Hallmark conducted a research in mid-April on focus groups in five cities including Mumbai to get rid of its "stale, slow and boring" channel image among the youth. The study was based in four demogarphics split between male in the 18-34 and 35-54 year-olds and women in the same age group. "We were not quite as appealing to a younger demographic and were known as a channel skewed towards women. But it had to do more with interstitials than programming," said Mr McAfee.

Hallmark, as part of its global business plan, has created a new brand package, which includes branded theme blocks, a new positioning line, on-air graphics and signature music. As the first step of this redesign, Hallmark commissioned Lubin Lawrence, a renowned global brand strategy development consulting firm and initiated a six-month global branding research project that included consumer focus groups in the UK, Poland, Taiwan, India and Argentina.

The entire project focused on five key factors: identification of key viewer segments critical for future growth; understanding of the core values of the target audience; fundamental viewer understanding; definition and development of the Hallmark brand platform and the translation of the brand platform into a dominant growth strategy. Hallmark also created six new prime time branded blocks to offer to its viewer appointment TV and advertisers a more defined target audience. The theme blocks are The Big Event on Sundays (showcases the newest and best premieres on the network), Crown Cinema on Saturdays (brings back the best of the best), Night Files (delivers chilling mysteries and suspenseful thrillers), Our Time (family-oriented programming with uplifting stories), On the Edge (action-packed thrillers), and Lovebeat (movies with passion and about contemporary issues). "It is a like a real estate for ad sales as we can target specific demographics. The programming of the individual branded blocks appeals to a more specific audience," said Mr McAfee. The network will take ownership of the redesigned brand over the course of a six month roll-out beginning November 1 in Asia and Latin America, followed by a December launch in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Turkey, Greece and Central Europe. Hallmark produces 45-55 new movies a year, besides acquiring additional films for its channel.

"Almost 60 per cent of the movies are Hallmark products and 40 per cent acquisitions. The cost of the big movie budgets range between $20-70 million. We already have 4,000 hours of programming," said Mr McAfee. Hallmark has a 30 million global subscriber base. It, however, is not present in France and Germany as it has co-production deals with two free-to-air broadcasters. "We have identified India, Brazil and Taiwan as growth areas for us," said Mr McAfee.