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Tag: SPN

  • SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    MUMBAI: The official broadcaster of UEFA EURO 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN),has announced an extensive list of digital initiatives to improve the experience of users watching the tournament on their digital platform Sony Liv. The digital campaign is an extension of its on-air time to switch campaign, where the channel has created a personalized on-brand user experience for digital consumers to engage them before, during and after the matches throughout the tournament.

    The whole platform has been built to provide a unique real-time experience which is completely led by data science. Real-time data will be captured and a lot of new data science techniques will be used to present data in a manner that will enhance the overall experience of watching these matches.

    “UEFA EURO 2016 is going to be one of the biggest sporting events not only in India but worldwide. And we are taking this opportunity to give a very unique, engaging and immersive experience to all our users. And staying true to our campaign philosophy, with our digital initiatives we will cater to the entire spectrum of football fans. On our platform there are many innovative initiatives such as Probability Meter, Momentum Meter, Ball Position, etc. which would excite both the ardent as well as casual fans. Aimed at enhancing the user experience, the microsite features a ‘Time to Switch’ tab for both footy fans and novices alike that will make the ‘switch’ that much more enjoyable and further lift the entire experience of watching UEFA EURO 2016 on our platforms”, Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited digital business executive VP and head Uday Sodhi.

    The tournament will commence on 10 June 2016, and will be telecast live on Sony Six and Sony ESPN channels at primetime slots of 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 12:30 am.

    The match will stream live exclusively in eight countries India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. This service is available to audience for free with no subscription cost. The matches will be streamed live on the app and will be available on iOS and Android, as well as on the specially created dedicated microsite www.sonyliv.com/euro2016.

    Some of the key highlights digital users can look forward to are:

    Probability Meter

    The Probability Meter will provide winning probabilities for each team during the match. This probability will be calculated real-time and change on the basis of every event that occurs in the match.

    Momentum Meter

    Momentum Meter is a graphical representation of the momentum between the two teams. This graph will show the momentum building for both the team and the shift of momentum between the team minute by minute.

    Ball Position Tracker

    Ball Position Tracker is an innovative tool where users can see the plotting of the exact position of the ball on a real time basis. This is done against a graphical representation of the stadium.

    Stats Meter

    The stats meter will provide a real-time account of each and every event that takes place during the match which will be updated in real-time basis.

    LIVE Text Commentary

    Users will be able to see real time updates of the scores along with minute-by-minute text commentary of every match.

    Along with this, users will also be able to access information not only about the tournament, but also about each and every participating team. Information such as Fixtures, Team Ranking, Team Results,

    Historic Performances and Team as well as individual performances over the tournament will be updated on real-time basis.

    Post-Match Experience

    Once the match is over, users will be able to enjoy unlimited video on demand content for every match which will include complete 90 minute re-runs of the match and lots of short videos (3-10 mins) covering highlights, goals, hat-tricks, saves, free kicks, special moments, penalties etc. which will be made available both on the app as well as the microsite minutes after the match is over.

    SPN has also created a fun and interesting time to switch tab on the microsite which offers interactive features to sports enthusiasts who may be novices to football. Online users can take advantage football aids that will ease them into the footy community and become an authority on the sport.

    Footy 101

    A must have for every footy novice; this e-pocketbook of rules will not only help understand the game, but also do it with a lot of fun! From ‘Spotting the Fraud’, ‘How to say Awesome in Football’ to ‘Foul Play’, Footy 101 is the beginner’s guide to looking like a footy expert.

    A New Ball Game

    It is easy for a newbie to feel lost, alone and out of place. ‘A new ball game” invites users to open up with their own stories and find a connection with others who are sharing their experiences as a new footy.

    Jargonator

    Footy is filled with jargon and after switching, everyone needs help understanding words like offside, red flag, etc. Confused much? Well then the Jargonator is the perfect tool to help the audience understand these footy terms with ease in a lingo that they excel at, cricket!

    Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed for the tournament while Sony ESPN will give viewers the option of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu language feeds.

  • SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    MUMBAI: The official broadcaster of UEFA EURO 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN),has announced an extensive list of digital initiatives to improve the experience of users watching the tournament on their digital platform Sony Liv. The digital campaign is an extension of its on-air time to switch campaign, where the channel has created a personalized on-brand user experience for digital consumers to engage them before, during and after the matches throughout the tournament.

    The whole platform has been built to provide a unique real-time experience which is completely led by data science. Real-time data will be captured and a lot of new data science techniques will be used to present data in a manner that will enhance the overall experience of watching these matches.

    “UEFA EURO 2016 is going to be one of the biggest sporting events not only in India but worldwide. And we are taking this opportunity to give a very unique, engaging and immersive experience to all our users. And staying true to our campaign philosophy, with our digital initiatives we will cater to the entire spectrum of football fans. On our platform there are many innovative initiatives such as Probability Meter, Momentum Meter, Ball Position, etc. which would excite both the ardent as well as casual fans. Aimed at enhancing the user experience, the microsite features a ‘Time to Switch’ tab for both footy fans and novices alike that will make the ‘switch’ that much more enjoyable and further lift the entire experience of watching UEFA EURO 2016 on our platforms”, Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited digital business executive VP and head Uday Sodhi.

    The tournament will commence on 10 June 2016, and will be telecast live on Sony Six and Sony ESPN channels at primetime slots of 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 12:30 am.

    The match will stream live exclusively in eight countries India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. This service is available to audience for free with no subscription cost. The matches will be streamed live on the app and will be available on iOS and Android, as well as on the specially created dedicated microsite www.sonyliv.com/euro2016.

    Some of the key highlights digital users can look forward to are:

    Probability Meter

    The Probability Meter will provide winning probabilities for each team during the match. This probability will be calculated real-time and change on the basis of every event that occurs in the match.

    Momentum Meter

    Momentum Meter is a graphical representation of the momentum between the two teams. This graph will show the momentum building for both the team and the shift of momentum between the team minute by minute.

    Ball Position Tracker

    Ball Position Tracker is an innovative tool where users can see the plotting of the exact position of the ball on a real time basis. This is done against a graphical representation of the stadium.

    Stats Meter

    The stats meter will provide a real-time account of each and every event that takes place during the match which will be updated in real-time basis.

    LIVE Text Commentary

    Users will be able to see real time updates of the scores along with minute-by-minute text commentary of every match.

    Along with this, users will also be able to access information not only about the tournament, but also about each and every participating team. Information such as Fixtures, Team Ranking, Team Results,

    Historic Performances and Team as well as individual performances over the tournament will be updated on real-time basis.

    Post-Match Experience

    Once the match is over, users will be able to enjoy unlimited video on demand content for every match which will include complete 90 minute re-runs of the match and lots of short videos (3-10 mins) covering highlights, goals, hat-tricks, saves, free kicks, special moments, penalties etc. which will be made available both on the app as well as the microsite minutes after the match is over.

    SPN has also created a fun and interesting time to switch tab on the microsite which offers interactive features to sports enthusiasts who may be novices to football. Online users can take advantage football aids that will ease them into the footy community and become an authority on the sport.

    Footy 101

    A must have for every footy novice; this e-pocketbook of rules will not only help understand the game, but also do it with a lot of fun! From ‘Spotting the Fraud’, ‘How to say Awesome in Football’ to ‘Foul Play’, Footy 101 is the beginner’s guide to looking like a footy expert.

    A New Ball Game

    It is easy for a newbie to feel lost, alone and out of place. ‘A new ball game” invites users to open up with their own stories and find a connection with others who are sharing their experiences as a new footy.

    Jargonator

    Footy is filled with jargon and after switching, everyone needs help understanding words like offside, red flag, etc. Confused much? Well then the Jargonator is the perfect tool to help the audience understand these footy terms with ease in a lingo that they excel at, cricket!

    Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed for the tournament while Sony ESPN will give viewers the option of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu language feeds.

  • ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    MUMBAI: With long-term collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), ESPN has introduced an exciting new mobile-first multi-sport digital offering in India today with the launch of the ESPN.in website and the ESPN app.

    With an emerging multi-sport landscape in India, the new site and app will further reinforce ESPN’s market leadership, authority and expertise in digital media, bringing an elegant, lively and more personal sports experience to Indian and subcontinent fans across mobiles, tablets and computers. ESPN.in site and app will also be carrying rights video content for sporting events from SONY LIV, SPN’s digital streaming platform, and SPN’s new Sony ESPN sports channels.

    From mainstream sports in India and the subcontinent, to the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of global sports that interest South Asian fans, ESPN.in and the ESPN app will bring fans closer to the games, leagues and athletes they love via world-class digital products.

    Both the site and app will offer the best cricket coverage (powered by ESPNcricinfo), but also give fans a one-stop destination for world-class news, features and videos across sports currently underserved by any digital offering in the region, such as football, hockey, badminton, tennis, Formula 1, kabaddi and more.

    The new ESPN.in and ESPN app brings Indian and subcontinent fans a clean, dynamic presentation for ESPN’s content and storytelling, including scores, news, video, features, stats and more. Additionally, they will feature LIVE streaming video content of select sporting events in collaboration with Sony LIV.

    The launch of the app and website are the latest developments in the collaboration between Sony Pictures Networks India & ESPN.  ESPN.in and the ESPN app, will both carry SONYESPN branding and will feature cross-promotional integration with Sony LIV, the digital streaming platform from Sony Pictures Networks (SPN). 

    Earlier this year, this collaboration resulted in the launch of 2 new sports television channels; namely, Sony  ESPN as well Sony ESPN HD. The long-term agreement leverages a winning combination of two of India’s most respected media brands, and serves Indian and subcontinent fans via their combined expertise and high-quality compelling content.

    ESPN India and South Asia head & VP Ramesh Kumar said, “ESPN has a strong connection with fans in India and around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports. The launch of our multi-sport products showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Indian fans. They also provide the perfect complement to our television collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India as well as reinforce ESPN’s signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms”.

    Sony Pictures Networks India Digital Business executive vice president & head Uday Sodhi said, “Sony LIV has been instrumental in bringing the best of entertainment to the digital millennials. Sports is an integral part of our offering. Together with ESPN, we are geared to increase our offering manifold.”

    PERSONALIZATION
    Passions for sport are intensely personal and ESPN has made it easy to personalize the user experience on both ESPN.in and the ESPN app — and rewards fans for doing so.  A powerful personalization engine lets every fan select their favorite sports, leagues and teams, and then prominently delivers the latest scores, news, video and images related to those in a distinct ‘Favorites’ section. After registering on either the site or the app, a fan can set their Favorites, which will then work seamlessly across both the site and the app, and on any device – mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop – where they are logged in.

    Users of the ESPN app can also set custom tailored notifications, so they will be alerted with all the latest developments for their Favorites, general news and more.

    COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT AND COVERAGE
    ESPN is the #1 digital sports publisher in India, and around the world – known for its insightful content with personality and its unbiased reporting and analysis with authority.

  • ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    MUMBAI: With long-term collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), ESPN has introduced an exciting new mobile-first multi-sport digital offering in India today with the launch of the ESPN.in website and the ESPN app.

    With an emerging multi-sport landscape in India, the new site and app will further reinforce ESPN’s market leadership, authority and expertise in digital media, bringing an elegant, lively and more personal sports experience to Indian and subcontinent fans across mobiles, tablets and computers. ESPN.in site and app will also be carrying rights video content for sporting events from SONY LIV, SPN’s digital streaming platform, and SPN’s new Sony ESPN sports channels.

    From mainstream sports in India and the subcontinent, to the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of global sports that interest South Asian fans, ESPN.in and the ESPN app will bring fans closer to the games, leagues and athletes they love via world-class digital products.

