MUMBAI: The folks at Sony Entertainment Television are popping bottles of champagne! The channel has garnered the first position in the Hindi GEC urban market in week 40 of BARC data.

Sony Entertainment Television EVP and business head Danish Khan expresses, “We are happy. We have been working towards this and KBC has been accepted very well and so have "Yeh Un Dino Ki Baat Hai" and Ganesha. We’ve lined up four-five new shows, and the calendar is filled to the brim.”

Two years ago, Khan rejoined Sony as the business head. Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Khan shared the changes and developments he has seen in the network. He says, “The focus has primarily been to work with the right kind of people in both, the internal team and production team outside.”

He further says, “There are three pillars of our programming mantra -- the first one is novelty. Our shows must have a new element. The second aspect is to have variety. Every half an hour should capture various genres like love story, family drama and mythology, etc. Lastly, we are extremely careful about the quality of the shows. Around one to two years are given to make the best.” To encourage writers to come up with extraordinary scripts, the channel invests in this area first.

Displaying excitement and confidence in the new shows and the team working on it, he explains the backdrop of a show. “Shooting outdoors requires planning more than finance. Show budgets have increased over the years owing to better technology -- giving scale to the shows, skilled technicians and artwork,” he adds.

Khan admits that the Hindi GEC space is very competitive. “The success percentage in Hindi GECs has gone down and there is heterogeneity in the market. Blockbuster shows that appeal to all audiences will be scarce. Ten per cent of shows are for mass viewership while the remaining 90 per cent will have its own sectored viewership.” He gives the example of "Un Dino Ki Baat," which is a show based on the 90s and appeals to the set of audience, which grew up in that decade. Though, it is micro-targetting, the quality and variety will make a difference.

The network has launched a number of new shows in last month that include Mere Sai, Vighanharta Ganesh, Super Dancer, KBC, Yeh Un Dino Ki Baat Hai and Kuch Rang Pyar ke Aise bhi season 2.

The 730pm time slot was reopened, after a long hiatus, to Sai Baba. Ganesh was given the slot after that. Byhadh is aired at 830 pm, and is slated to be replaced by Porus in November. A new show "Likhenge Rishta Hum Naya" will make its way to the prime time followed by Haasil. In the pipeline are -- Dus Ka Dum and Prithvi Vallabh.

Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia chairman and CEO Ashish Bhasin vouches for Sony’s seasoned attitude in the GEC space. “Customers don’t watch channels, they watch content. If a channel can create content that resonates with the audience, it will attract eyeballs. Viewers switch between channels, which is why there are ups and downs.”

Success rates don’t resemble what they were earlier is because of the choices available to people. But, Bhasin sees this only as a boon.

MUMBAI: Law & Kenneth founder and chairman Praveen Kenneth announced his retirement from active engagement on the sidelines of the final sale of his shareholding, in Paris.

Law & Kenneth was the largest independent communication companies in India before becoming a part of Publicis Groupe in January 2014, to create L&K | Saatchi & Saatchi.

Over the next six months during the transition, Kenneth will be involved in mentoring and guiding the teams.

Anil Nair, the CEO and MD, who has been groomed over the past 24 months, and running the operations will now be leading the company.

Publicis chairman of the supervisory board Maurice Levy said: "Praveen has been with us slightly after opening Publicis in India (1999) and had led the agency to growth and creative excellence. He then decided to launch Law & Kenneth ( 2002), which also has been a great success."

Kenneth stated: "The incredible success story of Law & Kenneth and L&K| Saatchi & Saatchi has been nothing less than a magical testimony of "making the impossible, possible."

"Building from zero, to four offices, 400-plus amazing people and being in the top 10. Winning at Cannes, D&AD, epic pitch wins and first class clients. It's been a dream run," he added.

L&K | Saatchi & Saatchi has an enviable list of blue chip clients, which includes Renault India, HeroMotoCorp, Kent RO, P&G, Dabur, Pepper Fry, Jockey, Mondelez, Godrej Interio and Exide Insurance. It won two silvers at Cannes in 2016, and won again in 2017, and this time a Gold.

