National advertisers need to allocate more ad budget to regional channels: Bikash Kundu

As audience preferences shift, Viacom18 is strengthening its hold across regional markets with nuanced programming and targeted revenue strategies. In an exclusive conversation with Adgully, Bikash Kundu, Head of Regional Revenue at Viacom18, highlights how the network’s regional channels – Colors Kannada, Colors Marathi, and Colors Bangla Cinema – are witnessing growth through fresh programming choices and a surge in brand partnerships, particularly during the festive season, he also discusses the challenges faced in FY25, and the factors contributing to the exceptional success of ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’.

Reflecting on the past fiscal year, Kundu says, “For us at Viacom18 regionals, we actually grew at mid-double digits last year. So, it’s been a good journey.” Despite a single-digit growth in FY25’s first half, Kundu sees positive signs on the horizon. “I wish H1 had been better, because FMCGs play a very important role for advertising. If you’ve seen the results of FMCG companies like HUL, it’s been a mixed bag. Most FMCGs were impacted in the first few months due to subdued rural demand. However, in the last couple of months, there are signs of improvement in the rural market. Interestingly, the urban market seems to be slowing in volume offtake.”

Diving into regional trends, Kundu explains that Viacom18’s southern channels have shown stronger growth than the Hindi-speaking market (HSM). “The growth comes as adex (advertising expenditure) increases, meaning more people are advertising. National advertisers like HUL, P&G, Dabur, Reckitt, and Colgate cover the entire country, so Hindi GECs (General Entertainment Channels) are essential for a larger reach in the HSM. However, Hindi GECs have limited viewership in southern states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. National advertisers need to allocate more advertising budget to reach these regions through regional channels.” Additionally, he points out that southern states generally have higher GDPs and richer economies, which positively impacts advertising and viewership trends.

This focus on regional viewership is evident with the success of ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’, which recently recorded a groundbreaking 9.9 TV rating in its first week. “The 9.9 rating is an impressive figure, especially in Karnataka,” Kundu notes, underscoring the strong non-fiction content viewership in this region. “In Karnataka, non-fiction like ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ consistently does exceptionally well. Last year, ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ was the highest-rated show in the market, even surpassing fiction shows.”

When asked about the secret behind ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’s popularity, Kundu attributes it to three core elements. “First, Kiccha Sudeep, who’s been hosting the show for 11 years, is the biggest superstar in Karnataka and plays a vital role in the show’s success. Secondly, the diverse mix of celebrities inside the ‘Bigg Boss’ house is essential. This year, we have an eclectic mix of individuals, including lawyers, social media influencers, television stars, and film stars.” Among the notable cast members is Gold Suresh, a popular social media personality known for his elaborate gold attire, adding a unique appeal to the show. Behind this success is also the dedication of the production team. “The entire team behind ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ has done an incredible job,” he shares.

According to Kundu, the network has made significant strides in sponsor partnerships compared to last year’s launch of ‘Bigg Boss Kannada Season 10’. “This year, our pre-launch sponsorship count has seen a solid increase from 12 partners in Season 10 to 21 for Season 11,” he noted. “Overall, we’re seeing a substantial growth in interest from brands across a range of sectors, especially those looking to capitalise on the increased viewership ‘Bigg Boss’ provides.”

With notable brands like HUL, Haldiram’s, Confident Group, Amrutanjan, and LG joining the lineup, ‘Bigg Boss Kannada’ is demonstrating how regional programming can be a compelling choice for diverse advertisers.

With the festive season in full swing, Colors has crafted a compelling programming strategy that mirrors regional celebrations. Kundu explained the approach:

“Festivities kick off with Ganpati in Maharashtra, followed by Navratri in Gujarat, Durga Puja in Bengal, and Diwali across India. For instance, Colors Marathi celebrated Ganpati by bringing the festival into the ‘Bigg Boss Marathi’ house, where actor Riteish Deshmukh joined housemates for the aarti. Likewise, for Navratri, Colors Gujarati hosted Rangratri, a four-hour live telecast from Falguni Pathak’s events in Borivali and Ahmedabad. Ticket sales surged eightfold compared to last year.”

