MxMIndia

Tag: Zee5

  • This partnership will offer Siti Broadband subscribers to avail Zee5 content as a value-added service

    Zee5 announces strategic alliance with Siti Broadband

    By A Correspondent

     

    OTT platform Zee5 has joined hands with Siti Broadband to increase the reach of its content. This partnership will offer Siti Broadband subscribers to avail Zee5 content as a value-added service.

     

    Said Manpreet Bumrah, Business Development and Commercial Head, Zee5 India: “We are delighted to partner with Siti Broadband. The coming together of two homegrown platforms will expand immense growth opportunities and grow the binge-watching culture across the country. It will pave the way for a strong and sustained growth trajectory for Zee5 as well as Siti.”

     

    Added Anil Malhotra, CEO, Siti: “The alliance plays to both partner’s individual strength in which consumer gets the maximum advantage. It will give both of us an opportunity to scale up our business ambitions, creating value for all our stakeholders with a focussed and strategic approach. It also gives Zee5 access to Siti Broadband households.”

     

     

  • The Idea was conceptualised by Zee5 internal brand team and executed by the outdoor agency Laqshya

    Zee5 installs dynamic billboards in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has installed real-time, dynamic billboards across Mumbai’s Western Express Highway (WEH). This will inform the commuters of the estimated time of arrival (ETA) to their destination coupled with what to do while traveling by recommending shows like Kaafir, Rangbaaz to watch on the Zee5 app.

     

    The Idea was conceptualized by Zee5 internal brand team and executed by the outdoor agency Laqshya. The billboard went live on July 27 and will stay on for a month.

     

    Said Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, Zee5 India: “Zee5 has always been a platform built for the masses and OOH is an important medium for us to reach out to our target audience. We have been innovating in the outdoor space and it’s our constant endeavour to use data and technology as we are a data technology led company, to reach out to our consumers in a targeted manner. With 100,000+ hours of content in 12 languages, we want to provide our consumers with an enriching personal viewing experience and democratise content by making it available anytime-anywhere.”

     

     

  • His strong background will go a long way in making ZEE5, the most trusted brand for news, said Taranjeet Singh, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head, New Projects, Zee5 India

    Zee5 appoints Yogesh Manwani as Head, News & Stories

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has appointed Yogesh Manwani as Head, News & Stories.

     

    Taranjeet Singh

    Commenting on the new appointment, Taranjeet Singh, Chief Revenue Officer and Business Head, New Projects, Zee5 India said: “News is a dynamic space which is constantly changing and evolving. Yogesh’s experience across various genres will help us strengthen our bond with the viewers along with keeping the brand interesting and relevant. His strong background will go a long way in making Zee5, the most trusted brand for news.”

     

    Yogesh Manwani

    Speaking about his role, Yogesh Manwani, Head, News & Stories, Zee5 India said: “With its stand out originals slate and the unparalleled depth of its library content across genres, formats and languages, Zee5 has successfully established itself as the fastest growing OTT brand in the category. I am excited about carrying this momentum forward to build a robust News and Stories service on the platform that will provide consumers with a high-quality experience. I am happy to join the Zee family and be a part of the Zee5 team that is shaping the future of this category.”

     

     

  • This mandate was won following a multi-agency pitch

    Zee5 partners Lowe Lintas to drive its global creative strategy

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has announced that it has appointed Lowe Lintas as its creative partner to drive its creative strategy across international markets. This mandate was won following a multi-agency pitch. The brand will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office.

     

    Archana Anand

    Commenting on the partnership, Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, Zee5 Global said: “Driving more meaningful conversations with our audiences across markets is a key part of our agenda for the year, and how well we can engage them through our communication will play a critical role in that. We needed to work with a partner who could bring in strong creative ideas that lend themselves well to localization, and that are backed by strategic insights, and Lowe Lintas brings that to the table. We’re happy to have them on board as our creative partners in this next phase of Zee5’s growth.”

