MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • It may be too late to stop watching that toxic TV nonsense you are addicted to, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: State of Turmoil & Unhappiness

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiA recent series of advertorials about the state of Uttarakhand’s infrastructure development was all about how the BJP government at the Centre was investing in the state to make life easier for religious tourism. There was the Prime Minister’s photograph prominently placed, informing us about the Char Dham Yatra Road, a mountain railway line for pilgrims and so on.

    Not a single word in these advertorials about how the BJP governments at the either the Centre or the state are doing anything about the people who live in Uttarakhand.

    Well, obviously.

    Because if you read the news pages, you realise the state of turmoil and unhappiness.

    The murder of hotel receptionist Ankita Bhandari allegedly by the son of a BJP politician and his associates continues to make the news locally, but has not been responded to by the national BJP. And the national media has already run out of steam.

    Since it cannot bring itself to question the BJP, it remains focused on the Congress’s internal elections. Women in other political parties must answer for every act of violence and harassment against women in non-BJP states, but women in the BJP are exempt from opinion or support for women.

    The cities of Uttarakhand have performed very badly on the recent government cleanliness survey. Haridwar has come in at 330. There is garbage everywhere, as anyone who lives here knows. The mighty Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a joke, as everyone who lives here knows. A conversation with a local Pradhan illuminated the problem: 60 % of the panchayat budget goes to Swachh Bharat, which is not under village control. That leaves 40 % for all other facilities and that explains why there are no road repairs, no lights and so on.

    The “infrastructure” advertorials face pages of news about the destruction to the environment, and the lies told by the government. Most recently, we learnt that the government lied with its claim that only 163 trees were cut for a tiger safari in Corbett Tiger Reserve, for PM Modi’s appearance on Bear Gryll’s Man vs Wild TV programme. A Forest Survey of India found that over 6000 trees had been cut in a 40-acre area.

    You will not see this in any advertorial.

    Nor will any member of the mainstream national media question the PMO about this.

    We know that it is not possible to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi since he does not take questions from the Indian media. And the Indian media has been happy to play along with this for over eight years. Let’s run with a mike to question Rahul Gandhi about giving a speech in the rain! O No! We can’t! We’ve been given express instructions not to cover Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra! Okay! We shall just make up any old stuff we want instead, attack Muslims and Dalits, opposition state governments, non-BJP politicians and all the other stuff of the list of things you can cover given to us by the BJP! Wheeeeeeee! What fun!

     

    I was going to tell you about how the Uttarakhand government has tried to change rules about the perennial and non-perennial streams which dot this landscape and are vital to Himalayan ecology, to help the mining industry but then I thought, why bother?

    It’s not like anyone cares anyway, right?

    Errrm, until it’s all fall down. And then it’ll be too late to stop watching that toxic TV nonsense you are addicted to.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal

     

  • For any brand professional, the City is a perfect case study of what product and brand management is all about, writes Avik Chattopadhyay

    A Tale of One City!

     

     

     

    By Avik Chattopadhyay

     

    Avik ChattopadhyaySo, the Honda City completes 25 years in India. That is quite an achievement given the proliferation of choice the consumer has had in the last 10 years and the sheer impatience automakers have with continuing with ‘old’ product names.

     

    I have never owned a Honda City neither have I worked in or for Honda, yet I take this opportunity to salute one of India’s most successful brands, across industries and product categories. So, what exactly has made it such a darling of the Indian marketplace?

     

    It pioneered a segment

    When the first City was launched at Auto Expo 1998, it started a trend of the affordable performance sedan. The Opel Astra was too expensive and unreliable while the Maruti Esteem was a bit underwhelming. Till then, the only Honda people had access to was the expensive Accord, imported through Tata Exports. Suddenly, the aspirational Honda badge became accessible in the form of the City and there was no looking back.

     

    It has stayed true to its core promise

    In its fifth generation in India over the last 25 years, not once has the City wavered from its core promise of “comfort + reliability + performance = prestige”. It is not that every generation has been equally loved and successful, as competitive offers have kept increasing, but one cannot fault the brand for deviating from its promise. The service standard has been a terrific support to the cause.

