DTH
Tata Sky opens Actve Series to advertisers
MUMBAI: Indian DTH players have been scouting for newer revenue opportunities in order to reduce their dependency on subscription revenues. One of the bigger ones, Tata Sky, yesterday announced that it would be selling advertising space on its Actve Series platform allowing advertisers and brands to effectively reach out to the desired TG through either commercials or integrate brand communication in the programmes.
Some of the popular series include Actve Fun Learn for kids under 10 years, Actve English, Actve Cooking, Actve Vedic Maths and Actve Music. According to the DTH provider, almost 2 million of its subscribers watch the Actve Series with cooking and English being the preferred choices, especially in tier II cities and towns. Brands such as McCain Foods, Google, Yakult, Maggi and Britannia have already been signed on to showcase their infomercials on Actve Cooking.
“Reaching out to the audience based on research and preferences has helped our Actve services become a huge success in India. Being a paid platform, there is a high level of interaction with repeat viewers every day consuming content that they desire and expect. The infomercials hence integrated aptly with the Actve channels have resulted in a positive impact on our subscribers,” states Tata Sky CCO Vikram Mehra.
Media planners seem sold out on the idea of getting segmented viewers for their clients. “It is a good way to reach out to people. Ultimately it is content that could be in any form. 2 million isn’t a small audience. The key thing is that it gives you a focused audience,” says MindShare India principle partner Jai Lala.
“Each of these DTH players has launched such content platforms of their own so that they get to know the profile of their users. It is a thing we have been waiting for since long,” adds Lodestar UM CEO Nandini Dias.
Some brand names have been signed up already, but that apparently is only the tip of the iceberg, as bigger advertisers will surely get on board. Dias is of the opinion that personalised brands will do well in this series and FMCG brands will surely advertise as they advertise on an overall basis. Lala feels that brands that can integrate well with the programme will work best. “Consumers are getting onto this platform to learn. So educational brands, retail brands would work well here,” he says.
However, this being a first attempt the ad rates will be at a bare minimum. “The ad rates need to be evolved. They have to be competitively priced because there should be a logic as to why should money be invested into these active services. If there is better segmentation for clients then we can invest and ensure that money is not wasted,” points out Dias.
Tata Sky claims that through its various interactive series, advertisers can directly target customised TGs. Currently, the only way to advertise on the DTH provider is on its channel 100, its initiation channel.
DTH
Dish TV launches ‘Kuch chhota sa’ campaign for TV flexibilit
New campaign highlights 190+ channels, Always-On service, Rs 99 Freedom Pack.
MUMBAI- Sometimes, the smallest remote click can fix the biggest daily friction and Dish TV is betting on exactly that insight. The company has rolled out a new campaign built around the thought ‘Kuch chhota sa karne par, life hogi behtar’, turning everyday viewing annoyances into a case for simpler, more reliable television access.
The campaign taps into a familiar household reality: millions of viewers continue to rely on free-to-air channels but increasingly want the flexibility of premium content, often ending up with a patchy and inconsistent viewing experience. Dish TV positions itself as the middle path—a structured yet flexible alternative that promises continuity without complexity. At its core is the pitch of an “Always-On” service, designed to keep content accessible even when recharge timelines slip, effectively reducing one of the most common friction points in DTH consumption.
To strengthen this proposition, the platform is offering access to over 190 channels, alongside a flexible pricing hook through its Freedom Pack, starting at Rs 99. The pack is positioned as a seasonal companion particularly relevant during high-engagement periods such as cricket tournaments, school holidays and festive windows, when content consumption spikes but users may not want long-term commitments.
Conceptualised by Enormous, the campaign unfolds through two master films and three short edits rooted in slice-of-life storytelling. From a husband quietly navigating around his sleeping wife to siblings striking a compromise over a coveted window seat, the narratives lean into humour and relatability rather than heavy messaging. The underlying idea remains consistent: small adjustments can meaningfully improve everyday experiences.
The rollout spans a full 360-degree media mix, including television, digital platforms, on-ground activations, point-of-sale visibility, Google Display Network placements and influencer-led content, signalling a push for both scale and contextual engagement.
As viewing habits continue to evolve in a hybrid ecosystem of free and paid content, Dish TV’s latest play reflects a broader industry shift where reliability and flexibility are increasingly positioned as differentiators, not just add-ons. In a market crowded with choice, the brand’s wager is simple: sometimes, it’s the smallest tweak that keeps audiences tuned in.