     

    Anaheeta Goenka

    “It’s a pleasure to further our Zee network partnership with Zee5”, added Anaheeta Goenka, President, Lowe Lintas. “We are working closely with their truly entrepreneurial and driven team to launch Zee5 globally. An interesting challenge as we needed a global positioning yet something that travels across geographies and mindsets and is yet deeply culturally connecting to the content.
    “Extreme Emotions” is what we serve for any viewer of our content wherever they may be in the world. The idea travels culturally and deeply connects to everyone.”

     

     

  • It’s going to be about big guys and big bucks. It’s going to be quite a ride over the next two years, and I, for one, am not blinking

    OTT: Ride Along, Because It’s Buzzing!

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    It’s all buzzing on the original content front in the OTT space. The five-year-old category in India began to find its feet in 2018, as covered in this column written in September 2018. Since then, over the last six months, the buzz has got stronger by the month. Hotstar is the latest entrant in the big-ticket original content play in the digital space, with the much-publicised launch of shows under the umbrella ‘Hotstar Originals’. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video continue to scale up their India offerings, while Zee5, ALT Balaji and others continue to launch shows by the week. There’s another new entrant in MXPlayer from the Times group, and of course, the guys who started it all, TVF, are very much in the mix too.

     

    The original OTT content ecosystem in India can no longer be called nascent. Over the last 12 months, its broad contours have evolved in a definitive way. The column linked above spoke about the need to prioritize ‘quality over quantity’. While quantity still dominates, quality is slowly beginning to come our way too. And as someone who has had the opportunity to get a peek into some of what’s lined for later this year, I can say with some confidence that 2019 will be the best year for the category quality-wise.

     

    No one is currently bothering themselves too much with the question on where the money (revenue) is going to come from. It’s apparent now that there’s a sound future in this category, and eventually, its economics will work themselves out as the category settles down, maybe by 2021. But you need to be an early entrant and have a substantial subscriber base by then, and that’s what the top players, most of which have deep pockets, are prioritising.

     

    The myth that OTT will kill mainstream television still prevails, and keeps coming up in coffee machine conversations across media houses. It’s the only genuinely-misguided piece in the OTT story. Over the last two weeks, in the aftermath of Pulwama and then Balakot, news ratings have more than doubled. As mentioned in this column last week, sports and news may gain big this year, at the cost of general entertainment. But television will survive alright. Cord-cutting is still a hugely niche metro phenomenon, and there isn’t much to say on it in a country as large as ours.

     

    The intriguing question, then, is: Where are people getting all this additional time in their lives to watch digital content, especially in an age when ‘fast life’ and ‘not enough time’ are commonly-expressed grouses? The answers may not please social or medical experts. It seems that this time is being created at the cost of more ‘developmental’ activities like reading, spending time with family and friends, and… sleep. But that’s another topic for another day.

     

    Last week, Akshay Kumar, currently Bollywood’s most popular male star, walked onto a stage after setting himself on fire, to announce the launch of his new Amazon Prime series (working title: The End). That visual, coming within days of the launch ad of Kumar’s 2020 cop flick Sooryavanshi, sums up where the OTT category is heading. It’s going to be about big guys and big bucks. It’s going to be quite a ride over the next two years, and I, for one, am not blinking.

     

     

  • The campaign was targeted across six markets; Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Lucknow, Bhuj and Shirdi airport

    Laqshya Media partners with Zee5 to launch ‘Rangbaaz’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has partnered with Laqshya Media Group to promote its new original crime thriller, Rangbaaz. The campaign was targeted across six markets; Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Pune, Lucknow, Bhuj and Shirdi airport; and the OOH media vehicle used were large impact sites, marquee sites, airports and clusters to deliver dialogues from the show.

