UTV Bindass plans 12 shows in next six months

While eight out of the 12 properties will be fresh new formats, the rest will be new seasons of its flagship shows -- Emotional Atyachaar (Season 3), Beg Borrow Steal, Date Trap (Season 2) and Big Switch (Season 3).

In a bid to tap the restless youth audience, UTV Bindass will launch 12 new properties in the next six months.

While eight out of the 12 properties will be fresh new formats, the rest four will be the new seasons of its flagship shows -- Emotional Atyachaar (EA) -- Season 3, Beg Borrow Steal, Date Trap -- Season 2, and Big Switch -- Season 3.

"The shows will be launched in a row. It will begin with the third season of Emotional Atyachaar on June 11, followed by a new show called Superstud in July," says Keith Alphonso, business head, UTV Bindass.

Superstud, which is to be hosted by Ashmit Patel, will witness 13 self-professed studs attend the 'school of flirt', with a slew of guest celebrities.

Not willing to divulge any further details, Alphonso informed that the other new formats will include a style/fashion-based show, a youth news show, and comedy. "We are also launching a big ticket celebrity show in October this year, the name of which is yet to be decided," he says.

In a bid to bring an upward swing in its audience viewership, Emotional Atyachaar will see Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan as the new co-host, along with Pravesh Rana.

Devgan's guest appearance in the second season of EA to promote his movie 'Once Upon A Time In Mumbai', had received an 80 per cent unaided recall, Alphonso claims. And therefore, in terms of co-host, he was the most fitting star to come on board. "His presence lent solidity and comfort to a show like EA, where intensity was extreme," he says.

Micromax is the lead sponsor for the show, while the associate sponsors include Manforce Condoms, Vanessa Deodorants and Genx NV Style Inners.

Meanwhile, in a bid to help advertisers understand the youth market better, Bindass will host a series of deep-seated immersion sessions to deep dive into youth passions such as food and mobiles.

"Paid communication of a brand message in the form of a 30-second TVC is becoming increasingly expensive in terms of establishing critical reach at desired exposure levels. Bindass has a full-scale creative and sales team that will only focus on creating and co-creating content that marries a brand message with the branded attitude that is unique to Bindass. Targeted at the youth, it will be across various consumption modes -- direct, TV or digital," says Alphonso.

The channel currently has on board, approximately 220 advertisers across 400-plus brands.