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The Consumer Affairs Ministry is collaborating with influencers to ensure compliance with guidelines and protect consumers' interests, without impeding the growth of the influencer ecosystem.

In an interview with Storyboard18 at the Network18 Green Ribbon Champions event, Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, talked about how the Indian government is approaching the issue of enforcing influencer guidelines without hindering the growth of the industry.

Singh emphasized that the government's primary focus is on ensuring compliance with the guidelines and safeguarding consumer interests, rather than obstructing the influencer ecosystem's development. He also shared insights into the challenges facing the influencer space and the government's efforts to address them.


Excerpts. 


How does the government ensure compliance with the influencer guidelines in India? Is there a dedicated team responsible for monitoring and enforcing these guidelines?


The consumer protection paradigm is primarily based on unfair trading practices, including the use of misleading advertisements, which falls under the same umbrella. With the rise of social media influencers, some have been promoting products without disclosing payment received for endorsements. The influencer guidelines aim to address this issue by prioritizing disclosure. If an influencer has received payment or material benefits from a company to promote a product, consumers have the right to know that it was a paid promotion. The guidelines require influencers to disclose this information clearly and visibly, whether it's through infographics, videos, or pictures.




<blockquote>Increase in betting ads disguised as news content & e-commerce promotions. With IPL approaching, the Government will ensure that such promotions are not carried out.</blockquote>

 


To enforce these guidelines, we don't rely solely on the government network; consumers can also file complaints. Additionally, we work closely with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) to receive feedback. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), authorized under the Consumer Protection Act, is responsible for taking penal action against misleading advertisements, and now we will begin taking action against social media influencers as well. Although the social media influencer industry is vast, we do not want to impede its growth because there are a lot of young people and their livelihoods that are involved. In fact, I recently addressed about 250 of them via video conference in Mumbai to communicate that they can continue with their business as long as they disclose any payments received.


So, is the Indian government collaborating with influencers to create a safer and more trustworthy social media ecosystem?


Yes. On the day we launched the influencer guidelines, we invited 10 influencers to join us over video and address the media and press. They expressed their support for the guidelines, and we appreciated their cooperation. The influencer industry had previously been divided into two groups, but with the implementation of these guidelines, all influencers will be on the same page and have a level playing field when it comes to disclosures.


Which brand categories have the highest number of violations under the influencer guidelines?


Based on the available data, it appears that the personal care and textiles/clothing sectors have the highest number of violations under the influencer guidelines. Particularly, the personal care sector has shown a significant number of violations.




<blockquote>Ads disguised as content or promotion under government scanner.</blockquote>




What are the current biggest challenges facing the endorsement space, including celebrity and influencer endorsements, and how is the government addressing them?


One of the biggest challenges facing the space is the issue of surrogate advertisements. For instance, advertisements disguised as content or promotions. The government is working to address this issue. Another challenge is related to online gaming and betting. While online gaming is legal in some areas, betting is not legal in India. There has been an increase in betting advertisements disguised as news content or ecommerce promotions. With the IPL approaching, the government is engaging with stakeholders to ensure that such promotions are not carried out.


SEBI recently introduced rules regarding endorsements in the crypto space, but it remains a gray area. Could you share your thoughts on this matter?


Our position on crypto endorsements is in alignment with the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India, as the legal status of cryptocurrencies is yet to be established. The honorable Finance Minister has also called on G20 nations to work collaboratively to address this issue, as it is not just India facing this problem. Once the legality is established, it will be clearer what is permissible and what is not. Currently, advertising for crypto is not allowed, as some advertisements make misleading claims about returns on investment. Such misleading advertisements are not acceptable. 




<blockquote>Social media influencer industry is vast, we do not want to impede its growth because there are livelihoods involved.</blockquote>




Lastly, what is your outlook for 2023? Apart from the guidelines for influencer marketing, are there any other initiatives in the works to safeguard the interests of consumers?


We are fully committed to the right to repair movement and are actively working on ways to reduce e-waste. This is in line with the prime minister's mission for a sustainable lifestyle for the environment. We support the European Union's decision to mandate USB C chargers, which will reduce the amount of e-waste generated. We also encourage companies to avoid planned obsolescence and provide information about their service centers and parts through our right to repair portal.



<blockquote>Advertising for crypto is not allowed, as some ads make misleading claims about returns on investment. Such misleading ads are not acceptable.</blockquote>

 

Apart from electronics, we have identified water filters as a major challenge. Customers often face unnecessary expenses when they are asked to replace parts without proper disclosure. We have called upon water filter companies to be transparent about the technology being used, the life of their parts, and the cost involved. We are hopeful that by streamlining this process, we can create a better system for RO filters and other water filtration systems.

With IPL in sight, govt to crack down on online betting ads disguised as content, says consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh

In FY 2022, the retail sector significantly increased its advertising efforts on TV news programs. As per TAM, advertising volumes for retail sector commercials surged by 15 percent in comparison to the previous year. News Bulletin was the most preferred genre by retail advertisers on TV.

With the pandemic accelerating the shift towards e-commerce, retailers had to adapt rapidly to stay competitive in the market. To stand out from the competition, retailers resorted to aggressive advertising campaigns on TV news channels, which proved to be an effective strategy. As per experts, by leveraging the increased viewership of news channels during the pandemic, retailers were able to reach a broad audience and increase their market share.

