Kolkata: ABP Ananda has not just been wooing its audiences with its special Durga Puja programming, but also leaving no stone unturned to help brands achieve awareness and equity through interactive and customizable sponsor integrations.
The channel has taken a bevy of sponsors on-board, across its three properties – Sharad Ananda, Parae Parae Serar Lodai & Surokshar Puroskar. It has emerged as a clear favourite amongst a sea of content and opportunities, owing to its extensive programming and special integrations. These properties have created exciting opportunities for brands to be involved in the channel’s programming in a meaningful way that doesn’t detract from its content, offering a far higher degree of presence and brand-building capabilities.
This year’s ABP Ananda Sharad Ananda edition is presented by SRMB TMT, ABP Weddings, Ajanta Shoes, Dear Lottery, Parimal Agarbatti & Havells, Powered By: RR Kabel, Co-Powered by: Duraguard Cement, and Partnered by: Shalimar Coconut Oil, Denver with Food Partner: Dhara Cooking Oils & Drive-In Partner: Honda City. The Surokshar Puroskar property of ABP Ananda is presented by Astral Pipes and MP Birla Cement, Powered By: Riya Dhoop, Co-Powered By: Mother Dairy Mishti Doi, Partnered By: Bauli Moonfils, with Suraksha Partner: Quickheal Antivirus, Shopping Partner: www.anytimeneeds.com, and Health Partner: Ensure. Lastly, the Parae Parae Serar Lodai property which is an 11 episode non-fiction reality game show played amongst different Puja Committees is presented by: ABP Weddings, Ananda Publishers, RICE Education, RIYA Dhoop & Sunsilk, Partnered by: Tata Colours, with Men’s Fashion Partner: Cambridge Apparels and Style Partner: Shoppers Stop.
Having partnered with a plethora of brands from diverse categories, ABP Network’s branded content division, ‘ABP Spotlight’ has created a number of special integrations for these brands.
For Sunsilk, ABP Spotlight has createda five vignette series with each day defining a ‘Pujo look’. It shows the significance of all Pujo days from Sasthi to Dashami, and the role of Bengali women in it. Featuring the upcoming model cum actress Darshana Banik, the vignette series also has the star hair-stylist Jolly Chanda aided by popular styling artist Sandip Jasiwal. In all these vignettes, Darshana is dressed up with a new attire and look for each day of the Puja. Jolly Chanda makes these vignettes even more interesting with her hair-do tips, anecdotes, and easy hair styling hacks that women can do at the convenience of their home. Thus, the essence of Girlgiri (Sunsilk positioning) and the mood of the festival have been synergised into creating this integration.
On this collaboration, Ms. Sandhya Poojary, HUL, said “We partnered with ABP Ananda on Parae Parae Serar Lodai (PPSL 2020) which is a fun Contest between Pandal Committees. As a part of the campaign, ABP Ananda is helping us reach out to our girls by creating beautiful short stories around the festive looks for the 5 days of the Durga Puja and encouraging them to gear up for the festive season under our ‘Tyohar Wali Feel, Tyohar Wali Deal’ campaign, through a series of vignettes. We hope to further inroad into the Bengal market and create recall in the hearts of all Bengalis. We look forward to many such associations with ABP Network in the future.”
Besides this, ABP Ananda has created a special music video and jingle for Mother Diary Mishti Doi, which captures the overall essence of fun, nostalgia, and merry making, while also depicting Bengalis’ never ending love story with sweets and desserts. The song has been sung by popular singer, Rupankar and features actor Anirban Chakrabarti. The entire video has been made via illustrations, capturing every single element of Durga Puja that a Bengali connects with.
Speaking on the association, Ms. Mansi Datta, Managing Partner, Wavemaker India said, “Durga Puja is not just a religious or a social event or some may even argue political event, but it is an event that is woven into the social fabric of the society. It has a grip on values, beliefs, cultural orientation, fun quotient, social quotient…but the quotient that comes to the fore the maximum is the ‘Sweet quotient’ and Mother Dairy’s Mishti Doi is the perfect sweet for satisfying this craving. Mother Dairy and ABP Ananda’s partnership brings alive the sweet love with a beautiful video that captures all the elements of Pujo time.”
For Honda, the channel has created a two vignette series featuring Covid warriors, their struggle stories and Honda’s salute to these heroes. The vignette features a Honda City Joy Ride Puja Parikrama which travels across the city and with a covid warrior as their story is narrated.
For ABP Weddings, a special branding installation in the shape of a palanquin has been installed across select Durga Puja Pandals. True to the brand’s identity, this installation will bring out the very essence of ABP Weddings.
For MP Birla Cement, a special vignette has been created which beautifully blends in with the core features of the brand, the safety aspect of Durga Puja, and the overall celebratory bonhomie. For Ananda Publishers, a first time advertiser on television, a vignette has been created featuring renowned writers Sangeeta Bandhopadhyay, Srijat & Smaranjit Chakraborty, talking about the e-books available on Ananda Publishers portal. For Shoppers Stop, star anchor Monami Ghosh will be seen wearing different festive outfits from the brand whilst hosting the show Parae Parae Serar Lodai. For Dhara Cooking Oils, fun games involving participants using the cooking oil have been strategically organised for a special integration. For Cambridge Apparels, a festive special vignette has been created in three different languages, which showcases their range of shirts and traditional outfits that are popular this festive season. For Havells, the channel has taken a digital turn to createa dedicated microsite which will have features like ‘Virtual Pandal Parikrama’, ‘Create your own e-pandal game’ and ‘Virtual Adda Contest’. All of this will be available to the viewers of ABP Ananda.
Through creative and authentic integrations in their content, ABP Ananda has created tremendous value for the brands to shine and stand out this festive season. These creative offerings have posed a unique opportunity for brands to leverage the reach & prominence of the news channel and engage effectively with their audiences.
On these opportunities and integrations, Ms. Mona Jain, Chief Revenue Officer, ABP Network said, “At ABP, our goal is not just to create immense value for our viewers but also allow brands to create a distinct and recognizable voice through our creative content. We have received an overwhelming response from sponsors for ABP Ananda this year. I’m glad to see that brands continue to repose their faith in us at a crucial time like this when creating brand equity in the market is paramount.”
