ITV

Tag: Set Max

  • Paisabazaar.com launches campaign

    MUMBAI: Paisabazaar.com, a marketplace for loans and cards, which has a partnership with Experian Credit Information, launched its TV campaign during the live broadcast of the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match on Sunday, featuring several products offering customers a credit report along with monthly updates at absolutely zero cost.

    The campaign was conceptualised by the in-house team of Paisabazaar.com and was executed by K Silent Production. It is scheduled to be aired on Star Sports HD during the telecast of Champions Trophy games along with movie and news channels like Set Max, UTV Movies, AajTak, NDTV India etc.

    Paisabazaar.com CEO and Co-founder Naveen Kukreja said, “We, at Paisabazaar, are focused on spreading the message around the relevance of Credit Score. Credit Score not only determines whether an individual get a loan or not, but also decides the pricing of that loan. We have seen too many of our customers struggle to get loans in times of need because of a poor Credit Score. Through our TV and digital campaigns, we want to make people aware that every individual should be aware of his credit score and constantly strive to improve it.”

    Chief product officer Paisabazaar.com Radhika Binani said, “Our brand promise is to make personal finance decisions easy and convenient for India. By providing Credit Report absolutely free, we are ensuring our customers are empowered to take informed lending decisions and help them get best-suited offers. Along with the Credit Report, we provide free monthly updates of the report to help customers monitor their score.”

    The new commercials feature actors Sumit Raghavan and Amit Mistry.

    Paisabazaar.com Group director and head of marketing Sai Narayan said, “The campaign’s idea is to drive home the point that your chances of getting any type of loan depends on your Credit Score. On Paisabazaar.com, finding out your Credit Score is easy, instantaneous and free.”

    watch video below :

  • Sony Max gets ‘filmy’ yet again!

    Sony Max gets ‘filmy’ yet again!

    MUMBAI: It’s no surprise that Indians have always been crazy or ‘deewana’ about two things – Bollywood and cricket. It is the only country, where in the most unexpected of moments one can find people using a dialogue from a movie or breaking into a song. And it’s this ‘Bollywood Fever’ which makes it important for Hindi movie channel Sony Max to bring out the ‘deewanapan’ (craziness) in a new, surprising manner every time.

     

    It was in 2012, when the channel felt the need to get viewers close to the world of movies and live the life filmy style, and thus launching a campaign titled, ‘Shuruaat Yahin Se’ which celebrated 100 years of cinema. It talked about how watching a good film is a way to handle extreme emotions.

     

    But the phrase failed to click with the audiences, and so in 2013, the channel’s tagline ‘Deewana Bana De’ had to come back in a new avatar. Max launched three television commercials as part of its brand campaign – ‘Jahan Dekho, Vahaan Deewana’ which added a new dimension to its existing positioning, ‘Deewana Bana De’.

     

    This year, to further strengthen its emotional connect with the consumers, the channel has launched three commercials as part of its brand campaign – ‘Ab Khulkar phailegi Deewangi’. The three 40-seconders, carve out the very basic element within the common man. It doesn’t talk about brand Max, but about the deewanapan in everyone.

     

    The first of the three TVCs that went on-air on 15 December shows how an extremely slow tuk-tuk driver gets charged-up by listening to the ‘Dhoom’ song tune and starts cruising through the road in full speed.

     

    The second TVC shows bridesmaids along with an old aunt making a war cry for the bride ‘Chak De’ to perk her up from the anxiety of her suhagraat. The third TVC depicts how a furniture showroom salesman bitten by the Bollywood bug replicates the iconic Zanjeer movie scene while attending a customer.

     

    This year the channel has particularly borrowed dialogues and songs from key films like Zanjeer (1973), Dhoom and Chak De India. The films have a very subtle humorous appeal and the brand films are directed by ace ad film maker Anaam Mishra from Crome Pictures.

     

    Sony Max VP – marketing Vaishali Sharma believes that this will make the campaign more powerful. “It will help us integrate the brand seamlessly into the consumers’ life,” she says.  