MUMBAI: The telecom industry in India, especially the small operators such as Tata Teleservices, has been facing a debilitating price war since Reliance Jio came onto the scene.

Bharti Airtel is now buying Tata Teleservices’s consumer mobile business in a cash-free, debt-free deal but the latter plans to stay connected with the broadband and landline businesses. The proposed deal will leave out Tata's enterprise, fixed-line and broadband operations.

No doubt, consolidation of this kind is common in the western markets -- for example, Liberty merged its Netherlands cable TV and broadband business with Vodafone's mobile services.

With a subscriber base of 44 million and revenue market share (RMS) of five per cent at June quarter-end, Tata is selling the mobile business to India's largest telecom operator almost for free as part of the chairman’s plan to exit operations which had been a prolonged drag on group profitability.

Tata Sons is also in initial stages of exploring a combination of the enterprise business with Tata Communications Ltd and its retail fixed line and broadband business with Tata Sky. Any such transaction will be subject to respective boards and other requisite approvals, the companies said in a statement.

Airtel’s acquisition of Tata business will give the former spectrum as well as a larger subscriber base so as to vie with Jio and the Idea-Vodafone combine. It will strengthen Airtel’s position as compared to Jio, as the former will get access to 178.5 MHz spectrum (of which 71.3 MHz is "free to trade") in the 850 MHz , 1,800 MHz and 2,100MHz bands.

Tata's enterprise business, which caters to SMEs, could be combined with the listed Tata Communications, which is in a similar space but caters to big corporates.

Airtel will now absorb Tata’s mobile phone operations across India in 19 circles. On merger, Airtel’s subscriber base is expected to expand to 350 million as against the combined Idea-Vodafone's projected 390 million. Airtel’s RMS is also expected to reach 40 per cent in September, a little short of the combined 42 per cent of Idea-Vodafone.

“The acquisition of additional spectrum made an attractive business proposition. It will further strengthen our already solid portfolio and create substantial long-term value for our shareholders given the significant synergies,” Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said in the statement.

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MUMBAI: Zee Café viewers can expect fresh entertainment in its upcoming slot Hollywood on Café from 16 October. 5 new drama series – The Young Pope, Taboo, 11.22.63, The Son and Guerrilla – will air from Monday to Friday at 9 pm.

These new shows are a part of its new concept called ‘Rated H’, where TV shows are made with Hollywood-scale budgets, with intriguing, refined and compelling narratives, and provide a unique and extremely premium experience. Hollywood names like Tom Hardy, Jude Law, Pierce Brosnan, Idris Elba and James Franco will be the highlight of the shows.

Despite other broadcasters leaning towards the digital medium, Zee Café still considers TV as the king of content. Considering the Year-to-date ratings from April, the channel claims to have maintained its top position.

ZEEL business cluster head-premium and FTA-GEC channels Aparna Bhosle says, “The English entertainment sector has always been niche and exposing more people to the content will help in its expansion. To stay true to our tagline of ‘All Eyes On You’, we must keep engaging our audience with new shows.”

The section targets discerning millennials who crave scale and quality. An all-round marketing plan, while keeping in mind the scale of the shows and unconventional storylines, has been adopted. Advertisers on board include Renault Captur, Blender’s Pride Fashion Tour Music CDs, Nokia Smartphones and Engage Perfume Spray.

The 5 drama series are:
The Young Pope is an English-language Italian drama television series created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. The series stars Jude Law and Diane Keaton. It was co-produced by European production companies Wildside, Haut et Court TV, and Mediapro. It has only one season with 10 episodes in it and the runtime is 46-60 minutes. It will air on Mondays at 9 PM.

The Son is an American drama television series of 10 episodes based on the 2013 book of the same name by Philipp Meyer. The show was created and developed by Meyer, Brian McGreevy, and Lee Shipman. The runtime is 42- 49 minutes. On May 12, 2017, the series was renewed for a second season. It will air on Tuesdays at 9 PM.