     

    It has kept reinventing itself

    The brand has kept listening to customer feedback, media feedback, social media chatter and expert inputs to keep refreshing its proposition every 5-6 years. And the refreshment has been totally transformational in style and shape without compromising on the promise. The second generation launched in 2002 was not much liked for its polarising styling yet the promise was otherwise delivered. It has had its dip for the lack of a diesel engine when diesels were the toast of the day, but came back with an offer, even though some may say too late to make the desired impact. Given the stereotype of the Japanese image of being slow and procedure driven, the City has shown that as a brand it has had no ‘holy cows’ to live by.

     

    It has a symbiotic relationship with the mother brand

    “City” is a standalone brand by itself, just like Bravia and iPhone. While it derives its core essence from the Honda DNA, its unprecedented success across South Asia and China has allowed it to feed into the Honda DNA too. The Honda brand has always been about race-bred performance, reliability, and edgy styling. The City has definitely added the facet of comfort to the mother brand. This can only happen when a product badge evolves into a brand with its own following and advocacy.

     

    It is loved by competition

    Strong brands are usually feared or at the most respected by competition. The City is in fact loved! Every automaker has had the City as a benchmark. The V-tec engine was a performance standard for competition to follow. Just like the Maruti 800 gave the Indian consumer access to modern technology and motoring, the City allowed the consumer to experience an enviable package of comfort, safety, performance, reliability and badge value! Competition always has wanted to outdo the City in providing a better package. Interestingly, when in Maruti Suzuki, my team used the entry-level City as a benchmark in deciding the feature package and price point for the top variant of the to-be-launched Swift in 2005. When working out the India entry strategy in Peugeot, we had the City as the only benchmark to use ignoring sedans offered by other badges. In VW, we used to keep scratching our heads on how Honda could offer the City at that price point maintaining the quality index.

     

    For any brand professional, the City is a perfect case study of what product and brand management is all about…staying true to one’s promise, always open to feedback and, sincere respect for the consumer and the market!

     

    Frankly, I remember none of the Honda City communication or advertising. Not because of any quality issues but because the fundamental package of the product + service was so compelling, that all else can only exist on the side-lines. The growing clan of Honda City owners and the increasing tribe of an envious competition has done all the talking all these 25 years. I hope the brand story is kept the same way if it wishes to celebrate another 25.

     

  • It's not an easy question to answer, but there aren’t any rules about the kind of questions we should ask. Right? Well, let's read what Dr Bhaskar Das has to say in the October 4 edition of Das ka Dum. He's clearly one of the best persons in the ecosystem to comment on the issue. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | And now Zee News has also opted out of BARC, the second large news player to exit the measurement system. Is there a crisis of faith in the ratings system?

    Bhaskar DasIt’s not an easy question to answer, but there aren’t any rules about the kind of questions we should ask. Right? Well, let’s read what Dr Bhaskar Das has to say in the October 4 edition of Das ka Dum. He’s clearly one of the best persons in the ecosystem to comment on the issue. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar.

     

    Q. And now Zee News has also opted out of BARC, the second large news player to exit the measurement system. Is there a crisis of faith in the ratings system?

     

    A. It’s a very debatable issue as there are multiple actors in the stage (the world’s a stage anyway, as the Bard opined once) viz BARC, Advertisers, Agencies and the Channels. I am sure each one would have a unique/ different perspective and they might be divergent from one actor to other.

    I can speculate on their unique perspectives but it would not necessarily represent their actual stand. So I am simulating the perspectives:

     

    > BARC: I can imagine that they can’t influence the channel owner’s decision on the subject as they are conscious about their business imperatives which is advertising revenue-based where ratings might be playing some influence. Besides, BARC has a more significant play in the GEC space for obvious reasons. So their intensity of effort to persuade the channels to stay put  wit BARC might be disproportionate to the share of news channels in the overall pie of viewership/ topline.

