How has the overall journey been for ZEE Biskope so far?
Samrat: ZEE Biskope was the first channel in the category to open at No.1 position in the launch week itself. Since then, it has maintained its dominant leadership position. Though the market has gone through ups and downs firstly due to pandemic and then due to comeback of FTA Hindi channels on Free Dish, yet the brand has led strong viewership on the back of content and engagement innovations and initiatives. Bhojpuri viewers are now seeking curated content and smart presentation like any other entertainment category.
Channel’s key differentiator amongst its competitors?
Amarpreet: ZEE Biskope was launched with a vision to offer a curated brand in an otherwise commoditized market. It demonstrates strength in the Bhojpuri market by upscaling in presentation of its movie+ offering by bringing the Bhojpuriya soul to screen. The curation is done at a solid base of consumer insight. Just to give you an example, the digital mascots Bhaiyaji&Gamchaji were also built representing the Bhojpuriya youth and the symbolic Gamcha respectively. ZEE Biskope is also the first channel in category to extend offering beyond movies and launch an original comedy show like HasiKe Rail Chhut Na Jaye. It registered 40% reach jump in the band affirming viewers are seeking more. ZEE Biskope has also been the first channel to do anniversary celebrations with innovations like Bhojpuri DJ night, anniversary edition goodies for viewers – thanking them back and getting a huge response on that too. Bhojpuri DJ night yielded the highest slot reach in the category while 67% of category digital reach was earned by ZEE Biskope with Bhojpuri DJ Night featuring as the most viewed content of the week in the category. The brand has curated beyond mere playing movies as per audience sensibilities but also deepening their engagement through celebrating topical days with innovative spin in content through film festivals like ChunmuniyaSawan, SabkaBaap, Family Chokha Film Festival which yielded 13%, 21% & 31% channel reach increment respectively. Such curation has been the major reason behind ZEE Biskope being differentiated and being the thought leader.
What kind of campaigns ZEE Biskope has created for advertisers/ brands?
Samrat: ZEE Biskope is built on the premise of curation, which extends to its esteemed partners as well. Pandemic has compelled brands to establish strong value proposition for acceptance and ZEE Biskope has created customised solutions for brands to help them establish their value parameters sharply amongst its target audience.
Amarpreet: Nestle came on-board for multiple initiatives including Emoji Lahariya, LittiChokhaDiwas and the World Television Premieres. We have catered very focussed in-content brand integration in our vertical movie line-up on the day we telecasted the winners of Emoji Lahariya. While for Adani’s Fortune Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil, we have delivered both content integration and digital integrations where the use of Fortune Mustard Oil & Atta were highlighted.
How has been audience response towards the channel as well as its campaigns?
Samrat: Pandemic has impacted the consumer mindset in a significant way. There are tectonic shifts in their consumption patterns as well as their gratification drivers. It has taught the entertainment industry to re-invent itself to cater to this new need state. At ZEE Biskope repurposing, reengineering of content has been the mainstay of serving this new consumer appetite. We have always explored extending our content offering beyond movies in an attempt tofind new grounds of movie gratification.
Amarpreet: ZEE Biskope’s marketing strategy is based on novelty and connectivity. We have been continuously creating new windows for the younger audience to participate and celebrate in Bhojpuriyat. Viewer engagement has always been a conscious pillar of the brand. We started with the biggest ever Bhojpuri movie screening in Bihar where we had gate crashing moments. However, due to the pandemic, we had to resort to digital connect initiatives that were complimented with a TV telecast. The response to each of the initiatives have been way beyond expectations proving that viewers were looking for such opportunities to connect with the brand and also showcase their talents to the world at large while being within the boundaries of their homes.
Which one was the most loved campaign and how it connected with max no. of audience?
Samrat: We can’t really choose one as most loved since each of them are very close to our hearts. While some have excelled in participation numbers, others have shown sharp connect with the audience and yet another has broken myths to establish a new horizon of viewer insights and expectations.
Amarpreet: Sheerly in terms of participation numbers, our Valentine’s Day campaign Labhlitis Messiah scored high with over 2.4 lac participants. Success of campaigns like Emoji Lahariya&Labhlitis Messiah have proved that the viewers are keen to embrace tech innovations that not just offer novelty but touch their lives too.
How do you feel about the grand win at ACEF as you have bagged 13 metals?
Samrat: It’s encouraging to see that our passion to bring alive the vibrant Bhojpuri culture through our hyperlocal offerings is being recognized in such an esteemed forum. I thank ACEF for awarding ZEE Biskope with 13 metals including the Most Admired Television Channel for Customer Engagement Award.
Amarpreet: It is a clean sweep at an international forum which is extremely motivating. In fact, a never seen before feat in the category. When theseinitiatives receive awards, it’s an endorsement of what we believe in ZEEL at being native to the region that we cater to and of our firm conviction about Bhojpuri deserving the stature that is due to it. Thank you ACEF!
Do you think winning ACEF awards will help the channel win more consumers as well?
Amarpreet: Its actually the other way round. Our endevour is to develop innovative and hyper local offering for our viewers. Their love for our content brings success to our efforts. It is the combination of the novelty and the success that appeals to the jury of award platforms which results in us winning metals.
How the channel has been constantly trying to uplift the Bhojpuri category through its campaigns?
Samrat: Regional consumption is on an upswing. The desire to seek culturally affirmative content is even higher today given pandemic has limited cultural immersions in realtime. At ZEE Biskope we have ensured that we keep topicality at its peak by curating engagement initiatives that resonate with the festive, cultural, topical mindset at any period of time so viewers can relive the topical moments and get virtual gratification even when real world possibilities are limited.
Amarpreet: Standing on date, we have grabbed 21 Marketing awards across forums in the very first year. It’s a never seen before feat in the category. This further manifest the fact that the brand has been able to bring to the Bhojpuri entertainment space the much-deserved recognition that was long due.
How the channel brought novelty to the category by headlining a host of category first initiatives
Samrat: Our audience are high energy innovation seeking audience. Content innovation catches their attention and ZEE Biskope has been at the forefront of it. From innovative film festivals, to extended weekend PT to providing new hook points like Emoji Day, Dance Day, Camera Day, both through content innovation on the channel as well engagement innovation at marketing level we have increased their indulgence with the brand through category first initiatives.
Amarpreet: Viewers seek more active involvement with entertainment brands today and social media plays a significant role towards that. It deepens bonding with the brand and eventually impacts content affinity as well. Curating content by sharply deep diving into consumer insight has been the key behind all our category first marketing initiatives. The encouraging response has further evidenced that we could deliver them in a way that our viewers like. Going forward, a host of innovative actions will be coming to keep increasing the viewership & engagement – a unique differentiated band of content till date not explored in the category, a new stream of original movies designed specifically to cater to TV viewers sensibility and new spree of engagement initiatives not explored in the region before. So stay tunes to ZEE Biskope.