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Tag: VOOT

  • Nodwin Gaming, MTV join hands for premium esports content

    Nodwin Gaming, MTV join hands for premium esports content

    MUMBAI: India’s biggest esports company Nodwin Gaming and India’s no.1 youth entertainment brand MTV have partnered to bring quality esports content to the masses.

    The move by Nodwin Gaming and MTV comes in as a big leap towards mainstreaming esports and taking it to the general audience. The recent boom in the number of esports players and professional tournaments in the country have served as the perfect setup for this monumental partnership.

    MTV India’s latest offering “Esports Mania” encompasses a variety of shows that will go on air this December.

    Viacom18 youth, music and english entertainment head Ferzad Palia said,“At MTV we are always looking for new offerings for the young Indian and esports as a category has been gaining popularity with our audiences. In Nodwin Gaming, we have found partners who are already doing ground-breaking work in the space of gaming and we are glad to bring in the next wave of growth for esports in India.”

    Nodwin Gaming founder and chief executive officer Akshat Rathee commented on this association, “We are delighted that esports has found a fitting destination on Indian television with MTV joining hands with us. With our property Esports Mania, we believe we can showcase the best of esports to the television audience. TV goes a long way in furthering the consumer connect of our nascent sport and our approach of curated programming for the MTV viewer is directed to make esports mainstream in India. In MTV, we at Nodwin Gaming have a partner which is the de-facto destination for youth in India.”

    The esports mania line-up includes:

    ● Match of the week- The best esports matches with the most thrilling moments handpicked from tournaments in the country and around the world. Tune in every Thursday at 10 p.m. starting December 12.

    ● Esports 360– Weekly dose of latest esports news and updates, starting December 17, tune in every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 4.55 p.m.

    ● World of esports- A general informative and fun show around esports with conversations with pro players, insights on new developments in the industry, memes and lot more. Tune in every Friday at 10.30 p.m. starting December 20.

    ● Documentary series- Documentaries and stories surrounding esports players and big tournaments. Documentary series showcases the lesser known side of some of the individuals, their hardships and their path to success. Tune in every Saturday at 9.30 p.m. starting December 21.

    Nodwin Gaming is India’s biggest esports company with years of expertise in tournament organization, execution and esports content creation. With this association, esports has found a new home with MTV, the most loved entertainment destination for Indian youth.

  • OTT & streamers 2019: Full steam ahead!

    OTT & streamers 2019: Full steam ahead!

    MUMBAI: If 2018 was big for the over-the-top (OTT) platforms, 2019 was even bigger for the ecosystem. Existing platforms pumped in in even more money into content creation, distribution and customer acquisition even as new players made a grand entry. While in the previous year, the focus was just on content creation, 2019 was about course correction, forging partnerships, striking distribution deals, entering new segments, innovating and getting to know the consumer better. Not just for the homegrown players but for the big international ones as well.

    2019 was the year when indiantelevision.com evolved its Vidnet OTT confab into one which offered conferences, training and masterclasses from some of the creators of successful originals.

    New kids on the block:

    Maybe a little late in the day, but a few platforms started their journey this year and created a buzz in the market. In February 2019, Times Internet launched a new avatar of its one of the most ambitious bets, MX Player. To grab a bigger slice of the ambitious video streaming market, the OTT platform commenced its play with five MX Original Series. Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, one of the legacy players, which owns a rich content library, forayed into the space around the same time. However, Shemaroo banked on its existing content for ShemarooMe rather than burning cash for original content. But while MX Player went totally advertising-led, ShemarooMe took the freemium route.  

    Later in the second half of the calendar year, IN10 Media, a diversified vertical of infotainment channel Epic TV launched a new subscription-based documentary streaming platform DocuBay. The last quarter witnessed another major announcement – the launch of VOOT Kids from the house of Viacom18 which has already established a significant digital play with VOOT.  Unlike its main OTT platform, Viacom18 is relying on subscription for the kids’ platform right from the get-go. 

    Moreover, the year was equally eventful in the global OTT market as well. Tech giant Apple forayed deeper into streaming with the launch of its subscription-based video streaming service Apple TV+ in November. A few days later, Walt Disney launched its much-awaited streaming service Disney+ at a very reasonable sticker price. While the former made its streaming service available in India at Rs 99 per month, what the Star Disney combine will do with Disney+ in India has to still to be worked out, considering the huge popularity of Hotstar.

    More investment in original content:

    Along with new OTT platforms entering the market, the existing platforms also increased their investments in original content.  ZEE5 from Zee Entertainment Enterprises spent the year increasing its focus on large-scale originals, franchises, digital original films and regional language shows even as it has already developed a robust original content library across languages.

