MxMIndia

Tag: Viacom18

  • It’s time that individuals are accepted as they are, writes Sonia Huria, highlighting the ‘#ThisIsMe’ campaign at Viacom18 which started with a conversation amongst employees about being themselves

    Sonia Huria: To Me or Not To Me

    By Sonia Huria

     

    The freedom of being ones true self is a basic right and one that is unfortunately not a part of any constitution or declaration of freedom. Through the generations, men and women have suffered gender typecast, resulting into gender roles. This International Women’s Day, as we discuss gender-parity, let us take a moment to contemplate and talk about being ourselves, without feeling the need to justify it. Statements like ‘Men don’t cry’ and ‘Women can’t drive’ are common lingo and regressive not only towards women, but also men and the society at large. And it’s time that individuals are accepted as they are, raising a cultural movement of #ThisIsMe.

     

    The Media & Entertainment industry is a force-multiplier at the heart of society and I believe that it us who can act as a catalyst to disrupt gender conventions. Content produced and disseminated in mass media is at the crux of bringing about social change. Let’s take the example of a few stories told by Viacom18 that have changed the narrative in gender representation. Be it cinema or the small screen, and more recently digital platforms like Voot, characters that portray people (both men and women) in real roles have been widely appreciated. Rani (Queen) owned up to the identity of a woman failedby a relationship; Harman (Shakti) is a man who is tirelessly fighting for the rights of his transgender wife andMeera’s (It’s Not That Simple) journey to self-discovery in a marriage are characters that have seen great success, exemplary of the fact that society is adept to change when media begins a conversation.

     

    And the entire media and entertainment industry has time and again come together to address gender conventions. Powerful advertising campaigns such as Share the Load (Ariel), Touch the Pickle (Whisper) and Like A Girl (Always) have challenged gender type castand age-old practices. More recently the #MeToo campaign led to women breaking their silence around harassment, lending support and voice to one another. Such is the power of media that a film called ‘Bawandar’ based on the Bhanwari Devi rape case led to the PIL that created the Vishakha Guidelines to prevent sexual harassment at workplace.

     

    So, this International Women’s Day, we initiated a conversation amongst our employees about being themselves, and own up to the way they are. #ThisIsMe is a campaign that hopes to open minds and initiate a conversation that spotlights on shedding inhibitions that come along with the way one is supposed to be as opposed to the way we are as individuals. As an industry, we have the power to #OpenNewWorldsand we need to think and act beyond conventions.With #ThisIsMe campaign, we bring forth stories of accepting ourselves as we are, opening minds and avenues for all to do the same.

     

    Sonia Huria is Head- Communications & CSR at Viacom18. The views here are personal.

  • Isha Foundation, Reliance Foundation, Vodafone-Ogilvy & Ola-Happy win big at presented

    Big night for green advertising

     

    The eighth edition of the Olive Crown Awards, the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter’s awards for excellence in communicating sustainability was held in Mumbai on Tuesday, March 6. Isha Foundation, Reliance Foundation, Vodafone-Ogilvy & Ola-Happy McGarryBowen bagged the top awards.

     

    Said Ramesh Narayan, President – IAA India: “The response was heartening with more than 100 per cent increase in the number of entries being received. Entries have come from nine countries in total. The Olive Crown is truly a pan-Asian award now.”

     

     

    The Gold Corporate Social Crusader Award was presented to Reliance Foundation and the Silver to Vodafone. While accepting the award on behalf of foundation chair Nita Ambani, Kaushik Roy spoke of how Jamnagar in Gujarat, once with just 83 trees, today has 2500 acres of man-made green patch. They were proud of being the world’s largest mangrove and started at a time when the government hadn’t mandated CSR. Ogilvy & Mather bagged the prestigious Campaign of the Year for their Vodafone campaign. Shankar Mahadevan and children from his academy entertained the audience with a performance that had people asking for more.

     

    The Corporate Green Crusader award was presented to Isha Foundation for their Rally for Rivers initiative. Reading the citation, Megha Tata mentioned said: “The IAA is privileged to present Isha Foundation the Green Crusader Award for its unique and far-reaching initiatives for a sustainable environment and spreading the seeds for a greener future.”

     

    The highlight of the evening was a conversation of Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation, better known as Sadhguru, Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats. “This is Bharat – on small issues we may fight but we come together when there is a real problem,” he said on the Rally for Rivers project, adding: “When we get to a certain pace of activity in life, we have a fundamental responsibility to positively impact the life around us.”

