Temples have now become the platform for promotional activities. NDTV Imagine, the new Hindi general entertainment channel from NDTV Ltd, has taken the devotional route to advertise its upcoming show Ramayan. The show is produced by Sagar Arts, promoted by the family of Ramanand Sagar, whose serial of the same name had virtually the entire country glued to the TV set in the 1980s.
NDTV Imagine, which will be going on air from Monday, is promoting the mythological series at 7,000 temples across India. The channel has put up posters and banners advertising the serial, while simultaneously blaring its title track at devotees.
Manoj Vidwans, executive vice-president, marketing, research & communication, NDTV Imagine, says, ?We have positioned Ramayan as the centerpiece of our prime-time entertainment. The temple activity was not carried out for commercial purposes, but to create awareness among viewers and present the show as a brand.?
Vidwans further adds that the channel is spending 15-20% of its overall ad budget on outdoor promotions, 20% on radio spots, and 60% on print and television together.
Besides the temple activity, other on-ground events like an interactive RQ (Ramayan Quotient) quiz is being aired on the media group?s news channel, NDTV India, to test the knowledge of participants on the scripture.
Interactive games across 800 schools were also held where goody bags and comic books based on the period adventure show Dharam Veer were also distributed.
Vidwans explains that the main objective behind organising these promotional activities was to grab eyeballs and ensure a successful launch of the channel in the increasingly crowded general Hindi entertainment segment.
The first phase of advertising campaigns for NDTV Imagine began on December 7 and the broadcaster plans to embed various merchandising and advertising plans into its programming.
The company has tied up with websites like Yahoo!, Rediff and MSN for Internet advertising and is planning online games based on Dharam Veer in collaboration with Zapak.com.