In Bengal, Mahalaya programming on Colors Bangla garners significant viewership as Bengali audiences celebrate the traditional start of Durga Puja. Kundu noted, “On Colors Bangla, we air early morning Mahalaya content that aligns with Bengalis’ cultural tradition of waking at 3 am to listen to Birendra Krishna Bhadra. It’s a prime advertising moment for regional brands, keen to reach this highly engaged audience.”

When asked about increasing audience interest in non-fiction shows over fiction in regional markets, Kundu outlined a distinctive trend:

“Typically, a General Entertainment Channel (GEC), be it Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, or Bengali, offers a mix of fiction shows, non-fiction shows – such as reality programmes like ‘Bigg Boss’, singing, and dancing competitions – and movie premieres. However, Karnataka presents a unique taste. For example, our Anubandha Awards on Colors Kannada, similar to Colors Hindi’s Golden Petal Awards, is a family-themed award show for our popular Kannada shows. This year marked its 11th season.”

The Anubandha Awards reflects the strong connection between Kannada audiences and their regional characters, with family members from each show competing in popular categories, ranging from “Best Bahu” to “Best Father”.

Kundu noted the remarkable audience engagement for the programme:

“Our Anubandha Awards spans over three days, with four hours of programming each day, making a total of 12 hours. Conventional television wisdom would advise concise content for engagement, but Karnataka has flipped this notion – the longer duration has not impacted ratings negatively. In fact, Anubandha secured an impressive 7.5+ rating, underscoring Kannada viewers’ keen interest in non-fiction, family-centric content.”

Colors Bangla Cinema: A Leader in Bengali Viewership Colors Bangla Cinema has emerged as a leader in the Bengali movie genre, holding an undisputed 14-week leadership and showcasing impressive growth metrics:

• Program GRPs: A 90% increase over last year, far surpassing competitors like Jalsha Movies and Zee Bangla Cinema, which have seen stagnant growth.
• Audience Reach: Up by 46%, marking a significant rise in viewership as opposed to negative growth for rival channels.
• Advertising Growth: Colors Bangla Cinema’s Ad GRP share has grown by 48%, while Jalsha Movies and Zee Bangla Cinema experienced declines of -11% and -27%, respectively.
• Revenue and Client Expansion: Revenue has doubled compared to the previous year, with Colors Bangla Cinema boasting the highest growth in client numbers, attracting a strong base from both South and North India.

Bigg Boss Kannada Season 11: Breaking New Ground Season 11 of Bigg Boss Kannada has recorded tremendous growth, continuing to be a staple of Viacom18’s success in Karnataka. Key highlights include:

• Launch Week Success: Watch time surged by 76% over last season's opening period, with the show recording an impressive 9.9 TV rating in its first week.
• Sponsorship Growth: Season 11 began with 21 sponsors and now has 24, including repeat and first-time sponsors like Shree Sai Gold Palace and Change Jar. Categories such as Pooja Oil and Air Fryers made their debut on the show, while Eco-Planet became the first in-house elevator partner, adding unique brand integrations.
• Audience Engagement: Last season, Bigg Boss Kannada 10 saw ratings grow by 89%, reaching 7.4 TVRs from the previous season's 3.9. The show’s digital reach included 2.1 crore viewers on JioCinema, accumulating 11 crore watch hours.

Bigg Boss Marathi Season 5: Setting Benchmarks in Non-Fiction Bigg Boss Marathi has also shown outstanding performance in the Marathi market:

• Viewership Growth: Season 5 achieved ratings 3.4 times higher than Season 4, with impressions up by 144% and reach by 20%.
• Sponsorship Growth: The show grew from 8 brands in Season 4 to 12 in Season 5, a testament to its popularity and robust audience engagement.