MxMIndia

Tag: Shah Rukh Khan

  • Ad features superstar and brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan

    Kansai Nerolac celebrates the magic of HD in latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kansai Nerolac Paints has released a new campaign for the Impressions range of HD paints starring its brand ambassador Shah Rukh Khan. The ad highlights the common practice of inviting people home to win them over.

     

    Speaking about the new TVC, Anuj Jain, Director, Decorative Division, Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd, said: “Our homes are the backdrop for celebrations and the true reflection of our character. We culturally gravitate towards inviting people we want to please or build lasting relationships with, to our homes. A key factor that influences this decision is the appearance of our homes.An impressive home multiplies our confidence manifold. This is where Nerolac’s Impressions range of high definition paints for home interiors works its magic.”

     

    Added Surjo Dutt, National Creative Director, FCB Ulka: “I looked at the new campaign as an opportunity to open doors and extend a warm welcome to the world to come and experience the magic of Nerolac Impressions HD paints; hence the thought ‘Ghar Bula Ke To Dekho’. What better way to reach out to the audience than narrate a story that they can relate to? SRK of course leverages our objective and adds to the effectiveness of the TVC.”

     

  • A-listed stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, PC lend shine to smaller or regional brands

    Small Brands, Big Stars

     

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Kajol, the actor who once endorsed brands such as Whirlpool and Yakult, now backs a little-known detergent called Woosh. The star of the recently released movie Dilwale is seen in Woosh advertisements on the sides of buses and on non-prime-time television spots.

     

    Priyanka Chopra, who plays the lead role in US television series Quantico, is pushing Hisar-based Marvel tea and DS Group’s Rajnigandha cardamom seeds. Chopra used to be the face of Hindustan Unilever’s Bru coffee. Even Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood’s king of romance — said to be among the highest paid actors — is endorsing Aqualite footwear.

     

    With mainstream endorsements drying up or restricted to the flush-with-funds ecommerce space, A-listed celebrities are settling for regional or smaller brands, which are among the few options available for them. The trend has evoked mixed responses.

     

    “In many cases, the celebrities and their agents seem to be forgetting that quality matters over quantity,” said Shailendra Singh, joint managing director of entertainment marketing firm Percept. “While the older lot is reaching out to anything, it’s unfortunately setting the tone for the next generation. There’s a sense of what’s okay for Amitabh Bachchan should be okay for Varun Dhawan. But that’s not how popular faces should be building their brand values.”

     

    In many cases within the consumer goods space, endorsement fees, which used to run into crores, may have dried up because of diminishing marketing spends. In others, the stars are willing to compromise on their fee to stay in circulation. Cricketer Virat Kohli endorses both Red Chief footwear and luxury car Audi. Actors Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan are the faces of Dollar Bigboss and Amul Macho innerwear, respectively and Ajay Devgn is associated with Vimal pan masala.

     

    “If three-fourths of the endorsement market is being taken up by the smaller brands, then for celebrities it is an available option they are willing to dip into,” said Vinita Bangard, founder of celebrity management firm Krossover Entertainment. A top celebrity manager pointed out that Shah Rukh Khan, who has lent his face to luxury brands such as Tag Heuer watches, hiked his fee 150% for a small brand that approached him.

     

    “In cases like Tag, the celebrity wants the name association because the brand adds to his or her value. But if a small brand wants sudden fame, the celebs and their agents leverage the opportunity and charge in excess of market rates too,” the manager said, asking not to be identified.

     

    Varun Gupta, managing director of valuation and advisory services firm American Appraisal, said it’s a misperception that smaller brands pay less to celebrities.

     

    “For the lesser known brands, getting a well-known face to push themselves is near-instant status and mass appeal. They are willing to pay the market price, or at times, even higher, to get a popular face,” Gupta said.

     

    While traditional advertisers including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and telecom companies Airtel and Aircel are curtailing the use of celebrities, it’s mainly the ecommerce sites that are splurging. In August, online grocery store BigBasket.com named Shah Rukh Khan as its face.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2016, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Digitization and Mobility will drive share of Video in Internet Data Traffic to increase to 64 per cent in FY 2017

    SRK launches Assocham Knowledge Report on Digitisation and Mobility of M&E sector

    By A Correspondent

     

    Superstar Shah Rukh Khan along with Rana Kapoor, President, ASSOCHAM and MD & CEO, YES BANK and Venugopal Dhoot, Past President, ASSOCHAM and Chairman & MD, Videocon Industries, unveiled the ASSOCHAM Knowledge Report on ‘Digitization & Mobility: Next frontier of growth for M&E’ at an event held at Taj Land’s End, Mumbai recently.

