Multiple devices of consumption have compelled content producing brands to think afresh. Television channels seem to be the most affected party in this digital age and are fighting tooth and nail to get their viewers back from their devices of digital consumption, be it their mobile phones or laptops.
In a new move to lure the binge-watchers - the ones who prefer to watch multiple episodes of their favourite television show at one go – Star World, the general entertainment channel for the best English serials, has launched a new property called ‘Star World Weekend Binge’.
It will bring more than 1,200 hours of award-winning shows from the biggest studios, and premiere more than 30 shows across 52 weekends. The Binge line-up includes popular shows like ‘How to Get Away with Murder’, ‘Homeland’, ‘2 Broke Girls’, ‘Modern Family’, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’, among several others.
The brand has been reaching out through digital and social media, apart from an array of marketing activities lined up on other channels of distribution. In fact, Star World has created a mascot too – Binge Baba. This guy represents the audience segment the channel wants to attract.
On the social media front, a buzz was created around #BingeBaba. Twitter users were invited to become followers and expect a surprise in their Twitter inbox. Engagement was built by asking fans to guess the first show that would be aired on Weekend Binge. This was followed by a series of tweets where Binge baba makes all the conversations with folks like him - the ones who love to binge watch. Binge Baba offered solutions to folks who had hurdles to face in their binge-watching schedule.
A contest was also run on the day of the first Binge Weekend. One had to make maximum tweets using the hashtag #StarWorldWeekendBinge for a chance to win an iPad.
Girlfriend won’t let you stay at home? Mom won’t let you laze? Boss wants you in office? Tell me and I will resolve it for you. #BingeBaba
— Star World (@StarWorldIndia) April 18, 2022
Tweet with #WhenIBinge ___ and tell us what you do when you binge! Get set for the biggest Indian TV festival with #StarWorldWeekendBinge.
— Star World (@StarWorldIndia) April 21, 2022
Are you ready? #StarWorldWeekendBinge #contest is ON! RT to spread the word and win an iPad & other amazing goodies! pic.twitter.com/BplahypBFP
— Star World (@StarWorldIndia) April 25, 2022
Wooing TV buffs
The concept of mascots has been given a new identity with Binge Baba. For a fresh new media property that airs all the episodes of a TV show at one go, the creation of Binge Baba was essential to build interest in the target group. Television buffs are in for a weekend party with award winning shows brought to them on their couches. For Star World, this is a clever strategy to rake in weekend views.
The buzz created on social networks, though, could have been a lot more fun and engaging. It seems the Twitter contests were created for the couch potatoes, all they had to do was keep tweeting with the hashtag!
Binge Baba could be put to some useful work. The character has the potential to get people talking about him, and thus build awareness for this new binge weekend. Star World could create memes, videos, Vines and more celebrating the binge watchers in the country. That’s the only way to catch the attention of folks who are stuck to their mobiles and are thinking about making a weekend plan.
