MAM
Leading broadcasters to gain as advertisers rejig spends: Vaz
MUMBAI: Leading broadcasters will continue to post strong ad revenue growth while the long tail will be severely hurt as advertisers tend to consolidate their spends in a cautionary environment, said Star India president ad sales Kevin Vaz in an interview with Indiantelevision.com.
The television sector will see a 13-15 per cent growth in ad revenue this fiscal while print will be pushed back in a slowing economy.
“The ad market is not as buoyant as it was in January. We will not see a 20-25 per cent growth as was forecasted earlier. But the leaders in any genre will benefit as advertising monies get rejigged. The long tail will not find support from advertisers,” said Vaz.
Star India, which has leader channels in most genres, has done more annual and network deals this year. “Our top 10 clients, for instance, have done deals stretching from a minimum of 12 months to 36 months. We will beat the trend and grow much faster than the industry. Being in leadership position has helped stitch long term deals,” averred Vaz.
In an earlier interview, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd executive director revenue and niche channels Joy Chakraborthy had stated that advertisers were looking at shorter term and quarterly deals.
The Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) genre, pegged at Rs 37-40 billion, will grow at 12-15 per cent this year. “Cricket is hit in a big way. GECs are on an upswing even as ad monies are moving away from cricket,” stated Vaz.
The Hindi movie channel genre is set to grow at 15-20 per cent. “Star Gold will capitalise heavily as the channel is performing very well. We have cut the ad inventory time by 33 per cent to give it a Hindi GEC environment and ramped up our investment on movie acquisitions,” said Vaz.
The news genre will continue to struggle this year. “With the resurgence of GECs, the news genre has stagnated for the last few years,” Vaz said.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
