Sony Entertainment Television is repositioning the way it sells non-fiction programming, moving the conversation away from ratings points alone and toward customised brand participation. Akshay Agrawal, Head of Linear Ad Sales at Sony Pictures Networks India, told MediaNews4U that sponsorship-led solutions and content integrations now account for around 85% of non-fiction revenues, up from 40–45% five to six years ago.
“It is no longer about just passive reach and passive GRPs. Brands want active engagement,” Agrawal said.
A structural shift in non-fiction selling
The change is not a one-season experiment. Sony has invested in long-running franchises such as Kaun Banega Crorepati, Indian Idol, MasterChef and Shark Tank, with an emphasis on formats that can hold audience and advertiser interest across multiple seasons.
Agrawal argues that the revenue mix tells the story. When sponsorship and solution-led integrations contribute 85% of non-fiction income, the 30-second spot is no longer the default unit of sale. The central question has become what a brand can do inside the programme, not just where its commercial runs.
Participative formats create stronger brand moments
Game shows have become particularly important to this strategy. Kaun Banega Crorepati is an 18-season franchise fronted by Amitabh Bachchan, Wheel of Fortune launched with Akshay Kumar earlier this year, and Family Full House with Rohit Sharma is the newest addition. Their question-and-answer structure naturally invites viewers to answer, debate and compete, shifting attention from passive co-viewing to what Sony calls participative reach.
For advertisers, those interactive moments can be more valuable than exposure alone because brands can appear inside conversations families are already having.
Family Full House brings a celebrity-led sponsor mix
The new show premieres on September 19 at 9:30 PM on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV, marking Rohit Sharma’s first move into entertainment television. Sony describes him as a brand magnet because of his current playing career, World Cup-winning captaincy and broad demographic appeal.
Skoda, PhonePe and Google Search AI Mode have joined as Co-Presenting Sponsors, while Avaada, UltraTech Cement Ltd. and Fortune Refined Soyabean Oil are Co-Powered by Sponsors. Supersox and BHIM Payments App are Associate Sponsors.
- Google Search AI Mode supports the host’s curiosity around survey-based answers and trivia.
- PhonePe is integrated into a contestant round.
- Skoda is the grand prize partner.
- UltraTech Cement has a physical asset linked to the theme of family bonding.
Business outcomes are the new KPI
Agrawal says marketers are now accountable for growth and sales, not only brand building. That pushes Sony to design integrations around specific outcomes such as app downloads, search traffic, showroom visits and consumer consideration. The principle is that the solution should enable the content, elevate the contestant journey and engage the viewer, rather than stick out as a distraction.
Sony is also no longer treating television and OTT as separate silos. Brands can buy television-only or streaming-only associations, or take integrated TV-plus-digital packages depending on the business objective. Agrawal says the starting point is the advertiser’s requirement.
What marketers can take from this
For marketing teams, the shift is a signal to evaluate non-fiction sponsorship beyond ratings. The strongest opportunities may sit in game formats and family co-viewing properties where participation is built in. Rather than asking for logo placements, brands should start with a clear business outcome and ask how the integration can make the format more useful or entertaining.
The festive season gives Sony a high-visibility test case with Family Full House running alongside Kaun Banega Crorepati, India’s Best Dancer and the upcoming Indian Idol. Agrawal describes the portfolio as a “house of stars”, with personalities including Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Rohit Sharma, Ajay Devgn, Karisma Kapoor and Indian Idol’s judges.
The broader takeaway for media and marketing professionals is that reach still supplies scale, but the commercial conversation has shifted to customised propositions and outcome-based engagement. Sony’s Family Full House will test whether a celebrity-led game show can convert participation into measurable advertiser value.
Source: MediaNews4U