     

    The Report provides key insights on evolving trends, challenges and future opportunities across Broadcasting Digitization, the Film Industry and Mobile Entertainment segment. Organizations in the Indian Media and Entertainment industry are poised for substantial growth in the coming years. The growing demand for content consumption from Tier II and Tier III cities will enable the entire Media & Entertainment value chain to connect with, engage and monetize India’s strongest asset – our youthful demographic.

     

    Speaking at the launch, Rana Kapoor said, “The Indian Media & Entertainment industry has undergone a positive transformation with better content generation, mobility & digitization and growth in new media, resulting in an exemplary shift in consumer behavior and media consumption patterns. Recent regulatory interventions such as, the increased FDI limit in the broadcast distribution platforms like cable TV networks, DTH, head end-in-the-sky (HITS), mobile TV and radio, will continue to be key enablers for growth of this industry.”

     

    With the rise of internet users in to 200 million currently, the impact of digital technology on media consumption has already demonstrated the power of the Internet to disrupt linear traditional media.

     

  • An eclectic mix of international speakers, top-notch professionals, academics & students did the audience proud, writes Jaisurya Das

    Jaisurya Das: Kappa, Meen Curry & the IAA Summit

    A glimpse from the streetfood festival hosted by Mathrubhumi group on Day 2 of the Summit

     

    By Jaisurya Das

     

    Shah Rukh Khan, Mammooty, Sachin Tendulkar, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev and earthy crooner  Papon topped with pyrotechnics and Kappa – Meen Curry and you have glitz, glamour and intrigue like never before.

     

    Kerala – God’s Own Country – played host last week to over 700 Delegates from all over the country at the Silver Jubilee Summit of the International Advertising Association India Chapter. An eclectic mix of international speakers, top-notch professionals, academicians and students did the audience proud at every session.

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy, IAA India President, welcomed delegates while Faris Abouhamad, Global President and IAA chairman and Pradeep Guha, Summit Chairman & Area Director IAA Asia Pacific, gave their short and crisp Introductions to the Silver Jubilee Summit.

     

    Amitabh Kant; Secretary, Industrial Policy & Promotion , Government of India delivered a keynote address with almost a rehearsed élan. Kerala and tourism have always been synergistic, yet the transition from being known only for Kovalam (The ‘Done to Death’ beach near Thiruvanthapuram ) to a destination that has immense diversity, was a carefully planned strategy. “Brands are made by people,” said Kant.

     

    Now , we have to agree with that don’t we ?

     

    The sheer diverse plethora of eminent speakers (that includes the glam world) who spoke at the Summit rendered it Unique . Srinivasan Swamy and Pradeep Guha gushed about the immense response they got.

     

    While Cindy Gallop (Founder & Former Chair of BBH, USA and founder of MakeLoveNotPorn ) explained the need of a new world order, Paul McCarthy, author of Online Gravity, outlined how gravity giants attracted huge investments . Undoubtedly a reality that was seconded by Abhay Pandey, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital. Simon Kemp, Regional MD, ‘We Are Social’, Singapore, was emphatic about how social will disrupt all the fundamentals of the marketing mix. We would imagine it already has, Simon. We are still trying to find the method in the madness called social!

     

    That’s probably why Sanjiv Puri, President – FMCG, ITC Ltd, felt that building globally acceptable brands wasn’t easy. Understanding the equity of tradition is the essence, remarked Puri.
    A meaty day met its match when the Mathrubhumi group took over the evening and ferried the entire lot of delegates to the boat jetty at Marine Drive. Half-hour later, the boats approached what seemed like an enchanted island. It was Bolgatty, resplendent with exquisite lights and the resonance of the unmistakeable ‘Chhenda , the Traditional Drum.

     

    The overcast skies came alive with the startling pyrotechnics, much like the famed ‘ Trichur Pooram ‘ where neighbouring temples symbolically compete with each other using fireworks. This festival incidentally attracts visitors from across the globe.  More often than once it is the fireworks and the majestic elephants that has the audience spellbound, year after year.

     

    Malayalam film icon Mammooty stole everyone’s heart with his inimitable baritone intonation and sheer presence. Street food in Kerala has its own charm, and the Bolgatty Island came alive with food stalls , picklesellers and the like. All that was served was homecooked or made right there , making it even more authentic and rich in flavour and tradition. Shreyams Kumar of Mathrubhumi played a perfect host and ensured every one was taken care of well.

     

    The third and final day of the Summit was a mixed bag of glamour, intrigue and emotion what with Sachin Tendulkar, Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev, Arnab Goswami etc sharing their experiences and views on ‘What’s Coming Next’.

     

    Tendulkar was his calm, composed self, in conversation with Prasoon Joshi. He talked about how a good advertisement could help him in addition to the brand and how he respected his father’s wishes and refused all tobacco and liquor ads. “Let the country talk about the past innings, you think about the next,” he said. ” Take that extra step, don’t give up” was his positive advise to all. The master blaster and Prasoon Joshi handed over the stage to the ever-charismatic spiritual leader Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev.

     

    His deep voice and incisive views enthralled the audience. “Why create the ghost, fight with it most of your life, and then win over it,” remarked Vasudev.  “Success is Joy. ” he said while advising the audience to be positive in life.

     

    Rahul Welde, Vice President-Media , Unilever Asia, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia, was lucid in his talk focussed on the power of custom content. “Don’t be in the advertising business. Be in the content business,” he said with passion. Custom content is the future where speed is the new currency.

     

    One also saw the likes of 21-year-old Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, OYO Rooms, in conversation with Sam Balsara, Chairman, Madison. Sameer Nair, the man who brought Koun Banega Crorepati and Amitabh Bachhan to the small screen, and currently Group CEO, Balaji Telefilms, talked about how word of mouth is now word of social!

     

    The Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy was all praise for the IAA for having brought the Summit to Kerala. This, Chandy said, was the largest advertising conference to be held in the State.

     

    The Summit ended with Arnab Goswami talking about how his breed of journalism is disruptive. “You have to be like a pin prick for the society to change.” remarked the Newshour man.

     

    Kerala will indeed a special place in many hearts, be it the Kappa and Meen Curry or the diverse energy that came together for this Summit.

     

  • Strategic move to accelerate bigbasket's expansion plans across India

    bigbasket ropes in Shah Rukh Khan as Brand Ambassador

    By A Correspondent

     

    Online supermarket player bigbasket has unveiled a new and fresh brand identity and announced superstar Shah Rukh Khan as its brand ambassador.

     

    “bigbasket has grown at an unprecedented pace over the last couple of years. We’ve added new business lines, expanded our product lines and added more cities to our roster. Today, online grocery shopping is a way of life for lakhs of people in India and bigbasket has become a household name. As we elevate our company into a new growth orbit, we felt it apt to bring a versatile icon like Shah Rukh Khan on board as the brand ambassador to propel us forward,” said Hari Menon, CEO, Bigbasket.

     

    bigbasket is charting an aggressive growth path and is planning to expand into 50 non-metro cities by the end of this year. The company is now slated to launch a one-hour express delivery shortly in all the cities it operates in, also to launch Speciality Stores offering unique merchandise too. bigbasket had recently launched premium coffee under the brand, and is all set to serve up few more exclusive products in the days to come.Bigbasket has also launched new versions of its mobile apps supporting Android and iOS

     

    bigbasket offers convenient, one-stop online shopping for high quality, fresh products at competitive prices delivered right to a customer’s doorstep. With a catalogue of over 15,000 products including fresh fruits and vegetables, grocery and staples, meats, personal care, and home and kitchen products, bigbasket delivers everything a household may need. With guaranteed on-time delivery, a guaranteed order fill rate and a no questions asked return policy bigbasket is the leading choice for today’s grocery shoppers.

     

  • SRK is also the face of online fashion etailer Yepme.com, which is currently running a contest to promote his upcoming film 'Fan'

    Online grocery store Big Basket ropes in Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador

    By Varun Jain

     

    Online grocery store BigBasket.com has roped in actor Shah Rukh Khan as brand ambassador for an undisclosed fee. The company announced it through a series of tweets on Saturday.

