Intending to escalate revenue contribution of live events and IPs by 15-20%: Manoj Mathan

Radio Mango, the Radio arm of the Malayala Manorama Group, recently launched “Mixtape,” an intimate music series. Medianews4u caught up with Manoj Mathan, CEO of Radio Mango, who spoke about the brand’s IPS, engagement with listeners online and offline, and more.

Speaking about the objective behind creating such an IP, Manoj Mathan mentioned that the insight is that, as much as people consume music across various platforms and at events, the ambiance and atmosphere in which this consumption happens are as important as the music itself. With Mango Mix Tape, Mango aims to provide a unique experience through a series of what they call “intimate concerts.”

Mathan adds that Mango Mix Tape is designed for a select audience of not more than 50 people at a time, giving the feeling, “This is only for me.” The second objective is to promote regional and upcoming talents on this platform.

The content is amplified on radio, social media, and print – the core content of “Music” and the secondary content of information about the artists, the ideology of Mango Mix Tape, etc.

Speaking about the other ground IPs of Radio Mango, Mathan said, “We have multiple IPs lined up this year, some of them already established ones like “MangoVeetilae Thaaram” and “MangoDecibel,” and a few others that are new IPs that will be launched this year.”

The CEO underlined that there is space for new IPs provided it matches with the brand philosophy and meets a market need (both in terms of clients and consumers).

Q. How much do live events and IPs like Mixtape contribute to the overall revenue of Radio Mango? How is this growing? What is the target?

This is a growing business; the aim is to increase the contribution of Live Events and IPs to about 15-20% of revenue in a couple of years.

Q. With the rise of digital platform, how does Radio Mango continue to engage and connect with its audience both on-air and online?

Radio Mango has a lot of interactive elements on air through which we engage with listeners. We also have conversations with our P1 listeners who share their feedback from time to time. In addition to radio, we use our Social Media handles to put out content that drives engagement from our followers. Besides radio and social media, our on-ground events are helping us connect with our audience even better.

Q. How do you see the role of traditional radio evolving in the era of podcasts and streaming services, and how is Radio Mango positioning itself in this evolving landscape?

Traditional radio will always have a place in the consumption matrix of a consumer. Very evolved digital markets like the USA still have a massive radio listenership; the same will be true of India. The platform of consumption may have moved from a “radio set” to cars now – in the future, it will “come back” to mobile phones. Radio Mango is constantly monitoring its music (The core content) and tailoring it to suit an audience that is consuming music and content on mobile phones. We will soon re-launch our App to cater to this TG that does not listen to radio the “traditional way.”

Q. Any initiatives undertaken to support local artists and promote regional cultural content?

Mango Mix Tape is an initiative to promote small-time artists, give them a platform to perform live to an elite audience, besides also promoting them on radio, social media, and print. A couple of IPs that we are launching this year are built on our deep cultural understanding of the people of Kerala, our main TG.

Q. In an era of digital marketing dominance, how does Radio Mango leverage traditional and digital channels for promotional activities?

Leveraging radio plus other media is a default approach that all radio stations are taking now. Whether it is to promote one’s content or the campaign of a client, Radio Mango uses Radio, social media, and on-ground activation as a combined package. In addition to this, when required, we also rely on the might of our in-house powerhouse newspaper “Malayala Manorama” to strengthen and amplify both internal and client-led campaigns.