MxMIndia

Tag: Ferzad Palia

  • The recipient of multiple awards including Cannes Lions and the Young Achievers Awards by The Advertising Club in 2009

    Ryan Mendonca to now head creative at MTV

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ryan Mendonca

    One more advertising star moves to television. MTV has brought in Ryan Mendonca as Head of Creative for its youth business which includes MTV and MTV Beats. The recipient of multiple awards including Cannes Lions and the Young Achievers Awards by The Advertising Club in 2009, Mendonca will report to Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18.

     

    With more than a decade of experience in the world of advertising, prior to joining MTV, Ryan Mendonca worked with Ogilvy & Mather where he developed campaigns for brands like Unilever, Cadbury, Perfetti and more. Mendonca’s primary responsibility will be to lead the team at MTV and MTV Beats to push the creative boundaries with brand communication across the MTV universe of TV, digital and branded content.

     

    Speaking about the newest addition to his team, Palia said: “People are the biggest asset of our business and we are continuously looking for talent that believes in the power of MTV and are also hungry to push the envelope and challenge status quos. Ryan is one of the hottest young creative minds in the industry today and going by the work that he has been doing, I believe he is the perfect fit for our multi-platform business, the MTV universe. Now, as we are gearing up for some exciting launches and with multiple new initiatives in the pipeline, Ryan is going to have his hands full at MTV. All I can say is, welcome to the madness Ryan!”

     

    Discussing his new role, Mendonca said, “Like several others from my generation, I grew up on MTV. It showed us the way, it was our voice. Now I join that voice again. It’s a privilege to be working alongside the brightest minds in the industry. I look forward to the ride.”

     

  • This association starts with the first of the eight International Awards – MTV Movie and TV Awards airing on Vh1 on 8th May

    Vivo partners Vh1 for multiple award shows

     

     

    Vh1 India has announced its partnership with leading global smartphones brand VIVO Electronic Corp, for eight of their international awards. The association will have VIVO on board as presenting sponsor for MTV Movie & TV Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Video Music Awards, Europe Music Awards, American Music Awards and Brit Awards and powered-by sponsor for Golden Globe Awards and GRAMMY Awards. This association starts with the first of the eight International Awards –MTV Movie and TV Awards airing on Vh1 on 8th May.

     

    The 2017 MTV Movie and TV Awards recently broke the internet with its bold step towards breaking gender barriers by having gender neutral nominations categories – a move that was appreciated across the world. The awards will be aired exclusively on Vh1, one hour post the live show from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles for the viewing pleasure of Indian audiences on May 8th, 2017 at 6:30am with a prime time repeat on the same day at 9pm only on Vh1.

     

    Vh1 has launched a robust, 360-degree promotional plan for the upcoming awards that connects with audiences across all platforms. The channel has tied up with over 450 on-ground partners, engaging with consumers across multiple outlets of bars, spas, gyms, cafes and more, thereby innovatively reaching out to audiences across 35 cities via customized fitness workshops, blogger makeovers, award-ready grooming tutorials and the largest on-ground linked digital contest across all the above partnerships.Amongst the on-ground partnerships, Vh1 will also be hosting VIVO Award Nights and VIVO Award Trivia Nights at 40 hotspots across 15 cities. The partnership also comprisesa strong college connect program, where the MTV Movie and TV Awards would be promoted across 200 colleges in 19 cities through cool contests, VIVO Morning Alarm Parties, VIVO India Award Frenzy- Snapchat Relay, Award screenings at popular youth hangouts. Fun activities like VIVO perfect selfie contests will also be done across multiple college festivals, along with the VIVO red carpet walk. Going a step further, a few lucky fans will get a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity as VIVO & Vh1 will make it possible for them to attend the international award ceremonies LIVE, at bucket-list destinations like Los Angeles and Las Vegas!

     

    Excited about the partnership, Vivek Zhang, CMO, Vivo India, VIVO, said, “We are delighted to associate with Vh1 for their eight prestigious international awards. As a leading smartphone brand, we constantly strive to come up with delightful associations to strike a chord with our target audience that is youth. Vh1 is one of the most popular music channels and enjoys influential viewership among youth in India.  We are glad to know that Vh1 is also taking special initiative to promote the awards on a wide scale including on ground activations and we believe it is a splendid opportunity for us to strengthen our customer connect.