     

    > Agencies/ Advertisers: Ratings help in media planning and rate negotiations for better ROI for agencies and their clients, specially for language/ regional channels as pecking order helps in extracting better VFM for a targeted GRP. Will channels, without BARC ratings, be out of the consideration set? I have my doubts. It won’t be in the near-term as there is an existing empirical experience about the advertiser/ agency experience about the efficacy of the channel’s delivery. Besides, while planning, context might now be prioritised for evaluating of the vehicle for placement of advertisements.

     

    > News Channels: NDTV has taken the lead but when channels like Zee take a stand, I am sure they have evaluated the pros and cons and the decision evince their confidence in their brands. They must have realised that chasing a rating ‘trade mill’, week after week, might distract them from serving their various stakeholders optimally. Now the focus can be on quality of journalism and appropriate contextual edit environment that can differentiate themselves from parity content. This can be an opportunity and the final arbiter, ie the market finds it acceptable, it’s a win -win proposition for them. The answer lies in the womb of future. I can’t speculate on that. If it works for them, the others might follow. But that’s story for another day.

     

  • Mohanty will be instrumental in accelerating the agency's growth in the North region

    Joy Mohanty is CCO, Dentsu Creative

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu Creative India has announced the appointment of Joy Mohanty as its Chief Creative Officer. He will report into Ajay Gahlaut, Group Chief Creative Officer of the agency.

     

    Mohanty will be instrumental in accelerating the agency’s growth in the North India region.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Gahlaut said:, “Dentsu Creative is transforming into a powerhouse of creativity. We are rapidly building capabilities to stay ahead of the curve in a dynamically evolving industry. However, the tallest structures are built on strong foundations. Joy’s appointment is, thus, vital to our plan for times ahead. He is a veteran who has worked on some of the most groundbreaking campaigns. I am certain that his experience will bring solidity and wisdom into the fresh, bubbling cauldron of creativity at dentsu.”

     

  • Ad show Rahul Bose and Ishaan Khatter in a witty banter

    Lowe Lintas’ crafts for HP Spectre range

    By Our Staff

     

    HP India, has launched its latest range of HP Spectre laptops with a multi-film campaign conceptualised by Lowe Lintas Delhi.

     

    Talking about the campaign, Prashant Jain, Chief Marketing Officer, HP India said: “The AI-based features of the new HP Spectre line-up are designed to help you thrive in today’s hybrid world. The campaign brings alive 3 such truly unique features. We hope to inspire everyone to ‘Be your Best You’ as you navigate seamlessly across the hybrid environment.”

     

    Added Vasudha Misra, Regional Creative Officer, Lowe Lintas : “Sometimes all it takes is going back to basics. Make the product feature the front and centre of the communication. And that is just what we did. To this mix, Sidhant Mago added characters that are steeped in modern folklore – start up founders. And finally, the casting took these films to the next level.”

     

  • Cutting Crew Studio is a boutique creative agency

    Cutting Crew Studio bags Westside & JBL mandate

    By Our Staff

     

    Cutting Crew Studio (CCS), the boutique creative agency has bagged the festive season campaigns for Westside, the clothing retail chain by Trent India Ltd and leading audio brand JBL

     

    Said Vivek Shah, Founder of Cutting Crew Studio: “We are proud to work with brands like Westside and JBL India, for they have entrusted us with their new campaigns. We have burnt some midnight oil to really come up with some extraordinary concepts keeping their TG in mind.

     

  • We'll be back on Thursday, October 6

    Dassera Holiday. See you Thursday

    By Our Staff

     

    Our offices are closed tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5 for Dassera. So there will be no scheduled update or newsletter.

     

    We’ll be back on Thursday, October 6.

    Our best wishes for Dassera and Durga Puja.

     

  • The Content Lab is Mumbai-based content studio and digital marketing agency

    Content Lab film for Kirtilals

    By Our Staff

     

    Mumbai-based content studio and digital marketing agency, The Content Lab, has developed a film for diamond jewellery brand Kirtilals.