    Both the site and app will offer the best cricket coverage (powered by ESPNcricinfo), but also give fans a one-stop destination for world-class news, features and videos across sports currently underserved by any digital offering in the region, such as football, hockey, badminton, tennis, Formula 1, kabaddi and more.

    The new ESPN.in and ESPN app brings Indian and subcontinent fans a clean, dynamic presentation for ESPN’s content and storytelling, including scores, news, video, features, stats and more. Additionally, they will feature LIVE streaming video content of select sporting events in collaboration with Sony LIV.

    The launch of the app and website are the latest developments in the collaboration between Sony Pictures Networks India & ESPN.  ESPN.in and the ESPN app, will both carry SONYESPN branding and will feature cross-promotional integration with Sony LIV, the digital streaming platform from Sony Pictures Networks (SPN). 

    Earlier this year, this collaboration resulted in the launch of 2 new sports television channels; namely, Sony  ESPN as well Sony ESPN HD. The long-term agreement leverages a winning combination of two of India’s most respected media brands, and serves Indian and subcontinent fans via their combined expertise and high-quality compelling content.

    ESPN India and South Asia head & VP Ramesh Kumar said, “ESPN has a strong connection with fans in India and around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports. The launch of our multi-sport products showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Indian fans. They also provide the perfect complement to our television collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India as well as reinforce ESPN’s signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms”.

    Sony Pictures Networks India Digital Business executive vice president & head Uday Sodhi said, “Sony LIV has been instrumental in bringing the best of entertainment to the digital millennials. Sports is an integral part of our offering. Together with ESPN, we are geared to increase our offering manifold.”

    PERSONALIZATION
    Passions for sport are intensely personal and ESPN has made it easy to personalize the user experience on both ESPN.in and the ESPN app — and rewards fans for doing so.  A powerful personalization engine lets every fan select their favorite sports, leagues and teams, and then prominently delivers the latest scores, news, video and images related to those in a distinct ‘Favorites’ section. After registering on either the site or the app, a fan can set their Favorites, which will then work seamlessly across both the site and the app, and on any device – mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop – where they are logged in.

    Users of the ESPN app can also set custom tailored notifications, so they will be alerted with all the latest developments for their Favorites, general news and more.

    COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT AND COVERAGE
    ESPN is the #1 digital sports publisher in India, and around the world – known for its insightful content with personality and its unbiased reporting and analysis with authority.

  • Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) VOD service Sony LIV has announced the launch of a cinematic extravaganza for all movie fans with its Hollywood library. Besides a wide range of TV shows, sports properties, Bollywood flicks, songs and original web content, cinema aficionados can now enjoy instant access to internationally celebrated movies anytime and anywhere.

    Sony Liv is going the extra mile to enhance the entertainment experiences for its viewers wherein the biggest upcoming Hollywood blockbusters will premiere on the platform before their television airing.

    Sony Liv EVP and head for digital business Uday Sodhi said, “At Sony Liv, we are committed to continuously enhance the entertainment experience of our viewers. After receiving an overwhelming response for our Bollywood library, we are now extending our catalogue to allow English movie buffs to catch up with their Hollywood dose of entertainment- right from award-winning favourites to unseen gems. Our endeavour is to make an entire bouquet of eclectic yet engaging cinematic properties accessible at ease since Sony Liv is a complete digital entertainment destination that consumers can turn to for riveting content of every kind.”  

    The library gives viewers a chance to access a wide selection of hugely popular American movies on their own preferred digital devices. The platform claims to offer comprehensive and attractive for its discerning digital audience through its Hollywood library.

    Liv already offers an extensive Bollywood library with over 1,000 films from across genres. It already has a portfolio of critically acclaimed films like The Pursuit of Happyness, Django Unchained, The Da Vinci Code, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angels and Demons and the Spiderman series, etc.

    The platform also rolled out a web-series for the online platform called #LoveBytes. It has also rolled out a digital film entitled Chhoti Khushito support a social media campaign, #LIVThisDiwali.

  • Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) VOD service Sony LIV has announced the launch of a cinematic extravaganza for all movie fans with its Hollywood library. Besides a wide range of TV shows, sports properties, Bollywood flicks, songs and original web content, cinema aficionados can now enjoy instant access to internationally celebrated movies anytime and anywhere.

    Sony Liv is going the extra mile to enhance the entertainment experiences for its viewers wherein the biggest upcoming Hollywood blockbusters will premiere on the platform before their television airing.

    Sony Liv EVP and head for digital business Uday Sodhi said, “At Sony Liv, we are committed to continuously enhance the entertainment experience of our viewers. After receiving an overwhelming response for our Bollywood library, we are now extending our catalogue to allow English movie buffs to catch up with their Hollywood dose of entertainment- right from award-winning favourites to unseen gems. Our endeavour is to make an entire bouquet of eclectic yet engaging cinematic properties accessible at ease since Sony Liv is a complete digital entertainment destination that consumers can turn to for riveting content of every kind.”  

    The library gives viewers a chance to access a wide selection of hugely popular American movies on their own preferred digital devices. The platform claims to offer comprehensive and attractive for its discerning digital audience through its Hollywood library.

    Liv already offers an extensive Bollywood library with over 1,000 films from across genres. It already has a portfolio of critically acclaimed films like The Pursuit of Happyness, Django Unchained, The Da Vinci Code, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angels and Demons and the Spiderman series, etc.

    The platform also rolled out a web-series for the online platform called #LoveBytes. It has also rolled out a digital film entitled Chhoti Khushito support a social media campaign, #LIVThisDiwali.

  • Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    MUMBAI: The ballroom in the five star hotel was packed with journalists, jostling for space. The lights were dimmed. Toddlers waddle in cutely with white blossoms in their hands. They  distribute a flower each to the scribes present there –  the fragrance of peace travels all across the ballroom.A tall Sikh gentleman is escorted onto the stage, the LED backdrop lights up. Inscribed on the LED wall were the words:  Ek India…Happywala.

    And as the lights gradually come on, they reveal  the turbaned gentleman. He is none other than Sony Pictures Networks (SPN )-  erstwhile known as Multi Screen Media (MSM) – CEO NP Singh. And what just happened was the unveiling of the 2016 campaign of India’s longest short format league – the Indian Premier League which annually captures the hearts and minds of cricket crazy India. 
    Sony Max and Sony Max2 senior executive vice president Neeraj Vyas follows Singh on the stage,  and without any hemming and hawing proudly announces:  “The biggest brand of the country cannot stay away from the mood of the country.

    And that exactly underlines the campaign’s central theme: unity, harmony and happiness are the three pillars on which the entire Ek India….Happywala (One happy India) is based. 
    The 60 second TVC reflects on the ongoing intolerance brouhaha  in the country and shows how cricket and IPL can help things turn around positively.
    The film starts with greyscale still images of a rickshaw driver getting a thrashing, a horrified inked man and two youth battling it out with a hockey stick each in their hands. 

    The images move to color showing a youth engaged  in vandalising a yellow taxi. A cricket ball lands at  his feet and then follow a group of young kids asking for the ball. He stops smashing up the cab  and joins the young ones in their game. 

    That’s the power of the IPL and that’s what exactly the campaign wants to communicate. 

    The strong message is complemented by Salim and Sulaiman’s touchy background score. 

    “Sonal Dabral and his DDB Mudra team created the campaign for us, they did it last year too. We have also kept the same creators when it comes to music and if you see there is not much of a difference from our last year’s campaign India Ka Tyohaar. IPL is a catalyst that unites the nation and thats what the campaign communicates” explains Vyas.

    The campaign has already rolled out digitally and soon will mark its presence on television. 

    TV will remain the most spent medium when it comes to marketing as per Vyas’ assessment. “50 per cent of the spends will go on TV whereas the remaining 50 per cent will be spent on radio, digital and print” he adds.

    The campaign will have dubbed versions for the regional markets with the outdoors in key HSM markets providing recall support.. 

