CASE STUDY

Marketing Through Reality Shows: The Example of Amrita Television Channel

The Icfai University Press

September '09

Marketing Mastermind  

Reality shows have emerged as an important entertainment and marketing tool for many local TV channels. Even though the trend was ushered in by Western channels, the rage trickled down to viewers in India too, who hitherto watched the typical "saas-bahu" serials and music programs. Reality shows are also giving an average person a chance to become an instant celebrity. This article tries to find out the major factors prompting viewers to watch such reality shows and the promotion methods used by the Amrita TV channel in Kerala.

If serials and soap operas upped the ante on the television screen earlier, the so-called Reality shows (R-shows) now hold sway on the average Indian audience. Research on this realm proves that it is not just the middle class and the lower class who are viewers of this genre, but also the upwardly mobile elite Indians. With the increasing globalization of the media and entertainment industry, a mélange of cultures has occurred. Several regional channels have contributed to the localization of global entertainment genres, tailor-made for regional audiences.

There are several factors which accelerated the growth of the media and entertainment industry, like the increased migration of Indians to other countries, extensive growth of outsourcing in the animation domain and the broadband revolution. The onset of digital communication spurred the growth of satellite channels. While favorable government policies are helping the growth of satellite TV television, mergers and acquisitions in the entertainment industry, etc., are accelerating to this relatively new trend. Change in demographic composition, increasing disposable incomes and a vibrant young population serve as catalysts for the media. Recent estimates indicate that around 68% of the total adult population in India has access to the conventional forms of media. Of late, media penetration is seen to be higher in the southern states, with an increased preference for programs featuring celebrities.

It is in this context that a new genre of TV entertainment called R-shows emerged in Kerala. Its success prompted every channel to come out with its own innovations during prime time slots. The corporates too were quick to join the race to popularize their products and brands through product profiling and segmentation. Keralites now associate their favorite R-shows with the company or the product that sponsors the specific show. Keen interest was evinced by corporate firms to sponsor these R-shows, as they are target-audience specific and form a part of their brand recall strategies. Moreover, the reach and penetration of cable TV channels has been a significant driver for channels investing heavily in production houses, which came up with innovative formats and themes of R-shows in India.

Major Types of Reality Shows

R-shows originated as a new fad in America, which swept the network ratings and redefined the repertoire of programs in world television. The first reality show was not a contest. It was titled American Family and was telecast by PBS in 1973. It featured the everyday life of an American family, which had its daily doses of joys and sorrows, all mixed into a veritable feast for the audience. The private affairs of the family were publicized deliberately to create sensation, and thus the concept was born.

The strong points which clicked were the personal characteristics which the audiences immediately related to. The Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of major R-shows is the "interactive factor." The sheer thrill of curiosity campaigns, the idea of SMS voting, live drama and elimination rounds draw in viewers. These shows capitalize on hype and glamor of the celebrities and the contestants themselves. The voting procedure of R-shows was started through the two famous R-shows; American Idol and On the Lot. Some participants in the R-shows soon came to enjoy cult status and thus became instant celebrities.

An important dimension of R-shows which has emerged lately is the SMS voting system, which gives a sense of democracy to the viewers, allowing them to decide the winners. Out-of-the box ideas by the production agencies created new and unique formats. Anything that deviates from the status quo is an instant hit with the crowd. This seems to be the philosophy of the 21^st century R-shows. As a result, we are witness to a variety of innovative scripts, charismatic anchors and novel ideas to woo a fun-loving audience. The structure of various R-shows deserves mention. They start off with the anchor's entry and leave the audience guessing who the celebrity guest for the particular episode is would be. This is invariably followed by a commercial break. Before the contestant's appearance on the stage, his off-beat profile is shown to catch the eyeballs of the viewers, which is intended to sustain interest in the program. Despite being telecast in various formats, the basic idea of all R-shows is to augment SMS count and viewership through voyeurism.

The principal types of R-shows are briefly described below.

• Celebrity R-showsThese are the kind of R-shows which portray well-known celebrities. They are often also hosted by a celebrity who welcomes other celebrity guests for a engrossing conversation. Typical examples are: Karan Johar's `Koffee with Karan' and Amrita TV's `Samagamam'. Viewers love to see their favorite heroes and heroines from close quarters on their television screens, thus making such programs quite popular.
• Prank R-shows
  Pogo, the kids channel, airs a program Just for Laughs, Gags, which depicts a comedian playing pranks on some people in a deliberate bid to induce laughter in the viewers. The background music for such shows is replete with loads of laughter. Other notable examples are: Candid Camera and Punk.
• Reality Game Shows
  These are the R-shows that are based on some form of game or competition. These may be in the form of card games, guessing games, etc. Prominent examples are: Who wants to be a Millionaire?, Hollywood Blocks and Weakest Link.
• Talent Shows These are shows that bring out various talents, ranging from general entertainment to outlandish activities. They exhibit the depth and versatility of the contestants. Amrita TV's Super Talent is a case in point. International shows, like the American Idol and America's Got Talent, are other examples.
• Job Hunts
  A range of job interviews lends fun and entertainment to these shows. Different formats, like creative interviews, stress and behavioral interviews and technical interviews, are used. Finally, the candidate who fares well and adapts himself to different levels of interviews earns a fabulous job. This format has not yet been tried out in India. The Apprentice and Project Runway are apt examples of such shows.
• Dating Shows
  This is typical of the American way of life. Such shows give a platform for love-smitten couples to profess their love publicly. A famous dating show in America is For Love or For Money.
• Adventure Shows
  Fear Factor is the best example of this genre. It shows gory images that evoke disgust and fear in the minds of the viewers. Many regional channels in India have successfully replicated this format.
• Society Shows
  This is a distinctively novel concept that involves interaction between various social groups. It is done in an innovative fashion to capture the cultural differences among different people. Examples are, Wife Swap and The Beauty and the Geek.

