MxMIndia

Category: Digital

  • It is certain that 2021 will see a further surge in content production for the streaming category, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Indian Streaming Content: Boom or Bubble?

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh Kapoor

    In a tough year for businesses in general, the growth of the streaming business in India has stood out as the big story of 2020. Last week, Disney+ reported that out of its 73.7 million paid subscribers worldwide, 18.3 million are from their Indian service Disney+ Hotstar. Even if one assumes that a fraction of this number will unsubscribe now that IPL is over, this is a staggering number, nonetheless. India is a market known for its reluctance to pay for content.

    The current SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) consumer base is India is estimated at about 30-35 million people, and the average number of services subscribed to at about two, leading to an estimate of 60-70 million active paid subscriptions. Considering that every subscription is used by about three people on an average, that’s about 200 million (20 crore) SVOD consumers in India, a healthy number by any yardstick.

    An equally big growth story is emerging on the AVOD (Advertising Video on Demand) front. Catch-up television has been at the forefront of AVOD consumption in India for a few years now. But this year has seen original content springing up too, with MX Player, the leading AVOD platform, clocking huge numbers for its shows, especially Aashram, two seasons of which were released within a short period of time.

    And then, there’s film content too, which has got a major surge because of an extended period of theatres being closed and no major new releases announced even after they have re-opened. If we just consider national content (Hindi and Made-in-India English shows or films), the number of shows and films launched in 2020 have been upward of 200 already. The year may end at a number close to 250. If production had not been halted because of the lockdown, we may have seen a triple century being hit. And this does not include many low-profile YouTube shows that form a secondary content ecosystem online. In the streaming category, International content gets sizeable traction too. Add to that the activity at the regional front (Bangla platform Hoichoi and Telugu platform Aha have done very well), and it’s a buzzing category indeed.

    Now that’s a lot of content! In comparison, the Hindi GEC category launches about 80-100 new shows every year, and about a similar number of Hindi films release theatrically with at least some marketing push behind them.

    But how many of these 200 shows and films have actually done well? India does not have organised viewership measurement on the streaming category yet, and it may take some time before that happens. Platforms, understandably, are reluctant to share figures. We, at Ormax, are working on statistical estimate models to estimate viewership of shows (and a Top 5 list is released every week on Film Companion since September). But while we wait for that data to be built over a year, another yardstick for which more data is available is the likeability of the content itself. Of those who watched the show or the film, how many liked it enough to recommend it to someone they know?

    This data has been built at Ormax since the start of the streaming originals in 2015. Measured on a percentage (0-100) scale, Advocacy (likeability) of 60% of more suggests a positive response, while that of 70% or more indicates that the content has truly broken out. Only 27% of shows or films launched in 2020 met the 60+ benchmark. And only 12% crossed 70. These numbers are at par with TV and films content in India over the last 2-3 years.

    But the difference is when you can calculate the absolute number of shows or films that were “not liked” (below 60). That’s 150! Yes, let that sink in. 150 Indian streaming originals and films launched in 2020, in Hindi or English, received response that ranged to lukewarm acceptance to outright rejection.

    Production houses are enjoying this phase, when there is a lot of demand for content from the streaming platforms, and a lot of work is being commissioned. But the question that should be asked sooner than later is: Are the streaming platforms becoming a dumping ground for mediocre content? Content that would not have found its way in any other medium, such as television or theatrical?

    For every Scam 1992 or Mirzapur, there are half a dozen other shows that just don’t get any traction. All streaming platforms, without exception, take pride in the data that they own, and guard it jealously too. Why, then, should the success rate be a paltry 27% only?

    It is certain that 2021 will see a further surge in content production for the streaming category, especially because more films will be made with the intent of releasing directly on OTT. One hopes the strike rate improves too. Because content quality is as much a measure of success as anything else, especially if one has an eye on the long-term sustainable growth, which is needed to ensure 2020 doesn’t become just a bubble year.