     

    Said Vaibhav Mehta, Founder, The Content Lab: “It’s great when a brand trusts us with the creative onus of imagining a storyline and bringing to life their vision. From the production perspective, it was extremely important to have a fine balance between the contemporary and traditional – from set design, casting, costumes, the smallest of nuances were meticulously chosen.”

     

    Added Seema Mehta, Creative Director, Kirtilals: “Diamonds are known to make important milestones in our lives memorable, spark sheer joy, and embody familial stories of generations. That narrative has been heard time and again. With this film, we wanted our audience to look beyond the jewellery alone. We wanted them to look at marriage and relationships with another eye where implicit mutual support of both is key. We hope this message resonates with our young clients who are embarking on life with their partners, and will remember us as a brand who truly gets them.”

     

  • Company aims to solve the problem faced by content creators in sourcing copyright-safe music for their videos

    Hoopr.ai launches #HarGharCreator Campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Hoopr.ai, the music licensing platform, has launched a new campaign called #HarGharCreator with an ad to celebrate and empower creators across India.

     

    Said Gaurav Dagaonkar, Co-founder & CEO, Hoopr.ai: “We are excited to roll out the #HarGharCreator campaign as part of the Hoopr platform launch. A creator is now emerging in nearly every home across India, and we want to help them find phenomenal Indian music for their videos. Apart from individual creators, the music on Hoopr is also being used by brands, enterprises, and OTT platforms, as it is cleared for use and free from any copyright strikes or takedowns.”

     

    Speaking on the campaign launch, Meghna Mittal, Co-founder & CMO, Hoopr.ai, said, “The creator economy is primed more than ever to grow, and we’re excited to support creators across India. There’s also increased awareness about the need for sourcing licensed music since the awareness on issues such as copyrights has increased. Apart from helping creators, Hoopr will also enable music creators to unlock a new source of revenue for their music.”

     

  • A quick chat with NS Rajan, who was unanimously elected  Chairman, Advertising Standards Council of India last week

    ‘Misconception that regulation and self-regulation compete’

     

     

    At the board meeting of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) held last week, public relations industry veteran NS Rajan was unanimously elected  Chairman. Rajan, Director, August One Partners LLP, was Founder and Managing Director of Ketchum Sampark. Sampark is an agency that Rajan set up with his wife Bela which was later acquired by the Omnicom group. Rajan was Vice Chair of ASCI over the last two years, and was an active participant of the weekly complaints meetings that the Council conducts for complaints redressal. Excerpts from a quick interview over email.

     

    ASCI has reinvented itself over the last few years. What next for the self-regulator?

    ASCI has reinvented itself to keep pace with the nature of the new and emerging advertising ecosystem. Besides upgrading our complaints systems and processes to become more agile and responsive, we have also invested in monitoring technology. As we go ahead, we will strengthen the preventive side of our work to become more robust and mainstream. ASCI Academy through training, outreach, and thought leadership is an important pillar of taking ASCI into the future. I look forward to advancing the agenda of the Council to rapidly increase ASCI’s awareness among consumers so that they engage more readily and in greater numbers, voicing their concerns, anxieties, and questions about what they experience in the form of thousands of ads per day.

     

    Has the ghost of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) usurping ASCI’s status/role vanished?

    It is a common misconception to think that regulation and self-regulation compete. Both these mechanisms are part of the ad regulation ecosystem and, they are complimentary in nature. Self-regulation is the first line of defence that looks at voluntary compliance and education and essentially this is an inexpensive and quick method to resolve issues related to advertising. It comes at no cost to the taxpayer. ASCI has a very robust infrastructure setup to resolve consumer grievances as well as take suo-moto cognisance and action. Across the world, self-regulation and regulation co-exist and work together in complementary ways. When the advertiser refuses to undertake voluntary compliance, ASCI works with regulators to resolve the issue. It is also important to note that the CCPA advertising guidelines and ASCI’s guidelines on misleading ads are very similar. We will continue to work with the government together on this common agenda. It is also pertinent to note that the Consumer Protection Act deals with misleading ads, but the ASCI code also looks at indecent, unfair, and unsafe ads in addition.

