MAM
Zee introduces ‘transparent’ rate card; media buyers unsure
MUMBAI / NEW DELHI: The great thing about Zee is that it cannot be far behind from what others have done and this time round it is taking care to get things right, though they may look a bit complicated at first go.
Close on the heels of other channels and networks unveiling their rate cards, the Subhash Chandra-promoted Zee Telefilms too, has introduced a comprehensive price manual in an effort to provide greater value to advertisers.
The Zee price manual incorporates a comprehensive set of variables which can be configured by media buyers and clients to optimize return on spends. Zee has developed categories such as Tiara, Zee Kohinoor, Kohinoor, Platinum, Gold and Silver in addition to types such as Singles, Doubles, Bonanza, Bumper, Value and Steal. For Zee Cinema, there are special property packages such as Grandeur, Glamour, Gloss, Glitz.
The highest rate in the topmost slab Tiara is the rate of Rs 125,000 per 10 seconds in the Singles categories whereas the lowest rate in bottom slab Silver is Rs 5000 per 10 seconds under the Steal category.
Optimum Media Solutions executive vice president Amit Ray says that Zee has effectively reduced its peak rates from Rs 250,000 to Rs 125,000 (Tiara Singles category) and from Rs 60,000 to Rs 12,500 (Silver Singles category). “Zee’s logic is to ensure that existing advertisers stick with the channel. However, the existing clients will benefit from this rate card in terms of the packages and bonusing and they might not necessarily up their spends. The new clients might come in but Zee might not necessarily benefit and might not get the volumes it expects to get,” adds Ray.
The price manual, which has independent matrices for each channel, will be a rate offering by secondage, rate slabs, sponsorships, programmes, bonus grids, special spend benefits, early bird offers, exclusive Zee TV deal
incentives, position premiums and special packages.
Zee Telefilms will, henceforth, be marketing all FCT (free commercial time) under the Zee Integrated Price Packages and all transactions will use the variables presented.
“As a media house, we have been at the forefront of many media changes and this is yet another. The era of showing clients deliveries through notional discounts and projected percentage savings has gone. The New Age intelligent buyer-planner wants to move beyond the sabzi mandi approach of fighting for effective rates, to delivering genuine value and through this flexible and
rationalised rate card, we are there to help him concentrate on the right value adds / deliverables,” a company spokesperson said.
Meant to be a handy kit for media buyers and media planners on Zee, the manual addresses the key issue of a complete free-for-all on rates that prevails in electronic media buying. The consequence of anarchic rates has
been, for the media industry, financial indiscipline and the perception of clients of better deals being on offer by the channel to other buyers.
By tabling all the variables in a manual, which can be accessed by any media buyer or planner or client, the price manual seeks to bring in transparency and rationalised rates. The price manual will bring into focus
scientifically designed impact as against the current melee to arrive at Effective Rates. The flexibility of options enables the media buyer to work out what he wants while suiting his specific requirements.
Zee Telefilms believes that this will take planners out of the “protracted negotiation loop. However, Optimum Media Solutions’ Ray says: “There is very little logic in reducing the peak rates. In TV purchases, the lowest printed price card becomes the starting point for negotiations. After all, it is a low demand, high supply situation.”
The Zee price packages will enable planners to work out meaningful packages for clients since it presents the tools to pick and choose what makes sense for the client. The manual has inbuilt flexibility which enables the media buyer to scope out the entire offering options and through appropriate combinations arrive at deals which are both better than those of competition as well as all the options are laid out upfront.
Several media planners and buyers, however, said they would have to study the rate card carefully before commenting. One was quite dismissive though, while posing the question: “Do rate cards really matter?”
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