    “HSM plays a vital role when it comes to the ratings and hence our key focus will be on that market. But the initiatives that we launch will cater to pan India audiences as IPL is popular in every nook and corner. Radio will see a lot of jingles while interactive campaign will orchestrate the digital media initiatives” asserts Vyas.

    The campaign push and strategy will depend on the ICC T20 World Cup and India’s performance in the tournament. 

    “The cricketing mood will be determined by team India’s performance. So we will have to wait, watch, asses and then strategise. We have our plans chalked out, we will be present on our networks as well as on other networks too,”  reveals  Vyas.

    “They have made great use of the generic situations, if you see the car that is broken is a yellow taxi and the man is wearing glasses.  It connects you to Bengal where there is an election. The inked man is still fresh in every mind and the music speaks about unity, happiness and equality. You cannot ignore the negatives if you want to portray a positive scenario and hence usage of this scenario is nothing controversial in my opinion. I think it’s a good anthem and the smaller videos complement it nicely,” says an executive creative director of a reputed creative agency.

    “Whatever is done by us will have repercussions on the young children and that is why we have young children all throughout the video. We will perish soon, what matters is the future of the nation, the igniting minds,” concludes Vyas.

  • Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    Ek India Happywala is what Sony wants India to sing during IPL

    MUMBAI: The ballroom in the five star hotel was packed with journalists, jostling for space. The lights were dimmed. Toddlers waddle in cutely with white blossoms in their hands. They  distribute a flower each to the scribes present there –  the fragrance of peace travels all across the ballroom.A tall Sikh gentleman is escorted onto the stage, the LED backdrop lights up. Inscribed on the LED wall were the words:  Ek India…Happywala.

    And as the lights gradually come on, they reveal  the turbaned gentleman. He is none other than Sony Pictures Networks (SPN )-  erstwhile known as Multi Screen Media (MSM) – CEO NP Singh. And what just happened was the unveiling of the 2016 campaign of India’s longest short format league – the Indian Premier League which annually captures the hearts and minds of cricket crazy India. 
    Sony Max and Sony Max2 senior executive vice president Neeraj Vyas follows Singh on the stage,  and without any hemming and hawing proudly announces:  “The biggest brand of the country cannot stay away from the mood of the country.

    And that exactly underlines the campaign’s central theme: unity, harmony and happiness are the three pillars on which the entire Ek India….Happywala (One happy India) is based. 
    The 60 second TVC reflects on the ongoing intolerance brouhaha  in the country and shows how cricket and IPL can help things turn around positively.
    The film starts with greyscale still images of a rickshaw driver getting a thrashing, a horrified inked man and two youth battling it out with a hockey stick each in their hands. 

    The images move to color showing a youth engaged  in vandalising a yellow taxi. A cricket ball lands at  his feet and then follow a group of young kids asking for the ball. He stops smashing up the cab  and joins the young ones in their game. 

    That’s the power of the IPL and that’s what exactly the campaign wants to communicate. 

    The strong message is complemented by Salim and Sulaiman’s touchy background score. 

    “Sonal Dabral and his DDB Mudra team created the campaign for us, they did it last year too. We have also kept the same creators when it comes to music and if you see there is not much of a difference from our last year’s campaign India Ka Tyohaar. IPL is a catalyst that unites the nation and thats what the campaign communicates” explains Vyas.

    The campaign has already rolled out digitally and soon will mark its presence on television. 

    TV will remain the most spent medium when it comes to marketing as per Vyas’ assessment. “50 per cent of the spends will go on TV whereas the remaining 50 per cent will be spent on radio, digital and print” he adds.

    The campaign will have dubbed versions for the regional markets with the outdoors in key HSM markets providing recall support.. 

    “HSM plays a vital role when it comes to the ratings and hence our key focus will be on that market. But the initiatives that we launch will cater to pan India audiences as IPL is popular in every nook and corner. Radio will see a lot of jingles while interactive campaign will orchestrate the digital media initiatives” asserts Vyas.

    The campaign push and strategy will depend on the ICC T20 World Cup and India’s performance in the tournament. 

