KBC 6: Knowledge is money

Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) is all set to step in its sixth year with a new communication theme - 'Sirf Gyaan Hi Aapko Aapka Haq Dilata Hai' (Knowledge alone helps you earn what is rightfully yours). The campaign conceived and created by Leo Burnett consists of four TVCs, two of which have been released by Sony Entertainment Television (SET), the channel airing the show.

The first film, shot in Rohtak (Haryana), chronicles the life and struggles of Bhikan, who does not get his due at different stages in life because his father is not influential. But on the 'hot seat' of KBC, he makes his father proud by winning big - thanks to the knowledge he possesses. At the end of the commercial, Amitabh Bachchan, who continues as host this season, announces that knowledge is the biggest leveller of all, and it gives you your due in the end.

WATCH the second film from the campaign here:

The second film, shot in a college in Mussoorie, highlights how knowledge is beyond the bias of language. It shows the journey Bhaskar, who is not well versed with English. He is mocked at by his peers in college, jeered at by his principal. Yet he manages to win a hefty amount on the hot seat of KBC, that too by answering all questions in 'Hindi medium'. Amitabh Bachchan reiterates the power of knowledge at the end of the film.

On the launch of the campaign, Danish Khan, senior vice president, head of marketing, Sony Entertainment Television (SET), said, "We have had two great years of KBC at Sony. While the last two seasons' campaigns have been disruptive in nature, this time we wanted to expand on the common man philosophy. We wanted to create something that would spread a positive message in the society and keep knowledge at the heart of it."

On the creative execution, Nitesh Tiwari, national creative resource, Leo Burnett, said, "Before we started writing the script we started exploring various expressions for the theme - knowledge is a great leveller. The most logical way to depict this was by showing that all those factors and biases that have taken your right away from you would go meek in front of your knowledge. Biases were there for all of us to see. We settled on the four such biases - power/wealth, language, gender and truth. We wanted to stay away from controversial biases like religion and these were the ones that would certainly appeal to masses anyway." 

According to Sony's Khan, the media mix for the campaign would be 30 to 35 per cent in TV and cinema, 50 per cent in print, outdoor and radio, 15 per cent in digital, and the remaining on experiential activities across 10 tier I and II cities. In TV, SET is looking at around 30 channels outside the MSM (Multi Screen Media) network.

Unplugged moments:

Ashwiny Iyer, creative director, Leo Burnett, spoke to Campaign India about interesting bits about the two shoots. "Bhikan's character is played by a localite from Rohtak who enacts in social cause-centric street plays in Haryana. Chrome Pictures found him apt for the role and that's how he got a chance to be on the camera for the first time in his life," she said. Apart from the sultry weather, Iyer had to bear with the male-dominated environment as well. "One of the denizens advised me not to walk alone lest someone abduct me," she added.

The TVC shot in Mussoorie featured actual students of the college where the film was shot (except for a few actors from New Delhi). Iyer recounted, "The shooting experience was entirely different from that of Rohtak. The girls were pretty outgoing and would want to come in front of camera." On the choice of Mussoorie as location, Iyer explained that the intent was to shoot in a less familiar college.

Credits:

Client: Sony Entertainment Television (SET)
Agency: Leo Burnett
National creative resource: Nitesh Tiwari
Creative director: Ashwiny Iyer
Writer: Nikhil Mehrotra, Neeraj Singh, Priyanka Patyal, Pranjal Choudhary
Client servicing: Anup Vishwanathan, Anupriya Shetty, Rashmi Gupte
Agency film producer: Kevin Affonso, Manoj Pillai
Production house: Chrome Pictures
Director: Amit Sharma
Media agency: OMD