According to TAM numbers, the top ten advertisers in news in 2022 were, Lalithaa Jewellery Mart, Reliance Retail, Kalyan Jewellers, Malabar Group of Companies, Gopu Nandilath Group, Joyalukkas Group, Praadis Jewellers, Vasanth & Co, Sathya Agencies and Bhima Group (Jewellery).

Overall, as a genre, news has been performing well in the last few quarters, as per TAM analysis.

For FMCG sector advertisers on TV, too, news bulletin was amongst the top three preferred genres.

In a separate chat with Storyboard18, Amol Dighe, chief executive officer of Investments and Business Development at Madison Media, said that while General Entertainment Channels (GECs) are effective for building reach, news channels are ideal for frequency and account for a substantial portion of the overall reach. This is a key factor in the evolution of news channels as a robust advertising platform.

TAM analysis also says that news genre saw 8 percent rise in 2022 compared to 2018, wherein Hindi news topped with more than 30 percent share of news genre's ad volumes during both 2022 and 2021.

Retail sector boosts ad volumes on TV News by 15 percent in FY 2022: TAM

The Indian Premier League (IPL), which kickstarted in 2008, has now become a Decacorn with a $10.9 billion valuation, states D and P Advisory in a report released on Thursday.

Since inception in 2008, the league's value has seen a 90 percent growth and currently stands at $10.9 billion (Rs 87 crore), according to a report titled 'Beyond 22 Yards', The IPL Valuation Report 2022 by D and P India Advisory.

To analyse IPL’s estimated value in 2008, D&P used IPL’s recent ecosystem values including those reported by third-party valuation firms and benchmarked the key metrics spread across multiple years to predict the ecosystem's value every year from inception.


Sponsorship money steered IPL growth


The report reveals that the media rights have emerged as the most significant source of revenue for the IPL. The league’s ability to attract large viewership and engage fans has helped it to command premium prices for its media rights. As the number of matches has increased over the years, the total value of media rights has also gone up significantly.

For the first time, media rights were spread among different broadcasters, breaking the monopoly of one company. The league has sold media rights at $6.2 billion, registering a three-fold jump compared to the previous five-year cycle in 2017. This pushed the growth of the league manifolds.

Other forms of sponsorships further fuelled this growth. D&P noted that the IPL’s broadcast rights fetched Rs 486 crore in 2008 while the title and associate sponsorship rights brought in another Rs 36 crore and Rs 48 crore, respectively. Things have evolved significantly over the years.

For instance, the 2023 edition of IPL the title and associate sponsorship rights has fetched Rs 577 crore and Rs 414 crore, respectively. This is a significant jump reinstating sponsor confidence in the league.

With two new teams (Gujarat Titans and Lucknow SuperGiants) getting bought last year at a combined staggering value of $1.6 billion, the average price tag of a team has also seen a 16-fold jump from its inception. These two factors were instrumental in boosting the valuation of IPL to become a Decacorn. The digital rights being sold separately from TV rights would also result in greater engagement on the digital platforms. Further, the impending introduction of 5G services, greater penetration of the internet and increased smartphone usage will add to the rise in viewership.

Santosh N, managing partner of D & P Advisory highlights that this unicorn (IPL) is the most profitable of all the startups in the country.

“The IPL has been a game-changer for the Indian sports industry, and our analysis highlights its incredible success from the very beginning. The findings of our report demonstrate the tremendous potential of the Indian market, and we believe that it will encourage further investment in the Indian sports industry,” he notes.


Valuation of WPL and IPL


To add to the momentum, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) launched the women's Indian Premier League with a base price for a franchise at Rs 400 crores ($ 50 million). This price is higher than most other cricket leagues globally, and will add immense value to the overall IPL Ecosystem.

However, the report states it is unfair to compare the two leagues.

Santosh N believes that comparing the WPL current valuation with the value of the IPL in 2007-08 would make more sense. But it should be noted that the WPL is currently played with only five teams, whereas the IPL had eight teams initially.

“Also, the media rights and title rights for WPL are lower than the equivalent numbers for IPL at inception. However, the WPL is expected to show steady growth in terms of viewership and fan engagement, and with the right strategies and investments, it could become a significantly more valuable property in the future,” he adds.


Future prospects


Though a big property in India, on a broader scale, D and P Advisory also notes that the IPL is still significantly behind in terms of ad rates, when compared with some of the other global sporting leagues. For example, a 10-second slot for an ad during IPL 2022 cost nearly $20,000; whereas, the ad rates for the same time slots at National Football League, English Premier League and Major League Baseball were over $1,00,000. Drawing this comparison, the report mentions how IPL has a lot more space to grow in future provided broadcasters are able to monetise the content well.

IPL becomes a Decacorn with $10.9 billion valuation; Media rights most significant revenue source

Beginning March 31st, over-the top (OTT) video-on-demand service Disney+Hotstar will not host HBO content on its platform which comprises popular shows like Game of Thrones, Succession and The Last of Us, among others. Times Internet Ltd’s advertising-led OTT platform MX Player is in talks to sell the business to Amazon which owns a free streaming service Mini TV as well as subscription platform Prime Video. American streaming giant Netflix is expanding its film library in a big way, especially, in southern languages as it looks to penetrate down south.