     

    According to Sony Max senior VP and business head Neeraj Vyas, Hindi films have their own kind of crafting and now the germ is all over. “In the last 50 years of cinema, the characters and songs have become larger than life. There is filmy madness in everybody and now the madness is spreading. Till last year, we said ‘Deewana Bana De’ and showered some elements and this year we are saying that look, now the craziness is spreading.”

     

    Conceptualised by DDB Mudra, it took two months for the channel from planning to the execution of all the three commercials. Vyas found the scripts very cute and in the Max zone. When asked why the channel picked these three movies, he says, “It could have been anything else as well. But when you sit for a campaign for over two months you go through a lot of ideas and scripts. We thought that these were quite relevant and without being over-the-top funny.”

     

    According to Sharma every year the channel continues to strengthen its emotional connect with the consumers so that it can, within the space of Hindi movie genre, continue to occupy strong position and affinity in the hearts and minds of consumers.

     

    For Sharma , ‘Deewana Bana De’ as a positioning line, has lived for a long time but the channel’s attempt in the last one-two years has been to make it more relevant to people’s life.  “The impact that Bollywood films have on our lives is ingrained into our DNA. Also from the brand perspective, strengthening the fact that people from all strata’s continue to watch Max and owning the space of how movies impact our daily lives.”

     

    DDB Mudra Group chairman and CCO Sonal Dabral feels that the new campaign is all about infecting people with passion and love for this great Indian cinema and to encourage people to see the lighter side in every walk of life. He adds, “India is a country passionate and obsessed with ‘Bollywood’ and what better way to capture this unique obsession than by coming out with a campaign which pays homage to Indian cinema.”

     

    Sharma shares the learning that the channel has acquired over the years. One, to understand what role movies plays in people’s lives and two, how it is a big source of entertainment.  “Over the years how we have evolved as a brand is how we make ‘Deewana Bana De’ or Max as a brand more relatable. We have wide range of audience’s right from people in metros to LC1 and rural markets, but to find a brand essence and a campaign that cuts across audiences is a tricky task for us.”

     

    So to make the job easy, year-on-year the channel keeps in touch with the consumers by doing qualitative and quantitative research to find out how they are interacting with the brand and how movies on television forms a big chunk of their daily lives. “Especially when you keep going down to smaller and smaller towns, the whole aspect of ‘I wait to watch movies on television to brighten up my life’ is what consumers share the relation with the brand. So the brand affinity scores are very high for Max.”

     

    According to Vyas, the channel does hygiene research every year to keep understanding what the consumers want and to keep a tab on social relevant changes that keeps on happening across which also helps the channel in the kind of movies it picks.

     

    To give an extra dose of entertainment, apart from the brand campaigns, fillers like Bittu Bak Bak, Fully Deewana, etc also keep running throughout the day.

     

    On the marketing front, it’s a primarily television led campaign. Apart from both the movie properties – Max and Max 2, the commercials will also be available across the Sony network. Moreover, Max has bought space on 32 channels for over three weeks from other networks to promote the new campaigns. These include English news, regional channels, kids and music channels to a large extent. The 360 degree marketing plan also includes a digital campaign and cinema across key markets spread over the next one month.

  • “My immediate focus is on turning around Sony Ent, our flagship channel”

    “My immediate focus is on turning around Sony Ent, our flagship channel”

    He has been fairly low profile, mild-mannered and soft spoken. But underneath the soft exterior NP Singh is tough as nails and a fiesty fighter just like many from the Sikh community – to which he belongs – are known to be. Recently, Singh was hoicked to the CEO’s position at Multi Screen Media India – Sony Entertainment Television Network India – after running it as COO for nearly a decade. He replaced Man Jit Singh – who has moved on to a global position looking after its home entertainment business.

     

    NP is a long time Sony loyalist as he joined it way back in 1999 as CFO.  He has been given charge at a challenging time when the network’s flagship channel Sony Entertainment is at  a lowly sixth position amongst Hindi GECs, just a tad above Sahara. That’s a far cry from the third or fourth spot it occupied until 2012.

