringing the latest Hollywood shows to India or launching innovative properties like Crime At Ten. With this property, we are mirroring the American way of showcasing programmes in a checkered format. Our research shows that Indian viewers have a high tendency to consume crime content and we are hence launching five crime shows on our 10 pm slot.”

    Coming up first on‘Crime At Ten‘ is the sixth season of ‘Dexter‘. Michael C. Hall continues his role as Dexter the serial killer as he explores beyond his surroundings and enters new arenas. But unfortunately whenever a serial killer enters new arenas, they always find someone that‘s needs to be killed.

    On 6 March a new crime show, ‘Person Of Interest‘, kicks off. The series revolves around Mr. Flinch who creates a computer programme that can see the future, providing information about individuals that could be in danger. His first target is to save the life of Diane Hanson, an Assistant District Attorney currently working on a major prosecution with the help of his newly employed colleague John Reese.

    The show not just boasts of nuanced writing and characteriaation but also engages viewers with a post 9/11 sense of paranoia.

    Crime duo- Richard Castle and Kate Becket take centrestage on Wednesday with the fourth season of ‘Castle‘. Following ‘Castle‘ comes a new crime show ‘Unforgettable‘. The show follows the story of Former Syracuse, New York police detective Carrie Wells who has hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to visually remember everything. A series of events helps her to find out the one thing she has been unable to remember i.e. what happened the day her sister was murdered.

    On ‘Crime At Ten‘ is also the latest season of ‘Criminal Minds‘. The show revolves around the Behavioral Analysis Unit who analyses the country‘s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again. This season takes off from Season 6 where the BAU team is at crossroads when they are questioned by a Senate Committee for their retaliatory actions to get revenge on Doyle.

  • ‘Our revenue target is to grow upwards of 30%’ : Star India senior VP, GM English Channels Saurabh Yagnik

    ‘Our revenue target is to grow upwards of 30%’ : Star India senior VP, GM English Channels Saurabh Yagnik

    star India is aggressively building a wide portfolio of English entertainment channels. Its aim: to capture specific needs of different viewers.

     

    Backed by a rise in audience share, Star is eyeing a revenue growth of 30 per cent from its English channels.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Star India senior VP, GM English Channels Saurabh Yagnik talks about the strategy the network has adopted in growing the consumption for English entertainment channels.

     

    Excerpts:

    After Star India started overseeing the operations of the English channels, what has been the difference?
    The English channels got managed in October 2009. That was when we had a transition from Hong Kong to India. We set up a full team to look into content, marketing and positioning of the channels. With our better understanding of the local market conditions and what people watch, we have added value to the viewer. This is reflected in how our category shares have grown.

    Could you elaborate on the growth of these channels, particularly with reference to this year?
    We have seen results coming from the momentum of the things we did last year. We also launched more channels to strengthen the portfolio; HD feeds for Star Movies and Star World were recently launched. We upped the ante for marketing on Fox Crime and FX. We are going about aggressively building a portfolio that caters to specific viewer needs in various ways. We use this to build consumption and grow the share of Star as a network.

    Even in revenues?
    The pace of growth has been fantastic. Our target is to grow upwards of 30 per cent. This is the kind of momentum we are looking at.

    What are the challenges before English channels at this point of time?
    Growing consumption for English content is the biggest challenge; it is also an opportunity. We tackle this by driving the relativity and relevance of content. You are seeing more on-ground led activities for promotions. Last year we aired the Oscars and did a 360 degree campaign. This time we did the James Bond festival and had a 360 degree approach. This helped the viewers relate more. A similar thing was done with ‘Avatar’ to drive awareness of Star Movies and we used Star Plus as well for the film.

     

    We have done local shows on Star World like ‘Koffee With Karan’ to drive viewership. We are also doing localised promotions around shows. For Masterchef Australia, we brought a jury member down here. Among other things a live chat happened which was well received by the audience. We put legs to our promotional strategy to ensure that people find content that is relevant and relatable. Then you intersperse it with aggregator shows like Koffee With Karan. This is how you break barriers for English consumption.
    ‘Primarily, Star World is a destination for Hollywood shows. That is the DNA. All local content will have to be as exclusive and exquisite as Hollywood aspirations. We will be selective and bring in what fits into our criteria of exclusivity ‘

    Do content costs present a challenge to the business model?
    We have been noticing that in some cases there is irrational pricing for content. This might not sustain itself. What gives us comfort is that we have long term strategic relationships with a lot of studios that gives us depth and width of content. While there are short term challenges in terms of costs going up, we managed to mitigate some of those risks through our long term contracts.

    With more players coming in, how is Star Movies fine-tuning its strategy to hold on to its position?
    Star Movies positions itself not just as a destination for movies but as a destination for Hollywood. The programming strategy is about making content relatable and relevant which means having differentiated and sharply focused festivals throughout the year. We have access to the best titles from various studios. The aim is to amplify properties like a ‘Superheroes Festival’ by adopting a multi-pronged approach.

