VOOT launches new brand film

Viacom18's digital platform also revealed its way forward.

Why just what's on the TV screen, why not behind the scene?

Why only half an hour, why not binge it lagataar?

Why watch the same old plot, why not some new thought?

Why just wanting, why not wanting, wanting...?

These are a few of the lines from Viacom18's video on demand platform VOOT's new brand film. The streaming platform which was launched 18 months ago has emerged as a formidable force in the digital video ecosystem. Addressing a media gathering today, Gaurav Gandhi, COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures, unveiled a set of new initiatives that the brand is going to take, going forward. He also unveiled the new purple logo and the brand film where VOOT asks 'Why not?'

VOOT's new brand film"Innovations happen when you ask 'Why Not'," says Akash Banerji, head - marketing and partnerships, Viacom18 Digital Ventures. "#WHYNOT is not just an expression or a phrase, it is a belief system, a philosophy and a mindset that VOOT, as a brand, aims to foster and encourage in this country," he adds

Gaurav Gandhi

Shriram IyerThe brand film is created by Mullen Lintas and Shriram Iyer, national creative director, Mullen Lintas has this to say, "VOOT's new campaign is all about questioning the status quo. It's about people who are not content with their current entertainment choices, have moved on and chosen to be on VOOT. The current campaign is about them and their question to the world - Why not?"

Gandhi's list of announcements included: regional focus, VOOT premium services and VOOT International. The video on demand platform will now offer content across four key languages (Kannada, Tamil, Bangla, and Marathi). The offering will be a mix of original and dubbed content. The regional content will also help the platform target the diaspora audiences. "About 25 per cent of VOOT's viewership comes from the Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, and Kannada markets. We have prioritised three out of the four markets and included Tamil," informs Gandhi.

VOOT will offer differentiated content to consumers under the premium service for which the consumer will have to pay a subscription fee. In the AVOD business, the content needs to make an immediate impact (in first 3-4 minutes) or the viewer will switch and if the viewer switches, the creator will miss the advertising money that it was supposed to receive. "On a premium platform, you do not have such restrictions. Also, you can explore several other themes like crime, thrillers etc. Today, no one makes Crime in the AVOD space. Crime will garner traction, but advertisers won't associate. So this is how we can have a differentiated offering to the premium consumers. We will continue to make originals for the AVOD consumers too, so we will have both," adds Gandhi.