Nescafe joins hands with MTV to drive digital engagement

Earmarks investments to the tune of Rs 20 cr for the digital only initiative

Nescafe, the coffee brand from Nestlé, and Viacom18’s youth entertainment brand MTV have signed a three-year partnership to create a digital-only property called MTV Presents Nescafe Labs.

The co-branded digital platform will serve as a talent scouting and nurturing platform, driving engagement for the brand and content creation for the media brand. Sources close to the development reveal Nestlé has committed close to Rs 20 crore for this initiative.

MTV Presents Nescafé Labs will serve as a destination for creative youth looking for inspiration. It is a platform for experimental and creative talent to be discovered, to collaborate and to be mentored enabling them to get started on their journey in the creative field.

The platform will be available across all devices – it will have a web presence, a dedicated mobile friendly website, social presence through dedicated Facebook Page and YouTube channel. Twitter and Instagram promotions will happen through MTV Handles, cross promotions of the platform content will happen through all MTV India and Nescafé assets.

MTV has significant experience in co-branded initiatives and is the platform on which MTV Coke Studio has been present in India for a long time. “MTV Presents Nescafé Labs aims to create an entire community of creative people who will have access to the best of mentors and resources to hone their talent and will also find a stage to showcase it. For example, if a music band wants a director of photography to shoot their music video, MTV Presents Nescafe Labs will be the platform which could connect the two of them,” says a person close to the MTV Presents Nescafe Labs.

As part of the platform, different talents will be classified in three different buckets - music, film and a third bucket for everything which can’t get classified in the first two like graphic design, clay modelling, mimicry etc. - in order to showcase their work. Users can also participate in any of eight challenges or the four Mega challenges that the platform will throw at these youngsters periodically.

To guide them through these challenges, the platform will be bringing on board mentors corresponding to each challenge. Winners of challenges will not only get to interact one on one with their mentors but upon winning a Mega Challenge which will conclude in a gala on-ground event, the winner will also receive the opportunity to showcase his/her work on MTV / MTV Indies.