     

    Currently in his mid-50s, has seen the highs and lows of not only the Sony Entertainment Network, but the industry as well. His appointment has put his rivals on alert because it is he who pushed the transformation of Sab into a topnotch Hindi comedy offering, Pix into a channel showcasing Hollywood blockbusters, and successfully launched Mix in a crowded music channel market place. 

     

    In a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’s Seema Singh, NP speaks of his immediate plans and the road ahead.

     

    Excerpts:

     

    15 years in Sony and now becoming the CEO. What is the feeling?

     

    I have enjoyed every day that I have been here. I joined the company in June 1999 as the CFO and then got elevated to the position of chief operating officer and now the chief executive officer. I have seen the entire journey. The company is 18 years old and I have been here for the past 15 years. I have been a part of a lot of success and have also faced multiple challenges. Overall, it has been a fantastic journey. I am happy that I have been given the role to head the company.

     

    What are the challenges that lie ahead for the Network?

     

    The number one priority for me is to turn on the power of the flagship channel, Sony. In the short time, this will be my focus. We have seen success on the flagship channel not too long ago. In 2012, the channel was doing extremely well. Since 2012 end, the channel started seeing a drop in viewership; my objective is to arrest that drop and put the channel on the path of growth.

     

    Every CEO has a dream team. What is yours? Do we see any management changes in the future? Who do we see as the next COO for the Network?

     

    We have a strong management team with very good talent across the company. And we have been proud of the team and I will continue to work with them to achieve the dream that we have collectively for the company.

     

    Changes are a part of life and as we go forward, there may or may not be any changes, but it is too premature to comment on.  

     

    For now there will be no COO for the company. We have a strong management team and I will work directly with them to achieve the objectives set.

     

    Will life change for you after becoming a CEO?

     

    I have been here and have been partnering with Man Jit Singh who was here as CEO earlier. I have been part of all the successes and challenges and am acutely aware of what needs to be done. So it doesn’t have any major impact on my life going forward. Except that I will not have a COO right now and so I will interact with the management team directly. This means I will be spending more time in the office, of which I do not complain.

     

    What are the opportunities you have as a CEO?

     

    There are multiple opportunities. In the near term, my first priority is the turnaround of Sony and within that lies an opportunity for growth in revenue of the company. I see growth opportunities on the distribution side as well. That is something we have to stay focused on and we have to help grow the ARPUs at the subscriber level so that the benefit can flow right through the value chain upward to content owners like us.

     

    I see huge opportunity in the exploitation of digital platforms through mobile phones and tablets. If we can get our content to the audience through this medium, we will see a huge rise in revenue.

     

    I also see an opportunity in the regional market that we will evaluate over a period of time and then make our choices.

     

    Sony launched ‘Sony Mahotsav’ in UP, Punjab and Haryana starting from November 2013. What was the reason for it and how has the response been?

     

    We launched it with the objective to engage with our viewers in these markets. We want to take the brand to these markets and also our artistes from major shows to those cities to make the brand more accessible to them.

     

    The response has been positive and we will continue to build on this initiative going forward as well because we want to engage audiences of smaller towns with the channel. This is one initiative. We are also trying to build that engagement through our content and communication.

     

    Phase I and II of digitisation is complete. Do you see that helping the Network in getting better reach and viewership numbers?

     

    Digitisation will not grow our overall viewership base. It will lead to more transparency from the broadcasters’ perspective. Because digitisation will bring about addressability, there will be more information/ transparency about the viewer or subscriber we have for the network. Having said that phase I and II have been completed, set top boxes (STBs) have been installed in the households, but the real addressability has still not happened.

     

    There is still time for that. The MSOs do not have the database for those STBs. We are supporting them through campaigns running on our network. Hopefully in the next few months, they can get the data from the local cable operator and create a database and then start invoicing the subscribers directly. That will happen in the next few months and then over next two years complete addressability will come in and there will be benefits right from the viewer up to the broadcaster and content creator.

     

    Sony has always believed in experimenting with the content. But the past few years have not done too well for the channel. Is it that the channel is too ahead of time? Why aren’t you able to connect with the audience?

