MxMIndia

Tag: MX Player

  • Given the sameness to shows over the last five years, the new 'Daily unscripted content' format merits attention, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Reality Check

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorThe linear television business in India has been struggling to find its next big idea. The streaming originals marketplace in India is operating more cautiously too, with economic and industry considerations, both global and local, slowing it down. Amid this relatively low-action period, a new format is making its presence felt: Daily unscripted content.

     

    While Bigg Boss and Kaun Banega Crorepati have been around for years as dailies, non-fiction has largely been seen as a weekend content type. GECs rightly expect daily soaps to build loyal weekday audiences. In any case, most non-fiction shows in India are in the broad genre of talent competitions, and they tend to be upto five to 10 times more expensive that fiction shows, making them unviable as a staple proposition.

     

    But the advent of streaming may have changed things a bit. Sony LIV recently launched MasterChef India only for OTT. The show has been around on GECs for years, across two networks, but has never quite found the success it would have hoped to. No surprise, then, that Sony has given up on its ambitions for the show related to mass television.

     

    Shark Tank India is a more recent, and a more obvious, example of a streaming-friendly show failing to deliver on linear TV, despite the network backing it with up aggressive marketing. The third season will follow the MasterChef India template, with daily episode drops on Sony LIV.

     

    JioCinema (earlier Voot) has done two seasons of Bigg Boss OTT. MX Player did its own homegrown variant, produced by Balaji Telefilms, titled Lock Upp, in 2022. Tonight, the first-ever season of Temptation Island India, starts on JioCinema. All these shows are in the daily format.

     

    The weekday-weekend distinction related to fiction and non-fiction seems to have blurred in recent times. It could be a result of many factors: Less compelling fiction content on TV, change in audience habits in the OTT era (such as low appointment viewership), episodic content being more preferred to continuity-driven stories, etc.

     

    While the reasons are a subject of further analysis, daily non-fiction is finding its takers, both at the platform side and the audience side. The new season of Bigg Boss has opened very well from TV standards. The show has original content in the form of interstitials and spin-offs on OTT, which are carefully designed for better monetisation. In what’s increasingly an AVOD-SVOD hybrid environment for original content (compared to 2020-22), monetisation via advertisers has made non-fiction a more relevant option on streaming.

     

    The Indian non-fiction market needed this boost in its thinking. There has been a sense of sameness to the shows over the last five years, with the same formats being rehashed. But formats that were safe bets till before the pandemic have struggled to deliver numbers in recent times, and viewer fatigue is evidently one of the primary reasons.

     

    Daily non-fiction may help GECs and OTT platforms, especially those with a strong AVOD service, find a new business model. It may be just the right time too, given that the web-series (fiction) content on SVOD is beginning to look just a tad jaded. The audience will surely not be complaining if they get a legitimately-different option on the menu.

     

  • To present the interactive film 'Lost and Found in Singapore'

    Singapore Tourism Board partners with MX Player

    By Our Staff

     

    Singapore Tourism Board (STB), in partnership with MX Player’s content arm, MX Studios is set to unveil the interactive film on an Indian OTT platform. Titled ‘Lost and Found in Singapore’, this film introduces a choose-your-own path approach that invites viewers to actively shape the unfolding narrative against the backdrop of Singapore.

     

    A first-of-its-kind initiative by an NTO in India, this film captures and blends the elements that define Singapore’s character, creating an immersive exploration. Seamlessly integrating triggers for engagement, the interactive component promises a captivating experience. This collaboration caters to evolving preferences, especially among young Indian travellers. As audiences seek innovative ways to engage with travel content, ‘Lost and Found in Singapore’ offers fresh, firsthand inspiration. Through active involvement, viewers connect with Singapore’s attractions, weaving entertainment and exploration.

     

    GB Srithar, Regional Director, India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa, Singapore Tourism Board said: “We are pleased to partner with MX Player, bringing a unique experience to audiences across India through this pioneering film. As a leading lifestyle hub in the region today, Singapore is a n ever-evolving destination, and this dynamism is best showcased to discerning Indian consumers through equally innovative means. We believe that this partnership introduces a novel perspective of Singapore, introducing to the young Indian travellers the dizzying array of unique tourism experiences it offers. The interactive format deeply resonates with Indian viewers seeking innovative travel engagement, inspiring personalized journeys. Just as the film empowers viewers, Singapore transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences, emphasizing our commitment to showcasing offerings that uniquely define the destination.”

     

    Added MX Player spokesperson: “Our viewers are always looking for dynamic and game changing storytelling on MX Player. This collaboration with the Singapore Tourism Board in creating the interactive short film, ‘Lost and Found in Singapore’ is one of its kind and introduces a new dimension to storytelling. We’re excited to bring audiences an engaging cinematic experience as it will allow viewers to actively select the narrative of their choice and will also showcase Singapore’s extraordinary trove of rich destination experiences through this film.”