Objectives of the Study

The principal objectives of the present study are:

• To study the trend in the growth of R-shows
• To understand the substitution effect that R-shows of Amrita TV have created over other types of programs
• To determine the impact of marketing strategies adopted by Amrita TV for promoting its R-shows.

After the popularity of serials, the research tries to find out the trend in the rage for R-shows among the audience. It also studies the evolution and maturing of this genre over the last four years. The objective of the study is to analyze the major trends from 2006 onwards in Malayalam television. Some of the factors considered here are shifts in the tastes and preferences of the Malayalam audience.

The strong contenders for R-shows are soap operas and mythological serials which seemed to wean away a significant chunk of the audience. The research attempts trend studies based on various criteria like the introduction of R-shows in India, their viewership ratings, viewership of Keralite audience compared to national and international R-shows. In fact, the popularity of major international R-shows, like Big Brother, has created an interest in the local audience and it is this interest which created a demand among the local audience.

Thus, the media began to introduce creative R-shows, which were rich in local flavor. Another objective of the researchers is to analyze the period from which this trend caught on and to use this data to predict future trends. This is done by analyzing major R-shows of Amrita TV like Superstar, Vanitharatnam, Best Citizen Journalist, Ragaratnam Junior, Great India Race, Junior Genius, Let's Dance, and Best Actor. The time span analyzed is from 2005 to 2008, and tries to predict future developments, particularly on the possibilities for the survival of R-shows or the probability that other genres might soon overtake this genre.

This study further analyzes the trends from a cause and effect relationship. The effect here is the rise in the growth rate and viewership of R-shows, which is caused by a structured series of carefully crafted marketing strategies by Malayalam television channels.

The effect is analyzed by taking a cross-sectional analysis of the viewing patterns of an average viewer on a typical week day during the prime-time (7:30-10.30 pm). Year 2008 is taken as the consolidation year for R-shows in Kerala. The inflow of weekly SMS for various R-shows is analyzed to see the effect on other entertainment programs in channels, such as Asianet Plus and Manorama News. This is done to understand the viewers' interest in watching their favorite actors and contestants on screen.

The study also covers the reasons behind corporate sponsorship for R-shows. Some of the major marketing strategies considered (mostly promotional strategies) are:

• Ambience of the stage and settings, anchor
• Frequent advertisements about prize money
• SMS voting
• Latest fashion and fads used by anchors
• Celebrity endorsements
• Suggesting songs for the audience
• Viewer contests.

The impact of these promotional strategies has been tapped by various corporate sponsors. Thus, two kinds of revenue accrue to Amrita TV – SMS revenue and advertisement revenue. The research also ranks the various promotional strategies as perceived by the audience in their order of preference through a questionnaire-based research.

Significance and Context for the Study

This study is based on the R-shows aired on Amrita TV, one of the trendsetters in R-shows among Malayalam television channels. Its major R-shows starting from 2005-2006 were Superstar (Junior and Senior), Vanitharatnam, Best Citizen Journalist, Ragaratnam, Junior Genius, Let's Dance, Best Actor and the adventure-oriented program – Great India Race. These R-shows cater to a wide range of viewers from the fun-loving types to the serious ones, and are not limited to conventional music or dance programs.

The shift in the interest of television viewers from Malayalam serials and slapstick comedy towards R-shows merits a study. The marketing strategies employed by the brand managers, corporate sponsorships and audience response/viewership ratings, and number of SMS generated form the core dimensions of this analysis.

Anything that strikes an emotional chord instantly clicks in a country like India. This behavioral psychology is made use of in the marketing strategies. Some of the marketing strategies employed by Amrita TV are: Its publicity campaigns using its contestants, putting up hoardings in key locations across Thiruvananthapuram and other cities in Kerala, distributing leaflets to college students and conducting entertainment programs in various institutions. Some of the other methods are: "What Next" curiosity campaigns, celebrity talks, concerts, extensive media coverage and viewer contests.

Most important of all, this study seeks to highlight the concept of social marketing through a philanthropic initiative of Amrita TV, namely `Save a Child'. Three-fourths of the money generated from its various R-shows, it is claimed, is contributed to charity institutions in an obvious effort to build goodwill. The interplay of these strategies has helped to mop up revenue in crores of rupees each successive year. It is in this context that the study is conducted.