     

    It is a combination of multiple factors. Till 2012, we were clearly the number two ranking channel.  We were also at number one during the nine week period when the ratings did not get reported. But since then we have seen a decline in viewership and there are multiple factors behind it. One of the key factors was the universe update by TAM and the inclusion of LC1 markets in reporting viewership. The LC1 market has a 25 per cent share in the total viewership pie and that impacted our ratings. Secondly, some of our fiction shows also didn’t perform the way we expected them to.

     

    But we are the pioneers in the many new concepts and ideas. Some of them have been way ahead of time, for example the YRF shows that we brought to our viewers. Those were top quality shows that were accepted and appreciated by one set of audience, while not taken well by the other set of audience. But that doesn’t mean we will stop coming up with path breaking ideas. We have not been successful in the recent past, but that will not stop us from continuing to follow that path.

     

    The fiction shows have not done well for the channel. Also the non-fiction slate is developing fatigue. How do you plan to strengthen the programming slate?

     

    We have to continue to innovate. We did that successfully with the last season of Indian Idol in which we introduced kids. Also in Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) we brought several innovations. Though it was well received in the beginning, eventually it settled down at a lower number. But that doesn’t mean there is fatigue with the format of the show. We will do something more when we bring KBC the next time.

     

    We are looking at refreshing our weekend primetimes and that is why we got Boogie Woogie back on TV, which is doing well for the channel. We will be bringing back Entertainment Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega as well. The first and foremost task is to look at our fiction strategy and revamp that. Our plan is to bring in new shows to weekday primetime and strengthen it. We realise that it is there where we can build loyalties with the viewer. So that is the focus, followed by refreshing the weekend.

     

    Though Sony India is doing well and contributes some 40-50 per cent  to the overall revenue of the Sony Pictures’ media networks business, there is pressure on Sony from investors such as Dan Loeb to make Sony’s entertainment business deliver. Is that putting any pressure on you? How do you plan to cope with that?

     

    MSM is a very strong performer for the entire Sony Corporation. We have performed really well and India has a lot of growth opportunity and we are getting a lot of investment from the parent into the company. Whatever new initiative we come up with, till the time it makes strategic and economic sense we will get investment support from the parent.

     

    You will be reporting into Andy Kaplan, what is it like to work with him? Are there more challenges now?

     

    I have worked with Andy for the past several years and I don’t see any change in the dynamics of our relationship. I look forward to working with him even more closely now.

     

    What do you think is missing in the Sony slate?

     

    There will always be some unfinished agenda at any point in time. But right now we have everything to make the network more successful. There are some new initiatives that we are working on for the future growth of the network, which we will announce in due course of time, but first and foremost objective is the turnaround of our flagship channel.

     

    The network bouquet looks weak without any strong regional offerings. Are you looking at strengthening it by moving south?

     

    We have one channel in West Bengal. So we have one channel as far as the regional space is concerned, but it is a small channel, which has carved a niche for itself. We are looking at some other markets and currently we are evaluating all the options and will make our choice in due course of time.

     

    Unbundling of bouquets is something which Dish TV has recently encouraged by offering IndiaCast channels on an a la carte basis. Then the TRAI may soon come up with its recommendation paper on aggregators. Do you see that affecting the distribution of channels?

     

    We always follow very collaborative process in any negotiation that we do with our partners and like everyone else Dish TV is also a strong partner. We have had strong relations with them in the past and even now.

     

    There has been a lot of conjecture about the TRAI consultation paper on aggregators, but no one knows what will happen. Will cross that bridge when the recommendation comes out.

     

     Are you looking at launching any new channel?

     

    We never do something because other networks are doing it. We always do things that are good for our Network. We will do what makes strategic and economic sense for us. And from that perspective, if we have to launch a new channel we will.

