At a time when video streaming platforms are playing the content game, ZEE5 – from the house Zee Entertainment Enterprise Limited (ZEEL) claims to be developing a platform which goes beyond content. From upping originals to adding a host of ad-tech products for advertisers, to creating content based solutions including games, it claims to be building an entire ecosystem.
In conversation with BrandWagon Online, Taranjeet Singh, chief revenue officer and business head, ZEE5 talks about the platform’s journey of being con-tech firm. (Edited excerpts)
What do advertisers want from AVOD services? How has the launch of a suite of ad-tech products helped?
Today most of the advertising if you look at it is moving towards video because as a format it has maximum impact both in terms of brand and engagement. The way OTT platforms are evolving in terms of scale, it is a great opportunity for advertisers to start business to start driving certain business level key performance indicators (KPIs). Brands are looking at ways to build efficiency, how do to get traffic directly, and build engagement, among others.
We have five ad-tech products including Infonomix – the data management platform (DMP) to AdVault includes pre rolls, mid-rolls, companion banners supporting the video and driving efficiency, among others. Each one plays an important role. For example, another product called The Video Master, allows an advertiser to showcase videos and also drive performance.It is very effective as it’s highly cost effective. We are also now developing a certain amount of native ad units where people can be guided websites and fill forms, for lead generation purpose and build efficiencies.
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To give an example, we have a show called Bhabhiji Ghar Pe Hain. We used the set and stars of the show and seamlessly integrated with Asian Paints’ message around walls and shine during the festive season. So we can help brands produce digital content, besides enabling them in amplifying the same.
Moreover, we have launched other products such as PLAY5, that creates customised games for brands on the platform. We have some very large ticket shows such as Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Dance India Dance and it is here that through Play5, we can create games around these shows where people can play along and watch the show and brands get seamlessly integrated on it.
Have you seen an increase in ad revenue, post the creation of ad-tech?
We have seen a huge growth in revenue. Digital is all about helping brands effectively reach their audiences with the minimum amount of waste agents below. Video is the fastest growing digital ad format and OTT is driving the overall video growth. Further, vernacular is what is driving the growth.
Zee5 is called contech company – what is the USP?
30% of spends in digital is on brand and the remaining 70% is on performance, that’s how the digital ad industry works. From a client’s budget allocation point of view, driving performance and buying media is one of the avenues most of the money is diverted towards. Catering to this, we have AdVault as a product. We also have a beta product called Wishbox, through which we can enable e-commerce. The technology is powered by a company called Charmbord. This technology scans the metadata of the scene, allowing us to give consumers similar product available across different ecommerce platforms, thereby enabling direct purchase, last mile guide.
Building a product today depends on how brands are investing their money. From creating content, amplifying reach and frequency, driving certain KPIs and performance on it to enabling KPIs data and insights on audiences, brands want the whole suite of ad solutions. Keeping this in mind, we have enough scale and size in this country to offer the right kind of audience to the brands with almost 75 million monthly active users close to 9 million daily active users, recording over half a billion video views.
Our endeavor is to help brands reach out to the KPIs. If you look at India, the high double digit and triple digit growth in terms of users on the internet is recorded from tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Tier 1 has reached a certain scale and is still growing but the maximum growth is coming from regional. Today, 66% – 70% of live consumption on the internet happens in local language. We, at ZEE5, believe that we are at the sweet spot of the evolution of this country, because we are the largest platform in terms of number of languages we offer in video content as 45% of our audience comes from Tier 2, Tier 3 markets. From a brand’s point of view, we give reach and scale across audiences in this country and we’re building ad tech for brands to leverage.
Read Also: ZEE5 aims to increase web reach by 5x by launching Progressive Web App
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Source: Financial Express
