Most general entertainment channels are known to not leave any stone unturned in their marketing arsenal for their big shows. Earlier this week, Colors launched ‘Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush’, a narration of the Ramayana through the lens of Lord Ram’s sons Luv and Kush. On-ground activations included a hologram-equipped moving temple across the Hindi-speaking markets, a Twitter Setu campaign, partnerships with Google and UC Browser and a Luv Kush Ram Dham Yatra travelogue. MxMIndia engaged Sapangeet Rajwant, Head, Marketing and Digital – Hindi Mass Entertainment, Viacom18 in a Q&A on the Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush marketing initiatives. Read on…
1. While every new show is accompanied by some high voltage promotions, it appears that with ‘Ram Siye Ke Luv Kush’, Colors is leaving no stone unturned. Why such a huge blitz?
Luv Kush is a magnum opus for us. It is a show that has been made at scale and we wanted to position it commensurately. Keeping in line with the scale of the show, the marketing has been aggressive to reach the last mile of audiences. The campaign has been designed keeping three objectives in mind – build reach, create impact and drive conversations and buzz. We have used a mix of both traditional and digital media to reach our target audience. This show will cater to audiences across all age groups and segments. Hence the need to go all out and build great opening for the show.
2. It’s interesting that your digital offensive for RSKLK is significant with your tie-up with Google, a Twitter Setu. Given that a bulk of the viewers for a show like this are slightly older women and men, why go digital?
Ramayan is a story about family and family relationships. It’s an epic that teaches us life lessons. It’s a story that the entire family watches and it has something there for every family member to learn from. We believe that the show caters to each and every age group across segments and gender. Today, whether it is metros or small towns, with the spread of the internet, all users across segments are present on digital. If you look at the profiling of audiences on digital, you will see that it is present across Sec A, B and C as well. Additionally, apart from Twitter, we have extensively used Facebook and Instagram to promote the show. And there is a huge chunk of GEC audiences that uses these platforms.
3. What has been the response to the onground promotions that you have undertaken – especially the mobile structures employing hologram technology?
The response to our Bhakti ki Yatra has been overwhelming. The idea of the entire on-ground activation was to give people an experience of the story of Ramayan using technology – essentially marry new-age technique to experience an ages-old story. We have seen across towns people flocking our Yatra to experience the holy engagement. India is a very religious country and we actually saw people coming out and paying their respect to the structure that carried the story of Ramayan.
4. Since all of the marketing activities require big budgets – even though some of them are being done in sync with other tech platforms, how do you assess the efficacy of the promotions, especially since in the final analysis it’s the show content that is most critical?
They say that content is king and we totally believe so. But it is the role of marketing to create awareness and generate interest for the content. Like they say, jo dikhta hai woh bikta hai. The role of marketing is to create sampling for the show and garner reach. In the broadcasting space, the only metrics that measure our ROI is the reach numbers that we get for the show opening. Apart from the reach, marketing also builds brand equity and increases top-of-mind awareness for the brand. Through marketing, we build engagement and affinity with audiences which goes a long way into building loyalists
5. What next coming up from the Colors stable? The next season of Bigg Boss coming up soon?
There is an action-packed quarter for us ahead. We have lined up quite a few shows including Bigg Boss going forward, which we will announce shortly.
Hindi GEC Colors has developed a digital and marketing campaign for its new kids’ dance reality show – Dance Deewane Juniors.
innovating and tapping into newer avenues to put across our message and with Dance Deewane Juniors, we intended to design to build an immersive ecosystem in both online and offline mediums. Along with several other innovations, we have for the first time set foot in the metaverse arena by creating various virtual and experience-led touchpoints. We have mounted our campaign to bring alive the joy and excitement amongst the audience.”
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has taught people to slow down and find simpler ways to live life while putting vanities on the backburner. It has made us more conscious, compassionate, and empathetic towards others as we embrace the disruptive daily patterns. With this grain of thought, Colors has released its new brand film #InsaanHuaUnllock that asks people to find their missing selves and become more aware of the things that matter the most.