     

  • To unlocks new data-driven solutions for advertisers with 1P data

    MX Player powers up with Vserv AudiencePro

    By Our Staff

     

    MX Player OTT platform has partnered with Vserv AudiencePro to enhance its audience stack and provide advertisers with richer audience segments and an evolved marketing solution.

     

    Saurabh Khanna, VP – Vserv AudiencePro, said: “The combination of quality reach & scale, sharper audience segmentation, and cutting-edge data-driven solutions presents a compelling proposition for brands. MX Player & Vserv AudiencePro partnership brings this unique combination to the forefront thereby opening new avenues for brands to unlock new audiences or do smarter remarketing.”

     

    MX Player Spokesperson added: “As one of the largest content platforms in the market, we are at the forefront of innovation and are constantly looking for ways to improve our offerings for advertisers. AudiencePro platform has established credibility in delivering quality segmentation to a range of brands. Our integration and partnership with them empowers us to offer more comprehensive audience segments and offer advertisers an evolved marketing solution that leverages data for deeper audience insights.”

     

  • There is little doubt in my mind that IPL's streaming viewership will outnumber that on linear television this year, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Not at all Quiet on the OTT Front

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorOver the last three years, it became abundantly clear that streaming (or OTT, as it’s called in India) is the medium of the future in this country, even as other media will continue to co-exist. Linear television always had the numbers. But thanks to a mix of factors, ranging from the pandemic, to ever-reducing data costs, to a nosey TRAI, linear television has barely managed to stay afloat. Pressure on revenues has been felt across the board, and that’s never a good sign.

     

    Streaming itself is trying to find its sweet spot. Is it a premium paid (SVOD) medium, as all the promotions of well-mounted web-series suggest? Or is it a medium for the ‘masses’, where free (AVOD) content is going to dictate the future? The jury has been out. And the last few weeks have seen their share of action on this front.

     

    Perhaps the biggest shift in the dynamic has been around the IPL. The 16th edition of the league, which starts March 31, will stream free on JioCinema. That’s a polar opposite to how it was thus far: IPL was a subscription (and hence, revenue) driver for Disney+ Hotstar, not just in India but at a global level too.

     

    Then, there’s the talk of the largest AVOD player in India outside of YouTube, i.e., MX Player, being up for sale. The content side is going through its continuous evolution. For example, price points for acquiring streaming licences to theatrical releases have not stabilised yet.

     

    All these are healthy signs, one would think. A growing category is bound to see new ideas, new strategies, and new alignments. And some of these may shape the future of the category. For example, there is little doubt in my mind that IPL’s streaming viewership will outnumber that on linear television this year.

     

    How did linear television find itself in this situation is a matter of another debate. But it should not have, because it’s still the staple, go-to medium for millions of Indian families every night. But the only way you can fight technology is by building a precise and relevant narrative. The linear TV industry has failed to do that for itself.

     

    Amidst all the positive action, the talk of censorship of streaming content has started again. This week, the I&B minister advocated censoring “vulgarity”. The genesis of this not-so-veiled threat lies in a Delhi High Court judgment will handling a complaint on TVF’s show College Romance. The state and the judiciary playing moral police can be a major irritant in a category that’s otherwise amid a period of high activity and growth.

     

    All eyes, hence, are on India’s streaming story, in its second phase, where the category seeks stabilization and re-alignments. And the upcoming IPL will set the ball rolling on that front.

     

  • Aims to bolster its creator ecosystem in the North

    MX Player announces interactive platform

    By Our Staff

     

    MX Media & Entertainment announces the launch of MX Live, an interactive streaming platform on Android for content creators.

     

    Speaking on hosting its first in-person event, Nikhil Gandhi – COO, MX Media said: “MX Live was launched with an aim to harness the power of live entertainment as well as to empower the rapidly growing creator community and provide them with a platform to showcase their skills. Since our launch in the last couple of months, we have witnessed tremendous adoption from our creator community as well as from our user base. With our first in-person initiative, we are hopeful of creating a platform that will mutually benefit our stakeholders while also strengthening our overall proposition in becoming the one-stop shop for all things entertainment.”

     

  • For premium Hollywood content

    MX Player inks partnership with Lionsgate

    By Our Staff

     

    Video on Demand platform MX Player has entered into a partnership with Lionsgate OTT service provider to bring premium Hollywood movies, including award-winning titles across genres.

     

    Through this association, MX Player consumers in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives will now have access to 50+ Hollywood blockbuster films dubbed in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu in a year.