     

    Also, there are a huge amount of online viewers. We will use this to market and talk about our properties.

    Is viewer loyalty growing for this genre or is it still very much title driven?
    Viewership is largely determined by the titles that are placed but the differentiation that Star Movies brings in is through its premieres and sharply crafted festivals. This helps ensure a very sharp and insightful promise and we are able to reach a considerable set of viewers by going beyond just titles.

    Is HD the future for this genre? Do all English movie channels need to move towards it?
    The future will be beyond HD as well and there will be more innovations. The viewership will move towards HD because of the viewership quality. However, we are not stopping at that as Star Movies is always inventing and innovating and will bring in the latest technology for its viewers.

    By when do you expect to breakeven on the HD feeds?
    They are a premium offering. You need an HD STB and an HDTV. We are driven by advertising and subscription. The idea is to breakeven in the second year.

    Tam data shows that Star World has increased its share despite new entrants. What have been the reasons for this?
    A lot has happened on Star World. We started with the stripped format on the weekdays with a sharp promise and focus. This helped grow appointment viewing. We did exclusive, glamorous local shows like Koffee With Karan. This aggregated audiences. Our digital engagement and what we did in the social media space has helped us build a loyal set of viewers. They are excited about watching us.

    Which are the genres that are working the best for you? Sitcoms and crime dramas work very well as does local programming. ‘Masterchef Australia’ is also performing well. The range of shows that do well is broad based.

    What role does localisation play for Star World?
    Primarily, Star World is a destination for Hollywood shows. That is the DNA. All local content will have to be as exclusive and exquisite as Hollywood aspirations. We will be selective and bring in what fits into our criteria of exclusivity. While localisation is important, it is not our backbone.
    Is non primetime becoming important?
    Yes! We see viewership here as well. The scheduling is based on viewership patterns so that we get unduplicated audiences across time bands for various shows. We slot shows based on viewer profile. We run omnibuses of our weekly offerings on the weekend. So people can do a catch up. This allows more viewers to watch us outside primetime as well.

    Could you talk about the increase in marketing innovations?
    There has been a significant step up in this area. For instance when ‘Community’ was launched, people got a customised message explaining the show by star. When we launch shows we talk to people asking them their views and why they want to watch it. We put this as a part of our promotions. We could have stars of a show coming down to India. This is an interesting possibility. On Star World, you have the biggest shows launching.

     

    We are doing a high decibel campaign around ‘Terra Nova’ which is a sci-fi show. The Torrentz property on weekends is to bring shows as close to the US airing date to India. This is how we build Star World as the destination for the best American shows fresh from the US.
    Are you expanding distribution beyond DTH for FX and Fox Crime?
    Digital is the right place. This is where a large part of consumption of English GECs is going to happen. The kind of audience that we target is affluent and will move towards DTH as the viewing experience there is better. That is where people consume more. We believe that digital is the right way to go. We don’t have analogue plans for them.
    Is the English GEC big enough to have channels according to TG and audience profile?
    We have had a different strategy based on our own insights. Star World has a healthy portfolio. Fox Crime is not based on a demographic cut or of the TG; it is based on the fascination that people have for a particular genre. With FX, we looked at catering to the evolved sensibilities of the more discerning viewer. Our strategy is based on viewer behaviour and mindset.
    As more entrants come in, how much of a challenge is fragmentation?
    There is enough penetration but lesser category share. We are the second largest English speaking population in the world. But the share of English GECs is nothing to talk about in relation to that. With more affluence, education and people becoming more global in their mindset, the consumption of English content will only grow. Also disposable incomes are growing and the propensity to consume branded products is the highest in this category.
  • Star Movies to double marketing spend this year

    Star Movies to double marketing spend this year

    MUMBAI: Star Movies will double its marketing spend this year as it shifts to a digital and on-air focus while retaining selective off air activities.

    In a bid to engage consumers, the channel will kick off from 14 March a marketing initiative, ‘Walk the Red Carpet‘, on weekdays during the 9 pm movie.
     
    An animated caricature of a Hollywood star walking the red carpet will be displayed, post which the viewers will have to identify the star. Prizes will be given like goodie bags as well as gifts like iphone and ipads.

    Said Star India GM English channels Saurabh Yagnik, “Walk The Red Carpet will be a month long initiative. Each month we will look at an innovative concept aimed at building the viewer‘s engagement. Our marketing spend for this year will double.”
     
    Major properties will be marketed. Star Movies promoted the Oscar Awards, projecting it as a larger than life event. A quiz was held across four cities and Rajeev Masand hosted a pre-show before the Oscar Awards on 28 February.

    “Amplifying a major property like the Oscar Awards is important. Our marketing efforts are aimed at driving relatability and relevance. Social media is important to us as 90 per cent of our TG is on the Internet. We are using Facebook to create awareness about Walk The Red carpet,” said Yagnik.
     
    The channel will also be doing marketing innovations around ‘Avatar‘ which will premiere soon.