    Commenting on the association, Ferzad Palia, Head, English and Youth Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “International awards on Vh1 have always received an overwhelming response amongst the Indian audience; this has been seen through the viewership as well as conversations on our digital platforms. Moreover, we at Vh1 are known for providing creative brand solutions to our partners to drive synergies between the brand and the property they’re associating with. VIVO, since its launch in India a few years ago, has been able to connect beautifully with the Indian audience. Their product offerings and thoughtful brand partnerships, like the one with Vh1, have further helped them reach out to more and more relevant audiences. We are extremely happy to have them on board with us and look forward to a very fruitful partnership going forward.”

     

  • The campaign highlights the unique bond that audiences share with music; which is almost like a marriage between two soul mates

    Mullen Lintas creates campaign for MTV Beats

    By A Correspondent

     

    The recently launched Hindi music channel, MTV Beats from the Viacom18 stable, has announced the launch of its inaugural brand campaign. Conceptualised and executed by Mullen Lintas Mumbai, the campaign highlights the unique bond that audiences share with music which is almost like a marriage between two soul mates.

     

    Talking about the marketing campaign, Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said: “Music is an important medium to reach out to young people today, and nobody does music better than MTV. So now that MTV Beats is here, we are heralding it as the birth of the ‘Baap’ of music because after all, MTV is the big daddy of music. In true MTV style, the marketing campaign is quirky, unabashed and irreverent yet it clearly communicates the brand’s positioning of being the ultimate destination for Hindi music any time of the day or week. I’d like to thank Mullen Lintas for the creative thought they’ve put into this. The tagline – ‘Blood meinhai beat’ draws heavily from India’s obsession with Bollywood music and reinforces the belief that music is a part of every Indian’s very DNA.”

     

    Commenting on the campaign strategy, Ayyappan Raj, EVP-Mullen Lintas said: “It’s one of the most fun campaigns that Mullen Lintas Mumbai has worked on in the recent past. When an iconic brand like MTV is launching a Bollywood music channel there is a strong desire to create something big and different. With that in mind, we wanted to make a statement about the launch of BEATS and in the quintessential brand tonality. We are very happy with the way the campaign has come together. Also we are quite happy about the fact that we have ‘delivered’ another successful brand launch for the Viacom18 group.”

     

  • The new Vh1 to be India's go-to destination for International Music, Entertainment & Pop Culture

    Vh1 undergoes brand refresh exercise

    By A Correspondent

     

    Viacom18’s international music channel Vh1 is set to elevate its brand experience with an all-new refreshed look. The channel will offer original programming like “Vh1 Inside access with Miss Malini” and “Vh1 India Diaries”. Introducing the refreshed Vh1 experience will be Demi Lovato, Coldplay and Jay-Z live at the most awaited Global Citizen Festival 2016 on November 19.

     

    Commenting on the refreshed Vh1, Ferzad Palia, Business Head, English and Youth Entertainment, Viacom18, said: “Vh1 India represents the changing entertainment preferences of the millennials. It is to cater to these evolving preferences that the channel has refreshed its content and visual experience. Our endeavour is to now make the channel more inclusive by introducing original content and socially integrated shows into the mix. We are sure that the all new Vh1 will reinforce our authority on International music & pop culture.”

     

    Speaking about going live with Global Citizen, he added: “There could not have been a bigger, more entertaining and relevant platform than Global Citizen Festival to showcase the brand new and refreshed Vh1.”

     

  • Sunsilk and MTV unveil an all-woman show that will showcase inspiring stories of other women in our country

    For the women, by the women

     

    By Anuka Roy

     

    MTV is ready to embark on a road trip to celebrate women with its brand new show ‘Sunsilk and MTV present Angels of Rock’. The show is an attempt to celebrate women, their stories of empowerment, self-belief and journey. It will feature four rock stars- Shalmali Kholgade, Anusha Mani, Jasmine Sandlas and Akasa Singh – riding across the country to inspire and be inspired by other women of our country.

     

    An interesting fact about the show is that apart from a female-led cast, it had a female crew filming it. It aims to bring out the success stories of women across cities, towns and villages of India. The show has tried to capture the essence of urban as well as rural India through the stories. The four women will travel from Mumbai to Wagah Border with multiple stopovers on the way to meet interesting women.  From female fire-fighters of Jaipur to the female rickshaw drivers of Haryana, the ‘angels’ have met women with extraordinary tales to share. Each episode will also have an original song compose which will describe the spirit of these stories.

