We have all grown up watching panel shows like Indian Idol, Koffee with Karan, and Dance India Dance. And for you oldies….I am assuming shows like Boogie Woogie, Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai were classics (I don’t know man, I am not that old. Let me talk to my Team Lead and get back to you).
If you are one of those people wondering what a panel show even is, don’t worry, you don’t have to go ask ChatGPT. Let me help. A panel show is a kind of game show where either celebrities participate to win or facilitate play by non-celebrity contestants and judge them based on their skills.
Now, there is a surge of new a format of panel shows. Not the ones that are broadcasted on TV every weekend, but the ones posted on YouTube by comedians. These panel shows are everywhere. From Raunaq Rajani’s Relationshit Advice (they do give shitty advice, please never take it) to Ashish Solanki’s Judge Me If You Can (personally, it’s really hard not to judge), every comedian is bringing their own version of a panel show on YouTube. Their popularity is fueled by the Indian audiences’ love for them, on and off stage. Shows like Gursimran Khamba’s The Nation Wants to Guess garnered millions of views soon after launching. India has watched panel shows like Indian Idol and India’s Got Talent for ages. It was high time the comedians got their cut (cue Sabse Bada Rupaiyaa by Mehmood).
Unlike stand up tours that only took place once or twice a year, these panel shows are a weekly thing, giving comics a chance to make more money and also stay alive in the psyche of the audience even when they are not touring with their specials. Because as they say, “Jo dikhta hai wahi bikhta hai.”
But how are comedians funding these shows?
For most shows, it is a sponsorship from a brand.
Cashify has been a constant sponsor in multiple comedy panel shows. “Cashify needs more than 15 seconds to earn your trust before you sell them your old phone,” a LinkedIn user wrote. YouTube format gives the brand enough time to explain the process and well-known comics give the brand enough credibility for people to try it. Cause let’s be honest, we all would rather trust a comedian promoting a recommerce marketplace (or even underwear) than the celebrities promoting pan masala.
To increase awareness and trust, Cashify sponsored multiple shows like Nation Wants to Guess, Lie Hard, India’s Got Latent, and many more. At one point, Cashify was to comedy panel shows what aloo is to every sabji (I can’t write a blog and not include food in it!). No one had heard of Cashify and then suddenly, it was everywhere. The awareness skyrocketed and so did the trust. The top creative agencies realise these benefits and incorporate them into their 360 degree marketing strategy.
However, we won’t act like there isn’t a risk involved in taking this route. The biggest example of this would be the India’s Got Latent controversy. First tell me, would you rather watch your…(my Team Lead is boring and says it’s risky to put the whole question here). As soon as the controversy grew, brands started to pull back.
Brands, including yours (if you have one), need to be cautious about the comedians they pick as these comics often end up representing the brand, not only on Panel Shows, but also through Instagram reels or threads.
These risks though, should not make brands look over the benefits of collaborating with comics. DaMENSCH went from being a brand no one knew about to something everyone knows about (Yeah, even people like me who have no use for it). Cashify managed to gain enough trust that people now refer to it to determine the market value of their phone (speaking from personal experience). Vastrado’s sales doubled. “All brands that partnered with IGL saw an uptick in sales,” Shubham Chawla, Samay Raina’s manager, claimed in an interview with Business Standard. Such marketing routes are a great marketing strategy to connect with young people and position the brand as openminded, forward thinking, and youth-led.
So, this marketing tool is worth considering (if your brand has the budget for it) if your target market is young. For oldies, let’s stick to newspaper ads, facebook and hoardings.
Still wondering if Panel Shows are the right pick for your brand? Rioconn, our digital marketing agency in Ahmedabad, can help you decide. For website design, UX or UI design, or social media marketing, approach the best creative advertising agency to stand out. Get in touch with us.