 

The three developments may seem disparate, but they point to a shared transformation taking place in the streaming services industry. That companies in India’s cluttered video streaming market are changing tack to focus on the bottom line rather than just adding new subscribers at any cost. While Times Internet’s move to sell its free video service MX Player points to consolidation taking place in the sector, Disney+Hotstar not renewing the content deal with HBO speaks volumes of the churn and course correction in the industry that was estimated at $ 2.6 billion by the BCG-CII media and entertainment report released in November 2022.

 

The industry is expected to touch $ 11-13 billion by 2030 and the primary driver for growth will be paid subscriptions or what is called SVoD (subscription video-on-demand) segment slated to jump from 85-90 million to 160-165 million by 2027.

 

Ormax Media’s December report said OTT penetration in the metros is 79 percent, underscoring the need for chasing growth in small town India. The days of crazy 30 percent growth rate in subscriber additions are over with the pandemic, having settled at a more modest 15 percent with top eight - 10 cities reporting a growth rate of 10 percent.

 

Consequently, most large streaming companies are re-evaluating their strategies and re-sizing their budgets for the country. Ormax Media chief executive officer Shailesh Kapoor said Covid-19 lockdowns saw a big spurt in subscriber additions in 2020 and 2021 causing an acceleration in content acquisition at steep costs. Ormax, a specialist testing, forecasting and analytics firm for media content, now draws 50 percent of its business from web series.

 

Streaming market has slowed down globally as people return to routine life. “People are back to work, travelling, eating out and socialising. Unlike binge-watching shows during pandemic, they are barely watching one episode a day,” said a Disney Star executive, requesting anonymity.



Disney Star runs streaming service Disney+Hotstar in India which has ended its deal for HBO content owing to poor return on investment.



The deal cost the company Rs 80 crore a year and even if the 460,000 subscribers who watched HBO content paid peak subscription rate of Rs 1600 a year, Disney+Hotstar could not have made money, explained the Disney Star executive. “The fact is these subscribers were not paying peak subscription rates and it was a loss-making proposition,” he said.

 

Clearly, platforms were acquiring content at ridiculous prices during peak lockdown demand for entertainment when people were binge-watching at home. “Sanity has returned with OTT platforms now looking at their bottom line. There’s a big shift in the market where they are asking if the subscriber additions are actually worth the money they’re paying to acquire that content,” the Disney Star executive added.

 

Netflix said the firm is here to run a sustainable, healthy, revenue-driven, profit-oriented and high-quality service for the consumer. On a recent India visit, Netflix’s global co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the service had its best year in the country in 2022 marked by increase in revenue and engagement time. “India as a country saw the highest paid net additions last year and last year was not Covid,” said an India executive, declining to be named.




<blockquote>Clearly, platforms were acquiring content at ridiculous prices during peak lockdown demand for entertainment when people were binge-watching at home. “Sanity has returned with OTT platforms now looking at their bottom line. There’s a big shift in the market where they are asking if the subscriber additions are actually worth the money they’re paying to acquire that content,” the Disney Star executive added.</blockquote>



 

The company dismissed reports that it has altered its India strategy to go slow on local originals. The Indian originals slate for the year is long with six returning seasons of existing shows and a line-up of top creators coming on service including Vishal Bhardwaj, Sujoy Ghosh, Raj and DK, Hansal Mehta, Abhishek Chaubey and Zoya Akhtar, among others.

 

“Of course, buying films is a very conscious strategy to become the alpha player in the market,” the Netflix executive said. After Hindi films, it is going big on southern languages. “A year ago, we had not entered south in a proper way. Now we have,” the person said. In January this year, it announced 18 Tamil licensed titles that will launch on the service after their theatrical run. It also announced 16 films as part of its licensed Telugu content slate for 2023. However, right-sizing budgets, especially for films, is part of the plan, Netflix added. In 2021, platforms in India invested $ 665 million in content, Deloitte report said. The share of regional language consumption on OTT platforms is expected to cross 50 percent by 2025 from 30 percent in 2019, moving past Hindi at 45 percent, it added.

 
Jehil Thakkar, partner, Deloitte India said different platforms are evaluating their businesses differently but days of people chasing monthly active users are gone. “Investor sentiment has now moved to evaluating profitability. You see that in the startup world too where days of easy money are over and the focus is back on whether one can build an actual business,” he said.


In the streaming industry companies are working with AVoD (ad-led video-on-demand), SVoD (subscription-led Video-on-demand) and hybrid models. In fact, some of the changes at platforms will be driven by content consumption patterns emerging from data accumulated over the years. Deeper penetration of Smart TVs or Connected TVs will push further consumption changes.

 

Nielsen’s India Internet Report released earlier this month said there are more than 450 million smartphone users and an equal number of video watchers in the country. While active internet users in the 12 plus age group grew by 10 percent in urban India, rural outdid urban at 30 percent growth rate.

 

Such numbers augur well for streaming which is becoming a medium of choice for people as it offers flexibility in viewing and both free and paid content.



Shuchi Bansal has been a business journalist for over 30 years covering media, advertising, marketing and consumer economy.

#TBH: Churn, course correction marks OTT industry version 2.0

With the Indian Premier League (IPL) season now underway, advertisers are increasingly directing their attention towards JioCinema. While advertisers usually allocate their digital ad budget across multiple platforms, the draw of JioCinema's free streaming service is proving to be irresistible this year. In anticipation of a viewership of 550 million, a significant increase from 2022's 300 million, advertisers are finding JioCinema to be an appealing option to concentrate the majority of their digital ad budget for the IPL, in order to achieve maximum brand exposure.