    Among  the shows that struck a chord with viewers include: Rangbaaz, which was launched late 2018 soared in 2019. The Kunal Khemu-starring BP Singh-produced Abhay too made its mark after being launched in early 2019. Kaafir – an original from Siddharth Malhotra’s Alchemy Films – too was much talked about. Zeel took its successful TV show Jamai Raaja to Zee5 in the shape of Jamai 2.0 during the year.

    After banking on catch-up and sports content for a long time,  Star India’s Hotstar also decided to invest in premium original content. Reportedly, Hotstar jumped onto the bandwagon with a Rs 120 crore investment plan. The primary reason to launch originals is to convert users into paid subscribers in the face of increasing competition. Hitherto, adapting successful foreign shows by infusing local flavours had been an important aspect of Hotstar’s strategy but it is certain that the platform is not going to limit itself to adaptations.

    Another player with deep pockets, Amazon Prime Video, also scaled up its local content offering along with a stellar roster of movies. With highly acclaimed originals like Made in Heaven, The Family Man, the OTT platform has already attracted enough user attention. Moreover, the second seasons of earlier hits are also in pipeline.

    Amazon Prime Video’s international rival has gradually evolved its investment in India – Netflix CEO Reed Hastings in his latest visit revealed that it is committing Rs 3000 crore in this year and next for Indian content.

    Other homegrown players like VOOT, SonyLIV also realigning their focus on original content as they don’t have significant play in the segment.

    Innovation with pricing:

    The streamers are not only experimenting with content to make build consumer love, but they are also jiggling around with pricing  in order to find the sweet spot which appeals to consumers. Rather than directly slashing prices, the streaming platforms have opted for sachet pricing.

    All the major players – Hotstar, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5, SonyLIV followed this strategy.

    Hotstar launched a Hotstar VIP pack at Rs 365 a year, much lower than its premium service which is priced at Rs 999 per year. SonyLIV has already tested a weekly subscription package priced at Rs 29 only. While ZEE5 has  launched special packages in languages including Tamil, Telugu and Kannada, it is looking at a mobile-only plan as well.

    Even ALTBalaji is also likely to consider having sachet pricing in the next two years.

    Most importantly, Netflix in an industry-first move launched a mobile-only pack in India priced at Rs 199. Maybe the myth that Indian consumers are shy to pay for content has been broken but the players have also realised Indian consumers are value-conscious.

    Experimenting with new partnerships:

    At the same time when the platforms were trying to differentiate in the crowded space, they also forged interesting partnerships. The new entrant MX Player stitched content tie-ups with Sony Liv, Arré and Hoichoi. Hotstar did a deal with Hooq to make its Hollywood offering stronger. But the most interesting one was the betrothal announcement between ZEE5 and Alt Balaji. It went way beyond content syndication – more towards content sharing, an arrangement that includes co-creation of a number of premium originals which will be available to subscribers of both the platforms.

    Although telco-partnerships have proved to be helpful for OTT platforms, the profitability of platform-to-platform alliances in the long-run yet remains to be tested.

    Key people movements:

    Along with changes in business plans, content strategy, the OTT platforms reshuffled their teams in 2019 as well. Netflix continued expanding its Indian team with TV and streaming veterans being hired locally,  including the appointment of Voot content head Monika Shergill, and the BBC’s Myleeta Aga. VOOT on its part recruited its new COO Gourav Rakshit from Shaadi.com keeping its subscription business in mind. After Uday Sodhi quit, SPNI handed the reins of SonyLiv to television vet Danish Khan. Ekta Kapoor-led ALTBalaji has seen high profile exits as CEO Sunil Lulla and COO Sunil Nair quit the organisation this year.

    2019 was exciting for the OTT platforms undoubtedly. The cloud of content regulation over the platforms also seems to be clear as the government has reportedly agreed to allow the streamers to self regulate.

    But a few of the old issues like lack of OTT measurement systems, lower broadband penetration, content piracy are still proving bothersome.

    In addition to that, the global and Indian economic crises, a hike in telecom and data tariffs may prove a dampener for the industry, if not in the long-term, at least for the first half of the next calendar year.

    So the challenges will continue to dog the streamers as they plod on to conquer a nation’s TV junkies.