     

    Speaking on the campaign, Jalaj Pathak, Vice President, Laqshya Solutions, Outdoor Agency arm of Laqshya Media Group said: “It is always exciting to work on something creative and we are proud to be associated with Zee5, part one of India’s largest media conglomorate Zee Entertainment Enterprises. When Zee5 came to us to promote their show, we suggested an advertising method which would help increase their viewership of their show. The OTT platform is a growing space in India and we are thus excited to work with Zee5 and look forward to a long lasting association.”

     

     

  • Zee group’s decision to shed up to 50% equity to turn a media-tech major sets the market aflutter

    Who will be ‘extraordinary together’ with Zee?

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    In October 2017, the Zee group unveiled its new corporate identity. Extraordinary Together was to be the new credo.

     

    While making the announcement on Zee’s new corporate brand ideology last year, Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, ZEEL had said: “Our Chairman, Dr. Subhash Chandra’s vision and pioneering efforts caused a revolution in the country 25 years ago. Over time, Zee has evolved from a television broadcaster into a media and entertainment conglomerate with businesses spanning across the spectrum, from broadcasting to music, movies, digital, live entertainment and theatre, providing an extraordinary range of entertainment to audiences around the world. Our new brand ideology – ‘Extraordinary Together’ is rooted in the philosophy that from collaboration comes strength to deliver the extraordinary. In a global company like ours with interests across diverse verticals and businesses, we believe that our ability to win lies in us being able to effectively come together and harness this strength to be extraordinary in the market.”

     

    Chairman Subhash Chandra is known to be a man in a hurry to achieve his goals. And realising that the content-led broadcast play could be a cul de sac, if not merged with technology, he and his family took this significant decision that has indeed sent the market aflutter – not just M&E and M&A but Corporate India as well.

     

    So as the world was just done with Diwali, Subhash Chandra and family along with its advisors met in Mumbai over the Diwali weekend to undertake a strategic review of its businesses in view of the changing global media landscape. The strategic review underscored the importance of technological advancements such as AI, lOT, 3D printing AR, VR and many more. It was observed that these developments will impact virtually all businesses across sectors and business practices will be driven by technological innovation.

     

    The review showed that the family needs to accelerate efforts to stay ahead of fast changing trends. The review noted that with the current 1.3 billion viewers and close to 50 million digital viewers growing at a fast pace, ZEEL is well placed to benefit from current market trends due to its strong brand & bouquet of domestic & international channels. Adding to that strength, Zee5 will further enable the company to leverage the benefits of changing video consumption trends, contributing significantly over the coming years.

     

    Speaking on where the business stands today, Jawahar Goel said, “Punit and Amit have made the right sustainable investments for the future and the business is growing ahead on all fronts in a focused and disciplined way.”

     

    A communique issued notes: “On its own, ZEEL would remain a leader in both linear and digital distribution. It has the consumer insights and knowhow to produce and deliver content for the South Asian diaspora globally. The management depth the Company has built over last two decades distributing content globally in 12 foreign languages puts the Company in a unique position. It has strong revenue streams including advertising and subscription – domestic and international. However, there is recognition that a right global strategic partner will help in transforming ZEEL further, and maximise long term value. It will transform it into a global media-tech player with a unique offering of content to the main stream audiences in 170-plus countries putting it into A KING POSITION globally. It has been decided to undertake a strategic review of Essel’s shareholding in ZEEL with a view to maximise value for the business. The proposed transaction to divest upto 50% of Essel’s holding to such a partner, is expected to address the Essel Group’s capital allocation priorities and will allow ZEEL shareholders to capture the full value of India’s largest entertainment broadcaster with an ever strengthening bouquet Essel has decided to appoint Goldman Sachs Securities (India) Ltd. as their investment banker and US and Europe-based LionTree as an international strategic advisor for this exercise. Essel expects the outcome of the strategic review to be concluded by March/April 2019. We hope that this transaction will meet the objectives of the Essel Group as well as the minority shareholders of ZEEL. India remains a priority market for Subhash Chandra and the Essel Group and the family believes that India is at the cusp of significant growth. The family will continue to invest in growth opportunities in India. Regardless of the outcome of this exercise, Essel is committed to create significant long term value in ZEEL and shall keep on contributing in every possible way going forward.”

