MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT SPECIAL THE ECONOMIC TIMES FEBRUARY 22-28, 2017 INSIDEBE SWIMMING WITH HOW OTT PLAYERS STACK UP ON USERS & TIME SPENT ON PLATFORM THE NEW FACES OF {All January 2017 fi gures} ENTERTAINMENT THE STREAMING AIB, TVF, QYUKI, Y-FILMS HOTSTAR Interview With one of highest number soon with Netflix switching on its service in +63 mn active users India in January last year, followed by Voot from IN DEFENCE minutes Viacom18 and Amazon’s Prime Video finally 11.3 bn OF TV of on-demand video spent on the platform SULAGNA launching in December last year. CHATTERJEE platforms in any global Ajit Mohan, CEO, Hotstar, says, “We believed On XX 2 market, players are that the market was stunted because no sin- VOOT gle company had chosen to thoughtfully in- going OTT to woo Indian vest in creating a great consumer service 13.2 mn active users with depth in content and leveraging world viewers. BE finds out how class technology.” He tells us that they 2.8 bn minutes spent on the platform the big six stack up were also convinced that, given a choice, consumers will gravitate towards high quality, curated long form content. BY GAURAV LAGHATE While Hotstar was the first catalyst in the AMAZON PRIME VIDEO MUMBAI evolutionary process, the chain reaction (launched in December 2016) TURKISH DELIGHTS was set in motion with the launch of Reliance TURKEY: THE WORLD’S inge watching your favorite Jio in October 2016, which got into the main- 9.48 mn active users SECOND LARGEST EXPORTER NITESH KRIPLANI “We show on a video-streaming service stream over 70 million mobile internet users , director and country head, Amazon Prime Video India: OF TV DRAMAS have seen great traction from customers and the impact is evident in the fact can kill your social life and cause with free hi-speed 4G internet. That opened the that Prime sign-ups have more than doubled since we launched.” NETFLIX CHEATS concerned acquaintances in your floodgates for OTT players, and helped the com- On XX 3 WhatsApp groups to send “R U panies add new subscribers and increase time B OKAY???” texts. But the rise of on- spent on the platforms. SONY LIV demand, marathon viewing has And while there is bandwidth available now, 4.6 mn active users given life to many over-the-top (OTT) players in the key factors remain compelling content and minutes the country and, indeed, the world. seamless user experience, which is what these 422.9 mn spent on the platform In India, content is increasingly being consumed Market was stunted players are now focussing on. on handheld devices (read mobile phones) on OTT because no com- platforms as the current generation doesn’t have pany had invested Whose content is king? UDAY SODHI, executive VP and head - Digital Business at Sony Pictures the patience to wait for a show or movie to air on a in creating a great For most players, catch-up TV is the mainstay. Networks India: “Sony Liv has a total download of 28-30 million, while our linear platform like television. This viewer wants According to Uday Sodhi, executive VP and head active user base stands at about 10 million at any given point of time. Usually her content just like Maggi noodles - masaledaar, consumer service - digital business at Sony Pictures Networks the trend is that one-third of the subscribers are active on the platform.” BY INVITATION: instant and on-demand. Ajit Mohan India, “Largest contributor for us is catch-up TV, BARC’S PARTHO DASGUPTA Hotstar ON THE MYTH OF MEDIA- Between Hotstar, Voot, Sony Liv, Ozee, Netflix followed by sports. However, when it comes to DARK RURAL INDIA and Prime Video, an Indian consumer has more films, on digital there is a slightly higher skew NETFLIX choice for content than consumers anywhere in While technol- towards more artistic films, which may not be big 4.2 mn active users the world. Brand Equity takes a deep dive in ogy will become commercial hits, or classics and others which are the world of these OTT players and find out how hard to get.” 495.4 mn cheaper, players minutes spent on they stack up. will be in a state of For Hotstar too, TV shows and movies drive con- the platform land grab sumption. “Bringing together current TV shows, Voice of 2015: The Watershed Year new movies and live sports on a single platform OZEE Before 2015, many content companies tried their Uday Sodhi is fairly unique for a streaming platform even Sony Pictures Networks India +Trump hands at the play, but nobody could make a dent by global standards. And, the power of what we 2.4 mn active users with the right mix of technology and content. have managed to build is that no one thing powers INTERVIEW WITH However, the turning point