The company also has plans to host educational seminars and presentations to highlight the benefits of mutual funds in the top eight metros in the country. Says Rajiv Vij, vice-president, marketing, Templeton: ``For the first time, we are launching a Monthly Income Plan. So we are unleashing an advertising campaign to announce it.''

However, since its inception in 1996, the company has shied away from advertising its financial products on television. Reason? ``We aretalking to a select target audience. And for our product category, we need to give a lot of information. Naturally, we cannot pack all this in a 30-second commercial. With a database of 1,50,000 people, it is easier for us to contact our customers directly,'' explains Vij. The company intends designing a special financial planning software package for its new product.

According to Vij, the new MIP is an innovative product, which is tailor-made to suit individual needs in the world of mutual funds. ``Our ads will focus on the key attributes of the plan, in a creative way. We have blended case examples with personalised appeal. Our objective has always been to create a financial brand rather than just selling financial products,'' adds Vij.

Fortune Communications, a subsidiary of HTA, has created the ads.As for the advertising strategy, the agency has tried to empathise with the personal needs of its target audience. ``The ads highlight the benefits of the MIP with a personal touch,'' says NV KrishnaKumar, copy chief, Fortune Communications.

``A common sense approach to long-term goals'' advocates the tagline of the campaign. According to Vij, the company's marketing strategy is simple.

``Today, the market size for mutual funds is too small. So if we enhance the size of the category, we will then naturally get a part of it,'' reasons Vij.It was in January 1996 that Templeton entered the Indian mutual funds market. From the beginning, the company has adopted creative and humourous route to highlight the benefits of long term investments. ``Our ads never say `Invest in Templeton'. With our ads, we create awareness about the category. Then people will naturally associate saving with Templeton,'' explains Vij.

According to Vij, the company's game-plan is driven by three parameters. As a first step, the company creates mass awareness for its products by spelling out the benefits of the product. ``Then, we initiate several mass contact programmes with affluent professionals and our key target audience.And then we try to develop a strong distribution network across the country,'' adds Vij.

In addition, the company also conducts educational seminars to empower its distributors to emerge as financial consultants who can better understand the varied needs of the customer.