     

    The Zee management has had a Call with analysts and Goenka has also had detailed conversations with the business media on this latest gambit. Market analysts and observers MxMIndia  spoke have all been taken by surprise by the move. “Subhash Chandra is known to be master strategist and a maverick, but the decision to shed equity in the most profitable broadcast business in the country is a surprise,” said one analyst who has been tracking the company for over a decade. “However, Chandraji has foresight. Global trends are clear indicators that a content-only play has no long-term future. It has to be a marriage between content and technology. Even internationally, that’s where the wind is blowing.”

     

    The question though the analyst we spoke with as well as others is whether the new suitor will be willing to play a junior role in Zee. “Anyone investing serious dosh will want to play a centrestage role in how the business is going to be conducted. In media, just a few seats on the Board aren’t enough.”

     

    While Goenka said in an interview with CNBC TV18, that he’s happy to exit entirely and start life anew, that’s possibly not the route that global players are looking at. “They realise that only the Subhash Chandra family can run such a lean, mean and successful enterprise. They will want them to continue to drive the business at least in the short run. While technology requires the money, content requires an acumen that Zee has in plenty,” said one more analyst, again speaking on anonymity.

     

    Extraordinary Together is indeed an appropriate credo for the state of things to come.

     

     

  • ‘Dil Se Desi’ announces the arrival of Zee5 in APAC, Africa and MENA

    Zee5 kicks off global launch with new brand campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has launched its global campaign ‘Dil Se Desi’, officially marking the digital platforms’ entry into the International market. An ode to Indians and South Asians around the world, ‘Dil Se Desi’ announces the arrival of Zee5 in APAC, Africa and MENA and very soon, in Europe, Canada and Caribbean.

     

    Commenting on the launch, Amit Goenka, CEO, Zee International and Z5 Global said: “In the first leg of our international foray, we intend to capture the hearts of South Asians across the globe and I think our campaign, ‘Dil Se Desi’ does this beautifully.“

     

    “Interestingly, both this campaign ‘Dil Se Desi’ and the ZEE5 India launch campaign we rolled out in February 2018, ‘Apni Bhasha Mein Feel Hai’ have their genesis in the same insight; that Indians and indeed South Asians today, irrespective of where they live or how globally connected they are, are fundamentally rooted in their culture and feel a strong sense of pride and belonging. Being ‘Desi’ today has moved from being just cool to being an intrinsic part of one’s identity; and that’s what Zee5 taps into. The emotion that whoever or whatever I am on the outside, on the inside I am ‘Dil Se Desi’ and I not only embrace, but celebrate who I am,” said Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, Zee5 Global.

     

    It is this celebration that is brought alive in the campaign that’s been jointly crafted by the teams at Zee5 and Publicis Capital, notes a communique.

     

    Added Bobby Pawar, Chief Creative Officer & Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide (India): “There is something that happens when people from South Asia move abroad. We become one vibrant community that is united by what we all have in common, and this community is known as ‘Desi’. The ‘Dil Se Desi’ idea celebrates what we love about being ‘desi’, the quirks, the attitude, the culture, the coolness, the togetherness and the content we can’t do without.”

     

     

  • The brand will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office

    Zee5 partners Publicis Capital for global communications mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5, the OTT platform of the Zee group, has partnered with Publicis Capital to help drive its global strategy. The brand will be handled by the agency’s Mumbai office.

