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Post NTO 2.0 Sony launches new subscription TV campaign
MUMBAI: Sports has been one of the main drivers for the Sony Pictures Network India’s (SPNI’s) channels. With the new pricing regulations under NTO 2.0 becoming a reality, SPNI has launched a new campaign encouraging viewers to subscribe to its channels.
The common thread it is harping on in the campaign is the plethora of sports content it has lined up for 2020. Sony Pictures Sports Network’s (SPSN’s) channels Sony Six, Ten Sports, ESPN has 200 plus days of cricket, 700 plus live football matches, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) bouts, UEFA Champions League, UFC, ATP World Tour, Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, India Tour of Australia and UEFA Euro 2020.
Conceptualised and created by Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, the “Fully Loaded” campaign (as it has been christened) currently has two TVCs which are slated to be played out on Sony’s various channels and on various digital platforms.
The two spots (49 seconds and 44 seconds duration) feature your ordinary Indian Joe viewer who is absorbed in watching the sports telecasts on SPSN but is disturbed by his daughter (whose battery operated toy car refuses to work) in one and then by his dog chewing his shoe in the other. He then chooses to put in the batteries from his TV remote into his daughter’s toy automobile in the first spot. In the second, he takes away his shoe and instead gives his dog the TV remote to chew on. In both the spots, he continues watching the action on the telly, happy that he will not be disturbed and that his channel will not be changed. A voice-over then talks about all the tournaments that SPSN will be bringing to its viewers in 2020, ending with the tag line – “Always leave it on.”
“The marketing objective of these two ad films is to massify the sports that are aired on Sony’s sports channels and make the Sony offering appealing to viewers,” says Scarecrow M&C Saatchi founder Raghu Bhatt. “The perception is that Sony has international sports. Viewers don't know the details of the sports, but the different events can also appeal to the Indian sports fan. We also want to convince viewers that Sony’s sports channels are worth the money they are paying. ”
The spots were produced by Danny Lobo of Ensemble Productions with Alok Kulkarni as director and Kevin Crasta came on as the director of photography. Sheldon Rebello, responsible for the art direction, spruced up a bungalow Retreat Villa in Mumbai’s Madh Island. The films were edited by Paromita Ghosh.
Bhatt reveals that only the first stage of the Fully Loaded campaign has been flagged off. “We have planned a lot of activation and communication going forward for specific events in 2020,” he says.
“The “Always leave it on” campaign primarily appeals to all sort of audiences, regular Indian sports fans running in millions as well as fence-sitters,” explains Sony Pictures Sports Network’s chief marketing officer Neville Bastawalla. “It beautifully demonstrates the #fullyloaded offerings of Sony Sports and also showcases the entertainment quotient. It will be extended on-ground through strategic partnerships and associations.”
Bastawalla is extremely excited about the Always On campaign as well as the spots that ran during the final of the Austrlian Open which focused on the UEFA Champions League (UCL): Round of 16.
Says he: “The UEFA Champions League ad film captures the camaraderie between father and son who both share a common love for football and do want to miss out on any of UCL matches even though it is late at night.”
Clearly, with so much sport on the network, the spots could do well in clearing some confusion amongst TV viewers and possibly prompt them to subscribe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCRDpZeLaG8&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suJBSuvsSoE&feature=youtu.be
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
