iWorld
Zee5’s ‘ATM’ promises content anytime, anywhere in one’s language of choice
KOLKATA: Zee5 has unveiled its latest integrated marketing campaign – ATM, acronym for ‘Any Time Manoranjan’, to further strengthen the OTT platform’s connection with audiences across the country by offering TV shows, movies, news, and much more for free to its AvoD consumers.
Targeted primarily at the TV viewing audiences across tier-2 cities, Zee5’s ATM will offer viewers the opportunity to consume entertainment anytime, anywhere, and in the language of their choice. Starring popular celebrities Shraddha Arya and Tejashri Pradhan, the campaign will be launched in various languages – Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Bangla.
Zee5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “As India and Bharat’s multilingual storyteller, we have entertained millions of Indians with our diverse gamut of content offerings for the past three years. Through the ATM campaign, we aim to acquire new users and encourage TV watchers to download the Zee5 app for an unmatched experience, using a powerful combination of platform convenience and compelling content. We chose this proposition because the word “ATM” connotes instant accessibility; and we want users to think of Zee5 like an ATM that gives you access to entertainment anytime, a.k.a. ‘Any Time Manoranjan’. Through our ability to deliver multilingual purposeful content across various devices, ecosystems, and operating systems, we want to target the gap between the TV watching audience and OTT users by introducing them to a world of real, relevant, and resonant Indian stories on our platform.”
Zee5 has planned a high-frequency TV campaign across multiple Zee network channels, leveraging prime time spots as well as some new launches like Indian Pro Music League to get maximum reach. The campaign will also be rolled out across owned social media platforms and will drive conversations through influencer marketing to further amplify the proposition. Deepening inroads into Bharat, the platform will target tier-2 and tier-3 towns with clutter-breaking creatives in high-footfall areas and run campaigns across top radio stations in key markets. To highlight the campaign, Zee5 will add ATM messaging in all the featuring banners for tentpole shows to build further recall.
Zee5 has successfully struck a chord with many Indians within the country; last December, the platform clocked in 65.9 million MAUS and 5.4 million DAUS. Its repertoire of content includes Indian and global movies, catch-up content, and live TV, shows, news, music, live events, and much more. With a rich library of over 120+ original shows, the OTT service offers content in 12 Indian languages and since its inception, it has had 85+ regional launches: 55+ web series, five short films, and 25+ movies in Tamil, Telugu, Marathi, Kannada, and Bengali across genres. Additionally, the platform offers content in – Hindi, English, Punjabi, Bhojpuri, Gujarati, and Odia.
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