     

    “We’ve got a brand new look! Experience the all new Big-Basket!” the tweets said. This was followed by another- “Shah Rukh Khan is a BigBasketeer! What about you?”

     

    Vipul Parekh, co-founder of BigBasket, declined to give the financial details of the deal. “The endorsement fee is under NDA (non-disclosure agreement), so I may not be able to give you an accurate figure. However, it is not as little as we would have liked and not as much as what everybody believes it to be,” he said.

     

    It was reported earlier that actors Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan are learnt to charge  Rs 8-12 crore annually for e-commerce endorsements, which is 20-25% higher than rates for some well-known offline brands they currently endorse.

     

    “We have selected SRK because of his universal appeal, which cuts across age, gender and geography. For a mass market national brand like Big Basket, that was very important since we appeal to an equally wide audience,” said Parekh.

     

    “SRK has the ability to get into the skin of the character and embody it with a lot of believability. We felt it was important that people could relate to the Big Basket brand ambassador.” The company is doing a campaign that covers all channels — print, TV, outdoor and radio.

     

    “We will be breaking our television commercials featuring SRK next week and expect to make a significant impact on our business with them. We have a long-term contract with SRK which is renewable annually. We expect him to be a consistent brand icon for us,” said Parekh.

     

    Khan is also the face of online fashion etailer Yepme.com, which is currently running #iamfan contest on its platform to promote the upcoming film ‘Fan’, in which the actor has the lead role.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • 100 consumers get a chance to be part of the film's logo

    Yepme.com announces partnership with upcoming flick ‘FAN’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Yepme.com brings a chance for fans to get closer to Shah Rukh Khan with their latest brand association with his upcoming movie, FAN. Directed by Maneesh Sharma and produced by Yash Raj Films, it is scheduled to release on 15th April’ 2016.

     

    The brand is running a full-fledged 360 degree campaign, #iamfan contest, to bombard its association across all platforms including social media. The contest revolves around SRK looking for his 100 biggest fans and these fans get to be a part of a unique activity where their profile pictures become a part of the FAN movie logo.

     

    The campaign kick-starts with the launch of the TVC with Shah Rukh Khan talking about #iamfan contest. The TVC captures the mood of SRK’s most popular movies which along with clippings from the FAN movie teaser shows lakhs of fans expressing their love for SRK. It makes every SRK fan feel the magic created by their superstar over the years and prove that they are his biggest fan. The winners will in turn get a chance to be part of FAN movie logo along with being a part of videos and promotions for Fan the movie, while lucky winners will get the opportunity to meet Shah Rukh Khan in person.

     

    Vivek Gaur

    Talking about the association, Vivek Gaur, Founder & CEO, said – “Yepme has very actively positioned its Fresh Fashion Model and now our aim is to get closer to our customers and the campaign will help us generate plethora of conversations around it. The #iamfan contest itself is planned to involve our end users into various engagements to build a two-way communication and what better way to initiate that but to make them talk about their love for Shah Rukh Khan. Shahrukh Khan, the man unarguably with one of the greatest fan following globally, it’s a huge opportunity for Yepme to strengthen its vision as a global brand. We are defininitely looking at this association as a good platform to gain popularity and recognition.”

     

    Havas Media Group India will be handling the media for the campaign.

     

  • The little-known desi brand emerges as a leader in the world of shaving creams in India

    Vi-John lathers up on shaving shares

     

    By Rajiv Singh

     

    Dapper, with not a hair out of place, Vimal Pande is perhaps an ideal brand ambassador for a company of which he is also the CEO. For the past decade, he’s been a loyal user of ‘Cobra’ deodorant, ‘Splash’ after-shave, ’22 degree’ talcum powder, even ‘BoroShield’ antiseptic cream, all brands of the little known Delhi-based personal care firm, Vi-John. He’s also one of thousands of consumers who annually consume almost 45 lakh kg of Vi-John’s shaving cream, in the process making it the largest label in this category. It’a also a category that’s conspicuous by the presence of a clutch of multinational brands from Axe (Hindustan Unilever) and Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser) to Old Spice and Gillette (Procter & Gamble).

     

    “In shaving cream, we are much bigger than Gillette in India, both in volume and value,” asserts 52-year-old Pande. And if being ahead of a global leader isn’t enough, he goes on to make another claim. “In fact, we are the largest selling shaving cream brand in the world.”