     

     

  • To create 10 originals across Tamil, Bengali and Marathi in 2021

    Studio Bodhi to focus on regional content for OTTs

    By A Correspondent

     

    The promoters of Bodhi Tree Multimedia with the backing of Sumukha Capital have announced the launch of Studio Bodhi, a joint venture under the aegis of Sumukha Bodhi tree Pvt Ltd to cater to the ever-growing need for content across the country.

     

    With accomplished writers and directors on board, Studio Bodhi has 10 projects at different stages of production and will continue to work on numerous IPs in the near future. The studio is currently working towards producing a rich slew of original offerings in languages such as Tamil, Bengali and Marathi in 2021 and further expanding into Telugu, Punjabi and Malayalam by 2022.

     

    Speaking on the launch of Studio Bodhi, Mautik Tolia, Managing Director, Bodhi Tree Multimedia, said: “Content today is region agnostic with good rooted stories transcending all barriers and can travel across the world. This content studio will prove to be a game changer in this space. Content consumption has witnessed an upsurge across all genres with regional content gaining momentum. Recognizing this growing demand in regional content, Studio Bodhi is our earnest endeavor to further widen our horizon to build a vast range of successful digital series to cater to every audience palate. Studio Bodhi will mark our foray into the regional OTT space starting with exciting shows across various regional languages like Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and further expand to other regions in the coming year. Over the past few months, with projects at various stages of development, we have diligently worked towards acquiring best of talents to put together a team together which we believe will deliver compelling content. With our new venture, we are looking forward to explore different genres and narrative styles.”

     

    Added Santosh Kanodia, Founder, Sumukha Capital, a division of Sumukha Group: “We are committed to investing Rs.200 Crores in the entertainment industry ventures in the coming years. We recognise the need gap for regional content that is produced at top-notch quality standards and feel this has the potential for exponential growth. The lineup is extremely exciting and the ambition is to move to producing a slate of 10 originals every year.”

     

     

  • he promotional film is titled ‘Orange Is The Colour Of Entertainment | aha Everywhere'

    Pad Integrated creates campaign for Telugu OTT Aha

    By A Correspondent

     

    Pad Integrated Communications has developed a campaign for Aha, the OTT platform. The promotional film is titled ‘Orange Is The Colour Of Entertainment | aha Everywhere’.

     

    Said Gautam Reddy, CEO, Pad Integrated Communication: “In less than eight months since its inception, Aha has seen a staggering rise of 5 million downloads and 18 million unique viewers and that is what we wanted to celebrate. The phenomenal rise of the platform by showcasing how the states are turning orange – the colour of Aha which depicts 100% Telugu entertainment felt the right way. The film has the essence of Aha’s true story – how quickly they took over the regional market.”

     

    Added Ramu Rao Jupally, Promoter, Aha: “At Aha, we seek to serve audiences of all age-groups across the globe. Through our 100℅ Telugu catalogue, we want to offer entertaining, relatable, and captivating content – and our brand anthem reflects on our aim to be a wholesome family entertainer. And the fact that within a few months, we have recorded 7 million downloads and 20 million unique visitors, further testifies our growth in terms of engagement, time spent, and subscriptions.”

     

    Sharing his thoughts, Ajit Thakur, CEO, Aha said: “We are excited and grateful for the tremendous response that we received from our Telugu-speaking audiences across the country. Our main objective through the brand anthem is to showcase the excitement and celebration amongst our viewers with Orange becoming the new colour of entertainment.”

     

     

  • The fund will support innovation in the area of financial sustainability for video news

    Network18 selected to be a part of the GNI YouTube Sustainability Lab

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media conglomerate Network18 has announced that it has been selected by the Google News Initiative (GNI) for funding as part of the YouTube Sustainability Lab. The fund will support innovation in the area of financial sustainability for video news.

