a tale untold:discussing zee bangla cinema's strategy and what went wrong!

A tale untold Written by

Fame Per Second

We want to give birth to a strategic idea, not a mere campaign

Create a preference among the populace

populace

ˈpɒpjʊləs/

noun

Let us create Zee Bangla Cinema as the prime

destination for quality movies

Through a seamless process from the earlier stance

Analysis

Launch campaign

For a brand, the promise is supreme.

ZBC promised to play only super hit films and no less, but it

presented a declining curve to its audience.

Jibon Ki Ekhon O Superhit?

Were we talking to them?Who were covering 92% of the market*

* According to the TAM viewership data 2011-12

The tension free , nostalgic

Higher SEC A,B 45+

21%, Significant chunk

Moving towards retirement

Children are busy and settled, feel its time for some little

indulgences.

They seek respite in old Bengali films (and get steeped in nostalgia),

but slowly starts accepting meaningful Bengali films

Brings Satyajit Ray in every filmy conversation but also admires

Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen, Rituparno, Aparna.

Movies they love (Meghe Dhaka Tara, Apu trilogy, Jhinder Bondi)

Higher SEC, A,B less than 25

Gen Z, aspiring

Lower SEC C,D,E, less than 35

41%, Largest segment

Starry eyed fans , wannabes

In their college/university/early jobs days

Earnest in their love for movies

Dev, Srabanti, Justin Bieber, Srijit, Moinak are their role models

Decks up imagining how their favorite stars would deck up.

Pride themselves on watching ‘First day, first show’

Remembers every detail of their favorite films.

Movies they love – Paglu along with 22se Srabon, Hemlock Society,

Felu Da, Bedroom

Or only to them?

The eternal struggler

Lower SEC C,D.E, Older 35+

30%, 2nd largest

Busy with daily chores of life, life is still about struggle.

Little pleasures include watching television & gossip sessions with

neighbors

Dotes on Uttam Kumar and Suchitra Sen - god like stature in their

lives but also enjoys Mithun , Prosenjit and Tapas Pal.

Respects people with legacy- Satyajit Ray is revered but not fully

understood.

Seeks story line in films and loves happy endings.

Movies they love (Harano Sur, Saat Pake Badha, Shami Chintai)

No recent blockbuster

A library which is not star-studded.

Only concerned about a section of the mass

Crisis points

However, we have films which are good in terms of quality.

Rx

Need of the hour…

re-strategize the war as per the arsenal we posses.

Promise

Loyalty

Aspiration

Identity

Have we earned…?

There’s no single-minded claim from the brand’s perspective.

There’s no tangible promise to the audience.

Spotting the love mark

Assessment

‚Though we have spoken

over the phone, but never

had the desire to meet

him‛

‚Whenever we meet, we

exchange pleasantries. Yet,

never wish to hang out.‛

‚He is neither a back nor

a front-bencher. I thus fail

to remember him‛

Lets meet him

Other fightersInside the arena: Jalsha Movies

Outside the arena: Sony Aath, Etv, Planet M

is the trendiest person in the campus.

knows the pulse.

has created a strong identity & recall.

is colorful, futuristic and daring.

is second bencher, but a dreamer.

He

The omnipresence of the Star mnemonic does a positive impact

on the viewers.

The color palette is bold and futuristic, providing a positive

imagery and leaving a lingering taste in the audience’s mind.

Visually

They are delivering their promise and claim

They can continue for the next 3 years, with the present

campaign.

It’s a long term strategic move backed by the SVF deal

So…

Your promise is being delivered by the competitor

Findings

ZBC viewer

believe in the

importance of

perseverance &

in never giving

up

They are rooted in

culture. They

understand the

importance of value

system

They feel the need

to stay informed,

updated and aware.

[TGI STATEMENT]

They love

spending time

with friends

Différences

They are more laid-back and complacent than his

peers.

They do not want to take chances with the things

that matter most to them in life.

They play safe.

Let’s get to know the ‘them’*

better

*them – Bengali

Submissive, physically soft

Passionate, Trustworthy and dependable

Appreciates heritage value, Sensitive

Nostalgic, Passionate, Argumentative, Boring, Averse to change

Culturally rich

Driven by pure emotion, seldom logical, loyal follower

Decoding Bangali

Bangalis lack intellect

Bangla is no more the cultural capital

Communism will not come back again

And what they fear most?

They are becoming homogeneous specie

The identity is getting lost in the cacophony

Bangali is not creating a trend; they are happy following it

Public ki khai? Public ki chai?

We are not ashamed of

being ‘Neo Bangali’

we are slogging toward a

new mindscape

With a sudden burst of Globalization, bongs have changed their skin. The

new colors range from solid orange to fluorescent greens.

The winds of change have somewhere made the whole concept of SEC go

irrelevant.

Somewhere fad-style-fashion are merging.