  • What is fun for your child, can also be good for your child, says the Voot Kids launch campaign – #MastiMeinAchhai

    What is fun for your child, can also be good for your child, says the Voot Kids launch campaign – #MastiMeinAchhai

    MUMBAI: VOOT Kids, India’s first and only multi-format app for kids, accredicted by the Early Childhood Association, unveiledits launch brand campaign, #MastiMeinAchhai. The film that is all about highlighting how Voot Kids is making screen time meaningful like never before, shows a mother’s happystance at the offering that is Voot Kids – lots of fun, with the goodness of learning – such that she herself introduces her son to the Voot Kids world. The film created and directed by McCannWorldgroupIndia for VOOT Kids is a charming reminder that in today’s digital age, rather than keeping the kids away from screens, it ismore important to make that screen time matter and provide access to an app that nurtures early learning by blending fun andlearning together.

    According to a Kantar research undertaken for Viacom18, 87% of Indian Parents agree that mobile helps immensely with their kid’s learning, with as much as 84% believing that mobile in fact helps them learn faster than a book. Keeping that as the focus, the film sheds light on the significance of letting kids explore the choicest of content in versatile and interactive formats across Watch, Read, Listen and Learn that genuinely define ‘edutainment’. It also emphasizes that kids’ digital journey can become more engaging with parents co-viewing, monitoring andmoderating content kids are consuming. The TVC showcases a young kid’s multiple unsuccessful attempts in accessing his parent’s phone to finally being surprised by his mother who introduces him tothe world of VOOT Kids–which has one of the largest and most extensive content library with over 20,000 + content pieces across  e-books, audio stories, fun learn quizzes, nursery rhymes, videos and more.

    Commenting on the campaign, Saugato Bhowmik, Business Head, VOOT Kids, said, “Digital literacy is important, and we strongly believe parents play a pivotal role in making the digital journey of their kids more profound by exposing them to appropriate and entertaining content. VOOT Kids is the only app to offer Watch, Read, Listen & Learn all in one platform and our brand campaign #MastiMeinAchhaidecodes this proposition and bridges the gap for parents and kids to explore Edutainment in its truest form.”

    Speaking on the key insight that lead to the campaign ideas Abhinav Tripathi, Executive Creative Director, McCann Worldgroup India from McCann Worldgroup said “The story in the film revolving around the constant tussle between parent and child over mobile screen time is a highly relatable one and will find resonance in every household with kids in India, we feel. What is fun to watch in the film, is the story told both from the perspective of the kid and the parent. The little boy -a bonafide James Bond scheming and plotting for his parents’ mobile phone and the parent who is in-the-know all along. The nostalgic track Akkad Bakkad takes us down memory lane, captures the mood and sentiment of the ‘cat and mouse’ situations and complements the film perfectly!”.

    Kids of today are digital natives, and VOOT Kids with its largest repository of content experiences offers a safe digital playground for them to grow up in. With great parental features that equip parents with tools to evaluate progress, limit screen time and track content, it is a step towards solving parents’ concerns around enriching their kid’s screen time.

    VOOT Kids will bring alive the ‘Masti Main Acchai’ brand idea through a high decibel integrated marketing plan that will reach over 50Mn Households driven by a mix of television, print, on-air, on-ground activations and digital outreach.  Priced at INR 799 for a year with a 30day free trial  and 99 per month with a 7 day free trial, the VOOT Kids app is available to download on iOs and Android.
     

  • VOOT garners 7.5 billion minutes of watchtime in October

    VOOT garners 7.5 billion minutes of watchtime in October

    MUMBAI: In a world where loyalty is a diminishing commodity, Viacom18’s Advertising video-on-demand (AVOD) platform VOOT has emerged as the most preferred premium OTT service with a fiercely loyal fanbase of 80 million Monthly Active Users (across multiple platforms ), and a phenomenal 65 per cent growth in watch-time month on month.

    With 7.5 billion minutes of watch-time (as per the latest third-party source App Annie, Oct ’19) on the app, VOOT’s watch-time is more than the combined watch-time of its nearest AVOD competitors. Not just that, as per the report, the platform engagement of VOOT at 29% (as measured by the average Daily Active Users to Monthly Active Users ratio) and time spent of 50 mins per day per user makes it the No. 1 premium AVOD platform in the OTT category on engagement. This shows that when it comes to brand love & viewer loyalty, viewers in India have made a clear choice.

     “Driving consistent engagement is the holy grail that we all at VOOT constantly focus on. And our fundamental belief is that in this age, businesses need to converge data and technology with impeccable storytelling to drive consumer engagement – and do it every single time – to earn, not buy, loyalty. Everything else is noise. And our persistence and single-minded focus on driving this ambition has created a unique and a superlative experience for our consumers on our platform. The massive 7.5 billion minutes of watch-time on app last month is a testimony to the success of this belief and is sure to help establish a long-lasting relationship with the audiences.” VOOT AVOD business head Akash Banerji said.

