The landmark achievement of the first Indian video to surpass one billion views on YouTube is attributed not to a comedy or tech channel, but to ChuChu TV, a Chennai-based platform created specifically for children aged zero to seven. The video that reached this milestone is a reimagined version of the well-known nursery rhyme, Johny Johny Yes Papa, which presents a fresh take on the classic tune rather than being a direct cover.
YouTube reports that ChuChu TV holds the title of the top channel in the Asia Pacific region across all genres and ranks second globally in the education category. The channel has impressively positioned itself as the 15th most popular channel internationally since its inception in 2013. To explore the driving force behind this rapid success, Gadgets 360 spoke with Vinoth Chandar, the Founder, CEO, and Creative Director of ChuChu TV.
Encouraged by her enthusiastic response, Chandar decided to share the video on YouTube, leading to an overwhelming reception.
“Within two weeks, we had over 300,000 views; children were genuinely enjoying our content,” he says. Following that, a subsequent video featuring “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” garnered four to five times the views of its predecessor.
“Just with those two videos, we surpassed 5,000 subscribers,” he adds. “That’s when a YouTube partner manager reached out, recognizing our unique approach and encouraging us to invest more in our channel.”
At that time, Buddies Infotech, the company formed by Chandar and his four partners, was primarily focused on services. However, the success of ChuChu TV prompted a swift pivot.
“We made a conscious decision to prioritize ChuChu TV over services, shifting all our efforts to this project while Buddies Infotech remained operational merely for formal reasons,” he explains. “Starting with four animators, we have now expanded to a team of 200 and moved into a spacious 20,000 square foot office in Chennai.”
Though the channel originated from Chandar’s desire to entertain his daughter, the collective input of other team members’ children has also played a significant role in its evolution, alongside a strong instinct for what resonates with young audiences.
“From day one, our approach has been largely intuitive,” Chandar notes about the video creation process for ChuChu TV.
“Once we identify a concept, we collaborate to brainstorm. The idea is to think as a child would to create engaging content,” he elaborates. “Many of us are parents ourselves, and we consider how our kids would interpret the material. From there, we curate storyboards and shorts aimed at ensuring the content is captivating and fun for young viewers.”
The team prioritizes crafting rhymes that convey positive messages, opting to transform traditional narratives that could carry negative implications. For instance, in the case of “Ba Ba Black Sheep,” the team included a representation of sheep of various colors to promote inclusivity and positivity.
“Our modified version included black, white, and brown sheep, which has resonated well with audiences and the video has since reached over 500 million views,” Chandar shares. “We frequently receive feedback from parents, allowing us to enhance our content by adding verses that promote values like sharing and caring.”
Viewer feedback plays a crucial role in generating new ideas, as ChuChu TV actively engages with its audience through comments. While some comment sections can seem overwhelming, a dedicated team at ChuChu TV sifts through approximately 1,000 to 2,000 daily comments to gauge the preferences of its growing fanbase.
“Many of our new concepts stem from these comments; parents often suggest rhymes that resonate with their children, like themes of colors or exploration,” explains Chandar. “We genuinely take parents’ feedback into account when planning our content.”
The comments section is also instrumental in keeping ChuChu TV attuned to its audience’s preferences.
“Historically, our audience has been predominantly from the U.S., followed by India, the UK, the Philippines, and Vietnam,” Chandar observes. He recounts an incident when a specific video, which included a reference to toy guns, attracted criticism from American viewers, leading to prompt changes to the content. “It made us rethink our approach. We altered the lyric, adjusted the animation, and re-uploaded the video because we respect that parents ultimately determine what their children engage with.”
This relationship with its young audience gives ChuChu TV an edge in sustaining viewership. Unlike many other channels that rely on virality to maintain engagement, ChuChu TV benefits from the continuous viewing habits of toddlers.
“After the initial release of a new video, viewers often move on to other content,” observes Chandar. “But for us, if a child loves a nursery rhyme, they will keep returning to it. Our repeat views are significant in this genre, contributing to our one billion-view milestone.”
The majority of ChuChu TV’s views come from mobile devices and tablets, accounting for over 70% of their audience, with smart TVs making up about 20%. Desktops and laptops contribute to less than 5% of traffic. While many channels opt to produce numerous videos daily, ChuChu TV adopts a more selective strategy. “We typically release ten to fifteen videos each month, prioritizing quality over quantity,” Chandar emphasizes. “While many channels in our genre boast high volumes, we favor a curated collection of approximately 150 videos.”
In terms of revenue, YouTube advertisement income is the primary source for the company. However, there are aspirations to expand into merchandise. Recently, ChuChu TV partnered with Dream Theatre, a company known for managing non-video game-related Pokémon merchandise in India, to explore this avenue. Drawing inspiration from Brazilian YouTube channel Galinha Pintadinha, which has profited immensely from merchandise sales, Chandar is adopting a cautious but strategic approach.
“It’s a gradual process. We’re not rushing into it. We’re refining our characters for toys, aiming to create engaging videos featuring these updated characters before fully launching into merchandising,” he notes, adding that the possibility of developing interactive games remains on the horizon.
Currently, ChuChu TV’s content is available on YouTube and Amazon Prime Video, with potential partnerships on the horizon as platforms like Netflix express interest. Nonetheless, Chandar emphasizes YouTube’s paramount significance for their audience reach.
“We aspire to establish a presence on premium platforms beyond YouTube, but its role as our primary viewership source cannot be overstated. It remains the largest search engine after Google, and we aim to maximize our presence there. Additionally, as many users seek ad-free content, we provide that option on Amazon.”