While the aspiration value and intellect quotient of SEC

A is slowly upward rising, in case of SEC B,C. It is

catching up faster than ever

While SEC A has been criticizing Mishor Rahshya, SEC

B,C,D have contributed to the 4 crore business of MR.

There’s a severe contradiction throughout the Bengali diaspora.

Opinion leadership to these Bengalis is a very crucial factor. Peer

group, WOM are very interesting points to these Bongs.

But, still

The studios are producing biggies on one hand and strong,

independent, star studded content driven movies on the

other.

When it comes to film

The Bengali audience is yet to catch up with non-star content

driven films.

Modern Bengalis film’s top 3 pinnacle would be

‘Chokher Bali’ when it comes to aesthetic

‘Antaheen’ when it comes to music

‘Autograph’ when it comes to business

Bangla Chobir

Bhoot O Bhobisyot

They follow directors …

Due to this star-fatigue, people have thus started

following directors.

Yesterday’s Raj and Today’s Srijit or Moinak is no

less a star than Dev or Soham.

Proposed Brand Archaeology

Brand Audit

The current perception about ZBC quite unimpressive

We have to develop an association factor

Elements behind Zee’s brand image

ZBC should communicate a single point to a

viewer.

The viewer’s expectation should be concentrated

only around quality cinema

Brand AmbitionObjectives behind the ZBC’s existence

Brand Challenge

How will we get people to develop an alternate viewing habit

centered around my channel?

How will we get people to calibrate themselves to good and

quality movies?

immediate tasks in hand

‚I have stopped asking ‘Who’s the hero?’

I have started asking ‘What’s the story?’

ZBC understands my choices, my horizon.

Brand PrintVivid statement of the unique relationship between

the consumer & brand.

Bengalis have always been fond of opinion leaders. From

Tenida to Ravi Shashtri.

When it comes to good cinema, SEC A,B, C+ has always

played a crucial role in being that spokesperson.

SEC C & D shall follow.

D construction

What will SEC A, B, C+ will bring to the table?

Opinions

Leadership

Trends

Aspiration

Wannabeness

Retargeting SECs

Big Idea & Strategy

Presence of classics and contemporary.

Presence of content-driven films.

Strength

Almost no presence of blockbuster

commercial films.

Rights of a chunk of classics and big

films are no more with ZBC since last

March.

Mundane packaging

Weakness

Decline in number of commercial films

that are being made per year

versus

increase in the number of content driven

films

Opportunity

Absence of recent, star-studded films

from ZBC basket.

Perception about ZBC as being a

follower and not a leader

Threat

Cause we do not have hit cinema .. We need to fight a war as

per the weapon we have.

We need a flanking move.

Boardroom or War strategy?

Since we do not boast of an arsenal of hit

movies, we need to hit them with good

movies.

We shall make the words like BIG, HIT

irrelevant and obsolete.

Go guerilla!

Weakness: no big cinema

Strength: this is what we are considering as

strength.

With the national scenario shifting towards a

content driven aspect, even regional films are

also gearing up to go content-wise strategy.

W-S strategy

Threat: no big cinema can be obtained in near

future out of SVF stable

O: we take this as an opportunity. No of so

called commercial mainstream big films will

decrease over time, giving space to content

driven films.

We should monopolize that area.

T-O strategy

Desired Brand promise

Bhalo Dekhun.

There should be a generic brand status where we would like to

showcase good cinema and only good cinema.

The word good is relative. We want ZBC to be the benchmark of

that relativity.

Bhalo, the word has timeless appeal

It is subjective, relative

And it is a statement. An authoritative stance

Desired Brand Philosophy

Hit or Big .. These words are irrelevant. Cinema should be good

or bad.

Good cinema cannot be measured in terms of economics or BO

collections only.

Desired Brand Positioning

Imagery mapping

Image-management is a subset of the entire brand-building part.

Building a brand comes first.

Number game follows.

We have to sell the image, we have to create certain positioning

which will attract advertisers

The image comes first. Then the revenue.

The rest follow a perceptual model called ‘The Halo Effect’.

Brand building or TAM building?

Bhalo cinema

We are talking about a cultural movement here.

Which is a SEC A, B movement.

It’s always a top down effort.

It’s a parallel system.

Strategic support

A big film has a ready system in place.

A ready distribution system, a ready chain of cinema halls, a

ready chain of media and satellite channels.

We would like to see ZBC to act as the catalyst for the

ready system of quality cinemas.

Insights to change behavior

CURRENT:

Current behavior

FUTURE:

Future behavior

BECAUSE:

Currently think/

feel

If we make them

think/ feel

differently

CONSUMER INSIGHT

COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

The entire face of the industry is changing, so is the mode

of business.

The good film and its market is increasing, in such a case,

even ZBC is considering to acquire good relevant films.

Why should we stick to a dated claim?

Repositioning

You need to build up future proof long term strategy

It will give you a power position

You can lead.

You will get a first mover advantage

We foresee

we have told our story

Do you have a story to tell?

we are keen to listen…

Our pleasure

© Fame Per Second

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