As the festive season unfolds, homes across India come alive with vibrant celebrations, family gatherings, and a collective yearning for entertainment that mirrors the joy of the occasion. This culturally rich time prompts audiences to seek out heartwarming narratives and engaging shows that resonate with their festive spirit, making it a prime opportunity for General Entertainment Channels (GECs) to shine.
By ramping up their programming lineups to offer a blend of special episodes and popular serials, during the festive period, GECs are positioning themselves as essential platforms for advertisers aiming to capture the attention of diverse demographics. With brands eager to leverage high-impact content during this peak season, GECs are not just fulfilling a demand for entertainment, they are becoming key players in connecting advertisers with viewers in a meaningful way.
Industry players highlighted that in response to the festive demand, GECs are experiencing a significant uptick in ad revenues, driven by increased competition among advertisers. While ratings may remain steady, the influx of brands vying for limited advertising slots has led to a notable rise in ad rates, with estimates suggesting increases of 15-25%.
Moreover, to capitalise on this festive momentum, GECs are not only enhancing their traditional programming but also exploring innovative advertising solutions.
BK Rao, Senior Category Head – Marketing, Parle Products, said that ad rates could potentially increase by approximately 10-15% this festive season.
“During the festive season, while GEC ratings may remain relatively unchanged, ad revenues typically surge due to high demand. Previously, with 10 advertisers and 10 or 15 slots available, demand was balanced. Now, with 15, 18, or even 20 advertisers competing for only 15 slots, ad prices naturally rise. However, overall performance in terms of ratings may stay flat or even dip slightly, as no significant changes in content are introduced,” he said.
“Although major film releases during the season could provide a slight ratings boost, regular programming remains largely consistent. Even tentpole shows like Big Boss or KBC might see a minor uptick for a festive special, but a sustained increase over 30 days is unlikely,” Rao added.
A senior media planner told Marketing Mind that this festive season has brought a notable surge in demand for GECs, resulting in a slight uptick in pricing. Known for their varied content that resonates with a broad audience, these channels are particularly appealing to advertisers aiming to connect with diverse demographics, especially during this time of the year.
“During the festive season, GECs typically experience a boost in viewership, driven by special festive programming and family-friendly content. This period enhances the mass attraction of GECs, positioning them as a more effective choice for advertisers aiming to broaden their reach and create a stronger impact, as opposed to news channels,” he added.
Ashish Sehgal, Chief Growth Officer, Digital and Broadcast Revenue at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, said, “While the first two quarters of this year have seen a steady growth in ad spends, it is expected to spike during the festive season where each advertiser will vie for a crucial spot. With no major sporting event around, I see ad rates increasing anywhere between 10-15% this festive season, with increased demands and FCT crunch across our GEC and Movie channels where we have scheduled special content and tentpole properties to enhance brand reach and visibility.”
“Although the FMCG sector has seen restrained spending aligned with the purchasing cycle, other categories are on the rise especially paints, automobile, lifestyle, consumer durables and BFSI,” he added.
Another media planner said, “Festivals are a prime time for entertainment, with audiences seeking popular shows like KBC, Bigg Boss, and more alongside regular programming. To capture maximum reach and engage audiences in the right setting, many advertisers prioritise visibility on GECs.”
“GECs typically hike their rates during the festive season, aiming to maximise revenue, much like how news channels raise their prices during elections. GECs will increase rates by 15-25% this festive season,” he added.
Sehgal said that the core of their business is about creating lasting relationships – be it with the audience or with their advertising partners. Therefore, it is crucial for them to deliver high reach to their brands during the festive season with new content and innovative solutions while maintaining the entertainment factor for the audience.
“Each of our fiction and top reality shows have festive special episodes which draw higher viewership and enable multiple brand integration possibilities. Our flagship channel award shows where our beloved GEC families come together once a year for grand celebrations scheduled this festive season and drive high visibility for brands,” he said.
“We have planned special on-ground promotions across regions this festive and created exclusive contests on our hugely popular Social pages which drives high engagement from the audiences while creating unique touchpoints for the brands,” he added.
Furthermore, Sehgal emphasised that the audience wants to see more heartwarming, mood uplifting and entertaining content during the festive season with culture-specific nuances.
“Our core strength in each region is an in-depth understanding of these hyper-local sentiments and creating high-impact content in the festive season which delivers high reach and stickiness. These also create multiple opportunities for the brands to pitch their proposition to the right audience,” he said.
“Moreover, we have curated special festive sponsorship packages with customised solutions for brands combining our linear and digital might that will help them stand out in the clutter. Our protagonists across regions have a huge influence over the audience and we partner with brands to create compelling culture-relevant content with our Zee Influencers that always garners higher reach and unique eyeballs for the brands,” he added.
Speaking about the programming line-up for this festive season, Sehgal mentioned, “Our flagship musical show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s new season on Zee TV is in full swing and mesmerising the audience across the nation. Zee Cinema will bring the biggest of blockbuster movie premiers with Shahrukh Khan’s ‘Dunki’ and Kartik Aaryan’s ‘Chandu Champion’ leading the lineup.”
“We are focused on 360-degree entertainment this festive season where we are scaling our flagship channel award shows across our Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Odia and Marathi channels with extravagant celebrations with our fiction and regional superstars to keep our audience hooked. We have multiple new fiction launches across channels and special festive episodes to keep everyone captivated,” he added.