    Olive Crown Winners- 2018

  • Viacom18 unveiled the line-up of Colors Tamil which will launch on Feb 19

    Colors Tamil to launch on Feb 19 in HD & SD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Viacom18 announced the launch of its Tamil general entertainment channel Colors Tamil. The channel will be available from February 19 in High and Standard Definition (HD and SD) with 22 hours of original content every week. At launch, the channel will be available in all leading cable networks catering to an estimated  11mn homes in rest of Tamil Nadu through Tamil Nadu Arasu Corporation, and 3.5 mn homes in Greater Chennai through SCV, TCCL among others. Furthermore the channel will be available on all DTH platforms – Sun Direct, Tata Sky, Airtel, DishTv & Videocon D2h – reaching out to around 5.5mn households. Significantly, the channel will also be available on Viacom18’s digital platform, Voot.

    Speaking at the launch, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO – Viacom18 said, “After spreading our wings across seven languages, Colors is entering the lucrative, fast-growing and discerning Tamil entertainment market – in line with our stated strategy to drive regional growth aggressively. Our proven ability to break the clutter and disrupt the status quo will help us tell endearing stories to over 20Mn TV households in the state and a large global audience in the coming months and years.”

    Added Ravish Kumar, Head, Regional Entertainment – Viacom18: “Tamil Nadu, the country’s 6th most populous state (per Census 2011) is among the bigger television content consuming markets, with a per capita daily viewership of ~3 hours which is more than that of the hindi speaking markets (~2.5 hours). With an estimated base of 1150 advertisers, Tamil Nadu is one of the more lucrative broadcast entertainment markets in India. Our biggest drive is to deliver new and never before seen content to the Tamil audience. We have invested big in conceptualizing programs that are inspiring, innovative, experimental and technically sound. With 22 hours of original content at launch, we are more than confident of Colors Tamil becoming a blockbuster hit here.”

    Said Anup Chandrasekharan, Business Head – Colors Tamil said, “Idhu Namma Oru Coloru … the Colors of our land. Our tagline encapsulates our vision of COLORS Tamil. It is a platform that aims to entertain, enrich and engage individuals across the length and breadth of the state. Our study of the existing broadcast entertainment market suggests that there is a need gap between what the audience wants to watch and the kind of content that is available to them. Therefore our focus on content that is differentiated, thought provoking and socially conscious. Colors Tamil is a promise of optimism, celebration and hope!”

    The channel will offer a range of fiction and non-fiction programs spanning from family drama, reality TV, comedy to fantasy, informed Ravish Kumar.  As part of its fiction lineup, Colors Tamil has three shows that portray strong women protagonists. The flagship show of the channel that the channel heads hope will create the right buzz at launch will reality show ‘Enge Veetu Maapilai’. It will feature the hunt for the ideal match for the channel’s Brand Ambassador and Kollywood superstar Arya. Spanning over 40 episodes, the show will air the search for the right match for the superstar. And then there’s ‘Colors Super Kids’, a kind talent show for children, offering them a platform to showcase their talents without competing against each other.

     

     

  • The 1% stake buy indicates a USD 2 bn valuation for the Reliance-owned TV18 and Viacom joint venture

    So what does the Reliance controlling stake mean for Viacom18?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    It was sure to happen. Reliance Industries is a serious player and investor in the TMT ecosystem, and more importantly, anything that fuels its telecom business.

     

    When it first chose to invest in Network18 in 2012, it had indicated that the investments in media would eventually help in building the content pipeline. There were many reservations expressed when the Mukesh Ambani-run Reliance Industries took complete charge of the news business of Network18 (and Television18) in July 2014. The reservations then may have been with reason given the fear that big business-controlled news business will bring in its own commercial and political interests into play. However, as has been seen, all these were proved incorrect. Editorially, the news offerings are objective, and decidedly a lot more than some of the rightwing channels.

     

    A CNN-IBN may have opted out of getting a bigname news anchor, but that has actually worked in its favour. Rahul Joshi as CEO of the news business and group editor-in-chief has elevated the overall standards. And from what we learn, there is an overall delight with the big(g) bosses at Reliance Industries headquarters.

     

    In fact it’s the pace with which Reliance work could significantly help Viacom18 change gears, say industry observers.