     

    Speaking about the concept of the show, Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom 18 noted in a communique, “We are going a step ahead and celebrating womanhood in all its glory by bringing our viewers an unique proposition in form of Sunsilk and MTV present Angels of Rock- a show that is by the women, of the women but for everyone. The show focuses on inspiring stories of real women blended with travel, fun, and a whole lot of music created by four amazing singers.”

     

    “It is a wonderful opportunity for Sunsilk because it is a brand that talks to the youth. It is a youth brand but it is also a brand with fantastic heritage. MTV is one of the best ways to partner with because it is not only the number one entertainment youth brand but it is also a great iconic youth brand. So, if you need the youth to sit up and listen, this is actually a great way to do it. We came together and said we want to create something which is based on the philosophy of the brand. Therefore, this property came in to existence which has the brand values which is about self-belief, positivity, taking real-life inspiring stories of the girls not only from big cities. The four angels have their own success stories which are inspiring to people but at the same time they are saying we will go out and reach out to the urban and rural India alike and try and find our real inspiring stories from there also. The two iconic brands have integrated at that level to co-create this property,” said Priyanka Singh, Senior Global Brand Manager, Sunsilk, about Sunsilk’s association with MTV and the show.

     

    The show starts on July 31 at 8 pm on MTV.

     

  • The season will follow the journey of thirteen young girls as they are transformed into professional models

    MTV & Bulldog Media launch second season of ‘India’s Next Top Model’

    By A Correspondent

     

    MTV is set to introduce a bunch of supermodels on television with the second season of ‘India’s Next Top Model’. CBS Studios International has once again licensed the India format rights for the reality competition series ‘America’s Next Top Model’ to Mumbai-based Bulldog Media and Entertainment. The show will be produced by Bulldog and will premiere July 10 at 7pm on MTV.

     

    Model and actress, Lisa Haydon will host, popular photographer, Dabboo Ratnani will judge, and VJ and actress AnushaDandekar will be the grooming expert, Neeraj Gaba will mentor the girls as they reprise their roles for the second season of the show. The upcoming season will follow the journey of thirteen young girls as they are transformed into professional models.

     

    Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18 commented, “India’s Top Model is a global platform that allows young women to express who they are through fashion. It’s a format that has enjoyed the status of being the audience favorite on MTV for its cutting edge fashion and drama. In its second season, viewers are in for a delightful experience as we are setting about to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary and in some ways questioning and redefining existing beauty norms in India.”

     

    MTV has planned a impactful 360 degree marketing plan with high media buzz which includes television, radio, print and digital (mobile and web) across metros and non-metro target markets to promote the second season. Along with a widespread outdoor campaign and radio plan focusing on the show’s concept, MTV will be driving fan engagement through multiple activities on digital assets using live interaction with the judges, mentors and contestants.

     

    Speaking at the launch Akash Sharma, Co-Founder and Executive Producer, Bulldog Media and Entertainment said, “This format is a global hit format. It has been done in over 20 countries as local versions. It is syndicated in 110 countries allover. So, for India it was only natural that there would a place for the franchise in the Indian market. We acquired the rights from CBS and started the development along with MTV, for the Indian version. Once we got the right sponsors on board then we went in to production.”

     

    MTV has partnered with Twitter for this show to enhance viewer engagement through some of their services in India. These include activating fan interaction through the newly launched Twitter Blue Room as well as the exclusive camera app on Twitter to make relatable and engaging digital content on the platform. The contestants will undergo a full scale Twitter workshop to fully utilize the power of the medium for fan interaction. Through all these initiatives, MTV India and Twitter want to ensure that the Indian edition of the global franchise is the most talked about property on the platform. Also, MTV will be using Snapchat for showcasing an exclusive sneak peek of the look and feel of the show as well as real time reactions on MTV’s Snapchat handle MTVIndia. The channel will also be using Instagram to showcase an exclusive video wherein the best looks from the show get highlighted every week.

     

  • The new season of Splitsvilla was launched and this year the theme will be 'Where women rule'

    Women rule in Splitsvilla 9

    By A Correspondent

     

    Once upon a time, there were six princesses. 15 warriors were fighting to get the attention of these six princesses and rule the kingdom of love. Worry not! We are not narrating a fairytale. This is the basic premise of Splitsvilla 9.

     

    MTV is back with its high profile show of finding love. This year the show is hailing women power, with a mix of love and power-play, giving women the authority to call the shots with its new theme, ‘Where women rule’. It will be hosted by Rannvijay Singha and Sunny Leone. 15 boys will be pitted against each other to impress six girls. This time, some of the male contestants will be known faces while some will be new.