Taboo is a British television drama programme produced by Scott Free London and Hardy Son & Baker. It was created by Steven Knight, Tom Hardy, and his father, Edward Hardy, and is based on a story written by Tom and Edward Hardy. The eight-part series, set in 1814, begins with James Delaney (Tom Hardy) returning to England after spending twelve years in Africa with fourteen stolen diamonds, following the death of his father and when the war with the United States was nearing its end. The runtime of the series is 55-57 minutes. Taboo will air Thursdays at 9 PM

11.22.63 is an American science fiction thriller mini-series based on the book 11/22/63 by Stephen King, and consisting of eight episodes. The series is executive-produced by J. J. Abrams, King, Bridget Carpenter and Bryan Burk, and produced by James Franco, who also has the main role. The production companies involved are Bad Robot Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The runtime of the series is 44-81 minutes. 11.22.63 premieres 18 October, Wednesdays at 9 PM.

Guerrilla is a six-part British drama mini-series set in early 1970s London, against the backdrop of the Immigration Act 1971 and British black power movements such as the British Black Panthers and Race Today Collective. It was written and directed by John Ridley and stars Idris Elba, Freida Pinto and Babou Ceesay in leading roles. The production company is ABC Signature studios. The runtime is 60 minutes. Guerrilla premieres 20 October, Fridays at 9 PM.

Out of the five, the channel has digital rights for The Young Pope, Taboo and Guerrilla.

MUMBAI: Do you recollect the much-loved Zoozoos, the evergreen Amul girl or the crazy alien dance when they find Cadbury Chocolate on their planet? Most of us might because these are iconic animated characters that create a higher brand recall in the consumer’s mind.

Eye-catchy visuals in animated ads not only help push brand advertising but also have a 30 per cent higher engagement rate making it an essential piece for the marketing heads in order to drive more consumer engagement and conversation.

The claim to the first animated advertisement is a much-debated subject but one of the oldest recorded animated ads was named ‘Matches an Appeal’ that utilised stop-motion to illustrate a matchstick man spelling out the company’s name. Although animation in advertising dates back to as early as 1940, the phenomenon hit India only in late 90s. Brands such as Amul, Vodafone, Appy Fizz, Mortein and Red Bull, etc, are the brands that successfully used animation in ads.

Dentsu One national creative director Titus Upputuru points out that, while some great animation ads have been created in the past, there is a lack of innovation in animation for television advertising. Though, we are more advanced today, the same is not reflected in the advertising industry through animations.

Explaining that India has a long heritage of drawing and painting, Publicis India MD and chief creative officer for South Asia Bobby Pawar draws attention to technology and newer well equipped animation studios that have created animations for Hollywood blockbuster Avatar, in turn aiding the evolution of the art of animation in India.

Time still remains a major constraint while creating animated ads. Titus adds, “We don’t see a lot of animated ads because it is time consuming to create each frame and see progression of movement or any action in the frame."

According to a recent FICCI KPMG report on the Indian media and entertainment industry, Indian animation and VFX industry grew at 16.4 per cent in 2016 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 17.2 per cent over 2017–21 to reach a size of Rs 131.7 billion, driven by a steady 9.5 per cent growth in animation and a 25 per cent growth in the VFX segment. Although the numbers look decent, we lag behind the West when it comes to the quality of animation and seamless VFX.

Bobby Pawar suggests that, “There is a serious dearth of talent for animation directors; people who can imagine characters, write about them and have fun with them.” While lack of talent, studio-set ups, animation artists, time, and the high cost of execution remain a challenge for the industry, brands are slowly inclined to experiment.

Indiantelevision.com takes you through some of most memorable and milestone moments (ads) in the Indian ad world.

Maggi noodles, as we know now, once had flavours like Fruitti fruitti (more like Toofi Frooti) and Toffi Toffi back in 1986. Although the ad was loved by the kids, the sweet flavours did not work for the brand and were soon discontinued. Maggi hasn’t gone the animated ads way after that and decided to get celebrities instead or showcase the ‘2-minute’ cooking.

OLD MAGGI TVC:

Created by Sylvester da Cunha in 1966 to rival Polson’s butter girl, the Amul Girl which was a 2D animation character was first used in outdoor advertisement and later made her way to television ads.