     

    How has the prevention offering worked? The pre-approval process that was announced with much fanfare.

    We would like to clarify that there is no pre-approval offering. ASCI has s a voluntary due diligence exercise that advertisers or endorsers can avail of. They can seek advice from ASCI at the pre-production stage. Many brands have used this service both for technical and non-technical claims before major campaigns. We also have some companies signing up for an ongoing subscription and this shows that the culture of preventive responsibility is taken seriously. In time, we expect this to become a more mainstream practice. So far, about 30 ads have undergone a pre-production scrutiny at ASCI.

     

    What’s your view on influencer complaints. Are advertisers and influencers gaming the system?

    Honesty and transparency are the bedrock for any system that wants to be sustainable. As with any category, there will be a set of people who will always try to game the system and undermine it. However, by and large, we have seen a very positive response around the influencer guidelines and increasing awareness about their responsibility when it comes to promotions. We are also keeping a close watch on this category, and 30% of the complaints that we looked at last year have been from influencer advertising. As influencers become more aware of their responsibilities, we see a more long-term honesty-based orientation. Compliance is at 86% in the first year itself. We will continue our efforts to educate advertisers and influencers as to the importance and benefits of honesty in advertising.

     

    The awareness levels of self-regulation appear pretty low. What are ASCI’s plans for outreach across the trade?

    While ASCI’s awareness has seen an increase, it is still lower than desired. Our outreach budgets are low; however, we are happy to note an increase in our interactions with industry, government, domain experts, consumer organisations and other stakeholders. Now, with the soon-to-launch ASCI Academy, we look forward to interacting even more with young industry professionals, students, influencers, endorsers consumers as well as non-industry stakeholders.

     

    Tell us more about the AI-driven engine that ASCI has development for complaints redressal

    ASCI has been upgrading its complaints system ‘TARA’ to offer a seamless experience to both consumers and advertisers in the management and resolution of complaints. TARA will offer features like real-time tracking of complaints, dashboard views, automatic updates etc. In the second phase which we are embarking on now, the system will allow for a rich access to its archival data and cases.

     

  • We thought we could get him to give a provocative answer, but he hit it out of the park. Without any further ado, here's Dr Bhaskar Das has to say in the October 6 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | There is a Nottingham Trent University research about the quality and profile of talent joining marketing. Would you say there are such question marks in India as well?

    Bhaskar DasWe thought we could get him to give a provocative answer, but he hit it out of the park. Without any further ado, here’s Dr Bhaskar Das has to say in the October 6 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar.

     

    Q. There is a Nottingham Trent University research about the quality and profile of talent joining marketing. Would you say there are such question marks in India as well?

     

    A. As I have no visibility about the findings of the research of the university mentioned in your question, I don’t feel competent enough to comment on the findings. If the said research questioned the profile of the talent joining marketing, I can’t agree without understanding the context and the reliability of the sample size. Besides, country-specific de-averaging is a ‘must’ as the talent pool may differ by country/region. From this point of view , I feel the research is evidence-toxic.

     

    Even at the risk of sounding over-patriotic, I would like to say that the pool of Indian marketing professionals is rich, even if there might be some exceptions. That these professionals need to pivot to new capabilities in view of many operating challenges (due to global VUCA, tech-led transformation of consumer behaviour etc) needs no over-emphasis. But to paint the tribe of marketeers with the same brush of a research of a foreign university is grossly unfair.

     

  • After watching the first few episodes, Sanjeev Kotnala is clear that Bigg Boss 2022 is on the right path to rejuvenate his favourite reality show

    Sanjeev Kotnala: Khela Hobe! Bigg Boss 15 on the right track

    Sanjeev KotnalaBy Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Many of you know I have been a huge Bigg Boss fan, and I even went for the audition in one of the seasons when the show was looking at commoners. I have attended a few weekend shoots with family and would love to do that again. This piece was written before the start of Bigg Boss on October 1 as ‘Unsolicited Advice To Big Boss’. However, after watching the first few episodes, it is clear that Bigg Boss 2022 is on the right path to rejuvenate my favourite reality show and make an impact.