     

    According to the latest Nielsen MAT data sourced from industry officials, Vi-John’s volume market share in India stood at 29.2 per cent in May, over three times that of Dettol, almost four times that of Axe and over seven times that of Gillette.

     

    “Even if you put the next four brands together, they won’t be able to match our volume and value share in India,” affirms Pande, adding that the biggest plus for the brand has been its ‘affordability’ tag. Vi-John is available across 2.5 lakh retail outlets and at over 1 million other trading channels across the country. The brand makes over 15 lakh shaving cream packs every month, says Pande.

     

    An email sent to HUL and Reckitt Benckiser did not elicit any response.

     

    What the MNCs lose in volume, though, is being partially made up in value. Consider: Gillette’s 3.9 per cent volume gives it a close to double value share of 7 per cent; Axe 7.4 per cent volume converts into 12.9 per cent value share. It’s only in Vi-John’s case that its value share is less than the volume share. Pande grudgingly acknowledges the problem. “We are quite visible on TV. But our profitability is not as high as others.”

     

    Even as Vi-John continues with its aggressive intent to further widen its volume lead over its rivals, the price warrior has started working on a strategy to match its volume growth with value. “While the strategy till now was to scale first and reach a sound scale, now the plan is to convert volume into value. So now we will go in for the kill,” asserts Pande.

     

    The company is making improvements in packaging, quality and more importantly pricing, which would be crucial to push it ahead in the value trajectory. While in 2011, its 125 gram shaving cream pack was available for Rs 20, it now costs Rs 35.

     

    What has worked brilliantly for Vi-John has been the endorsement by Shah Rukh Khan. Celebrity endorsements has played a significant role in brand awareness, helping it make a rapid transition from a business to business brand to a business to consumer brand, explains Abraham Koshy, professor of marketing at IIM Ahmedabad. “Had it not been for the celebrity endorsement, the brand could not have pulled it through.”

     

    However, the most discerning element of the strategy that has worked in the favour of the brand is the choice of target segment. While brands like Gillette are targeted at the higher end of the market, Vi-John has chosen to target the mass segment. “This is an intelligent choice as this market has been waiting for a brand relevant to it,” adds Koshy.

     

    However, converting volume into value at a faster clip won’t be easy. It’s a brand game, which has to be played with finesse, says brand strategist Harish Bijoor. “One celebrity will not turn the tide for it. There are a lot more brand parameters that need to be addressed and tweaked.”

     

    The biggest problem for Vi-John, according to Bijoor, is that it has not invested in branding. “The product has worked, the brand has not. Not yet. What’s missing is brand imagery. And it needs to earn it fast.” Oui, John?

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • SRK will feature in Hindware's new 360 degree integrated campaign, rolling out shortly across all media channels

    Shah Rukh Khan appointed ‘Hindware’ brand ambassador

    By A Correspondent

     

    Brand ‘Hindware’ has announced India’s leading film actor – Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) as its brand ambassador. A trendsetter who makes a style statement with his every move, a Bollywood heartthrob SRK will feature in Hindware’s new 360 degree integrated campaign, rolling out shortly across all media channels.

     

    Sharing his views on the brand association, Sandip Somany, JMD, HSIL Limited said, ‘Admired by people of all age group; cutting across territorial borders and communities,      Mr. Shah Rukh Khan exudes sophistication and flair. He embodies the spirit of a hard working individual who rose to prominence by his consistent performances innovating himself along the way, a trait which resonates well with brand hindware and its unfailing desire for success’.

     

    Commenting on this partnership, Shah Rukh Khan, said, ‘Brand hindware, has been synonymous with bathroom products for many years and has truly captured the shift in perception in this space. The awareness that they have is visible in their products, offering contemporary design solutions for bathrooms. It is the brands steadfast approach and revolutionary intent, makes hindware an exciting brand and I am looking forward to our association.”

     

  • With only five-and-a-half measurable days as per the TAM measurement cyle, newly launched flagship Hindi GEC &TV from the Zee Entertainment stable has opened at 90612 GVTs

    &TV opens with 90612 GVTs

    The numbers are out. &TV has opened at 90162 GVTs in the first week of its launch.

     

    With only five-and-a-half measurable days as per the TAM measurement cyle, newly launched flagship Hindi GEC &TV from the Zee Entertainment stable has opened at 90612 GVTs. The launch happened with roadblocks across the Zee network of channels as well as very visible outdoor and print campaign.