     

    You can watch more of what the Sony Entertainmetnt CEO has to say by clicking here: Executive Dossier with MSM India CEO NP Singh

  • Set Max goes big on marketing for Aashiqui 2

    Set Max goes big on marketing for Aashiqui 2

    MUMBAI: It is the world television premier of one of the biggest blockbusters and Set Max is doing it in style. Sony Entertainment Television network that had recently added a horde of movies to its library has been going gung-ho with its marketing for the world television premier of Aashiqui 2. The musical blockbuster premieres for the first time on the movie channel on 28 July.
    Aashiqui 2‘s lead actors have been roped in to promote the premiere on various platforms including a few channels and the digital space

    “We have retained the essence of the movie, which is romance and music, while marketing it to our audiences. Through the marketing initiatives undertaken, we are trying to recreate and refresh the blockbuster movie amongst the viewers,” informs Multi Screen Media head of marketing Vaishali Sharma.

    The marketing plan which spans over 15 days prior to the telecast and covers Mumbai and Delhi captures the mood of the movie, using different mediums. The lead actors of the movie Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor have been roped in to shoot promos for on-air contests, digital contests, YouTube promos, on-air-main-day date-time-and-coming-soon promos as well as three contest questions and winner announcement bytes that will play during the movie. The actors have also posed for Facebook love top stills.

    “The actors are personally inviting people to see the movie on Max and also to take part in the digital contests. We have also used them to motivate people to send their Aashiqui photos and moments,” adds Sharma. The best photo amongst the lot will feature on the channel on the movie‘s telecast date.

    The musical blockbuster raked in the moolah (Rs 78.3 crore) at the box office in the domestic market. The channel has built its marketing campaign around the hype and response the movie had received during its release. Set Max has created one promo each for broadcast channels, YouTube channel, Facebook and the on-air contest. Special promos of the movie were also shot and screened during the screening of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Ramaiya Vastavaiya in both multiplexes and single screen theatres across Mumbai.
    To engage its 1.2 mn fanbase on Facebook, the channel has launched an Aashiqui 2LoveMeter application

    “It is a youth centric movie. Though strategically we are reaching out to the larger audience base, we have innovatively also reached out to the youth through our innovative marketing strategy,” she adds.

    Set Max has also taken television slots in various youth centric music channels. “To attract the young audiences, we will also have a contest which will run during the movie, the winner of the contest will get a chance to go on a dinner date with the lead actors,” informs Sharma.

    On the OOH platform, executed by Storyboard Brandcom , the channel has built its marketing strategy on the theme ‘romance’. “We realised that the music of the film was a big hit. With this in mind, around ten bus shelters across Mumbai are planned to be converted to musical bus stands, playing Aashiqui 2 music to attract audiences. The activity will be done three to four days prior to the telecast date,” she says.

    For on-ground promotions, the team will hold activities like ‘Give a rose to person you love’ outside National College in Bandra, Mumbai. While the dry run of the activity was held on 22 July, the final activity will be organised a day before the telecast of the movie. “A big poster of the movie, all covered with roses will be set up outside the college. Youngsters will be asked to stand next to the poster and pluck a rose from the poster and give it to their loved ones. There will be few secret roses which will have dinner vouchers for those participating in the activity,” reveals Sharma.
    In an effort to promote the premiere, a 360 degree campaign is being carried out in Mumbai and Delhi

    The channel wants to re-create the buzz around the movie and with this in mind it will also have models posing as mannequins on Saturday at Bandstand, in Mumbai. “Models will hold placards about the movie and depict the signature pose of the lead pair from Aashiqui 2. This is being done a day prior to the telecast to attract more people to Set Max on Sunday,” she adds.

    The Facebook page of Set Max which has 1.2 million followers started daily love tip for its followers, through which fans will be advised on their love life. Also a special ‘Aashiqui 2Lovemeter’ has been created that calculates the love quotient between partners.

    The lead actors of Lootera– Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha were also roped in to promoteAashiqui 2. “The theme for the movies aired this month was Ishq wala July. And Lootera, a romantic movie was also released this month.”

    The channel has a host of advertisers lined up for the telecast of the movie. Line (Android, iOS App) is the presenting sponsor for the movie, while Oral B is the powered by sponsor. The associate sponsors are Aquaguard, Cucumber, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, Godrej No.1, Videocon, Red Chief Shoes and Relispray Nitron.