    The stupendous growth in the scale of this loyalty has come on the back of Voot’s consistent focus on offering a massive depth of premium content across genres, languages, formats and content duration.  Vernacular content in particular has played a pivotal role in driving this massive growth, growing at more than 2X over last year and contributing close to one-fourth of total consumption on the platform.

     Driving share of attention on the back of blockbuster reality content has always been VOOT’s forte and Bigg Boss this year, across languages, has packed an even bigger punch. The latest season of Colors’ Bigg Boss Hindi on VOOT that offers a plethora of interactivity features, first time a live magazine show right from the studios  and a massive roster of exclusive not-seen-on TV content, has led to the creation of a strong & loyal  ‘Asli Fan’ base on VOOT. The show with a nearly 1 billion views, has become the biggest digital entertainment property, India has ever seen.

    It is this reach and loyalty that has ensured that advertisers have made VOOT an integral part of their outreach and engagement plan.  Enhanced and immersive user experiences and continued audience patronage is driving VOOT towards new echelons of growth.

  • How ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Chhoti Sardarni’ are driving Colors to the top

    How ‘Bigg Boss’, ‘Chhoti Sardarni’ are driving Colors to the top

    MUMBAI: Reality TV shows have practically dominated television in recent years, but do channels really benefit by airing cost-intensive, star-studded, high-impact shows?

    Colors Hindi – the GEC from the Viacom18 stable – seems to know the answer. And the answer is Bigg Boss.

    In its thirteenth season, the Salman Khan-hosted show has once again helped the channel reclaim the top position in BARC India week 45 ratings in HSM urban prime time slot, with decent help from Chhoti Sardarni, which that completed 100 episodes earlier this month.

    Launched on 29 September, Bigg Boss opened with a viewership of 6.9 million, making it the second-best launch in the category (year to date FY20 – YTD FY20). However, as the show progressed and viewers got familiar with the new contestants in its latest edition, its viewership saw a positive rally. Within six weeks of its launch, Biggg Boss has already reached 139 million viewers across India, according to data provided by the channel team.

    In the latest two weeks – BARC week 44 and week 45 (26 October to 8 November) – data for which is available, Bigg Boss has emerged as  the number 1 non-fiction show on weekends and the undisputed slot leader on weekdays with 27 per cent market share in HSM Urban 2+ and 29 per cent market share in AB 15+ category.

    Bigg Boss is not only leading its slot  (weekdays 2230 to 2330; weekends 2100 to 2200) but its huge-viewership during the last two weeks has also helped Colors regain the much-coveted number 1 spot in the crowded Hindi GEC market, according to channel data. 

    On the weekends, however, as seen in the picture above, Bigg Boss is facing stiff competition from Sony’s Indian Idol and The Kapil Sharma Show.

    Speaking on the success of Bigg Boss Season 13, Viacom18 chief content officer Hindi mass entertainment Manisha Sharma says: “Bigg Boss is doing very well – its popularity has only increased with the years. It opened with a viewership of 6.9 million on HSM Urban and has already reached over 140 million Indians, which is a very big number. On digital as well, the show is getting amazing numbers.  It’s the second-best launch this year in non-fiction shows.”

    Notably, Bigg Boss has also helped Viacom18 in getting more eye-balls on Voot. “Voot had nearly 60 million monthly users. But since the launch of Bigg Boss, that number has shot to 80 million. Bigg Boss Kannada is also getting a lot of traction on Voot,” reveals Sharma.

    She is also upbeat about reality shows despite the high-input capital required in their production.

    “Reality shows are high-impact properties and almost every network in the world is investing in them. They generate a lot of impact and grab eyeballs, which attract big sponsors. Colors is doing very well with its impact properties. There is Bigg Boss, Fear Factor – Khatron ke Khiladi, Rising Star, and Dance Deewane. All these shows are doing very well.”

    Colors ratings, however, have also been helped by a decent performance by Chhoti Sardarni. Based in a small village, Choti Sardaarni narrates the story of Meher, who is fighting for the rights and safety of her child. It has emerged as the number 1 show on Colors and is also a slot leader (weekdays 1930-2000), cornering a whopping 40 per cent market share in HSM Urban during BARC India week 42 – week 45. The show consistently features in the top five  fiction shows and became the number 1 fiction show in BARC India week 43 (17 October to 25 October).

    “Chhoti Sardarni has become the slot leader in its category within a short span of four months. It has finished 100 episodes but it feels like we have just started. The lead character, Meher already features in Ormax’s Top five loved characters and it happens to be the fastest character to enter the top 10 most loved characters across India on the Ormax characters India loves study. This is a testament to how much its characters are being loved by the viewers,” Sharma adds.

