MUMBAI: It would not be incorrect to claim one of the leading streaming services in the country Saavn has had a prosperous year – in every possible way. What began with a series of original audio programming led to similar initiatives in several other fronts including chat shows, live events and branding. That Saavn has become a lucrative entity for brands and creators to promote their respective content is clearly visible, and making the most of its current demand, the music service has planned to offer an unprecedented opportunity to brands for engaging with the consumers.

In the form of ad product, brands and creators can promote dedicated audio-visual experience on the streaming platform. Aptly titled, ‘Brand Channels’ will curate custom playlists, radio, audio messages and original audio content for Saavn’s users across the globe. The Australia based streaming service Guvera relies on brand content for mass outreach and the strategy, to a certain extent, helped it Rotating ‘Brand Bars’ on the Saavn app home screen invite users to seamlessly enter targeted brand channels throughout their listening experience. Each channel provides advertisers 100% share of voice, giving brands complete control and exclusive association with the sound and feeling of the channel’s custom content.

Expanding on its partnership with automobile company Maruti Suzuki, Saavn created ‘NEXA Music Lounge’ as an attempt to generate excitement around the entity’s new premium brand NEXA. The brand channel offers a series of curated playlists, radio stations and custom audio messages that encourages consumers to ‘follow’ to keep up with the new additions to the channel.

One of the major factors that play in streaming services’ favour is the extreme flexibility that arrives and that effectively reflects on the content, allowing creators of all genres and streams to prefer these services over any other medium. Through original programming, brand-dedicated streaming radio station and aggressive music library expansion, Saavn has managed to attract more users in this year than estimated before.

“Nexa Music Lounge is a unique music experience designed to bring people together based on a common passion for international music,” said Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s VP and Head of Marketing, Sanjeev Handa. “We partnered with Saavn to build a brand channel as a way to amplify our efforts and allow people to take NEXA Music Lounge on their smartphones wherever they go.”

“The potential of audio advertising is endless. We know how deeply music affects us, how songs stay with us like nothing else. While a catchy jingle was once all that brands required to tap into music’s unique associative powers, today’s digital climate requires a more dynamic, all-encompassing audio experience,” said Saavn’s SVP Brand Solutions and India Head, Ravi Shharma. “The Brand Channel is just that - an opportunity for brands to engage listeners in an audio-visual world completely dedicated to their brand.”

“Nexa has pioneered many first in the automobile category and Saavn Brand Channels is yet another way of establishing Nexa as a digital first and innovative brand," said Sabuj Sen Gupta, NCD, Hakuhodo Percept. "Nexa Music Lounge offers a unique, curated selection of India’s best classic international music, which is sure to delight Saavn listeners.”

"Music is one of the most engaging digital content categories there is. It has an unmatched ability to create deep emotional connections. For this reason, Nexa has partnered with Saavn to create India's first brand channel,” said Shradha Agarwal, Head Digital Strategy, Grapes Digital. “We know that today users are not comfortable leaving the app or platform they are on, hence instead of showcasing them ads and driving them out of Saavn we chose to engage them then and there."