     

    Archana Anand

    Commenting on the plans for Zee5, Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, Zee5 Global said: “The launch of Zee5 globally has catapulted us into our next phase of growth and we needed a partner to help us quickly establish ourselves as the largest global platform for Indian language entertainment. Publicis specialises in transformative, effective and data-driven communication solutions, which is integral to our growth plans for Zee5. Their data-led strategic approach, strong creative framework and robust network will enable us to efficiently develop an integrated, universally resonant, and holistic brand identity globally and we are thrilled to partner with them.”

     

    Srija Chatterjee

    Sharing her views on the partnership with Zee5, Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide (India), said: “Clearly, OTT has become the entertainment buzzword across the world these past few years. Little wonder then that we’re so proud to be partnering with Zee5 as a  leader brand and even more privileged to be entrusted with the challenging yet exciting responsibility of taking the brand global and making it the go-to destination for the South Asian diaspora and beyond. We are currently working on putting together an effective brand campaign, which through its distinct appeal will surely succeed in achieving the stated communication objective. Watch this space for more!”

  • Former Twitter India Business Head logs on to new role at Zee5

    Zee5 appoints @taranjeet24 as CRO & Biz Head – New Projects

    By A Correspondent

     

    Taranjeet Singh

    OTT platform Zee5 may have been a late entrant, but is galloping ahead and ramping up quick at all levels. It has now announced the appointment of Taranjeet Singh as Chief Revenue Officer & Business Head – New Projects.

     

    Commenting on the new appointment, Tarun Katial, CEO, Zee5 India said: “The consumption patterns of the Indian audience are rapidly evolving. Taranjeet’s extensive experience in the media sector across print, television and digital will hold us in good stead in the times to come. His robust track record and insights will go a long way in advancing ZEE5 India’s focus to achieve new milestones.”

     

    Said Singh on his new role: Engaging with the content consumer has been an exciting journey for me. The OTT space is definitely booming and working with a brand like Zee5 from the Zee Group, a media powerhouse is indeed an honour. Within months of launch, the brand is already No 2 in the OTT space and I am looking forward to joining the team to take it to newer heights.”

     

    Singh comes with extensive experience in the media and entertainment space. Prior to joining ZEE5, he was leading business for the Indian operations of Twitter. He has also worked in the past with BBC Worldwide, Outlook Publishing and The Pioneer amongst others.

  • A combination of the best regional and national news at your fingertips now

    Republic TV to live-stream on Zee5

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee5 has strengthened its offering in the news content space by launching the live-stream of Republic TV on its platform.

     

    Announcing the partnership, Manish Aggarwal, Business Head, Zee5 India said: “With the addition of Republic TV, the platform is looking to connect with viewers who are digitally savvy but do not want to lose on the live news experience. Our association with Republic TV aligns well with our commitment to making Zee5 as the one-stop destination for digital content consumption.”

     

     

  • Dixit has joined as Senior Vice President and Head Marketing for India and International markets

    AltBalaji appoints Divya Dixit as Head of Marketing

    By A Correspondent

     

    AltBalaji has announced the appointment of Divya Dixit as Senior Vice President and Head Marketing for India and International markets. She has joined AltBalaji from Zee5.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Nachiket Pantvaidya, CEO AltBalaji and Group COO Balaji Telefilms said:“As we continue to grow the company while deepening our relationship with viewers around the globe, we also want to ensure that we have the strongest leadership team in place at AltBalaji. We are delighted to have Divya on board. She will be pivotal in driving AltBalaji’s vision of shaping and defining its leadership in the fast-growing and dynamic OTT sector. With her experience in media, entertainment and the digital space, we look forward to further capitalizing our digital expansion and I wish her all the best. All the other various marketing units operating under AltBalaji umbrella will now roll into Divya.”

     

    Commenting on the occasion, Dixit added: “AltBalaji is a leader in clutter breaking original content. It is an exciting time for OTT players, as the Indian digital landscape is exploding. I truly believe that AltBalaji will raise multiple industry benchmarks and shall continue being a dominant player in the space. I am thrilled to join the AltBalaji family and looking forward to a successful journey.”