    To me, the concept of Bigg Boss is interesting and exciting. There were so many things to look out for. And if someone was interested in understanding human psychology, group interplay and dynamics, the basics of ‘give and take’ and the ‘expectation v/s experience’ imbalance. Bigg Boss is a deadly social game worth watching. However, the 2020 season was not something that I liked watching. While my interest levels dipped in the last two seasons, many loyalists have complained that the show no longer had the same pull.

    Every show must evolve, outgrow the earlier audience, and pull in a new audience with higher lifetime value, but not at the cost of originality and the show’s basic format. Bigg Boss, for some time, has been avoiding changes. Reality shows must think about audience engagement and involvement, which may not even reflect in TRPs. In the current era of perceptions and viewpoints, social media interaction and engagement go a long way. Every year, for one or the other thing, we keep listening for boycotts and banning the show.

     

    Reality Shows

    Colors TV’s other big reality show, Khatron Ke Khiladi, also suffers from a ‘task repetitiveness’ syndrome. This stunt-based show is hosted by a director known for blowing cars. It is different that he only talks and never gets into the act… unlike the season, which was handled by the Khiladi star Akshay Kumar. Contestants know they will need to swim, interact with animals, and bear some amount of current. Yet, they walk in as zombies without preparation!. This year, the number of aborts in the KKK was unprecedented, and so was the number of proxies. Not something that the audience appreciated, and it did not leave a good taste.

    Reality shows on Indian television are well-established in dance, singing, talent and comedy. The judges sometimes show a bias in defining talent and a specific skillset. The audience does not want dance and singing to be considered in shows like India Got Talent, but channels have other thoughts.

    One of the reality shows I miss is  Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao. Additionally, Indian Idol and Roadies with Saach Ka Samana and Emotional Atyachaar have had their own followings. As aside, my friends have a concept for another exciting reality show. But, currently, the channels are not biting at this hour.

     

    Back to Bigg Boss and the few factors that make the show. Or what the show should do. Thankfully, some action is already evident in the first few episodes.

     

    The Format

    The Bigg Boss format, an adaptation of Big Brother, keeps participants (housemates) in a controlled location (living space) without access to the outside world. Their life is controlled through tasks defined by an outsider, a proven format that has worked across countries. The participants are under 24-hour multiple-camera surveillance.

    The audience, who cannot think of being in the same situation as the participant, gets voyeuristic pleasure in seeing celebrities bear it out.

    There is ample space for demonstrating leadership, groupism and individuality. Participants negotiate, keep secrets and share revelations. Almost all possible human expressions and emotions are displayed, bringing variety and spice to the show. The participants know it is tough to keep the mask on under pressure, and their reality would emerge in the reality show.

    However, the show needs to innovate, keeping the basic format. Bigg Boss 2022 getting into Khela mood and controlling it tightly is the right thing to do. Remember, if you keep doing the same thing, you will get the same results. For a different result, you need to do things differently. Clearly Bigg Boss’s creative and production team have understood the situation.

     

    The Host

    Most Indian reality shows are strongly associated with the host. KKK with Rohit Shetty. KBC with Amitabh Bachchan and Bigg Boss with host Salman Khan. In the past, Bigg Boss has been hosted by Shilpa Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Amitabh Bachchan, Farah Khan and Sanjay Dutt. But Salman has been there for the longest. What matters is how he conducts the show on weekends. Most participants have respect/fear for Salman. He is also expected to guide them and does it wonderfully well, but at times the host and the creative team’s biases are on full display. There is a definite difference in how a celebrity and a non-celebrity are addressed on the weekend.

     

    The Discipline

    One of the most significant factors that made Bigg Boss a hit was the unknown voice – Bigg Boss Chahatey hain. And the strict discipline. Penalty and decisions were swift.

