iWorld
ZEE5 emerges as top pick for brands, courtesy user growth, ad-suite, transparent measurement
MUMBAI: Brands cannot overlook over-the-top (OTT) platforms while planning media mix. Broadcaster-led streaming services like ZEE5, Hotstar, VOOT with their impressive number of monthly active users and large scale of content have started taking away some of the TV ad dollars. But the lack of unified measurement has been one of the major concerns of brands as they want clarity on impact and reach. However, while the industry is grappling with the hardship, ZEE5 has initiated numerous partnerships to offer measurable results to its advertiser community.
ZEE5 entered partnerships with Moat, a standard verification across the digital industry that measures viewability of video and display ads. The streaming service’s digital creatives are exceeding Moat benchmarks thus giving more confidence to brands that users are spending more time viewing them and ads are reaching completion more frequently. While the Moat benchmark of ad playing to completion is 39.4 per cent, ZEE5 has touched 71 per cent. For Moat’s audibility, the benchmark for the percentage of impressions where the video was audible at a given period of time is 47.5 per cent, while ZEE5 has almost doubled to 93.9 per cent.
A recent report from Deloitte Global predicted that revenue from ad-supported video services will reach an estimated $32 billion in 2020 whereas Asia (including China and India) will lead with $15.5 billion in revenue in 2020, nearly half of the global total. Although the report came out before COVID-19 crisis and there might be changes in statistics, but the increasing affinity of brands towards streaming services is significantly noticeable. At such a critical juncture, ZEE5 will have an edge over others on the back of credibility from a third-party tool.
Last year, ZEE5 also integrated with Nielsen to deliver the best accountability for brands and partners on their advertising front. The Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings (DAR) provides a method of measuring online advertising audiences, delivering reach, frequency and gross rating point (GRP) metrics along with demographics like age and gender. Moreover, DAR reports demographic information from Facebook, with Nielsen correction & calibration factors.
ZEE5 has been taking proactive measures as AVOD business is poised for growth. The Deloitte report also added that these streaming services are in the process of convincing advertisers to shift some of the TV ad budgets to streaming video by placing forward innovative ad models and personalised content.
As brands look at more consumer insights and metrics while deciding on marketing mix spends, ZEE5 also offers data from the Media Rating Council (MRC). MRC is a standard devised to determine whether an ad impression is viewable or not. According to MRC, a display ad will be considered as “viewable” if 50 per cent of the ad creative is visible for at least one second in the viewable space of the browser. ZEE5 is overreaching CTR and VTR also, as per MRC standard. While other OTT platforms have 30-40 per cent VTR, ZEE5 has more than double, ranging between 75-85 per cent. At the same time, ZEE5 achieves 0.5-1 per cent CTR while other OTT platforms attain 0.2-0.5 per cent.
ZEE5 is leaving no stone unturned to maximise the ROI for brands. It launched an industry-disrupting ad-suite last year which helps deliver brand KPIs on aspects like reach, saliency, lead generation and SOV while allowing for segmentation, personalisation and measurability to ensure higher returns on marketing investments.
AdVault helps advertisers to reach its target through a vast range of solutions as per the campaign needs. AMLI5 supports bands to intensify the impact by offering influencers marketing, social media, content marketing, brand integrations, SMS-email campaigns. On the other hand, Play5 helps brands integrate with the content through customised gamification, branded polls and quiz. Wishbox enhances the chart aiming at higher engagement through video commerce. Infonomix leverages the flexibility and effectiveness of Ad Suit to deliver value through action led campaign planning.
ZEE5’s humungous number of monthly active users have already accentuated its top position in the pecking order of the streaming services. The platform has also been named ‘India’s Most Desired Video Streaming Brand’ by TRA’s Most Desired Brands 2020 report. The smart user interface and depth of content across languages have taken it beyond the premium tier easily. ZEEL’s big bet on OTT has undoubtedly emerged as a way for brands to reach masses on the back of its content, tech and data.
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
