GECs
Zee pulls out all stops on blockbuster FPC publicity
MUMBAI/NEW DELHI: The countdown for Zee’s blockbuster gamble that begins tomorrow has begun.
And the channel is obviously not sparing any efforts to ensure that it is exciting viewers’ curiosity about the relative new movies that are to be aired. A whopping Rs 70 million to Rs 100 million have been set aside for the six week media campaign, admits Zee TV president Apurva Purohit. All the media available are being pressed into service – full page ads appeared today in the Times of India, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Dainik Jagran, Hindu, Deccan Herald, Mid-Day and Sakaal, among others.
The Legend of Bhagat Singh, the first blockbuster to be aired on Zee
Websites, as well as FM radio and cinema halls in key cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore as well as outdoor hoardings in a substantial number of cities are already teasing the viewer with tantalising snapshots of the ‘fresh films’ that are to be aired in the Har Ghar Par Premiere band. Of course, Zee’s own channels are all being pressed into service to advertise the films, the first of which, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, airs tomorrow at 8 pm.
Zee is apparently gung ho about its new programming even before the films have started airing – and the channel plans to go in for more acquisitions, at least 10 to 12 of them, from April 2003 onwards. while admitting the the cost of movies has been fairly high, Purohit would not comment on the actual numbers. However, industry sources say Zee has a Rs 500 million acquisitions war chest set aside for this.
The strategy behind the programming change and the media campaign is that movies will attract viewers to the channel which is likely to get translated into viewership for our serials too. After all the serials will sustain the channel, says Purohit.
The feedback from the advertisers and press has been good on the campaign. Says Purohit, “People have been calling up since morning to discuss the newness of the movies. For example, some of the movies are still running in theatres.”
The main sponsors for the Har Ghar Par Premiere movies are Coca Cola, Livon, Cadbury and Whirlpool. And if industry reports that Zee has already wrapped up Rs 400 million worth of ad sales from the current lot of movies are true, it can only have given the Zee TV president added confidence that the this is a strategy that will work.
The movies look like doing their bit. Now it will be on the serials to hold their end up.
Bollywood Blockbusters slewed for every Thursday at 8 pm are as follows :
| Date 2002/03 | Film |
| 10 Oct | The Legend of Bhagat Singh |
| 17 Oct | Humraaz |
| 24 Oct | Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai |
| 31 Oct | Om Jai Jagdish |
| 7 Nov | Mujhse Dosti Karoge |
| 14 Nov | Little John |
| 21Nov | Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi |
| 28 Nov | Rehna Hai Tere Dil Main |
| 5 Dec | Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge |
| 12 Dec | Kitne Door…. Kitne Paas |
| 19 Dec | Deewaanapan |
| 26 Dec | Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai |
| 2 Jan | Hathyar |
| 9 Jan | Style |
| 16 Jan | Road |
| 23 Jan | Kuch Tum Kaho Kuch Hum Kahein |
GECs
ZEEL overhauls sales structure to chase growth across TV and digital platforms
New structure sharpens digital push as viewing habits fragment fast
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is reshuffling its sales playbook as it looks to keep pace with a fast-changing media landscape, where audiences are scattered, screens are multiplying and advertisers are following the data.
According to media reports, the rejig is anchored in the company’s push to build a more integrated, data-led monetisation engine, one that can straddle both traditional television and fast-growing digital platforms with equal ease.
At the heart of the move is a reworked sales architecture designed to deliver cross-platform solutions. With connected TV gaining ground and digital consumption surging, ZEEL is aligning its teams to move quicker, think broader and sell smarter.
The restructuring is being led by chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Sandeep Mehrotra, at a time when the company says it is seeing tremendous growth. The idea is simple: match the right talent to the right opportunity in a market that is anything but static.
As part of the overhaul, several long-serving executives have been elevated to chief sales officer roles across regions and content clusters. Sanjoy Chatterjee will head the east market, while Gunjarav Nayak takes charge of the west along with high-margin verticals such as hmg, brand works, intellectual properties and digital sales. Rajnish Gupta will oversee bengaluru and chennai markets alongside the kannada and tamil clusters.
In other key moves, Divjyot Dhanda will lead hyderabad and kochi markets and manage zee tv, zee keralam and the telugu cluster. Roshan Vasu Kotian will supervise a diverse portfolio including Zee Marathi, &tv, Zee Punjabi, Zee Anmol, Big Magic and Zee Biskope.
The company is also strengthening its bench, appointing national sales heads across retail, regional clusters, digital and brand solutions. Ankur Kapila’s appointment to lead digital sales signals a sharper push into a segment that continues to outpace traditional formats.
Behind the scenes, dedicated strategy and operations roles have been carved out for both linear and digital businesses. Nitin Shetty, Rajkiran Shrivastav and Priya Nambiar will take on key responsibilities to ensure the new structure runs with precision.
The broader aim is clear. ZEEL wants a bigger slice of advertising budgets that are steadily drifting towards digital and connected TV ecosystems. By integrating its offerings, the company hopes to deepen client relationships while unlocking new revenue streams.
The new structure takes effect immediately, with Mehrotra continuing to report to chief executive officer Punit Goenka and steer the company’s advertising revenue strategy. Senior executive Laxmi Shetty will support the transition, with her revised role expected to be announced soon.
In a market where content is everywhere but attention is scarce, ZEEL’s latest move is less about rearranging the org chart and more about staying in the game.
