Kyunki leads JioStar’s cross-screen strategy as brands demand unified reach

New Delhi: With one of the biggest fiction reboots on Indian television, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, returning later this month, JioStar is making a major push to consolidate advertiser interest across platforms. 

The broadcaster has gone aggressive in pitching bundled TV + digital ad packages for almost all its IPs, with Kyunki leading the charge. But as one of its top executives tells BestMediaInfo.com, the lack of unified measurement remains a serious industry bottleneck.

Earlier this month, TAM India announced its plans to introduce multiscreen audience measurement, a move that Ajit Varghese, Head of Revenue, Entertainment & International at JioStar, sees as critical to fixing the fragmented ecosystem.

“One of the big challenges today is around metrics. We’ve traditionally bought TV in a certain way, using a set of familiar metrics, but digital is bought and sold very differently. That’s why we’re pushing toward unified metrics. The broader ecosystem is fragmented. TV is measured through panels, while digital relies on impressions. This leads to significant differences in how performance is tracked and interpreted. What we’re working on is bringing order to that ecosystem,” Varghese said.

Positioning TV + Digital as an absolute winning formula, Varghese explained that advertisers are no longer evaluating platforms in isolation.

“Clients are increasingly valuing reach, cohorts, and ROI across screens, not in silos. That’s why all our shows, fiction and non-fiction, are now offered as joint TV + Digital propositions. As broadcasters, we’re building content and engagement strategies that span platforms, ensuring seamless storytelling and sharper targeting,” he said.

He added that digital is seeing 50% YoY growth, while high-impact content is showing over 100% monetisation potential.

“So, the TV + Digital combo not only delivers scale but also unlocks deeper consumer connection, making it a powerful model for both advertisers and the industry,” he said.

Calling this convergence the “ask of the day,” Varghese said JioStar’s unique value lies in being the only publisher offering both TV and digital under one roof, unlike big tech platforms that are digital-only.

Advertisers, he said, are increasingly looking to combine the best of both worlds to maximise brand impact and reach the right audience with the right frequency throughout the year.

“When advertisers engage with multiple platforms, there’s always the challenge of comparing audiences across them. In that context, we’re probably the only publisher offering both TV and digital together under one roof,” Varghese said.

Addressing the industry’s need gap, Varghese emphasised that JioStar is delivering strong content across screens, whether viewed on mobile, streamed via Wi-Fi, or consumed on a paid subscription.

“Clients want to maximise value across all those environments. So bringing TV and digital together isn’t just a strategic move, it’s an obvious consumer choice and an obvious client choice,” he added.

To back this up, JioStar has partnered with Nielsen, Kantar, and a shopper commerce platform to build a research panel that tracks what happens to product off-takes when a brand advertises.

“We’re also tying up with retail companies to track what kind of off-take happens when a brand advertises on digital, on TV, or through a combined TV-plus-digital strategy. We’re examining how results vary when a campaign leans heavily on TV, or on digital, or balances both. Essentially, we’re investing in industry-first, tech-enabled research to ensure that outcomes are properly measured, so we’re not just chasing input metrics, but genuinely delivering brand impact,” he explained.

When asked which platform is seeing the strongest advertiser interest for Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Varghese said that both TV and digital are witnessing a clear uptick.

“It’s quite clear that TV brings the scale, it delivers reach and impact at a mass level. That’s the strength of television. At the same time, we have a growing set of advertisers who are specifically interested in Connected TV (CTV), targeting premium households,” he said.

“Then there’s another group of advertisers looking for highly customised cohorts. They want to reach specific audience segments, and that’s something we can enable through JioHotstar’s advanced targeting capabilities,” he added.

He also asserted that the revival of the iconic show is currently tracking ahead of Star Plus’ top-rated fiction Anupama in terms of advertiser interest and early revenue trajectory.

“As it matures and moves through different phases, we’ll have more data for comparison. But as of now, it’s tracking well above in terms of interest, revenue potential, and overall buzz in the market,” Varghese said.

BestMediaInfo last week reported that JioStar is offering category-exclusive sponsorships, aiming to onboard 13 sponsors for Kyunki.

Commenting on the strategy to sell a fiction show like a reality series, Varghese said, “We’re positioning this as a high-impact, high-engagement, and trusted storytelling environment. The goal is to give brands a reliable advertising space that works across the funnel, from pre-season to launch, and all the way through to the end of the year. With 167 episodes, there’s enough scale and continuity for brands to meaningfully ride on the program throughout the second half of the year.”

After signing four sponsors last week, JioStar is expected to announce four more soon.

P&G Tide has come on board as the presenting sponsor for the revival, while Fortune Refined Soyabean Oil and Colgate have joined as co-powered by sponsors for TV. Colgate and Fortune Chakki Atta are also co-powered by sponsors for the digital streaming of the show.

Speaking on the brand’s association, Anagha Bhojane, Director, Integrated Brand Experience, Colgate-Palmolive, said, “For Colgate, we look at opportunities that give us familiarity with renewed energy. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi offers us just that, with renewed energy and relevance. Its return brings with it a wave of collective attention and storytelling. With JioStar making the show available anytime, anywhere, this association allows us to connect across fragmented screens, attention spans, and diverse audiences.”

When asked how category interest is playing out, Varghese said, “We’re seeing strong interest from e-commerce, consumer durables, and auto brands. FMCGs, especially in the food and beverage categories, are obviously already on board. But overall, the interest is coming in from across categories. We’re on track to sign up several of them within the next two weeks.”