Sukhpreet Singh, Corporate Head of Marketing at Dish TV and Watcho, said that the company is focused on closing the year with strong growth, with a key goal of regaining subscribers who may have shifted to purely OTT or CTV platforms in recent years, while also setting their sights on the next year to solidify their role as an entertainer, going beyond the traditional scope of a television service provider.
In an exclusive interaction with Marketing Mind, Singh emphasised that he strongly believes that OTT aggregation will experience substantial and exponential growth in the next four to five years in India due to its ability to deliver incremental reach and expansion to various OTT players.
When asked about Watcho’s role in aggregating multiple OTT platforms and how these partnerships provide value to those platforms, Singh explained that OTT subscriptions in India are still significantly under-penetrated. Over 500 million people in India consume streaming videos, but the majority of this content is free, such as YouTube. When you focus on paid content, excluding those who get it through bundled telecom services like mobile and broadband, the number of people paying for subscriptions is relatively small, around 60 million, though this is growing rapidly.
“The potential market, however, is much larger, somewhere between 200 to 300 million, and various projections, including reports from FICCI and others, indicate that the growth of paid OTT subscriptions will continue. This growth will come as platforms, selling directly to consumers, expand their reach. For example, platforms like Dish TV, which cater to a broad audience, from metros to rural areas, and serve all socio-economic and educational strata, will play a key role. Thanks to our satellite business, we have a nationwide presence, and people are accustomed to paying for subscriptions every month,” he said.
Furthermore, he went on to say that Dish TV and D2H, their primary brands, are not just traditional television or DTH services, they are essentially entertainment platforms that offer access to a variety of content.
“With a single subscription, customers receive access not just to television channels, but also to OTT apps. This approach gives us an expansive reach, and rather than cannibalising the market, it helps in the incremental growth and expansion of the paid OTT subscription landscape,” he added.
Sharing his insights on the growth of the OTT aggregation market in India, Singh noted, “When you consider projections from various sources and collate them, they all indicate significant growth for OTT over the next four to five years. While there isn’t a specific projection for OTT aggregation itself, it seems inevitable. The growth of OTT will largely be driven by platforms like ours, which can offer incremental reach. This is why we strongly believe that OTT aggregation will experience substantial and exponential growth in the next four to five years,” Singh said.
While explaining some challenges that the DTH industry is currently facing in India, Singh pointed out that certainly, like any mature industry, the DTH sector is encountering its share of challenges. However, what’s crucial to note is the shift in consumer behaviour. People are increasingly consuming more entertainment through video, expanding beyond traditional television. While television and satellite TV were once the primary sources, consumers now enjoy entertainment through satellite television and internet streaming platforms.
“The overall consumption of video entertainment is growing at an exponential rate. For instance, if people once spent two hours a day on television, they are now dedicating significantly more time, about three times that amount, across devices like phones, laptops, and connected TVs,” he said.
“Our business is fundamentally expanding, and we don’t view ourselves just as a DTH provider. This shift in perspective is reflected in our recent campaigns, where we no longer focus solely on offering DTH services. Instead, we provide a complete entertainment package. With Dish TV Smart Plus and D2H Smart Plus, customers receive not just TV channels, but also automatic access to OTT subscriptions. This means, with a single subscription, they can enjoy entertainment across television, smart TVs, mobile phones, laptops, linear channels, and OTT platforms,” he added.
Recently, Dish TV rolled out a month-long campaign ‘Dish Ki Diwali’, which will conclude in mid-November. Embracing the spirit of togetherness and giving, Dish TV launched special exciting offers for both new and existing Dish TV and D2H customers. This initiative aims to unite families through premium entertainment and attractive deals, including huge cashback and lucky draws for new connections, as well as existing customers.
While explaining the concept behind the ‘Dish Ki Diwali’ campaign, Singh said, “The core insight here is centred around celebrating the Dish TV family, encompassing our three major brands, Dish TV, D2H, and Watcho, our OTT aggregator. Together, these brands serve over 20 million households across India, reaching an average of 3-4 people per household and making our actual audience reach considerably broader.”
“Our Diwali campaign focuses on celebrating this entire Dish TV family by rewarding and appreciating our subscribers for their loyalty and engagement, regardless of their spending level. Typically, our minimum recharge amount is around Rs 100, but we wanted this celebration to be inclusive for all subscribers. Therefore, anyone completing a transaction or recharge on our platform qualifies for assured gifts, as well as opportunities to win bumper prizes in weekly lucky draws. The promotion will culminate in a final grand lucky draw, giving our subscribers another chance to win as part of this festive celebration,” he added.
Furthermore, Singh highlighted that their media mix strategy for the campaign has two core elements. The first focuses on reaching their existing subscriber base, which consists of over 20 million households. To connect with this audience, they leverage their own media channels including television networks, digital platforms, apps, websites, and a suite of targeted, personalised engagement tools. Through these channels, every subscriber receives tailored messages about how they can participate in ‘Dish Ki Diwali’ and join in the celebrations.
“The second element targets new customers, those who are not yet part of our subscriber base. To engage them, we must go beyond our owned media and tap into external channels, particularly digital ones. A significant portion of our business and revenue streams comes from digital efforts, even for our traditional DTH services. Additionally, retail trade plays a vital role in driving new acquisitions, so we are employing a mix of above-the-line and below-the-line marketing tactics to reach these potential customers,” he said.
“Our approach remains largely digital, both within and outside of our own channels. We are executing a comprehensive digital campaign encompassing a variety of techniques, including programmatic advertising, display ads, and video marketing. Alongside this, we are running innovative social media initiatives and influencer-led campaigns to amplify our reach and impact across the digital landscape,” Singh added.
Elaborating on Dish TV’s approach to leveraging influencers, Singh explained that for nearly 22 years, they have been deeply rooted in this business, building their brands primarily through what was once referred to as brand endorsements. However, the landscape has transformed significantly, and now the lines between brand endorsers, influencers, micro-influencers, and regional influencers have become quite blurred.
“Our current engagement strategy includes a blend of top-tier influencers and even celebrities- such as Ayushmann Khurrana, who is now associated with Watcho, and previously Rishabh Pant, who was our face for D2H, tapping into the strong connection with cricket enthusiasts. Additionally, we collaborate with numerous micro-influencers who closely mirror the audiences that show a strong affinity for our products and services,” Singh said.
“While large-scale, highly visible campaigns may roll out once a quarter or every six months, our micro-campaigns with influencers are ongoing, with engagement initiatives running constantly across a variety of platforms, including some of the latest digital spaces. This continuous approach allows us to maintain a steady connection with our audience through tailored, frequent interactions,” he added.
The ‘Dish Ki Diwali’ campaign offers various benefits for all Dish TV and D2H customers including new subscribers who come on its platform. There are cashbacks for new customers and a one-month subscription of all popular OTTs (Watcho Max Plan) as an assured benefit. They will also be eligible for a weekly lucky draw and a bumper lucky draw at the end of the campaign where they can win cars and other exciting prizes.
Singh detailed their strategy for retaining new customers beyond the initial engagement period during the campaign, saying that in a subscription-based business like theirs, retention hinges on two main levers, user experience and perceived value. The experience a customer has while using the platform is crucial, as it directly influences their satisfaction and likelihood of staying.
Furthermore, he went on to say, “Alongside experience, the value we provide is significant. For example, with Watcho OTT, instead of users paying separately for multiple OTT subscriptions, they can access all content through a single subscription, which saves them money and aligns with natural consumer behaviour. Typically, customers don’t want to manage multiple subscriptions, they simply want seamless access to their preferred content. So, if a cricket match or a movie is available on different platforms, they would otherwise need to buy separate subscriptions each time. Watcho eliminates this hassle, allowing users to follow their content across platforms with just one subscription, reinforcing our commitment to being a customer-centric brand.”
Additionally, Watcho offers exclusive content not available on other platforms, which enhances its uniqueness and appeal. In terms of retention strategy, beyond experience and value, personalised communication plays a key role.
“Through digital marketing tools, we engage with users across various cohorts based on their behaviour and preferences. For instance, users who subscribe but haven’t started using the platform, or those who primarily access it via a web browser, are identified for targeted messaging. This cohort-based approach allows us to deliver personalised messages and offers that align with individual usage patterns, ultimately enhancing retention,” Singh said.
“In summary, our retention strategy is built on three pillars, the value we offer, the quality of experience on our platform, and tailored communication that addresses specific user behaviours and needs,” he added.
Looking beyond the campaign, Singh explained that Watcho’s growth areas lie in its unique position as one of the first OTT aggregator platforms, effectively carving out a blue ocean in the market.
“The primary focus right now is to build awareness around the concept of a single platform that serves as a comprehensive content destination. Once this idea is established and understood by users, it will be the key driver for growth, as people will recognise the platform as their go-to destination for all kinds of content,” he added.
