Sony SAB rebrands positioning; moves away from being a comedy channel

Sony SAB, a Hindi GEC owned by Sony Pictures Network India (SPNI), has changed its positioning from being a comedy channel to a living room brand. The move is aimed at establishing Sony SAB as a channel which tells stories that resonate with people's everyday lives while catering to the entire family.

Speaking about the decision and the thinking behind the repositioning, Neeraj Vyas, Business Head, Sony SAB, PAL, and Sony MAX Movie Cluster, shared that Sony SAB has always been perceived as a comedy channel, and in order to maintain that position, the channel launched multiple shows in the comedy genre, which is not an easy task. "During this process, it took some time to understand that calling it a comedy channel is one thing, and delivering seven-eight shows daily with the same efficiency and precision is another. Comedy is a difficult genre, and the reason for this is lack of talent. There are very few writers in our ecosystem who can give us good content daily. It's almost impossible to get people to write good 20-25 minute comedy content,” said Vyas. He also mentioned that comic talent is scarce in the television space." 

He went on to say that if the channel continues to ignore all of these challenges, they will end up making compromises and casting the wrong people. “This was also the learning for us but we always had one advantage that the channel has also been perceived as a happy family channel. This is very critical recognition that the brand has,” he added. 

He further added that Sony SAB is entering a new phase as the brand is undergoing metamorphosis with its content and brand strategy. ”We are looking for stories and insights from the daily lives of people. As creators, we are constantly looking for new themes and new insights that reflect on the trends and what people are going through, staying ahead with consumers and their changing lives. The recently launched brand films will further help us cement our positioning as a brand that goes beyond just providing entertainment and helps us connect emotionally with our audiences on a much deeper level. As a channel we are forward-looking, catering to the diverse needs of the family and yet at the same time bringing them together."

Vyas mentioned that another option would be to make Sony SAB another flanker for the network, as others have done within their networks, but he believes that a brand in the entertainment category should have its own identity.

"Luckily, we don't believe in flankers, and I believe that if you have a brand in the entertainment industry, that brand should be able to stand on its own. As a result, we saw a lot of value in casting a channel that primarily caters to a diverse audience. As you can see, the majority of the channels are primarily targeting female TG between the ages of 25 and 40. Today, television has developed a pattern of one type of storytelling aimed at women or housewives. And here we saw an opportunity: why don't we revive television which is meant for the entire family?"

Sony SAB has launched a new brand campaign to mark a new chapter in its journey as a channel and brand. The channel aims to strengthen its emotional connection with its viewers through a philosophy based on the understanding that "jo roz choti khushiya dete hai, wohi rishtey toh bade hote hai." The channel aims to strengthen its emotional connection with its viewers through a philosophy based on the understanding that "jo roz choti khushiya dete hai, wohi rishtey toh bade hote hai." 

The amotive is to inspire people to celebrate life by highlighting the small yet unforgettable moments. Catering to the needs of every member of the family, as it shifts gears, the channel is steering towards offering more progressive content and will launch new shows in the coming months to further strengthen the brand's position as a living room brand.

Vaishali Sharma, Marketing & Communications Head, Sony SAB, PAL and Sony MAX Movie Cluster said, "In today’s complex world, we understand the meaning of using the insights of what relationship means to our viewers and we have mined a very powerful insight which helped us develop this campaign. The objective of the brand campaign is to strengthen our relationship with our consumers and to express how the brand interweaves itself into the life and emotions of people. The campaign is one such initiative in the journey of evolution for Sony SAB, and while content continues to make an impact, at a brand level we will continue to engage with people keeping this ethos in mind.”

Sony SAB has launched three heart-warming brand films. The channel is engaging in a massive television plan to promote the campaign which will roll out on November 3. The marketing plan also consists of a substantial digital leg.

There is diverse content on Sony SAB from Alibaba Dastaan-e-Kabul, Maddam Sir, Wagle Ki Duniya, Pushpa Impossible, Dharm Yoddha Garud, and the evergreen 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.