    Together, these two shows have helped Colors reclaim the top spot in Hindi GEC in week 45. Overall, from week 38 to week 45, Colors was the number two channel in Hindi GEC Urban category. 


     
    The Hindi GEC is a crowded space with the likes of Sony Entertainment, Sony SAB, Zee, Star Plus and Colors slugging it out for the top spot. While Colors was at the top spot in week 45, Sony and Star Plus aren’t much behind. In fact, all three channels (Sony, Star and Colors) have been at the top in Hindi GEC during the last two weeks, a testament to the tough competition in this category.

    Sharma has no qualms in acknowledging the tough competition in the Hindi GEC category.

    “Competition is tough in Hindi GEC but the stakes are even higher because of the size of the market. In a category like infotainment, the competition might be less, but then, revenue generation is also limited. On the contrary, Hindi GEC, despite being a highly-competitive and sometimes scary space, is a fun place to work as the size of the market is such that just the success of two to three  shows can guarantee you RoI,” she adds.

    For now, Bigg Boss and Chhoti Sardarni, are proving to be just that. And while Bigg Boss can only run for a limited time, Sharma is clear that Chhoti Sardarni has a long way to go.

    “Good shows like Kumkum and Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai have run over 1000 episodes. We have similar plans for Chhoti Sardarni,” she adds. “The Hindi speaking market is very aspirational and I think our shows will be able to capture that sentiment.”

    Her tack seems to be working so far. And it can only mean a more colourful time for Colors in the days ahead. 
     

  • I&B Ministry to meet industry leaders to discuss online video content regulation

    I&B Ministry to meet industry leaders to discuss online video content regulation

    Amidst reports of government considering certification/censorship of online video content, the I &B Ministry will hold a second round of consultation next week with industry players, who are determined to oppose any pre-censorship on digital platform.

    The I&B Ministry has invited all  online curated content providers (OCCPs), including Netflix, Amazon and Hotstar, through industry association, the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) for consultation on the issue of regulation of online video content, as per a report in ET.

    The meeting, slated for next week in Chennai, comes close on the heels of a similar consultation in Mumbai last month.

    In October, PTI had quoted union minister for information and broadcasting Prakash Javadekar as saying that there should be some kind of regulation of OTT platforms on the lines of print and electronic media and films.

    “I have sought suggestions on how to deal with this because there are regular feature films coming on OTT — good, bad and ugly. So how to deal with this, who should monitor, who should regulate?. There is no certification body for OTT platforms and likewise news portals also,” Javadekar was quoted as saying.

    Earlier in September, Live mint has reported that I&B Ministry was looking to finalize a model for the certification of online video streaming content soon after Diwali.

    However, any government attempt to regulate content on OTT, is bound to face stiff opposition from the industry, who believe that the existant IT Act 2000 and a voluntary self-regulatory code signed by major OTT players in January this year, are sufficient in dealing with any untoward situation.

    Online vidoe streaming players like Netflix, Hotstar, Jio, Voot, Zee5, Arre, SonyLIV, ALT Balaji and Eros Now have signed a self-censorship code in January that prohibited these platforms from showing certain kinds of content and set up a redressal mechanism for customer complaints.

    The self-regulation code, bars video players from showing content that’s banned by Indian courts, disrespects the national emblem and flag, outrages religious sentiments, promotes terrorism or violence against State and shows children in sexual acts. Amazon, however, is not part of the self-regulatory code signed under the aegis of IAMAI.

    “We should publish a list of all the laws that apply to OCCP platforms so that there is no is perception that OCCPs are not regulated,” Gowree Gokhale, head of Telecom, Media and Technology practice at Nishith Desai Associates, which is part of the consultation process, was quoted as saying by ET.

    However, despite the presence of a self-regulatory code, there have been an array of PILs in court demanding regulation of online video content.

    In May, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Centre on an appeal to regulate content on online streaming platforms.

  • VOOT brings non-stop new entertainment from India’s biggest reality show “BIGG BOSS”

    VOOT brings non-stop new entertainment from India’s biggest reality show “BIGG BOSS”

    MUMBAI: 13 celebrity contestants, 1 House, 15 weeks, 1 winner and memories galore! Nations biggest entertainment show vivo V17 Pro presents BIGG BOSS is back on COLORS and India’s second largest premium AVOD platform VOOT is all set to make it bigger and better for its fans this year.  After the stupendous success of the last season on VOOT, the platform all set to once again unleash the power of fandom and garner a phenomenal billion plus views by bringing to life a diverse and immersive digital exclusive content slate around the national phenomena – BIGG BOSS.  As they say – “Asli fans hote hain fan se badkar, dekhte hain Bigg Boss sirf VOOT par.”

