Viacom18 INS to scale up ops in 2015

VH1 Supersonic and Hungama.com have announced a strategic partnership for over 60 events which will begin with VH1 Supersonic Goa Fest this month

Sarmistha Neogy | Mumbai | December 24, 2014

Launched in 2013, to enable the vision of OneViacom18, Integrated Network Solutions (INS) has grown at a swift pace. It has been an exciting journey for INS and, in less than two years, the business unit has created close to 13 large-format properties in the music and entertainment space, engaging close to millions of fans through 207 on-ground events. Recently, the network also helped launch the global smartphone manufacturer Vivo in the Indian markets. This is being done by building the brand in the minds of the consumers, using high-impact live properties and genres, such as music and comedy, catering to various target audiences, and also key broadcast properties of the network across brands.

Jaideep Singh

Jaideep Singh, Senior VP & Business Head - Integrated Network Solutions, said, “Our aim at INS is to monetise the ecosystem through engaged entertainment. While in 2013 we built a strong foundation, we spent 2014 scaling up our properties. Our focus has been to develop large scale IPs, build strategic partnership with brands and focus on building large and impactful network initiatives. In order to provide engaged entertainment to people, no matter where they are located and also what their preference in genre is, we are taking our properties to tier II markets, to clubs and colleges.”

The landscape of INS has scaled up because what started as 16 on-ground events in 2013 has expanded to 210 events in 2014. It has engaged 150 million+ audience in 2014, as compared to 54 million in 2013. Direct connect with more than 400,000+ consumers and 35 hours of content have been created across IPs. It has also showcased 350+ artistes this year. Creating engaged entertainment, innovative client engagement, unleashing unmatched scale, partnering with the best, utilising technology to provide an unparalleled experience, and finally bringing the best to the Indian shores – are some of the drivers that have helped spur the growth of INS.

The much-awaited Vh1 Supersonic, which began as a yearend festival in its first year, is now an Intellectual Property (IP) which has increased its reach among consumers with 50 campus gigs and 50 club nights, leading up to the main festival scheduled from December 27 to 30, in Goa this year. Property extension for 'MTV Bollyland' has manifested into 12 city concerts from its origins in one gala night in Delhi, while 'MTV Live' saw concerts with key Bollywood musicians in three different cities this year. Emerge associated with international artistes like 'Dismantle', 'Go Go Berlin' and 'The Virginmarys' on three city tours, leading to nine Dance Music extravaganzas.

VH1 Supersonic and Hungama.com have announced strategic partnership for over 60 events which will begin with VH1 Supersonic Goa Fest this month. To launch the partnership, Hungama.com will play the role of Digital Partner for the event and will conduct on-ground and social media contests; gratification in the form of pass upgrades and merchandises will be given out to the winners.

Commenting on this partnership, Singh said, “Live Viacom18 has evolved in the last two years as a creator of brand engagement for consumers across platforms. While we strive to create memorable on-ground experiences for the audience, it is imperative for us to reach out to digital audiences as well. The Indian Dance Music scene is constantly evolving, creating demand among youth who spend most of their time on the internet. Addressing the need of today's youth, we look forward to partner with Hungama to cater to the ever-rising demand for Dance Music.”

Sharing his plans for the coming year, Singh revealed, “We wish to take engaged entertainment to a new level and it will also grow at a rapid scale. For all our events, we wish to take care of the safety angle and have plans of expanding in more cities. Moving to the top 15-20 towns is our priority, out of which eight to nine have already been covered this year.”

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