     

    Speaking on the association, Mansi Shrivastav, Senior Vice President – Content Acquisitions & Alliances, MX Player said: “At MX Player, we are invested in our consumers.  As the second largest entertainment ecosystem across the globe, we have continually and consistently brought diverse content to the platform across genres, formats and languages. Our partnership with Lionsgate allows us to bring some of the most popular and commercially acclaimed Hollywood films to our viewers in their local languages. This partnership also enables us to attract new users to the platform while consolidating our existing audience base. We are thrilled with this alliance and look forward to working closely with the team at Lionsgate to make more Hollywood content available for users in the region.”

     

    Speaking on the partnership, Gayathiri Guliani, VP, Licensing and Content Partnerships, Lionsgate added: “Lionsgate has been bullish for its compelling content slate, and we are delighted to partner with MX Player as this will multiply our consumption, reaching out to maximum viewer base. It’s all about genre-diversification, breaking language barriers and having the best stories to watch. This alliance is all set to grow with multiple Lionsgate titles made available on the platform, spoiling viewers for choice.”

     

  • To enable users to stream content in High Definition

    MX Gold hikes annual subscription fee

    By Our Staff

     

    MX Gold, the SVOD service of MX Player, has announced its annual subscription fee for users at Rs 299 for its flagship MX Gold Annual pack. The change comes into effect on Friday, May 27 onwards, putting an end to the current offer of Rs 199.

     

    Said Abhishek Joshi, Business Head, SVOD, at MX Player: “With our new Annual Subscription fee at Rs 299, we are empowering our viewers to enjoy, and binge-watch the hit shows and movies ad-free at an affordable price of less than Rs 1 per day. It’s our effort to provide our viewers with a superlative user experience and ensure the most unique, engaging and entertaining content with zero interruptions and no ad breaks. Consumer centricity lies at the core of all that we do at MX, and we do everything to put the customer first.

     

  • Lockupp Game, for its reality show Lock Upp

    ALTBalaji launches metaverse game

    By Our Staff

     

    ALTBalaji has announced a first-of-its-kind metaverse-based game based around its reality show Lock Upp. With this game, players can join the celebrity contestants on the show, explore the captive world of the Lock Upp metaverse and take an active role in the real ecosystem and win prizes.

     

    Lock Upp: Badass Jail Atyaachaari Khel will be streamed live on ALTBalaji and MX Player. There will be 13 popular celebrity contestants locked up in Kangana Ranaut’s jail. They will compete for the most basic amenities as they fight for the winner’s title. The remaining super-controversial celebrity contestants will soon be revealed to the viewers who, as a first, can also interact with them and be a unique part of the show and even experience the show in the Lock Upp Metaverse!

     

  • To host reality show Lock Upp: Badass Jail, Atyaachari Khel

    Kangana Ranaut to host reality show for MX Player & ALTBalaji

    By Our Staff

     

    MX Player, the video streaming and video on demand platform , and ALTBalaji, subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms, have announced reality show titled Lock Upp: Badass Jail, Atyaachari Khel. As many as 16 controversial celebrities will be put together in a lock up for months and will be stripped of their amenities. Kangana Ranaut will step in as the host of the show. A bit like Bigg Boss? Well, we’ll have to wait and see.

     

    Said Karan Bedi, CEO – MX Media: “MX has always been a market disruptor – our user first approach to create product and content experiences that appeal to our huge audiences’ segments has made us India’s largest entertainment platform today. Lock Upp is yet another step in disrupting the Indian entertainment ecosystem as it is designed as a digital first non-fiction offering that will release on a scale that is unprecedented for India. We are excited to collaborate with ALTBalaji and with one of India’s finest actors – Kangana Ranaut.”

     

    Added Ekta Kapoor, the Big(g) Boss of Balaji: “I am glad to announce India’s biggest & the most fearless reality show Lock Upp hosted by the powerhouse of talent and the dynamic Kangana Ranaut. Kangana has been a very dear friend, I am glad to support and congratulate her on her first digital debut. Lock Upp is being launched on a massive scale and has all the elements that make for an entertaining reality show. The concept of the show is brilliant, and I am sure that it will captivate the viewers and set a new-standard for reality shows. I am also glad that MX Player has partnered with ALTBalaji. I wish the team the very best and I am sure they will create history with Lock Upp and that it will be a roaring success!”

     

  • Ogilvy and Mondelez India were awarded the Grand Effie at the Advertising Club's Effie Awards 2021 last Friday

    @Effie2021: McCann rules again. HUL tops client roster

     

    By Our Staff

     

    If you don’t see the customary photograph of the winning agency folk in jubilation on stage, it’s because this is an awards event being held in the pandemic.

     

    Although the restrictions on holding events has eased, the Effie Awards is different. In normal years, one needs to visit an ENT specialist on the day after. Given all the hullabaloo that happens. Heck, are we getting confused with the Emvies. Perhaps yes. It’s been a while since the Advertising Club has had one of its top draw award shows, and although the International Advertising Assoication conducted three awards in Mumbai in the last month-odd, the Ad Club Effies are decidedly the most coveted.