    This year asli fans of BIGG BOSS Season 13 is in for an enhanced digital viewing experience with a phenomenal mix of unseen content, new magazine shows, newer interactivity formats where they can stay connected with the show 24 X 7.  Fans can now stream several exclusive show extensions like UNSEEN UNDEKHA, CUTLESS, BIGG BUZZ and the all new VOOT NIGHT LIVE along with full episode of the show while also voting for their favourite contestants.  Staying true to its promises of entertaining viewers VOOT will present unlimited week– end fun with BIGG BUZZ featuring playful moments like MISHEARD CONVERSATIONS, INTERVIEW THAT WASN’T, BB BUZZ-ER and FAMILY’S TAKE, capturing every detailed insight on the show.  Further upping the entertainment quotient for BIGG BOSS’s asli fans will be VOOT NIGHT LIVE – BIGG BOSS EDITION, a first of its kind show that will be streamed live from the sets immediately post the episode on COLORS.

    The diverse and engaging content slate will see over 3500 exclusive content stacks across key Bigg Boss being created providing an augmented viewing experience for the VOOT user.  The BIGG BOSS experience will be made further special for fans with   a slew of new and fun interactivity formats like voting, Video Vichar, VOOT Chugli Booth, pulse meter and others that will them to be a part of their favourite show. The slate has also received significant patronage from a slew of advertisers, who have joined the chorus of Bigg Boss on VOOT through partnering across various content around content properties.   The current edition of Bigg Boss on VOOT has an array of Digital Sponsors ranging from online platforms like Ace2Three, Swiggy, Flipkart and Revv Cars, to varied advertisers across categories like beverage (DSP Black), packaged food  (Doritos) and QSR (KFC),  helping drive engagement and build resonance and reach for  each of these brands. With a host of interactive solutions and customized, scalable brand associations across VOOT exclusive shows like Bigg Buzz and VOOT Night Live etc, offering is larger than life experience this year.

    Commenting on the popularity of BIGG BOSS, Akash Banerji, Head – AVOD Business, VOOT said “BB over the multiple seasons has managed to create a massive fandom in this country and the fans wait for the new season with bated breath. This year’s edition on VOOT is an extravaganza for the asli fans with a slew of exclusive content clips, new magazine shows, unique interactivity formats all with the aim to drive satiate their appetite. The 100-day festival on VOOT is equally compelling for advertisers & brands across categories as the show on the platform will see massive scale and exponential increase in watch time. Partnering with COLORS, this heady mix of crazy fans, exciting brands & new-age advertisers on the back of unique & exclusive offerings around the show is going to make Bigg boss bigger than any other entertainment property in India. Our exclusive fan-anthem around ‘alsi fans’ created by Orchard encapsulates this unbelievable spirit around the show for the next 100 days.”

    The exclusive segments, over and above the full episodes, curated for BIGG BOSS on VOOT include:

    UNSEEN UNDEKHA: An exclusive space of unheard conversations, games and a close eye on the contestants, which didn’t appear on TV. UNSEEN UNDEKHA offers a daily, exclusive view into the lives of the contestants as they survive their journey in the Bigg Boss house.

    CUTLESS – A favourite with the loyal Bigg Boss fans, CUTLESS provides complete access to watch the unedited action and drama around the game changing events inside the Bigg Boss house. With the show exploring larger boundaries this year, this segment will keep you at the edge-of-your-seat.

    VOOT NIGHT LIVE – The viewer’s opinions will not go unheard. The newest LIVE segment – BB NIGHT LIVE around Bigg Boss will air every night, right after the show telecast. BB NIGHT LIVE will be a fun and casual banter between 2 ex-contestants or social media influencers will have converse on the current episode. Fan’s take on the episode will also be integrated in the live interaction.

    HELO PRESENTS BIGG BUZZ –The intensity around the show will increase with all new BIGG BUZZ presented by Helo, a fun weekend social media round-up show. Showcasing a creative spin-off around the show, the segment – ‘Interview that wasn’t’ will feature a cartoon caricature of a celebrity being interviewed about their views on Big Boss. Another segment will include a Bigg Boss footage creating with a humorous twist when the different situations from the show are dubbed and featured under the label – ‘Misheard conversations.’ There also be – ‘BB Buzz-er’ – where a recurring humorous character will come every episode with exclusive insights about the show. Lastly, the segment – ‘Family’s Take’ will reveal the opinions of family members of the contestants right after they indulge in a controversy or a fight on the show.

  • Every platform needs a centrality to its content: VOOT’s Gourav Rakshit at Vidnet 2019

    Every platform needs a centrality to its content: VOOT’s Gourav Rakshit at Vidnet 2019

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s digital venture VOOT is set to expand the horizon of its business with new moves such as the upcoming launch of its subscription-based model in this calendar year and the full-fledged commercial launch of VOOT Kids. While it will maintain equal focus on the advertising-led platform, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit thinks it is an opportune time to enter the SVOD play.

    At Indiantelevision.com’s Vidnet 2019, Rakshit spoke on industry issues as well as VOOT’s content strategy going forward in a candid fireside chat with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari. Wanvari set the tone of the discussion by asking his lessons from Shaadi.com and his view on the industry as an outsider.

    Rakshit said that Shaadi.com was obviously a fascinating journey for him as he gained more insights on the history of India and communities of the country. It also helped him to touch India at a very core level while they signed up about 10-15k people every day which largely represents middle-class India.

    “I think from a learning point of view one of the things I can definitely bring is data science and AI models being used in match-making. They are very advanced. People talk about recommendations on OTT space. So, the order of magnitude of the algorithm on Shaadi is much higher than you have to in this space. Another thing is we ran the entire business on subscription model creating sufficient value to reach premium customers.”

    However, he also shed light on the new things he had to face as he switched industries. “I did underestimate the long-gestation period of content between concept, and execution or original launch. At Shaadi.com we were one week away from the idea of execution. This industry has to think where the ball will be one year from now. So, it definitely has a layer of complexity,” he added further.

    The other challenge is the supply-demand quotient. There has been a sudden burst of appetite but the growth in content creators can’t keep pace. However, he believes this is a short-term problem.

    According to him, the OTT industry is still finding its footing. The industry also has to discover the right price points. “As you start to move from the extremely western psychological demographic to what we call India, then Bharat, the nature of the content that we produce and we are going to put on these platforms needs to be fundamentally different. There, I think the broadcast industry, which has sharpened over years of understanding what these consumers want, is going to have an edge both by virtue of the library of content and understanding the sensibilities of the users. In the near term, clearly, the highest disposable income is with people that have a westernised psychography,” he said.

    He also added that every platform needs a centrality to its content that people want to consume and pay for. “We do daily digital soaps which are only available online and do exceedingly well. We have a base of extremely loyal people. In fact, we just concluded a season a few months ago. It is called Silsila and that had a massive fandom. So appointment-driven viewing on the internet as opposed to the only premise we are able to which is binge-watch is where we see a compelling case,” he also noted.

    Rakshit noted that the one thing that digital offers but television is unable to provide is on-demand viewing. According to him, if consumers are able to choose when they want to watch something then they can choose what and how they want to watch, and then they will be looking for something which is closer to their own liking. Hence, there has to be an understanding of writing what these new-age consumers are looking for.

    According to Rakshit, VOOT has an interesting content line up that is ready to hit the market. Moreover, the entry of fibre-to-home services will also help the platform at an ecosystem level. He also mentioned that as the industry progressed, the price discovery of subscription-based services would also be helpful for the platform.

    Speaking on VOOT’s kids’ strategy, he said, “It’s a departure from pure-play video streaming and primarily because we recognise that the target group in that is in the age group of 4-8 years and they are not using their own phones. They are using the device of their parents with their explicit permission. As a form of engagement, we got multiple-choice questions, audiobooks sort of narrative as well as large-format books which people can read in electronic media. Our early indications are that parents like that.”

  • Viacom18’s Gourav Rakshit on Colors Telugu digital-first launch, advertiser strategy, digital measurement

    Viacom18’s Gourav Rakshit on Colors Telugu digital-first launch, advertiser strategy, digital measurement

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 is taking two bulls by the horn. Not only has it targeted the regional market but is doing so in a digital-first manner. Colors Telugu is soon to be launched on VOOT, Viaom18’s over the top platform.

    The new language play of VOOT is set to go live on 23 September targeting a market which has the highest affinity for native language. While VOOT has always been focusing on the philosophy that regional is the new national, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said the big shift is happening as advertisers also want to speak locally now.

    “As we don’t have a network channel, the marketing has to be a lot nearer to the consumers. So, the marketing has to be more local because the consumer has to feel this is a part of us. A slight change will be in the mix up we would normally do. We will also use conventional television, distribution, Voot to popularlise the content. But I think it’s important to be in and around the ecosystem there itself in Hyderabad. The other thing is we are launching a marquee show Feet Up with the Stars which is a very big property,” Rakshit commented on the marketing strategy.

    He also noted that the network is aware of what works in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market as the Telugu speaking audience watched Hindi content also which made the platform realise the need for Telugu content. Hence, the marketing strategy is more tilted to demonstrate presence, relevance and in the market rather than a pure acquisition.