Viacom18's decision to stream the IPL matches for free caused a significant disruption in the Indian OTT industry, given the company’s Rs. 23,758 crore investment for acquiring the digital rights to the tournament for five years. This move has led to newer trends among advertisers, including a sharper focus on Jio Cinema, as they look for alternative ways to promote their brand and reach their target audience.

IPL generates a lot of content and attracts a large audience across platforms. IPL-related content is typically posted on various platforms such as social media like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, as well as sports-related websites and news portals. These platforms earn money by displaying ads, promoting sponsors, and running various marketing campaigns related to the IPL.

“Advertisers’ rush to be on Jio Cinema is expected to help the platform surpass last year's digital spends by brands, which was close to Rs 1500 crore,” said a media buyer who did not wish to be named.

All thanks to ‘free streaming’.

Another media buyer working with multiple clients that are buying inventory on JioCinema says, “IPL always had a free universe but it was restricted and now it is going to open up and help in building stickiness. While experience also has a big role to play in building stickiness, the opportunity for advertisers to reach such a huge audience in one place is an exciting prospect. In fact, it's quite possible that some marketers will choose to focus exclusively on JioCinema for their IPL ad spends this season, rather than spreading their budget across multiple platforms.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup was a curtain raiser demonstrating the power of free streaming in India.


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As per Comscore data, JioCinema, which reached an average of about 2.7 million unique visitors (UV) a month, saw a spike in users in November 2022, when the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup was available to users to stream, free of charge. The UV numbers jumped from 2.36 million in October 2022 to a massive 22.7 million in November 2022. These numbers do not include the CTV part of the equation, which would have likely seen a very similar trend.

This year's IPL is expected to not only increase digital audience bandwidth but also overall ad revenues. According to a KPMG-CII report, the digital revenue for sports is projected to grow from Rs 1540 crore in FY21 to Rs 4360 crore in FY26, with a CAGR of 22 per cent. This growth is expected to be driven by an organic increase in the number of OTT viewers in India, as well as the rising consumption of sports on OTT platforms, fueled by the convenience of anywhere viewing.

JioCinema has emerged as a major player in this space, and with the growing popularity of IPL, it remains to be seen how this shift towards JioCinema will impact the wider digital ad market in India. 


Disclosure: Storyboard18 is a part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary.


Read More: <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/storyboard18/brand-makers/media-mavens-new-era-planner-needs-to-be-integrated-and-media-agnostic-says-essencemediacom-south-asias-navin-khemka-6187.htm">IPL’s success depends on broadcasters expanding the advertisers pool from 100 to 500: EssenceMediacom’s Navin Khemka</a>

Quick Take: Is JioCinema's free streaming of IPL attracting advertisers to concentrate on one platform?

Note to readers: Media Mavens is a Storyboard18 series featuring media investment firms and power players - the X-Women and X-Men who make the big calls on how and where to spend advertisers' money. This is a peek into their minds - how they work in a dynamic landscape, the next big trends they’re watching for, insights into what advertisers need today, the disruptors driving change and the factors driving their decisions. Watch this space for sharp and fast insights.


Delhi-based homegrown media agency Alliance Advertising had a good twelve months. The agency onboarded clients like CarDekho, Insurance Dekho, Kaff Appliances, Formula-e, Multani Pharma, Kanodia Group, Kuhl Fans, Coursera, Kei wires, Lava, among many others. According to V Narayanan, CEO of the agency, with content being platform agnostic, media outcomes are critical. “Clients are clearly looking at how media and communication strategies can help drive business outcomes,” he says. The agency is focusing on building first party data partners and client-owned CRM data. Along with deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning as per client requirements.


Narayanan agrees some of the challenges like lack of single source measurement of TV and digital, right talent, deficiencies in credibility and authenticity of digital data need industry level addressal. Yet, media agencies are far more future-ready than ever before.

Edited excerpts.


How has the media planning gambit changed in the recent past?



In a pre-digital era, one would understand the buyer through research and other syndicated studies. The panacea of media planners was to target them efficiently in terms of views. However, with digital being more ubiquitous, consumers place their imprints in the form of cookies, etc., which makes it sharply targeted.

 

Earlier, planning metrics were limited to audience views. However, currently it is a disposable world of posts, views, likes, comments, reviews, tweets, bytes, Reels, shares, add to cart, purchase, downloads, repurchase, etc.

 

There is a heightened need to move the metrics from SOV (Share of Voice to SOE (share of consumer experiences).

 

What is the single biggest change that will change the advertising business?

 

Today’s consumer is much smarter than the traditional journey is built for. The way consumers navigate the journey is also changing and constantly evolving. Digital transition is inevitable with digital ad spends capturing the lion’s share of India’s ad spends and digital eyeballs surpassing traditional media.

 

Some of the key challenges according to me are:

 
Consumers reach getting more f-r-a-g-m-e-n-ted.

Building top of mind awareness for a brand in a fiercely contested market place is a huge challenge to procure in a digital world.

Consumer trust is declining and it is getting more and more difficult to sustain loyalty.


What are the myths around the business of media planning that Alliance is trying to change?

 

There are a few. Let me break it down.

 

Myth: Media has not always been bought on CPRP (cost per rating point) and rates.

 

Truth: While rates are hygiene, we need to view media from a business outcome perspective. Hence, a paradigm shift from CPRP to cost per outcomes. 