     

    There is also delight over the Viacom18 valuation of USD 2 billion. This was determined by the one percent stake buy by the Reliance Industries-owned TV18 at the value of USD 20 million or around Rs 127 crore. The transaction is likely to be completed in a month.

     

    Until the announcement happened, both Viacom and TV18 had an equal 50 per cent equity in the joint venture. Viacom18 started out with three channels and it has grown into a 44-channel multiple platform business including films, merchandise and live entertainment.

     

    Meanwhile, the brand and content licence between Viacom and TV18 has been extended by another decade which will ensure the continuance of channels like MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central etc in the fold. Viacom18 has reported total revenues of Rs 30,407 million in financial year 2016-17, charting a 40x-plus growth in topline since inception.

     

    This is what key captains of the Network18, Viacom and Viacom18 said in a communique:

    Adil Zainulbhai, Chairman – Network18: “The transaction further enables our vision for Viacom18 to accentuate its focus on excellence and integration in the broadcast and digital space. The entertainment powerhouse continues to be bolstered by Viacom’s global expertise in content creation and curation, along with Network18 group and affiliates’ strength across the media & telecom value-chain”

     

    David Lynn, CEO – Viacom International Media Networks: “Viacom 18 is one of the fastest growing companies in India’s dynamic media and technology sector and, as a result of this transaction, we believe it will be even better-positioned for accelerated growth through closer integration and alignment with the Network 18 Group and its affiliates, including India’s fastest growing mobile network, Jio. Viacom remains strongly committed to our Viacom 18 joint venture with the Network 18 Group and we are retaining the vast majority of our ownership stake in the company. We’re delighted to extend our licensing deal with Viacom 18 and see clear potential to expand it in live events and recreation, in line with our growing global presence in these lines of business.”

     

    Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO – Viacom18: “We turned 10 last year and our growth journey has been exciting to say the least. None of this would have been possible without the support and commitment of both our partners. This development will allow us to leverage deeper synergies with Jio as we enter our next growth phase. As India’s youngest full-play media organization, we remain committed to winning the hearts of our audiences across all our on-air, on-line, in-store, in-theatre and on-ground businesses- and enriching the digital life of every Indian.”

    The key factor in the development is doubtlessly TV18 taking operational control of Viacom18. Given Reliance Jio and a significant interest in the growing the media and entertainment landscape, it is expected that there will be greater synergies. Also, given the larger interests of Relaince Industries in sports, an entry into sports broadcast is not totally ruled out. Beyond the current baby steps that the group is taking with the tri-nation Nidahas Trophy next month.

     

    What remains to be seen is how the plans for Voot play out, given that Jio has its own platform plus there’s Alt-Balaji.

     

     

  • Hindi telecast on Rishtey Cineplex and Cineplex HD and English commentary on DSPORT

    DSport partners Viacom 18 for NIDAHAS Trophy 2018

     

     

    DSport has acquired the exclusive India broadcast rights of NIDAHAS Trophy 2018 and has joined hands with Viacom18 to telecast the series live. While DSport will air the English commentary, Viacom18-owned channels Rishtey Cineplex and Cineplex HD will feature Hindi commentary for the tournament.

     

    Explaining the rationale behind the partnership, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO, Viacom18 said, “Sports broadcasting is a bit of a business conundrum – it represents a sizeable opportunity, but the cost of entry tends to be prohibitive. It has been a white space that we have continuously been evaluating and this association with DSport to air the NIDAHAS tri-series provides us with a fertile testing ground. As we endeavour to test waters with our very first broadcast of an international sporting property, what better than a cricket tri-series involving the national team.”

     

    “The future belongs to collaborative broadcasting and this association between Discovery’s DSPORT and Viacom18’s Rishtey Cineplex is a pioneering initiative that seeks to broaden the horizon of sports broadcasting in India,” said Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom18 adding, “Cricket is much more than a sport in this country – it is an emotion. With this collaboration, we will be taking this emotion to more than ~460mn additional viewers in India.”

     

    Commenting on the partnership, T.S. Panesar, Head of DSport Business said: “In a first of its kind arrangement we are delighted to partner with Viacom18’s Rishtey Cineplex and Cineplex HD to bring Hindi telecast of the NIDAHAS trophy to millions of fans in India. The NIDAHAS trophy celebrates 70 years of Sri Lankan Independence and as such holds a special significance and we expect a keenly fought contest between India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.”