    Ask why after so many world television premiers aired earlier on the channel, Set Max is going gung-ho on the promotional activity: answers Sharma, “We saw a great potential in this film. It was a blockbuster and hence, gave us the opportunity to scale up marketing.”

    The movie will be aired twice on 28 July: first at 1 pm and then at 8 pm. The channel is looking at getting audiences in both the slots, even repeat audiences. The on-air contest will be aired in the 1pm slot, while the winners will be revealed in the 8pm slot.

    The channel has carved a new space for itself in movie marketing. It definitely has started a trend, but will this effort add on to the GRPs of the channel?The coming Sunday will reveal.

  • Creativeland Asia strengthens creative team

    Creativeland Asia strengthens creative team

    MUMBAI: Creativeland Asia, the advertising and brand communications agency, has announced two senior level appointments in its creative team.

    The company has hired Harshad Lad as head creative operations and Neville Shah as creative director.

    Creativeland Asia founder and creative chairman Sajan Raj Kurup said, “We are growing rapidly, and it was critical for us to get in senior people with the same kind of beliefs as ours. I have known Harshad for over eight years now. His varied experience and his understanding of business and brands are invaluable to us. Above all, he comes with a certain degree of discipline which we deem important at Creativeland.”
     
    “Neville brings with him as much passion as experience. He is multi-talented and self-driven, and at Creativeland we have seen these qualities take us really far,” Kurup added.

    Lad brings with him over 17 years of experience from across SME, start-ups and the BTL space. He moves in from C2S, his start-up consultancy aimed to connect consumers to sales with the help of advertising and brand communications. Prior to C2S, he was VP at O&M.

    Meanwhile, Shah has been associated with TBWA, Mudra and JWT, where he handled brands like Set Max, Standard Chartered Bank, Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance, Dabur, HBO, Philips, BPL Mobile and Wrigley, among others.

  • Max leads Hindi movie channels; Zee Cinema speeds up

    It has been a busy six months for Hindi movie channels. While Max has tried to latch on to its gains from the ICC World Cup with big ticket film purchases, Zee Cinema and Star Gold have tailored their strategies to fit in with the market reality and focussed on smart purchases.

    With the help of Tam data (HSM C&S 4+), Indiantelevision.com takes a look over the performance of the Hindi movie channels across a six-month period.

    As the movie channel genre gears up to witness fierce competition, the past six months (January to June 2007) has seen a tussle between Zee Cinema and Max for the leadership spot. While Zee Cinema started ahead, it was dethroned by Max in March. Star Gold comes in at the third spot, but lagging far behind are Filmy and B4U Movies.

    The shuffle in the top slot, in fact, took place in March with Max seeing a swell in viewership because of the ICC World Cup. As the channel dished out live cricket content from the West Indies, it hogged a channel share of 49 per cent, majestically up by 17 per cent.

    Zee Cinema, on the other hand, slipped to the second position with the share dropping from 33 per cent in February to 26.

    Star Gold also couldn’t survive the cricket wave and slipped from a 24 per cent share in February to 17 per cent in March.

    However, in the months that followed, Zee Cinema got back in the game inching closer to the leader with a share of 32, as Max stands at 34 in June.

    Channel Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07
    MAX
    32
    32
    49
    40
    37
    34
    Zee Cinema
    34
    33
    26
    29
    31
    32
    Star Gold
    24
    24
    17
    22
    23
    25
    Filmy
    8
    9
    6
    8
    8
    7
    B4U Movies
    2
    2
    1
    1
    1
    1
    Relative shares C&S 4+ TAM

    As expected, the ICC Cricket World Cup did help Max cannibalize shares from other channels in the genre. But as India exited, so did some viewers but still it was attractive enough for Max to garner a channel share of 40 in April.

    Max business head Sneha Rajani is happy with the outcome that cricket delivered for the channel. She said, “Although the ICC Cricket World Cup was the last cricket property on the channel, it did well for us despite India’s exit.”