     

    Commenting on the selection, Pandurang Nayak, Chief Technology Officer, Network18 Digital said: “We appreciate the GNI’s effort to work with the news industry to help journalism thrive in the digital age and are delighted to have been selected to work on this initiative.  We believe that the financial support and peer interactions with media companies around the world will enable us to do greater innovation to deliver a world-class product that’s focused on India. We are committed towards forging greater integration between TV & Digital, and pivoting our philosophy to ‘TV first, digital always’, thereby mobilizing our strength of 1200+ reporters, contributing daily in 13 different languages, to do mobile journalism using AI/ML-powered tools and make it faster and efficient to publish premium news content on our websites, apps and social media properties.”

     

     

  • He will be responsible for driving monetisation at ShareChat, leading its marketing efforts and spearheading content partnerships to drive revenues

    Ajit Varghese joins ShareChat as Chief Commercial Officer

    By A Correspondent

     

    ShareChat, the social media platform in Indic languages, has announced the appointment of Ajit Varghese as its Chief Commercial Officer.

     

    Prior to joining ShareChat, Varghese was Global President at GroupM;s Wavemaker and worked with industry giants like  Vodafone, L’Oreal, Huawei, IKEA, Paramount Pictures, Chanel, Xerox, Netflix, Chevron, Beiersdorf, and Tiffany.

     

    Known to be an exceedingly passionate leader, at ShareChat, Varghese will expandi and  strengthen the platform’s revenue efforts, and building a robust monetisation approach with strategic content partnership. He will also spearhead its marketing functions, to be inclined towards brand elevation, aligned with business centricity. He will be reporting into Farid Ahsan, COO and Co-founder at ShareChat.

     

    Welcoming  Varghese,  Ahsan said: “Brand marketing and monetisation is going to be the core focus of ShareChat and we will direct our efforts towards elevating the brand positioning through strategic communications approach. Ajit, with his leadership capabilities and expert knowledge of the media, marketing and advertising domain, will play a critical role in further building brand awareness, deepening relationships with our business stakeholders and driving ShareChat toward the next phase of growth. Having held many globally influential   roles across his 25+ years of experience, his expertise will help us build ShareChat for the future and it is a matter of great pride to have him on our leadership team.”

     

    Added Varghese: “Having previously worked and transformed several global organisations, it has always been a hidden desire to contribute towards transforming an Indian organisation to global repute. I believe ShareChat in the next few years will evolve as the default partner to every brand, homegrown and global, who intends to engage with the internet-first population. As the digital advertising landscape awaits the inclusion of over 400 million new internet users, mostly inclined towards native languages, ShareChat will stay at the forefront of unveiling a new digital era. This will be an exciting journey for me as I look forward towards contributing to ShareChat’s growth and building a win-win relationship with our community of users, partners and business stakeholders.”

     

    An alumnus of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, and a graduate in agriculture engineering from Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Varghese has worked across India, Singapore and London and in leadership in Wavemaker (WPP), Maxus (WPP) and  Madison World.

     

     

  • Initially the films have been released on the digital platform

    Rediffusion crafts 3 quirky films for SBI Debit Card

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rediffusion has announced the release of the #KhushiyanOnEMI campaign to promote the EMI through SBI’s debit card facility.

     

    Speaking about the film, Pramod Sharma, ECD & Mumbai Creative Head, Rediffusion Brand Solutions said: “What happens when you have the power of EMIs on your Debit Card? Buying things for loved ones becomes easier than ever. Through three quirky films we have tried to established this fact. SBI is a client that gives your creativity a broad canvas. You have to just paint your best picture. As an agency we have tried our best to do that.”

     

    Initially the films have been released on the digital platform but soon these will be taken to the television to ensure greater reach amongst the intended target group.

     

     

  • As per the mandate, Isobar India will handle the entire gamut of strategic planning, digital strategy and creative duties for the brand

    Isobar bags digital & creative mandate for BSH Home Appliances

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bosch Home Appliances (BSH) has brought on board Isobar India, the digital agency from the house of Dentsu international, as its strategy and creative agency partner. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, BSH is poised to enhance its marketing strategy in India with this announcement. The agency won the account following a multi-agency pitch and will service the brand from its Mumbai office. As per the mandate, Isobar India will handle the entire gamut of strategic planning, digital strategy and creative duties for the brand.