     

    This tri-nation international T20 tournament will culminate on March 18. All matches will be played at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

     

     

  • The Viacom18 channel will continue to air the IIFA and Stardust Awards

    Filmfare Awards moves to Colors from Sony

    By A Correspondent

     

    Okay, it may be incorrect to compare the loss of these rights to that of the IPL, but, well, Sony Entertainment Television has lost the rights to the biggest event in Hindi mass entertainment, the Filmfare Awards. The sixty-third edition of the premier awards – regarded as the Oscars of the Hindi film industry – will be aired this year on Colors. The event will happen in Mumbai on January 20 with Shah Rukh Khan as host. The date of telecast has not yet been announced.

     

    While Colors has bagged the rights for the Filmfare Awards, it hasn’t junked the Stardust and IIFA Awards, in both of which it has invested a fair bit to promote over the last few years. The announcement has already sent shock waves in the industry. A few years back, Colors had also acquired rights for IIFA Awards from Star Plus. And with Filmfare in the kitty, one can expect greater action on live entertainment coverage in the coming year.

     

    Commenting on the acquisition, Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom18 said: “What a happy ending to 2017 as we welcome the iconic black lady into the Colors family. The black lady is perhaps the most recognisable award in the country and the addition of which to our bouquet of offerings will make our channel the Mecca of entertainment for the viewers.”

     

    Added Deepak Lamba, CEO, Worldwide Media: “We are happy to announce the latest edition of 63rd Jio Filmfare Awards 2018. Last year, Filmfare took few big steps in strengthening its foothold and expand its reach on the digital platform with strategic associations with Facebook, twitter etc. This year as well, we aim to set a new benchmark by reaching out to our patrons using television as well as digital platforms. We are also delighted to announce Colors as our exclusive television partners. We promise to continue to offer the best in entertainment awards and bring Bollywood’s biggest stars under one roof for the celebration of the best of Hindi cinema in the year gone by. Considering the response and admiration received for Filmfare Short Films Awards, we are excited to announce its return this year.”

     

    At the time of writing, MxMIndia has been unable to confirm the year from when Filmfare Awards rights have rested with Sony, but it’s clearly been for around two decades. One entertainment business portal has even indicated that it’s been with Sony since 1995.

     

     

  • BCL will be aired on the youth channel from Feb 13

    MTV acquires broadcast rights for Box Cricket League

    By A Correspondent

     

    Youth channel MTV and Box Cricket League come together to offer a mix of cricket and entertainment in typical MTV style.

     

    MTV will join hands with Balaji Telefilms and Marinating Films to the celebrity cricket matches with the over 200 television celebrities starting February 13, 2018.

     

    Commenting on the association with Balaji Telefilms Limited, Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom18 said: “We all know about young India’s obsession with cricket! With MTV Box Cricket League, we will be taking the nation’s obsession with cricket and entertainment a notch higher by ensuring we give the youth of India what it wants – celebrities and cricket – on a channel they love the most – MTV. Not only is the MTV Box Cricket League a fun concept but also an opportunity for viewers to see their favourite stars in a new avatar and engage with brand MTV in a whole new manner. It’s going to be extremely exciting to see the league unfold on screen for both, us and the viewers.”

     

    Added Ferzad Palia, Head – Youth, Music and English Entertainment, Viacom18: “MTV is a brand that knows the pulse of the youth like no one else does and cricket being a sport which fascinates a lot of youngsters, we knew this would be a perfect association for us. When Prime Time stars take on their new role on the cricket pitch, we’re positive young India is going to sit up and not only take notice but follow each match in the league with keen interest. The stellar line up of celebrities will definitely make MTV Box Cricket League all the more engaging for our young viewers.”

     

    On partnering with MTV, Ekta Kapoor – JMD, Balaji Telefilms, said: “MTV BCL 2018 is a reboot that’s set to excite and entertain viewers across the television and digital medium. With a prime time slot on India’s top youth channel, MTV BCL is poised to take the audiences on a dramatic sport extravaganza. Add to this the top male and female faces of indian television and the landscape is unlike any other. Audiences today are ready for clutter breaking content and this is a step in that direction.”

