News Broadcasting
Clash of the Titans
JDJ has targeted the space of ambient marketing as well, with over 500 hoardings across 12 cities. The creatives – both outdoor and print, are spearheaded by creative agency Marching Ants. Iyer says: “Last year we focused on the symbolic shining disco ball as a promotable. The idea this year was to take JDJ outside the environment of the studio to outdoors build scale. You will see that both in our launch promos as well as creatives.”
Ambient Marketing:
Colors-500 horadings across 12 cities
Sony- 4000 horadings across 24 towns
However, in terms of ambient marketing, Sony is way ahead as it claims to have stationed over 4,000 outdoor advertising units across 24 towns promoting IIJ.
Seth elaborates: “We have targeted our viewers across their daily touch points from whenever they step out of their houses to when they return. This includes innovative branding and presence on major roads and arteries across 24 key towns of India through large and small format billboards. In addition, we have taken branding inside and outside major transport hubs and vehicles such as trains and buses both intercity and intra-city. We have also targeted malls and shopping centers and even cinemas to ensure all touch points are covered extensively.”
Sony also has several out-of-box promotional campaigns planned for IIJ. “We will be carrying out an activation titled “Society Idol Junior” across 12 cities in which we will be conducting mini auditions and talent performances judged by local celebrities in various residential societies and colonies. We will then be crowning individual winners from this age group from each of these. In addition we will also be having mega Idol city concerts featuring our final contestants and of course our talented judges,” informs Seth.
On the online, digital and mobile front, Colors has created a dedicated microsite, web chat and dance tutorials wherein it has tied-up with dancewithmadhuri.com, which is Madhuri Dixit’s online dance academy. There are also plans to create a mobile application for the show.
“This year we are taking the brand JDJ and our promise to make non-dancer’s dancers to the next level by giving them a taste of true dance with Dance Tutorials & Dance with Madhuri contest,” says Iyer.
He adds: “Throughout the season every day, we will release one dance tutorial for our viewers. This will be from different dance forms for example seven steps salsa in a week etc. These videos will be released every week on our website, JDJ app and Colors Facebook page for viewers to easily access while on the go. To make this more even more exciting we have tied up with dancewithmadhuri.com. Viewers can now learn practice and upload their videos. Madhuri Dixit will herself select one lucky winner who will get a chance to dance with the Diva herself.”
Apart from all of the above, Colors has a lot in store for online viewers before the grand premiere- a Live Chat with Madhuri, the video of which will be uploaded on the channel’s official website. A web premiere is also on the lines, wherein 20 minutes of the grand premiere will be uploaded on the channel’s official YouTube channel at 3.00 pm on Saturday. All in all, the online buzz around #Jhalak (the official hash-tag) will be kept alive through live chats, web premiere, contests and the works!
Sony has also launched several web/digital initiatives for its debutante property. Myindianidoljunior.com is the official website for all news, views and happenings from the show. Seth says: “Exclusive content regarding the contestants, engaging apps etc will only be available there. In addition we launched the IIJ audition app which allowed smartphone users to enter the selection process by auditioning through their mobile device. There are lots of other interesting features on our social media pages and handles as well.”
Social Media
Colors- dancewithmadhuri.com
Sony- Myindianidoljunior.com
Zee TV: DID Super Moms’mobile App
Zee TV has also launched several interesting social media initiatives for promoting DID Super Moms. Chawla states: “For Zee, the consumer has always been at the centre of business decisions. The channel has pioneered many digital and mobile initiatives with the intention of interacting with the consumers at every touch point. Committed to presenting out of the box ideas to market its shows, this time around some innovative features have been added in the DID Super Moms mobile app”.
To amplify viewer engagement, a new feature called Tap on has been introduced. Here a user can hold the phone to capture the songs played during ‘DID Super Moms.’ Every time he does that, some exclusive content that is high on engagement would unlock on his phone giving him additional interesting information about the show. This content can be an exclusive live tutorial, images or some trivia from the show.
Another feature is a chat room called Check In where everybody watching the show can check in and shares their viewpoints with each other. With the pattern of content consumption becoming more dynamic, the features introduced in the mobile app will keep the viewer engaged throughout the show via his/her mobile phone. This is a more personal way of interaction, engagement and entertainment.
Talking about a recent online promotional activity, Chawla says: “The Masters of Zee TV’s DID Super Moms, Farah Khan and Marzi Pestonji along with skippers, Raghav, Prince, Jai and Siddhesh kicked off a virtual conversation on Google Hangout with 10 of their lucky fans on 24 May! These lucky winners were selected via a twitter contest where the ‘netizens’ were asked to use #dancingtome and write what dancing meant to them. In this online event, the masters and skippers not only shared interesting trivia’s and anecdotes but also showcased their signature moves to their admirers. For those who didn’t get a spot in the lucky 10, watched the hangout LIVE on Zee TV’s YouTube page.”
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