     

    Commenting on the partnership, Neeraj Bahl, MD, BSH Household Appliances said: “We are delighted to have Isobar on board to drive the digital communications for Bosch and Siemens. Keeping in mind our core proposition of empowering the Indian audiences and enabling them with peaceful and hassle-free life at home, Isobar was an appropriate fitment for us as their solution-oriented approach combined with creative renditions aligns with our core requirements. We are confident that together, we will be able to creatively connect with audiences to make Bosch a relatable household name.”

     

    Speaking on the win, Shamsuddin Jasani, Group MD, Isobar South Asia added: “I am thrilled to witness the faith that BSH has put in us. Our digital-first, innovation-led approach truly hit home and now, together with the BSH team, we look forward to creating long term relationship to help drive value for all stakeholders.”

     

     

  • The FMCG startup chose Gurugram-based Korra after a competitive pitch process

    Korra wins creative mandate for Mamaearth

    By A Correspondent

     

    Korra, the digital content and media agency in India, has been appointed as creative and content partner by personal care brand Mamaearth. Korra won the mandate in a multi-agency pitch competing against well-known global network agencies.

     

    Said Varun Alagh, Co-Founder & CEO, Mamaearth: “Korra demonstrated innovative thinking and a deep understanding of our brand philosophy. Being a digital-first brand for millennials, we were looking for a bright, young and talented set of individuals who reflect our philosophy. We are excited about our partnership with Korra and look forward to building the brand with them through meaningful and insightful communication”.

     

    Added Gaurav Nabh, Founder & CEO- Korra India: “It’s not every day that you find partners that share the same core philosophies. We are excited to partner with Mamaearth– one of the fastest-growing D2C personal care brands in India. With the challenger DNA fueling both brands, we look forward to delivering more path-breaking work in the times to come. We are working towards further strengthening the brand’s foothold in this hyperactive category through an innovative approach aimed at creative storytelling and targeted, digital-first campaigns that raise aspiration for the brand.”

     

     

  • Report also says advertising sees a cautious recovery after a dip. 2021 will see industry investing in creating greater advertiser value

    Digital video share @ 15%, 2 years ahead of forecasts: BCG-CII

     

    Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have unveiled a report, ‘Lights, Camera, Action…and the Show Goes On’. The report seeks to evaluate the impact of 2020 on the Media and Entertainment industry and highlights key imperatives for increasing the industry’s resilience in the face of adversity. Said K Madhavan, Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Managing Director, Star & Disney India: “The pandemic outbreak created many unique challenges to the Media & Entertainment sector. It was commendable to see the entire industry rise to the occasion to engage and entertain millions of viewers while they were confined at home. It’s the sheer willpower and persistence showcased by the stakeholders that have helped convert adversities into opportunities.”

     

    According to the report, 2020 has seen a massive surge in TV and smartphone video viewership during the weeks of lockdown and beyond as people spent more time at home, and OTT witnessed its presence increase in Tier 2-4 cities due to the high quality, original, and local content marketed using free trials. Covid-19 has had a major impact on how we consume content, both in-home and outside and some of these will have long term implications for the industry. Added Mandeep Kohli, Partner, Boston Consulting Group India: “India continues its unique multimodal growth. TV consumption surged ~40% during lockdown due to an increase in non-prime time viewing. Smartphone video consumption is up as well, with a 50-60% increase in subscribers over last year. Going forward we expect the digital trend to intensify, OTT adoption to continue rising, and the emergence of new business models better suited to the new reality. The share of digital in advertising will also continue to grow, having reached 15% in 2020, a full 2 years before its pre-Covid forecast.”