     

    Detailed ratings of the various shows including Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘India Poochega – Sabse Shaana Kaun?’ are awaited

     

  • Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited is India's second largest housing finance company in the private sector

    DHFL tasks Madison Media to handle media mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media Sigma, a part of Madison Media Group has won the media mandate of Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited (DHFL). The account was won in a multi-agency pitch that saw participation from Maxus, Lodestar and Zenith Optimedia. The account size is estimated to be Rs 50 crores and the account will be handled out of the agency’s Mumbai office.

     

    Dewan Housing Finance Corporation Limited is India’s second largest housing finance company in the private sector offering a vast array of Home Loan products, including Home Loans, Plot Loans, Construction Loans, Loans against Property, Mortgage Loans and Project Loans. The Company also offers a range of Fixed Deposit products that ensure high yield, safety and liquidity. Further, DHFL offers customized insurance solutions that are designed in association with leading insurance providers.

     

    DHFL has recently signed up Shah Rukh Khan as its Brand Ambassador and has launched an integrated marketing campaign ‘Ghar Jaisa Loan’ featuring Shah Rukh Khan. This is DHFL’s largest ad campaign, since inception in 1984, and is aimed to reinforce the Founder’s Vision of the Company of enabling every Indian to own a home of his own.

     

    The ‘Ghar Jaisa Loan’ campaign centers around how DHFL has been encouraging the lower and middle income segment in India to dream of owning a home. It further describes how the company has been helping customers realise their dream of home ownership through product innovation and deferential service.

     

    Vanita Keswani

    Commenting on the campaign, Vijay Sinha, President Housing Finance, DHFL said, “We, at DHFL, have remained committed to our founders vision of “A home for every Indian”. Our mission of enabling this noble vision is truly reflected in our new ad campaign ‘Ghar Jaisa Loan’ in association with Mr. Shah Rukh Khan. The campaign will provide further impetus to our cherished mission of reaching out to a wider audience and support their dreams of having a home of their own, specially amongst the low & middle income segment across the country.” Vanita Keswani, COO, Madison Media Sigma said, “We are delighted with this new win and are confident that we can add strategic value in making the DHFL brand a household name across the country.”

     

    Madison Media Group has been on an account winning spree, having won a host of new businesses in 2014 including Lafarge Cement, EPIC channel, Nirav Modi, Senco Gold, Total Environment, Wockhardt Hospitals, Zivame, Cordlife,Lenskart and the mother of all media accounts of 2014, the media mandate for BJP for the national elections and for Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and the current Delhi election.

  • Come March, the Hindi General Entertainment Channel space will see one more player…

    Zee launches &TV with much fanfare & Shah Rukh

     

    By Our Research Editor

     

    It’s been worth the wait. Industrypersons hoping that an all-new big-bang GEC will rev up the scene were not disappointed. Indian entertainment’s most sought after name – Shah Rukh Khan – was present at the launch.

     

    By the time you read this, you’ve already heard and read enough about what &TV is going to be all about. That it was to be called &TV was known now for around a year. In fact the industry was hoping for a surprise or a twist, but that didn’t happen. That a galaxy of production companies have been retained for some high visibility fictions and non-fictions was also known. In fact the names were there on the television fanzines and Indiantelevision.com even had rather detailed insider info on the launch.

     

    What was not known much in advance were the finer details of the big opening act of the channel – Shah Rukh Khan and a Siddhartha Basu/Big Synergy production ‘India Poochega – Sabse Shaana Kaun?’. Although Khan earned his stripes on the small screen, his recent outings with non-fiction (save the award shows) have been mixed. While Kaun Banega Crorepati was fine, others like ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?’ and ‘Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout’ failed to attract audiences.

     

    Television industry observers though aren’t too worried. What Shah Rukh Khan has done is draw attention to the channel and will pull viewers to it in the early days. Just as an Akshay Kumar did for Colors, a little less than seven years back. “The good thing is that SRK isn’t one to accept defeats easily and he will keep at it until he succeeds. So you never know!”