 

Myth: Media planning is just making plans and making timely releases.

 

Truth: Media is also all about driving innovations and creating disruptions. When we receive a media planning brief, our teams get back to the client with a complete communication and business outcome plan.

 

Myth: Media planning is all about numbers provided by the industry research sources. 

 

Truth: Apart from the reach numbers, media planning is also about capitalising consumer trends and unearthing unique opportunities and trends.

 

How are you viewing the happenings like people churn, layoffs and funding winter in certain sectors like tech? 

 

Yes, I would say there is a “technocalypse” with big tech companies struggling to drive revenue growth. One would expect a higher inflation resulting in higher relative cost per acquisitions. Clients will start relying on first party data and subsequently own a stream of data like a new age D2C brand.

 

How are you trying to make Alliance a future-ready company?

 

We are agile and tech enabled. We are powered by a ROI outcome mindset. We strongly believe this formula: C (Creative) x D (data) = CE (Consumer Experience). It’s a fact that data, creativity, and measurement being the cornerstones is shaping consumer experiences. Brands need to leverage an unprecedented level of personalization and customisation within the consumer journey, informed by data, infused by the brand purpose.

 

Being an independent agency, we also work cohesively and not in siloes. Future belongs to those brands whose consumer creates, tells, and shares authentic stories about the brand rather than the brand hard selling its own story. We will continue to pivot from the bottom of the funnel performance to top of the funnel approach recalibrating emphasis on performance of media. We are also focused on building on first party data partners and client-owned CRM data. Along with deploying artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms wherever applicable.

 

Media space is rather mercurial and we need to stay true to your brand. Lead the change rather than the change lead you.

 

From a talent lens, why do you think young people are not too keen on careers in advertising? What should agencies focus on to attract them?

 

Yes, attracting the right talent is definitely an imperative for the agency and the industry as well especially at junior roles. It is this segment, where the perceived role is more profound than the monetary value offered.

 

The industry needs to look at the following to attract better talent:

1. Fostering diversity in roles and developing cross functional talent.

2. Empowering them and giving them the freedom to explore new approaches and encourage new thoughts.

3. Focus on how we build innovation as a process.

4. Leveraging technology to make mundane jobs automated.

5. Constantly celebrate and reward their success achievements.

Media Mavens: 'Media planning is about capitalising consumer trends and unearthing unique opportunities,' says Alliance’s V Narayanan

Royals Sports Group-owned franchise Rajasthan Royals announced energy solutions provider, Luminous Power Technologies as the team's Title Sponsor for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
 

IPL, which is all set to begin from March 31, as part of the association, the power and solar solutions brand’s logo will appear on the front of the Rajasthan Royals' official playing kit and training kit.

 
Having previously extended their support to the sport through in-stadium and linear TV partnerships, Luminous is re-entering the IPL space with this partnership with Rajasthan Royals for the 2023 season.

 
Jake Lush McCrum, chief executive officer, Rajasthan Royals, said, “Luminous is a brand driven by innovation and technology which is central to what drives success for our franchise. Countless synergies have emerged as we've deepened our discussion around this partnership with innovation and sustainability being a core focus of both brands. We are incredibly excited about the impact we can achieve together and look forward to helping Luminous strengthen their national and global footprint through various campaigns during the season and beyond."

 
Preeti Bajaj, managing director and CEO, Luminous Power Technologies, quoted, “With over 35 years of expertise in creating innovative and technology driven products for our consumers, Luminous is one of the most reputed and reliable brands in India. This exciting partnership with Rajasthan Royals provides us with the opportunity to keep scaling and creating a tangible impact on our current and potential consumers. We have been associated with cricket in the past through other associations, and with this partnership with Rajasthan Royals, we aim to reaffirm our commitment to innovation and technology, and also promote exponential growth for the business leveraging the Royals' domestic and global presence."

 
Neelima Burra, senior vice president and chief strategy, transformation and marketing officer added, “Luminous is a No.1 brand in the energy solutions market. With the evolution of power quality, power consumption, and per capita income in India, power back-up needs have been marking a shift towards residential solar as well as higher KVA ranges and Luminous is on a mission to accelerate growth in coming years, shaping the Luminous of Future – Luminous 3.0. A range of strategic initiatives have been laid out across businesses and brands to drive this transformation journey and position Luminous as a global Prosumer-Tech player that is Transforming the world of sustainable energy and Powering happier homes. IPL and RR collaboration is very valuable as it will helps us strengthen our brand in India in every household in India."

 
The Rajasthan Royals squad, which includes international and domestic cricketers from across the world who have been at the forefront of using technology and innovation in their game, will be kick-starting their 2023 campaign in Hyderabad on April 2.


Rajasthan Royals announces Luminous Power Technologies as IPL 2023’s Title Sponsor

India's booming gaming industry has prompted Krafton to re-imagine its popular game, Road to Valor: Empires, for the Indian market. The game now features India-specific customizations, language support in various Indian languages, and a low entry barrier of Rs. 29. In a bid to establish a strong foothold in India, Krafton plans to aggressively market its offerings in the country, leveraging these market-specific customizations to cater to the unique demands of the Indian gaming community.

“India is an important market for us and we are dedicated to creating and delivering games that resonate with Indian players,” says Sean Hyunil Sohn, CEO, KRAFTON, Inc. India.