    The rules are simple. Use Hindi as a spoken language, do not tamper any electronic equipment, only sleep when lights are switched off, no physical violence, no personal attacks, don’t share any information from the outside and don’t leave the house unless evicted or there is a genuine emergency.

    Celebrity participants have tested Bigg Boss’s discipline in the last few seasons. They gamed the system and were surprised how far they could go without being reprimanded or penalised. Even physical violence was treated differently depending upon the instigator. The penalty for sleeping during the day or ignoring Bigg Boss commands was minor. It seemed that the control was of the participants, and Bigg Boss was just not interested.

    It is time for Bigg Boss to create an example, even if it means timely and justified eviction or jail. There must not be compromise on physical violence, personal attack and harmful gender stereotyping or racism, or class divide. This time (the 2022 edition), Bigg Boss has demonstrated that he is willing to bell the cat at the very start. That rules are rules, and they must be followed. This is good news for the show and the audience. The audinece mostly appreciated the newfound action in the recent episodes.

     

    Bigg Boss 2022 promises to be different

    The promos of Bigg Boss 2022 promise a definitive shift. Bigg Boss will play the game- aab Khela Hobe. Well, Bigg Boss was always playing games, but the discipline and control were missing in the last few seasons.

    Whatever one may say, this promise heightens the expectation- hope the experience matches; otherwise, the show would suffer. And the ball is set rolling in the first few episodes.

     

    The Participants

    BiggBoss no longer looks at the general masses, and the celebrity participants are religious, regional, or political players or, at the least, a person with a decent social media following.

    This season, the housemates are a volatile mix. It has an senior director, a pageant winner, a rapper, two friends from the TV industry with a huge following, a failed budding politician and a social media influencer and more. It makes for highly imbalanced interpersonal equations, which is good for the show. Polarity and skewed emotions help, and Bigg Boss has gone out of its way to nudge them into action. The new eviction format and the undefined tenure of the captain are some of the simple moves which will have a significant impact. All is good on this front.

     

    The Tasks

    Like KKK, the tasks in Bigg Boss for the captaincy or the weekly budget are routine and repetitive. The teams need to rekindle the interest by weaving in some innovative tasks. Salman Akahada is not something that interests the viewers. Still, the silly, playful question-answers and the penalty for wrong answering have been a hit. As is the balloon bursting of perceptions.

    One has to wait and watch to see what new innovative task Bigg Boss will bring to surprise the housemates and the audience. This is something that is very much needed. In addition to the tasks given by Bigg Boss, the house tasks and their allocation among the housemates always makes for an exciting watch.

     

    The Insider-Outsiders

    Like any other reality show, Bigg Boss has a set of earlier winners, participants, media, and celebrities, including fortune tellers and Panditji. The show banks on them for exciting interactions. However, they are too predictable, and the excitement is missing. No, don’t think they need to change them. They are fine, but their roles, interactions and expected deliveries need to be closely monitored. And, if need be, expand the list.

     

    Net-Net

    See Bigg Boss as a social experiment and can get many insights into human behaviour. The trade-offs, negotiation, partnerships, trust, faith, rebellion, isolation, group dynamics, and loneliness is all on display.

    The audience always questioned how the housemates lived in such a scenario and if they could survive it. The Covid-led pandemic and WFH have given audiences an insight into such an isolated situation. This may affect the way the audience interacts and consume the content. The cameras or participant-based live unedited feed could be interesting. And, if the channel works well, the Bigg Boss Camera Gully–set experience to interested viewers could be amplified.

    After some seasons Bigg Boss has woken up to actively controlling the game narrative. I worried that it had become an irritating concentration camp rather than an entertaining one. However, I believe that the creative-production team will do justice to the format and the audience in 2022. Long Live Bigg Boss!

     

    Sanjeev Kotnala is a senior marketing and business strategist and educator. He writes on MxMIndia on Wednesdays (and sometimes on other days as well). His views here are personal