     

    Speaking to MxMIndia at the launch, Ferzad Palia, Head- Youth and English Entertainment at Viacom18, said: “It is a consumer shift that we are seeing across the country, where women are finally coming up to claim their own right place be it in society, corporate world or anywhere. People have spoken about it; there has been faff than actual action. As a brand, we are very passionate about the fact that women need to be given their due respect and men need to learn respecting them. It is happening but the more that the brands that youths look up to, if we can push it, which is great., ” about the theme. He also added that over the years, the age group of viewers has also evolved since there has been a rise in slightly elder audiences tuning in to watch the show, which shows that Indian consumers are ready for such bold content.This is the third year that actor Sunny Leone returns to host Splitsvilla 9. “I am thrilled to be back on Splitsvilla 9 more so because the ultimate power lies in the hands of women,” she said.

     

    The show that has been shot in the colonial town of Pondicherry will witness the boys going to any and every extent to make the woman of their choice happy. They will make their every move worthwhile to not only win the heart of the girls but also to survive and win the reigns in this game of love.

     

    “I think what works for MTV content is that we keep evolving year after year. So, to have so many hit shows, and have the same format evolve year after year, it almost becomes a different show in itself. It does not happen by fluke. There is a lot research that goes in, a lot of this is created by design. So, we work very hard behind the scenes, which is why when we put out our Youth Marketing Forum research, a lot of people come to listen because they know exactly what MTV is talking about. So, I think research is a very integral part of what we do and that helps us stay one step ahead of the curve,” Palia said, adding that Season 9 of Splitsvilla is scheduled to start on June 11, 2016 on MTV.

     

    But today people tend to be offended if they disagree with a certain aspect of the content or the content as whole; how does one deal with it without disrupting the reality of the show? “We have dealt with it for many years, we are not being any more careful now than we were a few years back. Self-censorship is extremely important. We understand the laws of the land. We will always be a brand that pushes it to the edge but does not over step the line. We understand that we are television, very very mass medium. You could end up hurting sentiments, unintentionally sort of guiding the youth in the wrong direction; which we will never do. We are the voice of the youth. It is tough but people getting offended are age old. Today, if someone gets offended they put up a post, tweet but you just have to work within the parameters. There is no content that will work for everyone. As long your intentions are good it will largely be okay. ” he said.

     

  • MTV releases 'The Many Me Project' report at its annual Youth Marketing Forum held last week

    The Many Facets of the Young

     

    By Anuka Roy

     

    Multi-Dimensional. Open Minded. Creative. Confident. Ambitious. Smart thinker. Thought. Brave. Witty. Inspired. Mindful. Fun. These could be tagged as the many facets of a youth’s personality, as determined at the extensive research study titled ‘The Many Me Project’ at released at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum 2016 last week.

     

    “I thought the youth was in a very bad place. But this study opened the eyes for a lot of us” said Ferzad Palia, Executive Vice President, Viacom 18, Head, Youth and English entertainment. “This is probably the largest youth study in the country. We do not know too many brands that go so deep into the youth. Unless you do this you cannot stay ahead of the curve” he added.

     

    And, what are some of the major findings of the study? The two new words that came out this year when the youth were asked to describe themselves were: Smart thinking and multidimensional.The study also investigates on the widespread social media etiquettes and the stark difference in their online and offline personalities. This study highlighted that the today’s youth are very pragmatic in their approach. From new age gender definition and its impact on their relationships between friends, families and significant others, the research explores the youth psyche in depth. They accept and embrace their flaws- ‘flawsome’ is something MTV came up with to describe this quality. “If you see some of the superhero movies these days, equal footage is given to the superhero fighting others and fighting their inner demons. So, it is more about fighting your inner demons than conquering the world” said Chatterjee about the youth accepting their scars and flaws. Inspirational quotes are something that is shared the most by youth across various social platforms. Humour is the key weapon for this generation.

     

    With technological advancement in internet and mobile devices, the youth gets an opportunity and exposure to be whatever they want to be. They choose and curate the best version of themselves, and there are several versions. Today’s youth are self- reflective, but not existential. Optimism is there in them but they are not impractical. They are seamless across online and offline. The Many Me headline truly captures the multi- dimensionality of today’s generation.