According to Sohn, the Indian gaming market is on a fast-track and they want to help unlock the potential of Indian gamers and developers while understanding the nuances of the Indian ecosystem.

“We have therefore embarked on several local partnerships,” he says. The company targets to deliver tailor-made gaming experiences to the Indian audience. Interestingly the new game has already clocked 2.5 lakhs pre-registrations.

KRAFTON has invested over $100 million in various Indian start-ups with the latest one being influencer marketing platform One Impression. Others include game streaming platform Loco, Esports firm NODWIN Gaming, Indian language storytelling platform Pratilipi, audio dating app FRND, mobile game development studios Nautilus Mobile and LILA Games and audio content platform Kuku FM.

India on global gaming map

India is on the expansion itinerary of every global gaming brand. 

India's online gaming market, with over 400 million players, is the world's second-largest after China. The Indian gaming market, valued at $2.6 billion in FY2022, will reach $8.6 billion by 2027 with a 27% CAGR, says Lumikai reports. 

Cheap smartphones and fast internet have made India a lucrative gaming market for global giants. Electronic Arts, Tencent, and Ubisoft are also heavily investing in India, with plans for expansion. In 2020, Tencent led a $100 million investment round in Dream11, while Electronic Arts invested in a Hyderabad-based game development studio, FireMonkeys. Ubisoft, on the other hand, announced its plans to expand its Indian operations with the establishment of a new game development studio in Mumbai.

Coming back to, Krafton. For Road to Valor: Empires, the company has announced plans to launch two campaigns. The first campaign will feature a series of videos that combine dry humor and pop culture, while the second campaign, "Garrison ki Kaksha," will educate users on mastering the game's strategies. 

Additionally, Krafton plans to hide Easter eggs in their Play Store and App Store descriptions, offering rewards for those who solve them. With a focus on engaging India's talented strategy game fan base, Krafton's campaigns promise to offer a more immersive and interactive experience for its Indian users. 

As India's gaming industry rises to stratospheric heights, global and homegrown players are getting more aggressive in their strategies to unlock the next level of growth for companies.

Why is Krafton taking aim at the Indian gaming market with Road to Valor: Empires?

Nostalgia is a powerful feeling that transports us back to simpler times. For many of us, that means the experience of watching cable television. Growing up in the 90s and early 2000s, we remember rushing home from school to catch our favorite shows, laughing at the same jokes as our friends and family, and enduring endless advertisements that somehow added to the charm of the experience.


But times have changed, and with the rise of streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, we've grown accustomed to watching our favorite shows and movies on demand, ad-free, and on any device we choose. However, as convenient as these new modes of consumption and technologies are, there's still something we miss about the old days and ways of consuming content on traditional television. We miss the sense of community, the excitement of waiting for our favorite shows to air, and the anticipation of watching them together with family and friends. 


But that's where connected television comes in. Connected TVs, or CTVs, allow us to stream content from a variety of sources, including cable channels, streaming services, and even social media. They offer the convenience of streaming while still retaining the sense of community that comes with watching live TV.



In India, the growth of CTVs has been remarkable, with over 10 million users in 2022 and a predicted 40 million by 2025. It's a testament to the power of this new technology and how it's revolutionizing the way we consume entertainment. 


For those who remember, there will always be a part of us that misses the old days of TV. The jingles, sound effects, and even the advertisements are nostalgic reminders of a time when watching the telly felt like coming home. Some of the most iconic ads from that era are still remembered fondly. The ‘Hema Rekha Jaya aur Sushma’ spot from Nirma, the Cadbury cricket ad, the Pepsi commercials celebrating new generations, the Amul ads, and the Zoozoos of Vodafone, are some timeless campaigns from the years gone by.


But as we embrace the future of connected television, we do so with the knowledge that we're still part of a community, sharing the same experience and sense of belonging that made watching TV so special in the first place. And advertisers are taking notice, with Finecast-Group M reporting that CTV ad spends in India will have a CAGR of 47 percent between 2022 and 2027. They also estimate that advertisers will spend close to $86 million on CTV advertising in India in 2023 alone, with that number expected to reach $395 million by 2027.


Even while Cable TV manages to hold on to the nostalgia factor, connected TVs offer the best of both worlds. 


Nostalgia of cable TV and the rise of connected TV: How technology is changing the way we watch

RRR’s much acclaimed song ‘Naatu Naatu’ has gone on to win an Oscar for the "Best Original Song" at the 95th Academy Awards. 

March 2022 marked the release of SS Rajamouli directed film RRR. Since then, there has been no looking back for this Telugu language film. Apart from its storyline, the film has been receiving standing ovation from the global audience for its much acclaimed song "Naatu Naatu". The song has won not just at the Golden Globes, but was also awarded the 'Best Song' at the Critics' Choice Awards and the Hollywood Critics Association.


When Inox opened its gateway to cinema lovers in Srinagar’s Shivpora locality on September 18, 2022, students from south India at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) and other educational institutions in Kashmir dropped in batches of 60-100 each. 

 

Ponniyin Selvan: 1 (PS1) entertained them in the original Tamil language. Other language movies were also screened. Vikas Dhar, the managing director of Taksal Hospitality, the parent company of the multiplex, recalled this incident while speaking to Storyboard18.