was when Star India launch of Hotstar, supported by multi-million Hotstar. Of course, sports is getting big eyeballs 679.4 mn COMEDIAN GREG minutes spent on SHAPIRO launched Hotstar in 2015, which got the mix dollar marketing and promotion blitzkrieg, en- but, sports is less than 15% of our overall watch the platform on XX 4 right. Though Sony Pictures Networks India’s sured a top-of-the-mind recall of the product. time,” Mohan of Hotstar adds. Sony Liv was already in the market, the big bang The international and national players followed >Continued on Page 4 Source: App Annie GRAPHIC: BHAVIN GAJJAR What’s New In Nayi Soch ? Why has Star Plus embraced the purpose-driven branding route? such communication was the relative with the setting: a drama in an office is BY RAVI BALAKRISHNAN subtlety with which the message played progressive but in a kitchen, it is regres- MUMBAI out. All of it is part of a deliberate pur- sive.” Adds Narayan Sundararaman, pose driven strategy acknowledges general manager Star Plus, “Given the f you are short on inspiration, ad- Gayatri Yadav, president – consumer context in which our stories are told, ev- vertising works better these days strategy and innovation, Star India. erything need not be confrontational. Ithan tomes from Norman Vincent She says “The measure is the impact on The best way to change is to inspire and Peale. As brands embrace purpose society and not brand equity scores.” move things along gradually and it very driven planks, our airwaves are full While several brands discovered a more seldom happens with a revolution.” of messages exhorting us to be better, purposeful approach along the way, Star Even in its campaigns, Star is careful more compassionate, less self-critical Plus makes the case for a purpose it’s to avoid messaging that says ‘what you versions of ourselves. What started at backed for a while being articulated are doing is wrong’. Instead according least in part to break clutter, is becom- more sharply. Says Yadav, to Yadavv, it’s about “a ing clutter of a different, frequently ag- “We’ve always seen TV as STAR HAS BEEN philosophical reframing gravating kind. perhaps the most power- of reality; making peo- Amid the rash of empowering mes- ful platform and catalyst PURSUING CSR, ple say, ‘Maybe I’ve not sages, what managed to grab attention for social change. To quote thought of it this way.’” this October was when three of India’s (Star india CEO) Uday OR AS THE KV Sridhar aka Pops, best loved cricketers temporarily Shankar, “To be in the me- COMPANY CALLS founder and chief cre- gave up their highly recognisable last dia and not use its power ative officer of Hyper names: Dhoni, Kohli and Rahane for to make a better society is IT CREATIVE Collective who con- Devki, Saroj and Sujata, the names of a wasted opportunity.”” sciously tried to push their mothers. Apart from a film, the A study the network con- SOCIAL positive subtle posi- jerseys with these names even made ducted, speaking to hun- tive societal messages their debut on the field with the bless- dreds of women across the RESPONSIBILITY through his work in ings of the BCCI and Nike. Social me- country had some interesting findings: Leo Burnett believes a brand needs a dia posts made approving noises and women were surging ahead with a de- purpose to stay relevant: “How else do the campaign was even homaged in an sire to influence and impact the world, you distinguish yourself in an age of Amul hoarding. What separated it from but were frequently held back by social formula and commoditisation? It’s by the strident, occasionally shrill tenor of stereotypes. value systems: your purpose of exis- And so Star says its been pursuing tence must find a place in society.” He No matter CSR aka creative social responsibil- believes Star Plus though is still oper- what part of ity, running shows with a greater focus ating in a tactical space and has yet to on stronger roles for women. Some of scale the purpose driven heights of Tata media you these like Naamkaran tackle the ques- Tea with Jaago Re or Idea. work in, if you tions of a woman’s identity. Others like For her part, Yadav is preparing for a are not using Diya Aur Baati Hum showcase positive new campaign to coincide with women’s it to create a male role models: a woman’s desire to day which she promises will be a global better society, become an IPS officer finding an ally in first in thought and showcasing positive her less educated husband. role models. But more importantly she you are miss- But how does this sit with the general doesn’t see a distinction between the ing an oppor- perception that soaps are still about brand’s communication and its content: tunity.