     

    MTV Insights Studio, the insights arm of MTV, conducts these research studies every couple of months to understand the trends among young people. This year they conducted an extensive research exercise to understand the young people between the age group of 13-25 years, across 50 plus cities in the country, using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methodology. The focus was to understand the attitudes and desires of these 11,000 odd respondents with the help of content- what they consume and what they publish.  The study was conducted among NCCS SEC A, B, C, where the cities belonging to the category C were the new entrants in this year’s research.  They deployed interesting non-intrusive yet immersive techniques like selfie- project, peerscope, digital shadowing  along with ethnographic interviews, peer group discussions to understand the new face of young India. This year, ThirdEye Qualitative and Juxt Smart Mandate have done the fieldwork for the project.

     

    Talking about the cities that this study was conducted, Sumeli Chatterjee, Head, Marketing and Insights, Youth Cluster, Viacom 18, said, “Some of the cities we have gone this time is, for example, Amritsar, Bhatinda, Rohtak, Mathura, Nizamabad… it is very representative of India. That is the reason when Ferzad said that a lot of the findings surprised us. We did not expect a lot of smaller cities to actually behave like this. So, it is actually eye opening for us too”

     

    Speaking about the MTV Youth Marketing Forum 2016, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom 18, said in a press release, “For the past 10 years, MTV has been working incessantly to understand every nuance of each interaction youngn people have amongst themselves and their media consumption habits. It is these patterns of consumption and interaction which then form the basis of everything we do at MTV.  The headline study for this year- ‘MTV Many Me Project’- has thrown up some fascinating insights into the lives and minds of this absolutely dynamic demographic.” This research is going to be used across the Viacom 18 networks to create youth centric content.

     

    The MTV Youth Forum, held in New Delhi on April 29, was addressed by Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18, Mike Reiss- Co-creator, producer and writer of The Simpsons, Cindy Gallop- Founder, MakeLovenotPorn and If WeRantheWorld, Will Sansom- Director, Content & Strategy, Contagious Insider,  Kerry Taylor- SVP, Youth and Music, Viacom International & CMO, Viacom UK, Shravan and Sanjay Kumaran- CEOs, GoDimensions and Yuvraj Singh, cricketer and youth icon.

     

  • MTV's new youth study draws insights from 11000 conversations with the youth across 50 cities in India

    MTV to unveils findings of ‘The Many Me Project’ at YMF

    By A Correspondent

     

    MTV is back with yet another exciting edition of MTV Youth Marketing Forum. A day spent listening to content creators, youth icons and trend hunters, MTV Youth Marketing Forum is the flagship insights event by MTV to dissect the world of youth and share success stories about creating content and communication to keep them hooked.  The Youth Marketing Forum 2016 is scheduled on the 29th of April 2016 in the capital city – New Delhi.

     

    Every year, MTV undertakes a massive research to understand youth. The insights gathered from this research are then presented through interactive seminars and dialogues at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum. This year, MTV had conversations with more than 11,000 young people across 50 cities to put together one of the largest youth study in India. The study has reached out to NCCS A, B & C across the age bracket of 13-25 years to increase the robustness of the research. Aptly titled ‘The Many Me Project’, this MTV youth study explores the multi-dimensional and multi-achiever facets of the youth life. It will explore the plurality in youth lives, thoughts and expressions that seamlessly mirror through real and digital world, redefining the values, goals, ambitions and anxieties. The study delves into the youth attitude to love and career, their insatiable thirst for content and the emergent codes of new-age cool.

     

    The new MTV study ‘The Many Me Project’ will be unveiled at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum 2016 by Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18 who will be presenting the research findings to an audience made up of marketers from the biggest brands across the country and abroad, all keen on understanding this demographic. Speaking about the ‘The Many Me Project’, Ferzad Palia, Head, Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18, said, “Being the country’s leading youth channel, it is of utmost importance for us at MTV to understand every minute detail about the youth. The Many Me Project has yielded some fascinating insights into the lives and minds of one of the biggest demographics in India. The fact that they’re multi-dimensional complex beings comes out strongly through this research study – an insight that will make every youth marketer pause before designing a product or any kind of communication aimed at this audience. Their fierce need to be unique, not perfect mind you, but unique, with flaws and all, is another interesting finding this research as thrown up. These and other important insights that we will be presenting at the forum are sure to change the way marketers view the youth of India today.”

     

    This year at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum, MTV has invited some of the best known marketers, trend hunters and thought leaders from across the globe to come together and dissect the bold and ever changing world of the youth. The day will see trend presentations and interactive sessions delivered by content creators, brand bosses and everything in between.