 

The film distributor for PS1 in Jammu & Kashmir, who requests anonymity, recalls another moment. Since PS1 was not advertised on a grand scale in Kashmir and the Hindi remake Vikram Vedha's lead actors, Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan, had a huge fan following in the region, what came as a surprise was 279 people making their way to the multiplex.



[caption id="attachment_6161" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2023/03/Inox-first.jpeg" alt="The crowd flocking outside Inox multiplex in Srinagar to watch Vikram Vedha and PS1. (Image source: Vikas Dhar)" width="1200" height="1600" class="size-full wp-image-6161" /> The crowd flocking outside Inox multiplex in Srinagar to watch Vikram Vedha and PS1. (Image source: Vikas Dhar)[/caption]

 

Keeping the box-office numbers of the film confidential, Dhar says: “After the success of Baahubali: The Beginning, Pushpa: The Rise and RRR, a kind of ‘fandom’ for the South Indian stars, got established in Kashmir.”

 

Actors like Rana Daggubati, Allu Arjun, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Rashmika Mandanna became well-known. “What is astonishing is that the south Indian producers and directors also become familiar here. PS1 performed decently among Kashmiris, too. ”

 

Does this indicate a developing taste for south Indian genre in a place where, according to 2022’s media report, 74 percent of the population speak Dogri and Kashmiri, and the craze for Bollywood is still fresh?


Read More: <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/storyboard18/how-it-works/the-rise-of-south-indian-cinema-how-southern-movies-are-going-national-3828.htm">The rise of South Indian Cinema: How Southern movies are going national</a>

 

How did this interest develop?

 

It was the year 2010. A 17-year-old boy, Tufail Mattoo, was gunned to death when security forces aimed a teargas canister at him. This gave rise to a political uprising, which further led to the disablement of the internet in the region, and people spending a larger part of their time, confined in their homes. 

 

Local cable television channels like SEN and WADI played only south Indian films. This is how Kashmiris got the taste of a genre which was way beyond Tamil actor Rajinikanth’s moves and his iconic dialogues. 

 

The incidents surrounding the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in 2016, and the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 led to the disablement of the internet in the region, which further fuelled the viewership. 

 

Junaid Rather, former station producer at BIG FM in Srinagar, credits veteran actor Rajinikanth for creating a sense of familiarity around south Indian content through his movies. Apart from television, people watched movies via pen drives or bluetooth, which further improved its visibility in the region.

 

Rahul Nehra, founder and managing director of Jadooz, a Chennai-based entertainment startup, seconds Rather. He cites the example of east Uttar Pradesh, i.e., the Bhojpuri belt, where there are hardly any cinema halls.

 

There, people consumed content via mobile phones, and explored varied options on YouTube when there were limited Hindi content available on the platform.

 

“Interestingly, wherever cinema halls are not there, there has been an offtake of south Indian films. In the Bhojpuri belt, the locals would keep a tab on when Tamil actor Suriya's films would be released,” he said.





<blockquote>Apart from television, people watched films through pirated DVDs. This reflected in an annual loss suffered by the Indian entertainment industry, which mounted up to $2.8 billion revenue, as per a 2022 media report.</blockquote>



 

Jadooz, which sets up mini theatres in Tier 2 and 3 cities, i.e., the rural pockets, established two mini theatres in J&K's Pulwama (city) and Shopian (town) last year on September 18. 

 

In Kashmir, the lead actor of Baahubali (Part 1 and Part 2), Prabhas enjoys a great fan following. Not just that, its stellar cast also are well-known, all thanks to the film's massive popularity.

 

Abdul Karim, deputy manager, operations, Wave Cinemas, in Jammu, agrees. An occupancy of more than 70 percent was witnessed when the film was screened. Since then, south Indian films, dubbed in Hindi, started to be screened. 

 

The success of the film also set off a chain of popular Telugu-dubbed Hindi films being released on YouTube. Some of the popular films like Jaya Janaki Nayaka (Khoonkar), Sita Rama (Sita), Nenu Sailaja (The Super Khiladi 3) and A Aa (A Aa) raked in 690 million, 570 million, 530 million and 487 million viewers on YouTube respectively, a recent media report states.



Read More: <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/storyboard18/quantum-brief/how-meat-unicorn-licious-is-going-regional-and-cracking-southern-markets-3762.htm">How meat unicorn Licious is going regional and cracking Southern markets</a>

 

Television: How it improved viewership base

 

As far as one can recollect, the early 2000s were a period when television channels, especially Zee Cinema, began to air south Indian films, dubbed in Hindi.

 

Actors like Chiranjeevi, Ramya Krishnan, Pawan Kalyan, and Venkatesh Daggubati are a few whose movies entertained the masses. 

 

Then in 2005, the dubbed version of Tamil film Chandramukhi, as per a report, gained widespread appreciation. Dhar points that the genre's viewership began to pick up when they started to be dubbed.

 

To support this further, a research paper, ‘How dubbing has contributed to the growth of south Indian movies’, mentions that, “around 2010, so large was the demand from satellite television channels that south Indian films began to be dubbed into Hindi for a direct-to-television release.” 





<blockquote>Local cable television channels like SEN and WADI played only south Indian films. This is how Kashmiris got the taste of a genre which was way beyond Tamil actor Rajinikanth’s moves and his iconic dialogues.</blockquote>

 

 

When Baahubali 2: The Conclusion was aired on Sony Max, an impression of 26,054 was registered. On the other hand, its prequel, Baahubali: The Beginning, saw an impression of 8,588,000, media reports state.

