MUMBAI: As the 2019 year comes to an end, COLORS, the Viacom18’s flagship brand in the entertainment space, recounts marketing innovations that were executed to engage the audience and create a cohesive viewing experience.
COLORS not only built and enhanced consumer engagements across platforms but also won 30 + awards across categories. It created remarkable cultural touchpoints, driving unique social media engagement along with the best use of technology.
Viacom18’s marketing and digital head - Hindi mass entertainment Sapangeet Rajwant said: “It has been a wonderful year and we have achieved many milestones by launching path-breaking campaigns for our show. We shaped our marketing activities with the help of emerging technology, methods, and patterns to connect with consumers most effectively.”
Rajwant further said, “We have created engagement-based campaigns with the help of AR filters, Holograms and grass-root level activities to give viewers a firsthand experience. Our success was influenced by inspiring and thought-provoking storylines that resonated with the audience.”
COLORS was launched on 21 July 2008, as a combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’, offers an entire spectrum of emotions to its viewers. Here is a look at some of the noteworthy marketing campaigns of 2019 undertaken by brand:
On-ground activations:
For the launch of its mythological show, Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush, a rendition of the epic Ramayan, COLORS designed a disruptive marketing campaign integrated with technology. A closeted holy abode, Bhakti Ki Yatra, was created along with a stellar structure that gave people Sakshat Darshan of our Ram, Sita, Luv and Kush through Hologram technology.
Led by a larger than life structure of ‘Luv Kush controlling the Ashwamegh’ made for a great photo opportunity and was flagged off in the presence of national media in Lucknow and trailed across Kanpur, Agra, Allahabad and Varanasi – giving viewers a glimpse of the show
For its fiction offering Choti Sarrdaarni which is set against the backdrop of Punjab, COLORS brought alive the essence of heartland through its marketing innovations. In the hot summers, Sikhs gather in public areas to distribute chilled, flavoured ‘chabeel’.
Taking a cue from this insight, a Choti Sarrdaarni branded mobile van was created to ply the streets of Punjab and NCR, distributing packaged rose-flavored lassi. LED screens were put up on the vans displaying the show's promos to generate buzz around it. The vans were led by a bike rally of Sardaarnis dressed in traditional attire, Paranda and Kada, accompanied by Dhol beats bringing alive the theme of the show
For the social drama, Vidya, based on a strong and socially relevant concept, the channel initiated a Vidya Daan programme wherein boxes were kept outside trade media publications’ offices and the employees were urged to donated books and stationery to the ones in need
Building on community engagement, the channel has devised a ‘Kismat Ka Shubharambh’ life-size board game activity which was specially designed game of Sajhedaari (partnership) planned in 4 cities in Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi, Agra, Lucknow, and Kanpur).
The game tested the compatibility of each of the players as well as their ability to excel as business partners at various points in the game. It also had advantage points like a Double Bonanza Risk and Kismat ki Chakri which gave the players a chance to increase the price of money as well.
The winners were gratified with exciting prizes. As a part of integration with Pinkathon, the 21-kilometer couple run was re-christened as ‘Raja Rani 21-Km Run’ after the names of the lead characters of the show
Joining in the cricket frenzy during IPL, COLORS gave its viewers a chance to win tickets to watch Mumbai Indians play LIVE at the stadium. The fans had to participate in and score big by logging on to the interactive microsite, www.colorspremierleague.com, and answer a few simple questions daily during the match timings.
With every right answer, they were able to score runs and win Mumbai Indians and COLORS merchandise. Also, a few lucky ones also won tickets to watch Mumbai Indian matches from the stand and an all-expense-paid trip to watch the final match of the season
Curated to bring cinema closer to its viewers, COLORS Cineplex launched UP’s first solar-enabled theatre Electro COLORS Cineplex at the Nauchandi Mela this year. With a promise to provide unceasing entertainment, an enclosed theatre capacitated with solar panels and comfortable seating was built to facilitate non-stop and on-the-go entertainment for the viewers.
Apart from the movie screening, the audience also got an opportunity to make complete use of the solar-powered mobile charging units to charge their mobiles while watching movies. Moreover, mobile charging units with a contextual message were installed at strategic points across the mela ground for people to avail of the benefits.
Digital and Social Media campaigns:
COLORS emphasized on technology as a way to drive engagement and spark conversations to make Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush relevant for the youth. For instance, it forged the first partnership between an Indian General Entertainment Channel and Google and created a ‘Twitter Setu’ – by getting influencers to reply to a single tweet and creating the illusion of a bridge or a virtual Ram Setu.
They also collaborated with UC browser and Google Assistance to give more impetus to the overall campaign. As a part of the digital initiative for Choti Sarrdaarni, the channel along with Jam8 launched an upbeat music anthem celebrating the spirit and swag of true Sarrdaarnis featuring the lead of the show, Nimrit Kaur alongside Punjabi artist Sara Gurpal
Taking the influencer engagement further, for its fiction offering Shubharambh, COLORS separated a pair of shoes and sent them to two different influencers. They were then asked to find their ‘sole’mate by posting an image of the shoe using the hashtag, #EkAurEkGyarah, and track that hashtag to find out their partner. The activity not only generated relevant conversation but also brought alive the concept of the show
For Bigg Boss’s latest season, social media content packaged to encourage conversations resulted in the show spiking the COLORS’ monthly share of voice on digital to 85% across the category, peaking at 94% during the first week of December.
Executing weekly engagement activities like innovative AR filters, polls and sentiment tapping on digital led to over 4 billion impressions and 1 billion video views in just a month - all organic and the highest ever for any Bigg Boss season.