     

     

  • Chopra succeeds Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, who completed a one-year tenure as Chairman

    Nakul Chopra is new BARC Chairman

     

     

    Nakul Chopra, currently President AAAI and Senior Advisor, Publicis Communications has been elected as the next Chairman of BARC India. Chopra succeeds Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, who successfully completed his one-year tenure as Chairman.

     

    Chopra will be the third Chairman of BARC India. He joined the BARC India Board in September 2016 and since then has been an integral part of the various decisions taken by the Board.

     

    Said Chopra on being elected as BARC India Chairman: “BARC India has been very busy in the past one year, as it further consolidated its TV measurement business. 2017 has also been the year when groundwork was done for key future projects, and in the year ahead I am looking forward to oversee their implementation. Top on that list is the rollout of EKAM – our digital measurement products. Expansion of TV sample using Return Path Data will be the other big piece to watch out for. We are all thankful to Sudhanshu for his leadership over the past year and I very much look forward to working closely with Partho and his excellent team over the coming year ”

     

    Under the chairmanship of Vats, BARC India expanded its sample panel homes from 20,000 to 30,000. Under his tenure, BARC India also announced its partnership with multi system operator DEN Networks for Return Path Data and announced the digital measurement partner.

     

    Added Vats: “My stint at the helm of BARC has been extremely rewarding. When I look back at what the team has achieved in a matter of just one year, I feel a sense of pride. It’s been a pleasure to work with Partho and the team. BARC is a bold, paradigm-changing initiative that has already started to redefine our industry. Since inception, BARC has tackled several challenges while several remain. Going forward, I would urge all stakeholders to continue to take cognizance of the pace of change in our sector and the urgent need for us to adapt. A few years out, the next generation of industry leaders needs to look back and admire our shared legacy. This means creating a future-ready, sustainable organization with each of us making some concessions for the greater good. At a personal level, I have gained tremendously in terms of a deeper understanding of how data and analytics can transform our operations. There is never a dull day at BARC India. I wish Nakul the very best as he takes on the reins of a hard-working, industry-critical operation in a fast-changing operating landscape. I am sure that BARC India will touch new heights under his leadership.” Vats has been on the Board of BARC India since its inception and will continue in his capacity as a Board member.

     

    Welcoming the new Chairman, BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta said: “I am thankful to Sudhanshu for his guidance and support to the team. Our aim has always been to successfully meet the growing and emerging needs of industry. Our focus now is to establish ourselves as an insights company. Nakul in his new role as BARC India Chairman will be a great driving force in launching our digital measurement products, expanding sample homes via RPD, and launching a suite of new products.”

     

     

  • The animated series will debut on 10th December

    Colors to air animated series ‘Baahubali: The Lost Legends’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Blockbuster film Baahubali is set for its television debut in the form of an animated series called, Baahubali: The Lost Legends. Starting December 10, the series will air every Sunday at 11.30am on Colors.

     

    Produced by Arka Media Works and Graphic India, the series features all new original stories from acclaimed filmmaker S S Rajamouli. The series is set before the incidents happened in ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ and ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’.

     

    Commenting on the premiere, Raj Nayak, COO – Viacom18 said: “The beauty of an animated storytelling is that it connects with all age groups. Baahubali: The Lost Legends is one of the few made-in-India series that matches its western contemporaries in terms of its narrative, quality of animation and background score. Keeping up with our promise of providing wholesome entertainment to the viewers, we are delighted to be bringing the folklores of Baahubali on TV and make their Sunday mornings even more entertaining.”

     

    Baahubali: The Lost Legends has been created by S.S. Rajamouli and Sharad Devarajan who are the producers, along with Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni of Arka Mediaworks and Jeevan J. Kang, Graphic’s EVP Creative and series writer, Ashwin Pande.

     

     

  • The initiative is a first-of-its-kind circumnavigation attempt at a World Record in a microlight plane

    Social Access Communications announces ‘ColorsWE! Women Empower’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Social Access Communications in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, and Colors have launched ‘WE! Women Empower.’ The initiative attempts a first-of-its-kind, never before done, circumnavigation around the planet in a microlight, by a mother-daughter duo.

     

    Commending the expedition and extending her whole-hearted support, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said: “Flight is one of the best symbols of liberation and I am happy to say that Indian women have demonstrated that there is no glass ceiling in the sky time and time again. As many as 11 per cent of our pilots are women, while a country like the US has only 3 per cent. In the Indian Air Force, our girls are already accepted in the cockpit. Endurance flying requires presence of mind, quick decision making, mental strength and impeccable communication – all of which are qualities that would stand our daughters in good stead as they take on the challenges of life.”