 

According to latest media reports, upon the premiere of RRR on Zee Network, it garnered a TRP of 5.00. KGF-2 raked in a TRP of 3.84 on Sony Max and Karthikeya 2 registered a rating of 1.70 on Zee Cinema.

 

Apart from television, people watched films through pirated DVDs. This reflected in an annual loss suffered by the Indian entertainment industry, which mounted up to $2.8 billion revenue, as per a 2022 media report.

 

Will OTT dent viewership in cinema halls?

 

At the onset of COVID-19, the theatre business was hit severely and an unprecedented rise in the viewership of content on OTT platforms was seen. Dhar credits the medium in expanding the audience base of south Indian films. As per a recent report, in FY22, the video OTT market was worth around Rs 24,909 crore. By FY 2027, it is expected to reach Rs 58,121 crore. 

 

As per Ernst and Young’s 2022 report ‘Tuning into Consumer’, in 2019, box-office collections contributed 60 percent to cinema’s revenues. By 2024, it is expected to reduce to 50 percent.

 

But Dhar opines that the audience for OTT and cinema halls are poles apart. Hence, that dispels the fear of people not making it to the theatres, since it is a novelty for the locals to watch a big screen after three decades.

 

South Indian films: What is the appealing factor?

 

During the screening of RRR and KGF, Jammu's Wave Cinemas witnessed an occupancy of 55-60 percent and 65-70 percent occupancy, respectively.

 

When Pushpa: The Rise was screened, more than 40-45 percent made their way to cinema halls. In the case of Kantara, though the crowd was few in numbers initially, after a week, more than 37 percent occupancy was registered. 





<blockquote>“Interestingly, wherever cinema halls are not there, there has been an offtake of south Indian films. In the Bhojpuri belt, the locals would keep a tab on when Tamil actor Suriya's films would be released,” Rahul Nehra, founder and managing director, Jadooz</blockquote>



 

When Inox multiplex screened Kantara, Kashmiris did not give it a miss. Some of them did not understand it, and some appreciated the storyline. This revolved around a larger-than-life-size hero from south India. Hence, people made their way to watch the film once again. The audience at Jadooz comprises officials from the administration, army men, school children and elders.

 

In the words of Jadooz’s Nehra, Kantara was played on demand. There were around 3-4 screenings, where an audience of 250-300 assembled in the 70- seater mini theatre.

 

Coming back to Wave Cinemas, more than 50 percent of the crowd chose not to miss the screening of KGF-2. The film distributor highlights that, in the first week, a crowd of 1,216 came to watch PS1. In week 2, it was 503. In PVR Jammu, the number stood at 657.



At Movietime Jammu and Apsara Cinema, the crowd was 243 and 205, respectively. 

 

At Wave Cinemas, though there is a fixed set who arrive, the main audience are the youth.

 

So, one can derive that content rich in masala, and rooted in culture are the most preferred. Storyline, which is mired in religion, politics and casteism, doesn't appeal to Jammuites and Kashmiris. 

 

However, Jawaharlal Nehru University’s (JNU) PhD scholar in cinema studies, Niyati Bhat is of the opinion that such films perpetuate a sort of toxic masculinity.

 

How does the future look like?

 

In the 1990s, cinema halls had to down shutters following the Kashmir insurgency in 1989. In Srinagar, which housed cinema halls like Firdaus, Shiraz, Khayam, Naaz, Neelam, Broadway, Regal and Palladium, attempts were made in 1999 and 2005 to re-introduce the cinema culture. However, this did not reap in the desired results. 



[caption id="attachment_6162" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2023/03/Inox-second.jpeg" alt="The crowd flocking outside Inox multiplex in Srinagar. (Image source: Vikas Dhar)" width="1024" height="768" class="size-full wp-image-6162" /> The crowd flocking outside Inox multiplex in Srinagar. (Image source: Vikas Dhar)[/caption]

 

When Inox multiplex welcomed the general public, it was a homecoming moment for the Dhar family, who owned the now-defunct Broadway. 

 

Jadooz’s Nehra says they are coming up with a theatre in Baramulla, Pukhwara, Bandipore and Udhampur. Though they have not shown too many south Indian films and have screened Hindi films like Brahmastra and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, they are screening one movie at a time, owing to the issues surrounding the medium of entertainment that have plagued the region.





<blockquote>In the words of Jadooz’s Nehra, Kantara was played on demand. There were around 3-4 screenings, where an audience of 250-300 assembled in the 70- seater mini theatre.</blockquote>



 

It is expected that the startup will come up with six screens by this month. “We intend to do a Kashmir film festival this month or in March. We may come up with a couple of Kashmiri films and children's movies, which can get the various strata of followers into the theatres,” he says.

 

Since the Bollywood film Pathaan hit the screens on January 25, it took the excitement of Kashmiris to another level, where they waited in queue to get hold of a ticket and watch their favourite star on the big screen. According to a Moneycontrol report, 8,000 tickets were sold with all the three cinema halls, with a seating capacity of 520, running house full.

 

JNU’s Bhat states that at least one year is needed to analyse and assess how the cinema-going culture would be influenced, and how movies would fare in the region.

 

If a mass-appealing film with the star power of Shah Rukh Khan can bring audiences back to the theatres in the valley, there is hope for south Indian films as well which won’t lose its steam anytime soon, she concludes.

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