OLD AMUL TVC:

AMUL TVC (2013):

The poofy-loveable white creatures, Zoozoos have been a hit ever since they were launched in 2009 during the second season of Indian Premier League. The white creatures with ballooned bodies and egg heads have been used to promote various value added services of Vodafone and remain a favourite among the viewers. Vodafone continues to leverage the popularity of Zoozoos even today.

Vodafone Zoozoos TVC:

Nestle India has experimented on an array of products from their kitty with animation and VFX in their ads, be it the singing Squirrel ad, the dancing babies ad, love birds ad for Kitkat or the Kangaroo mother ad for Nestea. The ads have helped the brand in creating higher brand recall and driving more sales.

NESTEA TVC:

Mondelez International created animated ads as early as 1980’s in the United States and other markets but the concept came to India only in 2004 when Mondelez India (then known as, Cadbury India) decided to have an animation film to promote its new product. Although Dairy Milk has always been associated with its iconic ads and the song ‘Kuch khaas hai, kya swaad hai zindagi mein,’ the brand decided to adopt a new song this time that would be a hit with their target audience (kids) for this new product (Dairy Milk 2 in 1). The ad became an instant hit and it also used the animated series to advertise another product (Dairy Milk Whoopie). In October 2016, Cadbury Dairy Milk introduced an animated alien series to promote its product with #InterstellarParty where the alien was thoroughly enticed by the chocolate. The song became an instant viral hit.

DAIRY MILK TVC (2004):

DAIRY MILK TVC (2016) :

Havmor ice creams is the latest entrant to join the bandwagon of animated ads. With an aim to create a property that reflects what Havmor stands for, the brand has launched a #MadeOfMilk campaign to grab the attention of the consumer and create a lasting impression.

HAVMOR TVC (2017) :

MUMBAI: Pond’s Cold Cream has unveiled its brand campaign that leverages its legacy of trusted care. The TVC celebrates the magic of a ‘jhappi’. In Indian parlance, ‘jhappi’ means much more than a simple hug. It’s the embrace and protection that only a loved one can provide. Similarly, Pond’s Cold Cream provides the embrace of protection to the skin through its 10 essential nutrients and moisturisers.

The objective of the campaign is to further evoke the emotional affinity the brand has enjoyed over decades in the market, instilling freshness to the idea of touchable, soft skin. The tone of the film is consciously positive and poetic. The moments between the mother, daughter and granddaughter cue protection and care through generations. In essence, it is exactly what the product does too.

Ogilvy executive creative director Zenobia Pithawalla says, "The idea 'Pond’s ki jhappi' came from the core of the brand. ‘Jhappi' meaning a hug, not only conveys the expert care and protection that the product provides in winter but also builds on the legacy of the brand. And 'jhappis' too, like Pond’s Cold Cream, are passed on generation to generation."

Hindustan Unilever Ltd vice president, skincare and colours Prabha Narasimhan adds, "The idea of mothers receiving and passing on their love & care from one generation to the next – aap ko mila tohi aap ne diya Pond’s ka laad pyar perfectly reflecting the ethos of the brand and the Indian woman."

MUMBAI: Kansai Nerolac has relaunched its popular interior paint, Nerolac Beauty Emulsion, positioning it as a more discerning choice of paint in the long run. Through this campaign, the brand also attempts to dispel the notion of emulsion paints being more expensive than distemper.

The film has been launched across popular offline and online platforms in India.

The TVC, conceptualised and executed by Publicis India, begins in a middle-class home wherein a young boy is asking his girlfriend’s parents for her hand in marriage and the parents then call out the painter who’s been applying Nerolac Beauty Emulsion in another room and asks him as to why they have chosen Nerolac Beauty Emulsion over distemper this year. The TVC ends with the painter along with the parents re-iterating the brand promise of ‘Bachat full. Deewarein beautiful.’

Kansai Nerolac Paints director - decorative and industrial sales and marketing Anuj Jain says, “Our beauty emulsion offers a great finish with longer life and the coverage is much better than distemper, hence, making it a right choice for people looking to paint their homes.”