     

    Waving a green flag to Capt Audrey Maben and Amy Mehta’s endeavour, Raj Nayak, COO – Viacom18, said: “Colors is extremely proud to be partnering with such an innovative, courageous and empowering cause. This is going to be such a great accomplishment for us Indians, and even a greater feat for women everywhere. It’s so humbling to see these two women defy all rules and limitations to achieve the unthinkable. This association between Colors and WE! is an effort to shape and mould discussions around inspiring and motivating women to come out of their boundaries and show the world what they are capable of. While we spread this message through our platform, I urge more and more women to break the shackles of the society and spread their wings to fly. A big thank you to Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao movement and Ministry of Women and Child Development for having lent their support to this initiative as I  strongly believe that together we will be able to enhance the lives of our women.”

     

     

  • Dabur Red Paste is the presenting sponsor of the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2017 which will be ‘powered’ by Jolly Rancher in association with Yellow Diamond and Funskool

    Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards 2017 on Dec 15

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nickelodeon is set to kick off the awards season with the ‘Kids Choice Awards’ that gets kids by providing them with an opportunity to vote for their favorites across multiple categories. The property has roped in a slew of sponsors – Dabur Red Paste, Jolly Rancher, Yellow Diamond and Funskool – for the awards which will happen on December 15 at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai.

     

    Speaking on the third edition of the awards, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Business Head, Kids’ Cluster, Viacom18 said: “At Nickelodeon, we have always believed in empowering children and giving them an opportunity to voice their choices. It is with this belief that we started KCA and with each passing year, not only have we dialed up the connect with our young audiences and their parents but also have exponentially increased the propertyÂ’s appeal to the advertising community. This being Viacom18’s 10th anniversary year, and Nickelodeon being one of the founding brands the network launched with, KCA will be bigger, better, louder and slimier than ever before!”

     

    Added Harkawal Singh, Head – Marketing (Oral Care), Dabur India: “Through Nickelodeon and KCA, Dabur Red Paste plans to further spread the message about dental hygiene. Also to educate children about best oral care practices with a focused and specially crafted campaign along with some fun and entertainment.” KCA 2017 is being promoted through a 360-degree marketing campaign.

     

     

  • The rendition of the brand philosophy in the title track has been sung by celebrated singer Jubin Nautiyal

    Leo Burnett Orchard creates Viacom18’s ‘Open New Worlds’ film

    By A Correspondent

     

    Here’s more on the corporate brand film created for the tenth anniversary of Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. Titled ‘Open New Worlds’ and conceptualised by Leo Burnett Orchard, the network’s creative agency, the film captures the entertainment network’s decade=long engagement with over 500 Mn+ Indians across 80 countries.

     

     

    Sonia Huria

    Said Sonia Huria, Head – Communications & CSR, Viacom18: “From rank newcomers to India’s fastest growing full-play media organisation, Viacom18’s journey, in this industry dominated by legacy players, has been a chronicle of disruptive innovation. While deliberating on the singular theme that would best describe the corporate brand salience, the one thought that kept resurfacing throughout our varied businesses and brands was how Viacom18 has been encouraging everyday Indians to explore possibilities, push their own boundaries, embrace opportunities and challenge norms. This was the genesis to the brand promise of Open New Worlds,” and added: “I’m thankful to Leo Burnett Orchard for helping us conceptualise and execute this film. I’d also like to thank Jubin Nautiyal for the amazing rendition of our song.”

     

    Amod Dani

    Speaking about the creative thought behind the campaign, Amod Dani, Executive Creative Director – Leo Burnett Orchard, said: “This project has been an interesting challenge right from the start. How do you introduce a decade-old media company, with immensely famous brands in its fold that defines entertainment across genres, platforms and cultures, with a film that is more than just a corporate statement? The inspiring brand ethos that reflects the belief of the company helped us outline how each of Viacom18’s individual brands change lives of Indians every day. And how unlikely audiences connect with content, merchandise and derive inspiration and joy. Creating Open New Worlds has been a highlight of our journey with the group, one that will live with us for a long time.”

     

    The corporate brand film will have an integrated reach and will find presence on outdoor and digital media in addition to the Viacom18 network.