MAM
Sony targets Rs 2 bn from KBC
MUMBAI: It’s hoping to hit the jackpot itself. Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is looking at more than doubling its advertising revenues from its flagship reality game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), even as it is lengthening the telecast time of each episode and its seasonal run.
The Hindi general entertainment television channel is expecting to reap an ad revenue of Rs 1.80 to Rs 2 billion from the fifth edition (second on Sony) of the show, according to market estimates.
This time the show will run for 14 weeks in 1 and a half hour long episodes. In the previous edition, KBC ran for seven weeks in one-hour episodes.
“Sony is looking at more than doubling its ad revenues as the inventory has gone up. Besides, the channel‘s ratings have improved as well,” said a media analyst.
The channel is spending an estimated Rs 800-100 million on marketing the game show, which will be hosted by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. Last time SET spent Rs 110 million on marketing the show.
“We had to spend more on marketing the show last time because we had to stress on the fact that KBC was shifting from Star TV to Sony. Also, Bachchan was returning to the show after a gap of six years,” said SET senior vice president and marketing head Danish Khan, while declining to comment on the actual spends this year.
Placing the show at 8.30 pm every Monday-Friday, Sony is using the flagship show as a gateway to its primetime programming. The channel plans to launch a fiction show at 8 pm in mid-September.
“We have two fiction shows which are doing well at late primetime. This is a good time band to attract audiences from smaller towns and metros. KBC is going deeper this time,” stated Khan.
KBC was aired at 9 pm in the previous edition.
Sony is expanding the role of KBC from just a game show to a “show that reflects the transformation of lives in India”.
“Our entire marketing premise is built on this. Our five set of TVCs will reflect this message,” Khan commented.
The themes chosen for the television commercials aim to highlight the country‘s identity: inflation, corruption, old age, relationships and hedonistic.
The show‘s positioning has been amplified from “Koi bhi sawaal chota nai hota” to ‘Koi bhi insaan chota nahin hota‘.
“This year‘s thought of ‘Koi Bhi Insaan Chota nahin Hota‘ is rooted in a popular belief of the society that ‘everybody inherently has the capability to achieve something extra-ordinary‘. Hence, all stories stem from the big idea – ‘do not underestimate anybody‘. KBC is not just a game show but it leads to information. It is rooted to India‘s culture that knowledge is power”, averred Khan.
With a broader positioning, Sony has changed its promotional plans as well with television staying as the frontier medium. “Television and cinema will convey the message of the changing India. Print, radio and outdoor will act as reminders for appointment viewing,” Khan said.
Conceptualised by Leo Burnett and produced by Chrome Pictures, the campaign has five TVCs, each with a distinct story and character. It reiterates the power that lies with the average middle-class man.
“The hot seat is a great leveler. It transforms lives. The whole auditioning process is done in such a way that every contestant has a story to tell. Each of the 52 episodes will tell a story of the common Indian,” asserted Khan.
The reliance on TV has also extended the spots‘ duration to 60-seconds.
“Since the previous year was a very successful one for KBC, we are hoping that this one does even better. We have received fabulous response from our digital promotions as well. Our main objective was to create the most memorable campaign,” Khan concluded.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
