Mumbai: Bollywood has remarkably reinvented its storytelling, and the outcome is quite telling with its sharp resurgence. “Brahmastra” & “Pathaan” became the shining stars of this memorable comeback breaking various box office records and the spate of blockbusters hasn’t abated since. This growing interest in watching Hindi movies isn’t just limited to theaters alone with WTPs achieving huge reach and viewership making them an advertiser’s favorite for attaining high impact.
“Munjya,” the latest movie to premiere in Aug’24 on Star Gold is a huge testament to this trend with a staggering unique reach of 35 Mn in the first TV airing itself! Likewise, other recent airings of blockbusters like Salaar (in Hindi) and Fighter also saw a 30m reach during their tv debut. Interestingly, even movies which haven’t exactly set the Box Office on fire have managed to reach 20 Mn+ viewers in their first airing over the last 12 months. The ability to deliver 2-3X reach relative to Top Hindi reality shows like Bigg Boss, Indian Idol and Kaun Banega Crorepati underlines the superlative impact potential of WTPs.
Comaparision of Avg. Reach (Mn) - Hindi WTPs and Top Hindi Reality Shows
Superior quality of Attention:
The advantage of WTPs extends well beyond its massive reach to the high-quality attention that it receives from audiences across demographic segments. Unlike digital UGC video platforms, where ads are often skipped, most ads aired during WTPs tend to be watched in full, creating higher memorability and building stronger brand associations.
Attention measurement studies on TV using Computer Vision technology illustrate the superiority of advertising attention during WTPs relative to Reality Shows and News.
Comparision of Attention for a 15 sec ad on different mediums, indexed to news channels
It is extremely critical for a brand to evaluate this attention garnered per reach & impression, given the low attention span on most mediums in today’s fragmented media environment. It lends credence to the belief that all reach and impressions are not equal, as brand outcomes can vary significantly in proportion to the attentiveness of the viewers.
Advertiser Impact:
Brands from the Auto and Cement categories associated with ‘Munjya’ WTP witnessed a sharp spike in Google search trends. This demonstrates the ability of WTPs to elevate consumer interest and consideration in brands through the power of co-viewing audiences.
Spike in online search for brands which advertised on the WTP airing of Muniya on Star Gold
The colossal reach and high level of audience engagement make WTPs a true tentpole of advertising, offering brands a unique opportunity to connect with a captive audience and derive disproportionate associative value. Investment in WTPs for marketers is more than just reaching a broad audience—it is about tapping into a highly engaged viewership that drives real business outcomes.