Publicis India managing director and chief creative officer – South Asia Bobby Pawar adds, “Nerolac Beauty is a popular emulsion. The idea therefore needed to be rooted in the notion of discernment amongst masses. And that’s how the peculiar situation of the parents’ judgement and acumen about the choice of their daughter’s groom came about.”

NEW DELHI: A new social media campaign #AbDikhengeAsliRang highlighting the technology of more natural colours of Videocon’s revolutionary Liquid Luminous Technology has been launched with short humorous videos.

This festive season, Videocon aims at making everyone’s Diwali colourful.

Featuring the sensational and witty Asif Shaikh, commonly known as Vibhuti Narayan Mishra of Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain fame, the short comedy videos depict the everyday conversations and lifestyle. In all of the videos, Videocon is a common aspect, entertaining the viewers.

Mesmerised with the colour reproduction of Videocon Liquid Luminous, Asif can be seen revealing a tad too much when he switches the TV set on. What he leaves behind is an irritated wife, a surprised son, an annoyed boss and curious business associates.

Videocon digital marketing head Shikher Gupta said, “Since Diwali is the time to cheer, we came up with short videos with a light, humorous touch. The campaign is built on Videocon’s Liquid Luminous range and effectively communicates the different hues and shades that one can experience with the new range. Asif Sheikh was an obvious choice as his personality matched perfectly with the theme. His vivid persona truly reflects the product USP. The videos will go live on our social media pages including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.”

The videos have been conceptualised by Rediffusion- Y&R, produced by Saffron Studio and Media, and directed by Vishal Gupta.

The campaign #AbDikhengeAsliRang will run across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to engage with customers. Videocon is putting up a new video everyday where one can witness a new hilarious twist and different shades of life.

MUMBAI: After setting the box office on fire, Marvel’s Doctor Strange is all set to bring his magic alive on the small screen. This Diwali, watch the Sorcerer Supreme triumph over evil, only on Star Movies, on 15 October, at 1 PM and 9 PM.

Doctor Strange is the story of world-famous neurosurgeon Dr. Stephen Strange whose life changes forever after a horrific car accident robs him of the use of his hands. When traditional medicine fails him, he is forced to look for healing, and hope, in an unlikely place—a mysterious enclave known as Kamar-Taj. He quickly learns that this is not just a centre for healing but also the front line of a battle against unseen dark forces bent on destroying our reality. Before long Strange—armed with newly acquired magical powers—is forced to choose whether to return to his life of fortune and status or leave it all behind to defend the world as the most powerful sorcerer in existence

Touted for its mind-bending and stunning visuals, Doctor Strange stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Rachel McAdams, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Mads Mikkelsen. The film has grossed over US$ 670 Million worldwide, making it Marvel’s biggest single-character intro film till date. Doctor Strange is rated 7.5 on IMDB and 90 per cent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.

Home to the biggest premieres on television, Star Movies endeavours to not only give the audience an experience to remember but also an invitation to fight their inner demons and beat the dark side with magic and mayhem! So, this Diwali, get set to watch the triumph of good over evil in this visual extravaganza.

Doctor Strange is just beginning of the Sorcerer Supreme’s mystical journey; Strange will be seen again next in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok, which thunders into theatres on 3 November, 2017, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in IMAX, 3D, 4DX and 2D formats, followed by Avengers: Infinity War that releases in May 2018.

This Diwali, join Strange on his dangerous, mystifying, and totally mind-bending journey when Marvel’s Doctor Strange premieres.

MUMBAI: Star India is confident that cricket fans across the country will join to cheer the men in blue as they reach their true potential in the exciting home season.

Star Sports has released a film on Virat Kohli’s mission to take the Indian cricket team to the top spot in all three formats this home season.

The film showcases his determination and perseverance in the pursuit of excellence.

One of the most sought-after global sportspersons, Kohli’s discipline, relentlessness and unmatched drive has made him the leading ODI and T20 batsman in the world and an inspiration for legions of young fans in India.