     

  • A multi-platform initiative, MTV Kickstart will also a reality show the young to pitch ideas to investors and win seed funds

    Viacom18 joins hands with DIPP to launch launch MTV Kickstart

    By A Correspondent

     

    Viacom18 along with #StartUpIndia initiative of the government’s Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) have announced the launch of India’s largest outreach programme for young entrepreneurs. ‘MTV KICKSTART’ will be an annual programme that will equip the youth to start up. Supporting MTV, the iconic youth brand, in its unique initiative – MTV Kickstart, , #StartUpIndia will bridge the gap between ideas and investors and give young India a helping hand in making their entrepreneurial dreams come true.

     

    Said Amitabh Kant, Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP): “I am excited about our association with Viacom18’s MTV for instituting a platform called MTV Kickstart. The multi-platform programme will help us engage with the dynamic youth of India, help them start-up with ease and inspire a new generation to follow their dreams and become successful entrepreneurs.”

     

    Delivered through engaging and interactive content through television, web, mobile and social media, MTV KICKSTART will work towards educating the youth about the ecosystem of start-ups. The program will aim to educate through personal and informal interactions with start-up kings, investors, advisory and much more.

     

    Sudhanshu Vats

    Speaking about the initiative, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom18 said, “Viacom18 has always been at the forefront of being the catalyst of change within the media and entertainment space in India. We are in the business of entertainment that enriches the lives of our audiences through meaningful content and by engaging with them across multiple platforms. We now wish to extend the catalyst role to the start-up space as well by being a part of the journey of young entrepreneurs who dream to create a better tomorrow for India. The government of India has done a commendable job at addressing the need of the hour by instituting initiatives such as #StartUpIndia to encourage young Indians to become entrepreneurs.”

     

    Explaining the concept of the initiative further, Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth and English Entertainment, Viacom18 said, “MTV Kickstart is our way of driving India’s growth story by helping its biggest asset – the youth – to write their own narratives for the Make In India initiative laid down by our government.

     

  • He will be taking on this new role in addition to his existing duties as the head of English Entertainment at Viacom18 which includes channels such as Vh1, Comedy Central and the recently launched Colors Infinity

    Ferzad Palia to also head MTV and Pepsi MTV Indies

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ferzad Palia

    Viacom18 has announced the appointment of Ferzad Palia as Head of Youth Entertainment with immediate effect. In his new role, Palia will head the MTV and the indie platform Pepsi MTV Indies. He will be taking on this new role in addition to his existing duties as the head of English Entertainment at Viacom18 which includes channels such as Vh1, Comedy Central and the recently launched Colors Infinity.

     

    Speaking about Palia’s appointment in this new role, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom18 said, “Appointing Ferzad as the head of Youth Entertainment, along with being a logical move for us – considering his extensive experience in broadcast, is also a strategic one as we drive further synergies between Youth Entertainment and English Entertainment. Ferzad has been instrumental in transforming the English Entertainment landscape in India with Vh1, Comedy Central and Colors Infinity and I’m sure he will take both MTV and Pepsi MTV Indies to new heights of success.”

     

    Expressing his pleasure regarding his new role, Palia said: “MTV, is an iconic brand and it’s my pleasure to have been appointed to take it further on its journey to success. Pepsi MTV Indies with its pulse on the indie subculture in India has been a key driver of change and I’m really looking forward to working closely with the team on it. It’s a new and exciting role for me and I’m really looking forward to creating interesting brand customizations for the youth demographic while driving growth for both, youth and English entertainment brands at Viacom18.”

     

  • The channel incorporates a new look-and-feel with the positioning of 'Your Happy Place'

    Comedy Central goes for a new, happy look

    By A Correspondent

     

    Comedy Central, from the Viacom18 stable, has unveils a new positioning of ‘Your Happy Place’ along with a new look-and-feel. After over three years of asking viewers to look at the lighter side of life with “Laugh it off”, the channel moves beyond laughing out loud towards being the channel-of-choice for feel-good and humorous content, notes a communiqué.

     

    Said Ferzad Palia, Executive Vice President and Business Head, English Entertainment, Viacom 18:  “Since its launch, Comedy Central has been expressive and tongue-in-cheek while being irreverent and conversational. Now is the time to refresh our positioning to accurately reflect our programming and ideology, which is to be televisions premier destination where people find their #HappyPlace.“

     

    The channel offers a new line-up of diverse shows like Younger, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Your Family or Mine and The Mindy Project Season 3. A 360-degree marketing campaign has been unveiled to coincide with the refresh.