    Zee Cinema inched up to a share of 29 per cent in April while Star Gold gained five per cent.

    Post World Cup, Max’s task was to hang on to the lead even as it transitioned from a hybrid to a pure movie channel. The culmination of the cricket phase was immediately followed by the Amitabh Bachchan Film Festival, titled Ab Tak Bachchan, in late April. The channel also extended its primetime by bringing it forward to 8 pm from its earlier positioning at 9 pm.

    It was as if a war was on between Amitabh Bachchan Vs. Amitabh Bachchan on the two competing channels. Zee Cinema launched a Big B festival titled Shanivaar Ki Raat Amitabh Ke Saath.

    In May, Max continued to lead over Zee Cinema but dropped its share to 37. Zee Cinema stabilised in the two months with a score of 31 and 32.

    The gap has, in fact, narrowed in June with Max slipping to a share of 34.

    Sharing insight into how the channel hopes to regain its lead, Zee Cinema deputy business head Mohan Gopinath said, “We have almost reached Max with the help of film festivals. In fact we are planning several more in the coming months. The whole idea of festivals is to let the viewers know about the movies they missed out.”

    In a highly title driven TV movie market, Max is looking to maintain its current postion by betting big on blockbusters. The channel has reportedly spent over Rs 2 billion to acquire a mix of big, medium and small movies from big banners like Eros International, Yashraj Films Dharma Productions and Mukta Arts, among others.

    Max kicked off the promotional activity for these films with ‘Saal ke Sabse Bade Blockbuster’ and will be screeningNamastey London, Cheeni Kum, Gandhi My Father, Eklavyaand many more.

    The channel shelled out close to Rs 650 million for 16 films from the Eros stable alone. Rajani opines, “We have not even shown half of the Eros movies that we acquired, but I am confident that all of them will do well for the channel.”

    As far as big titles are concerned, Max has only recently started showcasing this blockbuster library with Kaabul Express, Lagey Raho Mumnnabhai and Kabhi Alvida Ne Kehna.

    Zee Cinema has not done major buys this year. The channel, instead, believes innovative programming is the route to achieve the lead.

    “We have done a few buys but all depends on how innovatively you promote and screen them,” said Gopinath.

    Top Ten movies from January – June 2007
    Tam (HSM C&S 4+ TAM)

    Speaking of titles, Zee Cinema hogged the top ten charts across the six month period with six of its films featuring in the list. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, Ghar Ho To Aisa and Phir Heraa Pheri were aired in May and June.

    Though Star Gold has been strolling along in the third position in terms of shares, it garnered the maximum eyeballs when it showcased Krrish, topping the six month top ten movie charts with a whopping 4.1 TVR. Star Gold’s telecast of Chup Chup Kealso featured in the charts.

    From the Max stable, old timers Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaengeyand Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham came in to the top 10 charts delivering a TVR of 1.97 and 2.23 respectively.

    How does the fight for winning the ratings battle shape up?

    “You can’t escape from the fact that every movie channel is very title driven. There will be weeks when competition increases and the competitor may show stronger titles. Zee Cinema had good weeks in the past and I am sure they will have a couple of good weeks ahead, but we will remain on the top,” said a confident Rajani.

    Not perturbed by the jolt Zee Cinema received during the two cricket dominated months, Gopinath said, “People in India are very sentimental about cricket, therefore it is bound to benefit the channel. However, we are back and hope to take the leadership spot.”

    Zee Cinema has branded different time slots to generate appointment viewership. The channel recently introduced ‘Bhakti ki Shakti’, a Sunday morning slot for mythological movies, which according to the channel is doing well.

     

    Apart from the two movies in the top 10, Star Gold has managed to perform consistently except in April but has always stayed in the third spot.

    When most movie channels are banking on the weekends, Star Gold has introduced a Monday prime time band for screening its library of comedy flicks. These include Bheja Fry, Darwaza Band Rakho and Ek Chalis ki Last Local with more to follow.

    Additionally, Star Gold is running a Bond festival for the first time called ‘Main hoon Bond’ by dubbing these films in Hindi.

