Viacom18 expects a 30-40% rise in revenue from Bigg Boss Season 18

New Delhi: As the festive season approaches, Mahesh Shetty, National Sales Head at Viacom18, anticipates a shift in brand spending towards high-impact entertainment properties, as the absence of a significant cricket calendar this year reshapes ad investments. 

“Brands invested between Rs 2000-3000 crore last year in the ICC ODI World Cup. This year, our entertainment properties, like Bigg Boss Hindi and Kannada, will become the go-to platforms for brands looking to break the clutter,” said Shetty.

According to Shetty, a portion of the adex spent on the ICC ODI World Cup will now flow into entertainment, though not all. “Brands typically allocate separate budgets for high-impact sporting events, but with no major ICC event during this festive season, a part of that investment will move to entertainment,” he added.

Shetty also emphasised that brands prioritise properties that have proven their reach and engagement. “Even last year, despite the World Cup, our impact properties attracted strong brand interest. Brands want to invest in what is tried and tested.”

The festive period this year marks a unique opportunity for entertainment properties to capitalise on brand budgets as it will not coincide with a major cricket event for the first time in several years. “We are expecting double-digit growth in ad spending this festive season,” said Shetty.

Viacom18's strategy also includes blocking categories to ensure exclusivity. “For instance, if an auto brand comes on board as a sponsor, we won’t take another from the same category,” Shetty explained, highlighting the platform’s commitment to creating uncluttered, high-value brand experiences.

A closer look at high-impact properties in the Viacom18 bouquet

As Viacom18 gears up for the festive season, high-impact properties like Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi (KKK), and Laughter Chef are expected to dominate the entertainment landscape. While Khatron Ke Khiladi will conclude by the end of September, Shetty revealed that Laughter Chef, initially slated to end before Bigg Boss, will continue due to its outstanding performance. 

“The show is doing so well that we don’t want to discontinue it,” Shetty told BestMediaInfo.com. “After The Kapil Sharma Show, there hasn’t been a mass comedy show that made a significant impact. Laughter Chef has entered that league, which is rare and difficult to achieve. It doesn’t make sense to pull the plug now.”

Viacom18’s data highlights Khatron Ke Khiladi and Laughter Chef as the top two non-fiction shows on air, with KKK pulling a 1.7 TVR and Laughter Chef close behind at 1.6 TVR—making KKK 70% higher than its closest competitor, Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), which holds a 1.1 TVR.

In addition to its Hindi portfolio, Viacom18's regional properties include Bigg Boss Kannada, Bigg Boss Marathi, and the Anubandha Awards. “Bigg Boss Kannada remains a dominant force, with weekend ratings of 8.1 and a finale that hit a remarkable 11.56 TVR last season. Meanwhile, the latest season of Bigg Boss Marathi has been breaking records, debuting at 2.4 TVR and climbing to 3.9 TVR by Week 3—its best performance ever,” commented Shetty.

Viacom18’s youth-centric offerings lined up during the festive period include MTV Hustle, the largest youth hip-hop show, and Roadies. “MTV Hustle will start in early October, followed by Roadies,” added Shetty.

The broadcaster has adopted a digital-first strategy for Roadies and Splitsvilla, shifting focus to online platforms like JioCinema. “What used to be television-first has now become digital-first. While the episodes air weekly, there’s a lot of surrounding content on social media, and JioCinema becomes the primary destination for consumption,” Shetty explained.

But when it comes to Bigg Boss, there is always a TV+Digital strategy. According to Shetty, Viacom18's flagship show has a diverse fanbase spanning from 20-year-olds to 50-year-olds, with both generations often watching together. While younger viewers are more engaged on digital platforms like JioCinema and social media, older fans primarily watch on TV but also engage with digital content. 

“The show's 24/7 live feature and social media presence create a strong, interactive experience for fans who express their opinions and follow contestants closely. The combination of TV and digital ensures Bigg Boss has a massive, multiplatform appeal,” said Shetty.

Regional versus national high-impact properties

When it comes to comparing regional and national high-impact properties, Shetty highlighted the distinct value each brings. "You can't compare them directly because they cater to different markets," Shetty explained. "For instance, Tamil Nadu is a unique market where Hindi channels have limited reach, so brands invest in regional channels to tap into these audiences. The same applies to Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh."

Shetty noted that as brands deepen their presence in specific markets, the importance of regional impact properties grows. "TV remains extremely strong in markets like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, and the impact properties in these regions are just as powerful as those in Hindi," he said. In terms of cost-per-rating point (CPRP), regional impact properties can command three to five times the pricing of regular shows, much like their Hindi counterparts.

What sets regional properties apart is the diversity of advertisers. "In regional markets, you have national brands with distribution in that area, regional brands with a strong presence in the South, and even local brands," said Shetty. For example, during Bigg Boss Kannada, Viacom18 secured sponsorships from national brands, like HUL, as well as regional players like Nippon Paint, which has a strong presence in the South, and local sponsors such as real estate firm Confident Group.

In contrast, Hindi channels tend to attract mostly national brands. "In the Hindi-speaking market, it's all about national brands, whereas in regional markets, you have a mix of national, regional, and local advertisers, broadening the pool of brands," Shetty adds.

When it comes to offering differentiated brand solutions, Mahesh Shetty highlights that, beyond standardized packages, Viacom18 goes deeper to address specific business challenges for advertisers. 

Viacom18 expects a 30-40% rise in revenue from Bigg Boss Hindi Season 18

As Viacom18 finalises brand deals ahead of Bigg Boss Hindi Season 18, Mahesh Shetty expects a 30-40% revenue increase compared to last year.

Season 17 ended on a strong note with a TRP of 2.9, reaching 168 million viewers, 105 billion viewing minutes, and 952 million impressions. Social media also saw massive traction, with 4.4 billion impressions, two billion reach, and 119 million engagements, according to the data shared by Viacom18.

“Bigg Boss was the most talked-about show on JioCinema throughout the season, with a 56% growth from the previous year—2.5 billion views, 89 million viewers, and the grand finale saw a 2x boost in viewership and watch time, wrapping up the season on a high," Shetty added.

Shetty described Bigg Boss as a “category-agnostic” platform that appeals to a wide array of brands. “Any category can come on board, from hair care brands and holiday apps to lock screens, bikes, and cars,” Shetty said. “We are currently finalising deals with various categories, and I’m very excited about what’s to come. This season is shaping up to be a blockbuster for Bigg Boss.”

Shetty also highlighted the growing importance of quick commerce brands, noting their increasing integration into everyday life. “Quick commerce has become a key part of our lives, making properties like Bigg Boss, which reach a broad audience, especially valuable.”

In addition to quick commerce, Shetty pointed out that auto and FMCG categories are strong contenders for this season. “Auto and FMCG are other powerful categories that we expect to feature prominently in Bigg Boss this year,” he added.

Solutions to power brand growth

For instance, MakeMyTrip Homestays and Villas partnered with Colors during the last season of Bigg Boss to offer exclusive access to the Bigg Boss house, aiming to build brand recall for their homestay offering. Similarly, Viacom18's branded content team developed the "Ultimate MotoStar" reality show for Castrol and created the "Greed Zone" segment for Licious within Bigg Boss, tailoring content to meet the brands' unique objectives.

“The core of our offerings for brands is to help them grow by providing the right solutions,” added Shetty. “Even on JioCinema, we’ve expanded our portfolio with a range of ad tech solutions, further enhancing our offerings for advertisers.”

He also told BestMediaInfo.com that the pricing of brand solutions and ad rates for high-impact properties goes up by 3-5 times higher than the regular ones during the festive season.