As BBC World's head of marketing, