Bigg Boss revenue to grow in double digits this season: Viacom18’s Mahesh Shetty

Colors TV’s recent teaser for the 18th season of Bigg Boss has upped the interest in the show. Promising Salman Khan’s return as its host, with the theme ‘Time Ka Taandav’, the show is set to premiere in October. It is one of television’s most popular tent-pole properties, and advertisers and fans alike are eagerly looking forward to it. Advertisers have placed their bets on the property based on its high engagement and viewership season after season.

Mahesh Shetty, head - network sales, Viacom18, expects ad revenue to grow to double digits this season. 

"Last year was great for us, with both Bigg Boss Hindi and Bigg Boss Kannada performing exceptionally well during the festive season, driving strong growth. This year, I expect it to be even better. I believe this festive season will be a game-changer, especially with less competing events in cricket or major sports,” he says.

With a good monsoon and a rise in rural consumption, he expects significantly better overall spending from the FMCG category compared to last year. 

He also expects an increased presence of quick commerce brands, which have been under-represented on television due to their limited presence in a few metro cities.

"E-commerce will be more active, and we expect quick commerce to join the advertising mix, as services like Blinkit, Instamart, and Zepto have expanded their market reach. As these businesses grow, television becomes an increasingly effective medium,” he says.

From a monetisation point of view, the network is looking to leverage the property across platforms—TV, OTT, and social media—positioning them as pan-platform offerings in its discussions with brands. It sells all three platforms as a package, though some brands may opt for something specific to one platform. Meanwhile, for advertising inventory brands may choose to invest more on TV or OTT. 

"When a brand partners with us, it's not just about buying spots on TV or placing a logo, we allow brands to integrate within the content. Our main proposition is cross-platform, as we focus on providing solutions that help brands grow," Shetty says.

For example, last year, MakeMyTrip partnered with Bigg Boss Hindi to promote its homestays. The show made the Bigg Boss house available on MakeMyTrip. There was a contest that allowed participants to stay in the Bigg Boss house, which was promoted across multiple platforms, including TV, JioCinema, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Content was distributed in two formats: long form on TV and JioCinema, and short form on social media. 

“We had people putting up posters outside Salman's house, and Salman himself requested Bigg Boss to let people in, with MakeMyTrip facilitating the idea. Today’s consumers move across platforms, including—whether it's short form on mobile or full episodes on TV—so our brand solutions must be pan-platform to be effective,” he says.

The network is in talks with hundreds of brands for Bigg Boss Hindi and Kannada, according to Shetty. Once a brand signs on, the category is locked for integrations. For example, if it signs an auto or grooming brand, the category is reserved for that brand. 

“We’ve already closed deals with some brands. Bigg Boss generates both push and pull in sales, with brands approaching us well in advance,” he says.

One of the core reasons brands choose the reality show is to break through the clutter. Apart from its reach and engagement, it is its clutter-breaking potential that makes it a preferred medium for advertisers.

“Bigg Boss itself is a clutter-breaking show—you may love it, hate it, or ignore it on TV, but it will catch you on OTT, social media, or even in conversations. It’s a show you can’t miss. This makes it a powerful platform for brands to deliver their messaging, whether it’s a new product, brand positioning, or showcasing usage moments,” he says.

Shetty says the ad innovations this season will also be double last year’s level, with a lot more technology, both in the show and in brand integrations. Bigg Boss can seamlessly integrate a wide variety of brands and categories without feeling out of place, due to its mass appeal and the famous personalities in the house.

“While we’ll continue some past innovations, there will be many new ones this season—whether passive, active, pan-platform, or in the way we package and present advertising elements to brands,” he suggests.