Viacom18's Voot unveils branded content division Voot Studios, will offer performance-oriented content solutions to advertisers

Online video streaming service Voot has launched a branded content division called Voot Studios to help advertisers to engage consumers with branded shows, interactive shows and sponsorships.

The OTT app of Viacom18 network wants to cash in on the growing ecosystem of branded content and native advertising in India. According to industry estimates, the content marketing and native advertising industry in India is growing at about 35% annually, with the majority of the growth coming from video content.

Currently, smaller players such as TVF, Fitercopy and vloggers such as BB ki Vines are leading players for internet-based branded content. Eros Now has also tied up with InMobi to explore the opportunity of engaging advertisers for brand integration into its original content.

Akash Banerji

Speaking about the branded content play, Akash Banerji, Head, AVOD Business, Voot, said, “Advertisers and brands are realising that the 30 seconders are passé. Now, one cannot connect with the audience on the back of certain traditional format. They need to create uplifting, and exciting stories to connect with their audience. However, not all marketers have the requisite expertise to bring brand proposition, content creation, data science and product tech together.”

“They have also realised that instead them trying to solve these problems, reaching out to experts is a better thing to do. In fact, that is our pitch as well to all marketers: how a content tech brand like Voot can help them to do this job really well. We will give brand solutions to meet brand objectives to marketers by bringing everything together and that is what we are now trying to offer,” Banerji added. 

Voot has also built a consumer insights product Mavaric, which helps advertisers to identify the right audience and ensure high impact through communication. Mavaric not only helps advertisers with consumer insights and target their messaging beyond simple demographic profiles but also focuses on enhanced insights around online behaviour, purchase behaviour, affinity and interest, among others. These insights clubbed with interactivity solutions, will allow brands to provide immersive brand engagements.

Voot targets 100 million subscribers in the current fiscal to launch more than 30 original shows.

Sudhanshu Vats

To ensure better audience engagement and implement a renewed content strategy, Viacom18 has segmented the Voot business into four uniquely focussed propositions – the existing AVOD model and the upcoming freemium offering, Voot Kids and Voot International, Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO and MD, Viacom18 said.

The OTT platform is also strengthening its current offering with the addition of five new programmes in the next few months. Celebrating its third anniversary, Voot has announced 30+ originals with a commitment to offer quality and differentiated content in the digital ecosystem backed with technology and insights.

Banerji said that after achieving 100+ billion minutes of watch time mark, they are now aiming at 100 million monthly active users in this fiscal. The platform currently has more than 50 million active users.

As part of its future growth strategy, the 30+ Originals will be launched across genres and languages by the end of this fiscal. Shows such as Law and Honour, Naaz, Love All, The Raikar Case, Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan Season 4, Marzi and Asura will be launched soon.

 “India will have an online consumer base of more than 500mn by 2022. Of this, more than 3/4th will consume video content. While technological advancements allow us to personalise content consumption, growth for the category will come from our ability to segment our offerings to multiple consumer segments accelerated by three As – accessibility, availability and affordability. Voot has crossed the 100bn watch minutes mark in three years and we are now targeting 100mn monthly active users this financial year," Vats said.

While consumption on digital is increasing, profitability is still a tough go. Unlike television where 10-second spots are sold for Rs 5-10 lakh, digital is yet to get its due.

Is digital profitable enough from a commercial standpoint? Banerji said, “Advertisers will chase the audience if the audience is spending more and more time on the digital platform. Advertisers will then spend more monies to reach out to them. With this reality, the possibility of monetisation opens up to a great degree. Now, consumers won’t care whether the model is AVOD or SVOD. That is for businesses to try and experiment with the model. The reality is that digital consumption is increasing and now it is on us to offer more visibility to advertisers. We need to be aware where they are spending and how they are spending on a digital platform and we also need to ensure that the entire model is pristine and brand-safe. We are also focusing to get consumers who are sticky and engaging.”

The platform is further strengthening its technology and distribution system by announcing over 20+ new distribution partners across the travel, broadband and mobile ecosystem as well as with OEMs. The OTT platform has also partnered with smart TV manufacturers like CloudWalker, ShareIt, Act Fibrenet and travel network company Ola among the others.