     

    Said Kanchan Samtani, Managing Director & Partner, Boston Consulting Group India: “Recent developments such as the resumption of operations and recovery of ad campaigns has resulted in optimism in the industry” explains

     

    One of the major themes in this year’s report is the potential economic impact that the Media & Entertainment industry can create. This is especially important in the context of the ambitious GDP target of $5 trillion that has been set by the government. The report demonstrates how in economies such as South Korea, the Media & Entertainment industry form a large and growing part of GDP due to concerted efforts by stakeholders to take Korean culture global. The report also highlights opportunities in attractive parts of the value chain such as Visual Effects and Animation, and also calls out imperatives that will need to be acted upon to seize these opportunities. “Countries are developing media hubs to drive impact of M&E – Spain has setup a content city in Madrid to tap into the growing global demand for Spanish content. This gives a boost not only to the M&E industry but also to the tourism and India should aspire to do the same. Continued focus on customer value, increasing our presence in areas such as VFX and animation, and concerted investment in skilling and technology can lay the groundwork needed to help Indian M&E achieve greater heights,” said Samtani.

     

     

  • The film celebrates India’s spirit of being unstoppable

    Microsoft unveils film on #BuildingResilience

    By A Correspondent

     

    Microsoft India has released its first ever holiday ad film, Hum Rukna Nahi Jaante, celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. The film bids adieu to 2020, putting a spotlight on how people across the country have shown everyday resilience in meeting the challenges that this year has brought, and how technology has played a role in enabling diverse experiences. The film is part of Microsoft India’s #BuildingResilience campaign, launched in September this year to share inspirational stories of transformation across industries, organisations and individuals, driving a conversation around what it takes to thrive in this environment.

     

    Speaking about the film, Hitu Chawla, Chief Marketing Officer, Microsoft India, said: “The last few months have shown us the possibility of extremes. On one side are the challenges brought on by the pandemic, and on the other are the inspirational stories of fighting back and transformation. It’s extraordinary how people and organizations across the country have met the challenge with resilience and innovation, using technology to respond, rebound, and reimagine a new world order. Our brand film celebrates this spirit of everyday resilience and the role our technology plays in empowering every person and every organization to achieve more.”

     

    Added Sainath Saraban, Co-Founder and Creative Head, Studio Simple: “We had a clear brief and that was to communicate how Microsoft recognizes and empowers the resilient spirit that exists in every corner of the country, with its products and services. We created a simple yet powerful film that captures the resilient attitude of an unstoppable India. And we are also proud of the campaign line – ‘Hum Rukna Nahin Jaante’ which we are confident will resonate with people strongly and bring about a strong pride of association with Microsoft.”

     

     

  • The countries: Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Cambodia, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan

    Eros Now Select on Apple TV in 11 new countries

    By A Correspondent

     

    OTT platform Eros Now is now available through Eros Now Select for Apple TV channels on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac, and other platforms in 11 new countries. After its successful launch in the US, Canada and India, Eros Now Select is now available to customers in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Cambodia, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tajikistan.

     

    Ali Hussein

    Said Ali Hussein, CEO, Eros Now: “The rise in OTT consumption worldwide opens up immense opportunities for Eros Now Select – widely known for its extensive Bollywood and Indian originals – to expand reach and ramp up distribution in 11 new territories on the Apple TV app.”

     

     

  • The brand has collaborated with actor Boman Irani and chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent in the first leg of the campaign

    Glenfiddich’s digital campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Single malt whiskey brand Glenfiddich has launched a digital campaign with ‘Glenfiddich Irrepressible’.  The brand has collaborated with actor Boman Irani and chef Manish  Mehrotra of Indian Accent in the first leg of the campaign.

     

    Said Angad Singh Gandhi, Glenfiddich India Brand Ambassador: “Glenfiddich Irrepressible is an endeavour to celebrate individuals who stare fear in the eye and forge ahead to follow their dreams. They are known to have overcome great odds to contribute to the world. We recognise their risk-taking spirit, celebrate their inventive approach and glorify their fearlessness for what we believe at Glenfiddich – the power of stepping out of your comfort zone to embrace the unknown for meaningful growth.”