    In comparison to previous times when players wouldn’t risk original content, the scenario today is different. Today, even advertisers speak in regional languages since running Hindi ads are a misfit.

    “The brand voice changes when they talk in regional languages. When you are trying to build credibility or enter the market, sometimes it’s more effective to do with regional creative than national. You can’t do that on a Hindi-based content,” Rakshit commented.

    While VOOT is planning a subscription-based service, it is expected the platform will predominantly focus on advertising in India. As there are other advertising-based video-on-demand platforms that are also chasing for the advertising pie, Rakshit thinks the connection to relevant audience and content will help them differ.

    “We have a significant skew towards youth and female audiences. There are enough advertisers, especially in consumer’s products etc., who will really like our audience. It is our content that attracts viewers and hence, advertisers,” he added.

    Speaking on the digital measurement system, Rakshit agreed that it was important and that many people are trying to solve the problem. The benefit here is that every time spent counts, which isn’t the case in the TV industry.

    “The TV industry is completely reliant on third party data. That’s why they had to give birth to that. Hotstar knows its own number. YouTube as well and I know Voot’s. So, we are not reliant on the third party. As a result, we are not forced to collaborate. Whether it will come or not, there will be a measurement system. The question is how credible they will be if the media industry will support those findings that are up to chance. It is not clear to me when it will be resolved,” he added.

    The new leader on the board of Viacom18’s digital arm joined the platform in May who was earlier serving as the president and CEO of People Group that owns and operates Shaadi.com. Although he is in the internet ecosystem for a very long time, from the content side the two worlds are very different. According to him, the long gestation period of content is really different in his new venture.

  • Viacom18 drives digital first strategy by launching COLORS Telugu on VOOT

    Viacom18 drives digital first strategy by launching COLORS Telugu on VOOT

    MUMBAI: India’s second largest advertising led Video on Demand platform VOOT is all set for its Telugu market foray with the launch of COLORS Telugu on VOOT. Leveraging the 80 million plus  Telugu speaking audience opportunity, Colors Telugu on VOOT marks Viacom18’s continued focus on its strategic “digital first” approach. The platform’s new language play will introduce the discerning Telugu audiences from AP/ Telangana and rest of India to 1200 + hours of limitless Telugu entertainment.  The diverse content line-up will include VOOT Originals, Popular Hindi and regional Viacom18 IPs and a massive library of 150+ Telugu movies for its viewers to begin with.  COLORS Telugu on VOOT is set to go live starting 23rd September 2019. 

     Speaking about VOOT’s regional strategy and Telugu launch, Gourav Rakshit – COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures said, “Regional has been an important play for VOOT as well as Viacom18 and we continue to identify whitespaces in the category and pursue the regional growth opportunity.  We have been seeing significant offtake of network regional consumption on VOOT. The latest success of Bigg Boss Marathi with over 100 Million views establishes the scale of the regional content opportunity.”

    He further added “The market propensity of the Telugu market towards digital content as well the significant internet penetration in the 2 states of AP / Telangana make them a high value opportunity to be harnessed. We are sure that the diverse and expansive content slate curated after substantial audience mapping and market research will help us get love and support from the viewers.”

    Speaking about the launch of COLORS Telugu on VOOT, Akash Banerji – Head, AVOD Business, Viacom18 Digital Ventures said “Regional continues to be a key revenue driver for VOOT and with the new  COLORS Telugu on VOOT slate we will have added further depth to our very dynamic regional content proposition. Regional has also become the new national and plays a decisive role in the outreach strategy of many brands. Our presence in the segment hence allows us to serve our existing advertisers better while also tapping into new region-specific advertisers, thereby broad basing our base. We are already seeing significant response and going forward our innovative brand solutions will help us deliver substantial value to our advertisers and thereby garner their patronage.”  

    COLORS Telugu on VOOT will go live with blockbuster Telugu movies, a slew of network syndicated shows and the Telugu version of the popular VOOT Original IP “ace2three presents Feet Up with the Stars Telugu Co-Powered by Asian Paints” to start with. Bidding goodbye to the quintessential celebrity interviews, the chat show that sports a cozy and intimate setting with Tollywood Town celebrities kicking off their heels, putting their feet up and getting comfortable will be hosted by the popular Telugu movie actress and diva Lakshmi Manchu. Her sass and inquisitive questions are sure to get the audience excited to know more about their favorite Telugu stars. 

    With the latest language edition, Viacom18’s regional content footprint now comprises of Colors Kannada, Colors Super (Kannada), Colors Bangla, Colors Marathi, Colors Odia, Colors Tamil, Colors Gujarati and now COLORS Telugu on VOOT.