    Filmy is still struggling to achieve a share in the double digit. The channel from the Sahara stable has crossed the experimentation phase and is now is ready to offer films with a blend of other programs in comedy and reality format. It has introduced the Rajnikant film festival and has its fingers crossed for the upcoming reality show Bathroom Singer.

    Speaking of the channel’s differentiated strategy, Filmy business head Shailesh Kapoor said, “We are still new as compared to other channels. Even then we have proved ourselves. In terms of acquisitions, distribution and revenues we have grown. Now the real phase starts when we slowly unveil comedy and reality shows on our channel.”

    The channel saw a fall in shares to six in the month of March. Senior executives have blamed it on distribution which they claim to have corrected now.

    Completely isolated from all the action in the movie space is B4U Movies which has not managed to surpass a share of two over the six-month duration.

    What’s interesting, heightened activity is expected to take place in the coming months with Hindi movie channels from the Reliance Group, Viacom 18 and UTV slated for launch.

    Will there be a scarcity of content causing a threat to existing players?

    Rajani says, “There will certainly be a crunch of movies. I think there are very little movies available in the market for purchase for the next two years. Almost every major title has been tied up with some or other channel but I am sure the channels that are coming up must have planned something for themselves. There is certainly a dire need of more content. But we are not at all threatened.”

    Gopinath adds, “There is enough space available and I don’t think it will lead to any scarcity of content.”

    “Bollywood has a mass appeal. That means more viewership and advertisers. GRPs of movie channels are increasing by 20 to 25 per cent every year and that gives a lot of scope for an advertiser,” avers Kapoor.

  • ‘Lage Raho Mithunda’ on Set Max from 15 to 26 Jan

    MUMBAI: Set Max is all set to roll out a two week special film festival ‘Lage Raho Mithunda’ dedicated to king of disco dancing Mithun Chakraborty from 15 to 31 January every Monday to Friday at 5 pm.

    Max has slated titles like Agneepath, Kasam Paida Karnewale Ki, Daata, Pyar Ka Devtaa, Pyar Ka Mandir and Mujrim.

    Max business head Sneha Rajani said, “Lage Raho Mithunda is a festival dedicated to our dancing star Mithun Chakraborty. Keeping to our promise of bringing to our viewers the best and the biggest of movies, Max plans to make you deewana with a package of Mithun movies that have a blend of emotion, action, drama, romance and some great music.”

    Mithun said, “It is a great honour to have a top-class movie channel like Max dedicate a festival to me. Some of the films to be screened during the ‘Lage Raho Mithunda’ festival are my personal favorites like Disco Dancer, Mujrim and Agneepath. I am happy that Max continues to bring the best of Bollywood to all its viewers by showcasing such movies.”

    Lage Raho Mithunda will showcase 10 of Mithun Chakraborty’s superhit movies in thefollowing trend:

    Date Movie
    15 January Disco Dancer
    16 January Daata
    17 January Pyar Ka Devta
    18 January Kasam Paida Karna Wale Ki
    19 January Commando
    22 January Dance Dance
    23 January Mujrim
    24 January Pyar Ka Mandir
    25 January Boxer
    26 January Agneepath
     
  • 13 foreign channels off the air in Bangladesh

    13 foreign channels off the air in Bangladesh

    MUMBAI: 13 television channels in Bangladesh are off the air. Cable operators had earlier switched off all foreign channels on 29 July to protest a government order.

    Media reports indicate that on 24 July, the government stopped the airing of channels – ESPN, Star Sports, Ten Sports, Set Max, Zee Classic, Zee Action, Zee Trendz, Zee Premier, VH1, Zoom, HBO, Star One and Disney.

    The Bangladeshi Satellite Cable Owners Association and Dhaka Cable Forum switched off all foreign TV channels on Saturday and went on strike in protest at the claim. Now they are airing all the channels except the 13 channels that are not allowed.

    The Cable Operators Association of Bangladesh (Coab) said that distributors are unscrupulous as they download the pay channels without obtaining government permission.