82.5 Communications creates a new brand film for ABP Network's ABP Studios

Mumbai: ABP Studios, the new content production house of ABP Network, has been set up with the aim of producing disruptive content that Engages, Entertains and Enlightens audiences across age, genders and geographies. ABP Studios will produce original scripted and unscripted content and take hyper-local stories from India, to audiences across the world.

As ‘Restorers of Yesterday, Creators of Tomorrow’ ABP Studios will make use of a rich archive of facts, knowledge and literature and reinterpret it to engage new-age audiences in a manner that’s relevant and relatable to provoke them to think and act.

82.5 Communications, part of the Ogilvy Group, has been tasked with creating the positioning & communications strategy for the new brand.

While on the one hand we take pride in being part of progressive, forward-thinking times (read equal opportunities, innovation, girl child education, smart cities etc.) on the other we regret the burden of being part of an increasingly regressive society (rising intolerance, #MeToo, increasing rapes and assaults, radical thinking, stereotyping etc.) And society at large needs a Change Agent who is open, uncompromising, and disruptive – who does not take sides, but shares the many sides of a story.

Which gave birth to the Brand Promise of “Stories that read between the lines” – stories that do not force a binary perspective upon the viewer but invites the viewer to delve deeper…

In a world which loves to take the easy way out by classifying personalities, actions, events and outcomes as either black or white, there is always more than meets the eye… the areas which are ‘grey’, which hold hidden perceptions, untold imperfections, contradictory perspectives and more.

The brand film, conceptualized by 82.5 Communications and brought to life by Beyond Studios, is a stark, disruptive narrative of how too often, we as a society tend to fall prey to stereotypes of blacks and whites. And how we can open up our minds by embracing the greys. The film transitions seamlessly from a world of black and white to grey, to finally embrace the brand colour and reveal the brand ABP Studios.

According to Avinash Pandey, CEO, ABP Network: “It has been a truly memorable experience working with 82.5 Communications on conceptualizing and giving life to our new content division – ABP Studios. Stories beyond Black or White is a unique concept which gives us the creative liberty to go beyond mainstream and glean hidden meanings within the depth of things, concepts, and stories. 82.5 Communications has successfully created a messaging that is eloquent of the true vision of ABP Studios.”

Sharing his thoughts, Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Chairman, 82.5 Communications said: “Can the true colours of life emerge from grey? Yes, they can and they do—that is the message with which ABP Studios launches. With its rich repository of authentic Indian stories and its commitment to showing every facet of the facts, the grey reveals to the world the million shades of meaning within it.”

In the words of Zulfia Waris, Business Head, ABP Studios: “Working with 82.5 Communications on ABP Studios has been a delightful experience. They have certainly been able to breathe life into our vision. We hope the audience will welcome the unique stories we have in store for them and also expand their horizons beyond the ‘black or white’ binary to embrace a multi-dimensional outlook towards things.”

According to Rishabha Nayyar, Chief Strategy Office, 82.5 Communications: “The Pro-Woke audience the brand wants to engage seeks content that does not thrust upon them a point-of-view but enables them to form one. However, the content on offer is increasingly opinionated and polarising. As a brand that has always championed the cause of creating an open and informed society, we decided to take a strong societal stance – Having a binary perspective in life is living a half-life. From there was born the idea of ‘Stories beyond black or white.”

Mayur Varma, Executive Creative Director, 82.5 Communications: “In a blatantly polarising world, ABP Studios is aware of the role content creators can play in helping viewers find their own voice. We feel ‘Stories beyond Black or White’ can help ABP Studios champion their raison d’être.”

Film Links: