Speaking on `How brands can bypass traditional experience', Bastings disclosed that to start with, the MTV brand was not created but evolved into a ``really funny, passionate, clever, bold, risk taking, unpredictable and open'' channel. The international brand that it is now, was not globally managed, though global brand management is the byword now. Brand management at MTV, explained Bastings, is split across number of departments:

production, on-air creative group, strategy, marketing and press.

Values that are core to MTV are * Discovery - seeing what's new, * Belonging - music, faces and places we love, * Entertainment - exitement and inspiration, * Interaction - my voice.

Recounting the various challenges faced by MTV, he said increased connectivity and media diversity posed a major challenge. From a few state-owned networks, the viewer was suddenly faced with the choice of innumerable satellite channels-all of them competing for the same ad-pie.

Visual and media literacy also increased considerably, calling for more sophisticated programmes and there was an absolute need for a balance between international taste and local relevance.

MTV reacted to this by expanding very fast. It's channels increased from a mere five in 1994 to 22 in 1999.

The channel was also decentralised to give more focus to suit local flavour. Thus MTV Asia, for example was broken up into MTV India, MTV Japan, MTV Korea etc. These developments strained the organisational structure and MTV had to split its international business into separate entities.

Explaining the strong point of the MTV brand, Bastings said that the channel had invested in people and consciously ensured that the interaction level with the viewers remained high. ``Our VJs, who are the brand spokeperson for MTV, are in some cases selected by the viewers,'' he added. The channel has also maintained the importance of its logo and has given it a funny treatment to ensure that it stays fresh in the minds of the people.

Speaking of the shortcomings, Bastings said that the channel was too slow to change. ``Had we changed faster we would have been in a better position now,'' he added. High budgets was yet another problems and in most cases the money ends up being wasted. Some times the channel was too focussed on competition or focussed on wrong competition resulting in wastage of resources, Bastings said. But then who said the brief of an MTV brand manager was to Enjoy!