Viacom18 launches Colors Gujarati Cinema; "Regional cluster revenue grew by 22%": Sudhanshu Vats

The new channel will go live on June 1, 2019.

Media conglomerate Viacom18 announced the launch of Colors Gujarati Cinema, the region's first 24-hour movies' channel. With the tagline, Filmo Matrubhasha Ma (Movies in your mother-tongue), the channel is positioned to leverage the vibrant cinematic heritage of Gujarat. Viacom18 entered the regional movies space last year with the launch of Colors Kannada Cinema.

"Four years ago we consolidated and rebranded our play in regional TV broadcast under the Colors umbrella. Since then, not only have we added seven more channels but also entered new markets through our broadcast, digital and films businesses. Over the last two years, our regional cluster has grown at a CAGR of 36.5 per cent in viewership and 22 per cent in revenue," says Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO and MD, Viacom18.

L to R: Ravish Kumar, Head - Regional TV Network and Sudhanshu Vats, Group CEO & Managing Director, Viacom18 at the announcement of COLORS Gujarati Cinema

He adds, "Gujarat presents a unique opportunity for us as we can leverage our regional GEC Colors Gujarati's strong 43 per cent market share position and capture current whitespace in the market - movie broadcast."

Ravish Kumar, head - Regional TV Network, Viacom18 informs, ''The Gujarati language has clocked the highest growth rate amongst all language TV viewerships with an astounding 36 per cent year-on-year growth. Movies, as a TV genre, enjoy 25 per cent viewership in Gujarat, a state with an 87-year-old legacy of producing films and plays. With the absence of a premium television channel showcasing Gujarati movies, it was the perfect whitespace for us to capture.

"Not only does Colors Gujarati Cinema provide for a business case, but it also allows us to give the people of Gujarat a destination to enjoy movies in their mother-tongue. With that, we aim to respond to the regional market's appetite for high-quality content while retaining its socio-cultural identity through a rich library of 300+ films and plays," Kumar concludes.

The network is planning a 360-degree marketing campaign across pre-launch, launch and sustenance phases. The state will see major print and radio campaigns across all major publications and stations. The marketing campaign will be headlined by a Rap anthem featuring popular Gujarati actor Jimit Trivedi. The purpose of the anthem is to capture the pulse of the youth. Viacom18 will also run OOH campaign across 23 major towns of Gujarat while TVCs will run on Colors Gujarati and the market's top non-network channel. As a part of a marketing tie-up to promote the new launch, Colors Gujarati Cinema will run an in-theatre campaign that will launch with Salman Khan's upcoming high-budget film - Bharat.

The channel will hit the airwaves on June 1, 2019.