The film takes the viewers through a day in the life of Kohli, portraying his never-say-die attitude. It begins with Kohli waking up at the crack of dawn, driven by a commitment to his goals. His day begins at the gym, as he works out to stay focussed and fit, and always aiming to better his last best performance. 

At the practice pitch, Kohli is seen honing his batting prowess, as the film calls-out his cricketing achievements. “When you’re ready to expend every ounce of your energy, all you need to do is Believe,” says Kohli, as the film concludes.

A Star India spokesperson said, “We, at Star Sports, constantly strive to raise the bar when it comes to showcasing world-class cricket, and bringing fans closer to the sport and its heroes. Virat Kohli embodies a commitment towards sport and fitness. Under his dynamic leadership, Team India is looking to dominate world cricket across all formats."

The season ahead promises to be full of anticipation and excitement, with Team India playing against Australia currently, followed by New Zealand and Sri Lanka later in the year.

MUMBAl: TV viewership measurement in India is set to get a boost. In a major development, BARC India has partnered with the cable distribution giant DEN Networks for measuring TV viewership using Return Path Data (RPD) via its digital set-top boxes (STBs).

As part of this partnership, BARC India will fetch data from STBs of DEN Networks. DEN networks, will also use this data for subscriber management, packaging opportunities and to drive advertising revenue on their in-house channels.

BARC India, will use a portion of DEN Networks subscriber base to augment its TV measurement service. The large pool of panel households will also help address the issue of panel home tampering.  

BARC India had recently upped its panel home size to 30,000. These RPD partnerships will enable BARC India to capture viewership from an exponentially larger panel.

“Collecting viewership data using RPD is a global practice. However, for BARC India it will be another global-first as we integrate this as part of the currency. Our partnership with DEN is the first step towards using RPD for TV viewership measurement,” said BARC India CBO Romil Ramgarhia.

BARC India, which is looking at partnering with more Cable and DTH operators for RPD, believes that this approach will allow expansion of panel households to over 150,000 in the near future.

“Currently, most cable / DTH operators in India do not have information on how their subscribers consume content. With more interactive services being launched, this will be a very valuable information for the platform owners. This partnership is a win-win for both and will benefit the larger ecosystem,” added Romil.

DEN Networks CEO SN Sharma said, “Data gathering and analytics is becoming increasingly relevant in a vast and heterogeneous society like India.  With this partnership, we have taken the first steps towards world class data analytics of subscriber viewing patterns which will help us to serve our customers in a far more effective way and enabling us to offer personalised services.”

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MUMBAI: DTH is not just about distribution of entertaining content. It has the potential to provide innovative solutions to advertisers -- to reach targeted clientele. Videocon has proved it.

DTH player Videocon d2h has announced its partnership with Skoda to offer its subscribers a chance to have a detailed view of the new Skoda Monte Carlo and Kodiaq through its HD set-top box (STB).

Using the maximum potential of technology, Videocon d2h is the first DTH player to launch a microsite on DTH Platform through a unique yellow button application that is available for the premium customers.

On pressing the button on the remote, a microsite opens up which showcases exterior and interior pictures of Skoda Kodiaq along with other features.

To enhance Skoda's consumer experience, PHD India and Videocon d2h came together and created a virtual experience for viewing on the television sets. This innovation enables Skoda's potential buyers to effortlessly view important features and aspects at their own convenience. The virtual experience was first tested with Skoda's Monte Carlo, and has since been implemented during the launch of Kodiaq.

Videocon d2h executive chairman Saurabh Dhoot said: “Our platform provides excellent advertising opportunities to marketers and advertisers. I am delighted at this partnership to provide an innovative and engaging advertising solution."

Videocon d2h CEO Anil Khera said: “This interactive advertising service shows our capability to innovate using technology and deliver returns. We look forward to provide more of such innovative advertising solutions on our platform to other advertisers.’’

Skoda HOD - marketing Tarun Jha said, “Škoda tries to bring new technology experiences continuously. This is another attempt to bring the car to the customer at his convenience."

PHD Media GM - planning Dipesh Dadhich said, “This work is another example of PHD’s mission to find a better way for our clients, delivering outstanding results and industry-leading innovation in the process.”