     

    The reason is simple: It measure efficiency of the creative. And it’s a part of a global network of awards. So the scores here add up to the global rankings and which are exceedingly critical for worldwide client pitches.

     

    Under normal circumstances, an MxM report wouldn’t have highlighted the sponsors of the event, but given the times we live in, every sponsorship needs to be recognised. So: Colors was presenting sponsor. The event was powered by MX Player and Aditya Birla Capital was Category Sponsor.

     

    So you’ve read the headline, but here’s it again: Hindustan Unilever and McCann Worldgroup India bagged the Client and the Agency of the Year titles respectively while The Ogilvy Group and Mondelez India were awarded the Grand Effie for Cadbury Dairy Milk’s campaign “Melting Power Distance”.

     

    Effie Awards 2021 were held virtually this year, so it was minus all the hooting and cheer, and minus Brian Tellis as the sponsor. The only bright spot was that the event started on time ended way before most people have consumed their third.

     

    The good news is that the Ad Club received a record 950 entries and saw participation from 51 agencies.

     

    Speaking about the participants and winners at the coveted Effies, Partha Sinha, President of The Advertising Club said: “Looking at the cases that have won here today, you will know for a fact that this is the highest level of award in this country. Effie India today is the most definitive award in the country – and is revered by both the client and the agency. I want to thank every single member of the jury, the participating agencies and the sponsors. You know that this award has reached the level thanks to all of you. Let the celebrations continue but more importantly let the effectiveness culture continue. As I had mentioned before we are going to hold Effie effectiveness workshops in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. Watch this space for more details.”

     

    Elaborating on the awards, Mitrajit Bhattacharya, Chairperson, Effie India said: “It gives me great pleasure to deliver the first virtual awards presentation of Effie India. It has been a long and tough journey over the past one and half years to bring this to life. To judge 950 entries over two rounds of judging by 520 judges, with minimal physical meetings has been quite a task. I thank each participating agency and client for their support. And a big thank you to our sponsors, the Ad Club managing committee, Effie committee and the Ad Club secretariat to make this possible.”

     

    EFFIE 2021 RESULTS

     

    EFFIE 2021 CLIENT OF THE YEAR (29.10.21)

     

    EFFIE 2021 AGENCY OF THE YEAR (29.10.21)

     

     

  • Will be responsible for taking the platforms to their next phase of growth

    TikTok’s Nikhil Gandhi joins MX Media as COO

    By Our Staff

     

    MX Media has announced the joining of Nikhil Gandhi joins as Chief Operating Officer. Based out of Mumbai and Singapore for this role at MX, Gandhi will be responsible for taking the platforms to their next phase of growth by expanding its geographical reach, enhancing data driven innovation, growing the scope and scale of revenue streams, and building maximum impact for all stakeholders – be it consumers, advertisers, or internal teams across verticals.

     

    Elaborating on the same, Karan Bedi, CEO of MX Media said “Nikhil brings decades of experience in both traditional and emerging media platforms, and will be a huge asset in taking MX to the next level of rocket fueled growth. We look forward to working closely with him.”

     

    Speaking about this new role, Gandhi added: “MX Player is by far the leader in the video entertainment space. I’m super excited to join the MX team and look forward to the next phase of our growth.”

     

  • To enable exponential growth

    Azaad Channel & MX Player ink partnership

    By Our Staff

     

    Beginnen Media’s rural entertainment channel, Azaad, and entertainment app MX player, have announced a strategic partnership to enable exponential growth and bring together the linear, rural and digital worlds together.

     

    Bharat Kumar Ranga
    Bharat Kumar Ranga

    Said Beginnen MD Bharat Kumar Ranga: “The UnionShip with MX Player offers a seamless consumer experience on both mediums as we attempt to be innovators at the intersection of TV and digital.  Azaad is for people with rural mindsets where people access entertainment on both TV and internet. We needed to find a right anchor that compliments Azaad on the internet. MX Player immediately aligned to our vision as we share a commonality of consumer centricity that will assist us with our expansion goals for Azaad and MX Player. MX valued our idea and intent and Azaad loved their youthfulness, vigour, hunger for growth and uncanny consumer centricity. For consumers, MX and Azaad will appear like one common platform. This reflects Beginnen Media’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to using our experience of innovation as the roadmap for propelling the industry forward to an all new way of doing business.”

     

    Karan Bedi
    Karan Bedi

    Elaborating on the same, Karan Bedi – CEO, MX Group added: “In an industry first, this association will transcend traditional TV and digital OTT to drive synergies and foster growth for both players, by creating innovative new content and catering to a larger audience set. As a platform that can reach consumers at every touchpoint, this strategic partnership with Azaad is sure to entertain the masses and drive more engagement for both brands.”