Sapna Nair
Media

Sony to fix your date with Big B at 9 pm

The first phase of the KBC campaign is being rolled out by Sony

The countdown to the blockbuster show on Sony Entertainment Television has begun. The channel's office is buzzing with activity as preparations to launch the fourth edition of television's popular quiz show, Kaun Banega Crorepati, is in full swing.

While the media has conveyed the return of Amitabh Bachchan on the show, Sony has the task of conveying to the viewer the destination of the show. The first promo of the first phase of the campaign was a teaser that went on air on Sony on July 17. The campaign shows a part of the KBC set and a silhouette walking out while the whistle tune of KBC music plays in the background.

Sony to fix your date with Big B at 9 pm
The second promo is a reveal which, with the same background score, will show Amitabh Bachchan walking into the KBC set. This promo will go on air today. The marketing is planned such that the campaign will run till September. The promo is being aired across news, kids' and music channels.

This time, Sony has made changes to the show's registration process. In order to build an appointment for the show at 9 pm, the channel has devised an interesting strategy. From August 2-15, Amitabh Bachchan will make an appearance on Sony at 9 pm and ask a question through which viewers can register and further participate in the audition process. This time slot became almost synonymous with KBC when it was aired on STAR Plus, thanks to the famous '9 baj gaye kya?' ad.

Viewers can answer via IVRS or SMS. From July 23 onwards, a promo featuring the host will be broken, announcing the same. "It's a first and we hope it will help us not just in getting higher registration numbers but also in creating excitement among the viewers for the launch of KBC," says Danish Khan, head, marketing, Sony Entertainment Television. When the show goes on-air in October, the channel wants viewers to fix their appointment with the channel at 9 pm.

The people who respond to the questions will be shortlisted and a certain number of people will be called for the ground audition, comprising of two rounds, which will commence from September 1 and continue till September 8. The auditions will take place in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Nagpur.

The full-fledged campaign will begin in mid-August, after the registration process ends. The channel is believed to be spending close to Rs 10 crore for the promotion of this big property.

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