    “The cricketing mood will be determined by team India’s performance. So we will have to wait, watch, asses and then strategise. We have our plans chalked out, we will be present on our networks as well as on other networks too,”  reveals  Vyas.

    “They have made great use of the generic situations, if you see the car that is broken is a yellow taxi and the man is wearing glasses.  It connects you to Bengal where there is an election. The inked man is still fresh in every mind and the music speaks about unity, happiness and equality. You cannot ignore the negatives if you want to portray a positive scenario and hence usage of this scenario is nothing controversial in my opinion. I think it’s a good anthem and the smaller videos complement it nicely,” says an executive creative director of a reputed creative agency.

    “Whatever is done by us will have repercussions on the young children and that is why we have young children all throughout the video. We will perish soon, what matters is the future of the nation, the igniting minds,” concludes Vyas.

  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.

  • Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    Sony makes a comedy comeback with Kapil Sharma

    MUMBAI: A flurry of reports gave birth to waves of mystery, and sailing through rough seas was Kapil Sharma and his comedy enterprise. The water has now calmed as Sony Pictures Networks today (1 March 2016) announced the revival of comedy on its premier General Entertainment Channel (GEC) Sony. And the mantle for Sony’s return to comedy has been donned by Kapil Sharma and his crew. Jointly produced by Kapil’s own production house K9 Productions and Frames, the show will hit the small screen every Saturday and Sunday from 23 April at 9 pm. 

    “Comedy plays a vital role when it comes to viewership and is a very important part of Sony. Yes we took a break and now we are back and there is no better way to come back than with Kapil,” said SPN India CEO NP Singh.

    The show has been given a new sobriquet.  It is now The Kapil Sharma Show. SPN along with the televised show will also foray into a lot of on-ground initiatives. The first episode of the show will be the televised version of an on ground show in Delhi. Besides Delhi, SPN with Kapil and team will travel to Lucknow, Amritsar and Bhopal. 

    “Our major focus will be the Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) and the four city tour is very much a part of a marketing plan. With Kapil, the buzz is already built, you don’t need to put in hefty investments. It’s just being at the right place at the right time. The eagerness for the show is already there and we will unveil our various campaigns in time” informed SPN SVP marketing Anup Vishwanathan.

    The Kapil Sharma Show show will go on air at a time when SPN’s biggest asset IPL will be at its peak and the channel is all set to utilize the huge reach of the million dollar league in order to promote it. “IPL is a great success and is very popular. But we believe The Kapil Sharma Show will have a totally different set of audience and both will have high viewership. IPL and The Kapil Sharma Show can both run successfully at the same time. Rather IPL is a big advantage for us, we will use it to promote and generate more awareness,” revealed Sony EVP and business head Danish Khan

    “There were sensibilities which did not match between us and Colors, therefore we could not reach a consensus and hence we parted. We will continue to do what we do the best, and that is to entertain people. The only difference is the network. I have had a great association with Sony and we are looking ahead for even better things,” said Sharma.

    SPN has already raked in a ‘presented by’ sponsor in Lava mobiles and is in the final set of discussion for powered by and associate sponsors category, “We are receiving a very positive response when it comes to advertisers and soon we will have more names to share,” informed Khan.

    The network is looking forward to a long term association with the comedian. “This is a long term investment and we are looking at the future. We want to take comedy to a new level, and we will do it together with Kapil and his team” Khan further added.  

    But how is it different? What is it that differentiates the new one from the one that he was doing for Colors? “Creating differentiation for the sake of creating it is not good” replied CEO NP Singh. He further added, “The team of writers and the team of actors they have will create a differentiation naturally everyday. The viewers will need to constantly re-invent themselves and that’s the magic the team can create.”

    The show will also be up on the digital platform Sony Liv through a yet to be determined business model. “We still have time to decide if we will put the show as AVOD or SVOD. But it will be available for the viewers on the digital platform,” asserted Singh.

    Due to copyright issues despite having the same crew Kapil will have to revamp the characterization all over again. Now it remains to be seen how Sony’s foray into comedy unfolds in days to come.