Another trend adopted by corporates these days is to use R-shows as a marketing vehicle for brand promotion. From the research carried out, it has been found, for example, that a viewer watching Vanitharatnam could easily relate to the brand AVT (the sponsor).

Amrita TV's popularity and viewership ratings soared as a result of a host of R-shows it offered to the Malayali audience, who hitherto were condemned to watching melodrama and slapstick comedy. It introduced its premiere reality show, `Superstar', whose success encouraged it to introduce more R-shows in areas as diverse as music and journalism. The implementation of this novel concept was pioneered at the time of intense competition from its major rivals Asianet and Surya, thus, providing it a differentiating edge in the clutter of other Malayalam channels.

Research Methodology

Both primary and secondary data sources have been used for this study. Primary data was collected from viewers through a questionnaire and from managers and executives of selected television channels through personal interviews on viewership, SMS delivery, etc. Secondary data on viewership and other statistics were collected from websites, magazines and newspapers.

A survey among viewers was done to collect data on their preferences for various attributes of a reality show. A sample size of 50 was selected for this part of the study. The data collection instrument was a structured questionnaire primarily comprising closed-end questions using rating scales. Judgment sampling was used on the premise that all the respondents were earlier viewers of programs other than R-shows. Based on this assumption, one tried to examine whether viewers had gradually shifted their viewership pattern to R-shows as well.

Analysis and Findings

Impact of Promotional Strategies on Revenue

The researchers collected data on the sources of revenue, i.e., advertising and SMS, for Amrita TV's R-shows. The data presented in Exhibit 1 is approximately the revenue per annum coming in from various brands for the years 2005 to 2008.

The second source of revenue is through SMS delivery from what is claimed to be from an international population who are regular viewers of Amrita TV. Exhibit 2 lists the SMS revenue that accrued to Amrita TV over the years (2005-2008) from its various R-shows.

The data clearly shows that, over the years, the revenue from both advertisements and SMS has gone up. This is directly linked to the promotionl strategies and the affordable selling slots given.

Cross-sectional Analysis to Study the Substitution Effect

A cross-sectional analysis is considered for the prime television viewing slot to understand the viewership patterns during 2008, as this was the year of consolidation for R-shows. Here, time slots, during which R-shows were telecast, are analyzed based on data obtained from the audience to understand the extent of substitution effect that Amrita TV's R-shows has created over other programs aired during the same time (Exhibit 3). From this data, it would appear that R-shows on Amrita TV have taken a lead over other forms of programs on competing channels.

Attributes Ranking

The relative importance of factors that prompt viewers to watch R-shows on Amrita TV, as emerging from the questionnaire-based survey, are tabulated in Exhibit 4. Talent and quality of the contestants and personal identification with the contestants stand out as the prime drivers for the popularity of R-shows.

Suggestions

It will do well for the channels telecasting R-shows to exercise caution on comments by judges that cause mental trauma to the contestants. Melodrama, artificially created as a marketing strategy, may erode people's faith in the genuineness of the program.

A major criticism leveled against R-shows is that a large number of contestants are forced to quit their work or discontinue their studies, ending up nowhere and without a sense of direction. This is an unfortunate outcome. Regular follow-up of contestants should be made by the channels even when they are out of the show to ensure that they are well settled. This will boost the faith of the public in these shows, which, in turn, generates long-term viewer loyalty.

R-shows like the Best Environmentalist or Best Farmer can be launched on an experimental basis to reflect environmental and socioeconomic concerns. Apart from exposing people from rural areas and remote parts of Kerala, this will also tap the commercial potential of a number of best environmental and farming practices. Innovative ideas can really make such programs appealing to the audience, as against the current perception that R-shows for social causes would not click.

Conclusions

• The trend of viewing R-shows began during early 2005 and is increasing with the new experiments carried out by creative directors of such programs. It is expected in the light of past trends that, in the coming years, R-shows will be reinvented in new formats and will overtake comedy and music related programs.
• Superstar Global and Let's Dance figured in the top list of Amrita TV R-shows for the period June-September 2008.
• Guest celebrities had a direct influence on the magnitude of viewers' SMS voting. Audience response is more when long forgotten celebrities are introduced.
• Unconventional marketing strategies, like charity marketing through Amrita TV's Save a Child campaign, are gaining popularity among the socially-enlightened crowd.
• Corporate houses are increasingly exploiting the popularity of R-shows for brand building and positioning.
• Target audiences for Amrita TV's R-shows represent a wide cross-section of the Kerala population. However, the major audiences are youngsters and homemakers, as brought out by the research.
• Amrita TV receives significant part of its total revenues from R-shows.
• The ranking of audiences' preferences are higher for entertainment programs.
• From responses to open-end questions, it was found that only 46% of respondents think that the R-shows promote the talent of the contestants. The rest believe that this is only a way for channels to earn revenue by capitalizing on viewers' emotional involvement.