     

    The launch proeedings at the Reliance Mediaworks studio at Mumbai’s Film City were very business-like. Before Shah Rukh Khan descended on the stage (literally!), Zee Entertainment Managing Director and CEO Punit Goenka unveiled the logo with a tap on the backdrop. “&TV will offer a more substantial viewing experience to an audience that is always seeking fresh and relevant content. The channel extends our Hindi entertainment portfolio under the ‘&’ bouquet and will add to the consolidation of our leading position in the entertainment industry.”

    Said Rajesh Iyer, Business Head, &TV on what the channel will stand for: “While the spirit of &TV is young, it is deep-rooted in values. We intend to be a power house of entertainment, by tapping into and harnessing the powerful changes in the thinking, mindset and belief sweeping through this country of billions. As a new channel, we will lead with innovation, try new things and new ways to meet the challenges of an increasingly competitive environment. We are thrilled to have Shah Rukh Khan as the host of our flagship non-fiction property and we are certain that the audience will enjoy a different side of their superstar! ”

     

    So will &TV be an attempt to flank parent Zee TV and shave away from rating points from Colors which has been consistently at #2 among the Hindi GECs over the last few months?

     

    “If &TV weans away viewers, it will do that for not just Colors but across all GECs. But rather than that, as we have seen in the past, the genre of Hindi entertainment will grow if &TV works with viewers,” said the analyst quoted earlier. But what is the guarantee of &TV working given that Pal has a dismal outing despite being from the Multi Screen Media/Sony stable and being headed by Anooj Kapoor who turned around the fortunes of Sab TV? “It’s impossible to guarantee anything. In broadcast, as it is in life. Just because a certain channel has failed till date doesn’t it mean it can’t bounce back and others will not do well.”

     

    This, it may be noted is Zee’s third attempt with a second GEC, if one does not put Zindagi in the same bracket.  EL TV and Zee Next started out with much enthusiasm, but did not create an impact and were pulled off. “Those were different days. The attention and budgets being given to &TV with Rajesh Iyer and his team are of a dramatically higher magnitude.” Indeed they are. An IndianTelevision report pegged marketing costs to be in the region of Rs 150 crore. Other trade wags say the entire outlay in the first year to be in the region of upwards of Rs 400 crore.

     

    &TV, MxMIndia learns, will be promoted extensively on the Zee TV network. An extensive 360-degree campaign has been envisaged. The channel’s tagline is Jashn Jeene Ka” which has been rendered by musical duo Sachin-Jigar.

    Other than India Poochega – SabseShaanaKaun?’ which is an adaptation from Who’s Asking, a format owned by Israel based Armoza, the channel also uveiled a host of fiction properties. Starting with, Begusarai, a quintessential quirky land set in the hinterland of Bihar with film-maker Tigmanshu Dhulia designing the first look of this multi-starrer film on TV, being one. There’s a historical thrown in the form of Razia Sultan, there BhabijiG har Par Hai!, a sitcom, and then there’s a soap titled Badii Devrani, which, as the name suggest, will have all the family melodrama built into it.

     

    According to a communiqué handed out to the media, the ampersand or & in &TV, signifies a conjunction of aspirations and rootedness which is synonymous with the spirit of new age India. “Through its content offering, the channel will bring together people and ideologies thus fostering cohesive viewing within Indian households. &TV will showcase a diverse and dynamic mix of relatable fiction, high voltage non-fiction, marquee events and blockbuster movies.”

     

    Does all of this look a bit like what some other channels are about? A rival broadcaster, while insisting on anonymity, says the comparisons with any channel are incorrect. There is a one billion-plus viewing public, and broadcasters are tailoring content to all tastes. “We scoffed at Sab’s programming as too downmarket, but see where it’s reached. Also, look at Life OK. Despite being from the Star India stable, it has carved a unique niche for itself.”

     

    Another senior industryperson told us that it’s all about how one works around the demographics.  “Remember what happened after LC1. With an increase in the number of panels and meters across the country, we could be in for a new beginning in television in India. And this is where an &TV can score.”

     

    &TV is scheduled to launch in March, though no dates are given yet. Interesting World Cup Cricket is going to be on till March 29, but being held in Australia and New Zealand, it won’t impact primetime viewing. The 2015 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is scheduled from April 8 to May 24. Then there are the slew of programming on all of television.

     

    And did we hear that there could be a couple of more Hindi GECs that may launch in the next year? It’s a party that will never end. Like one of our infinitely loooong television dramas.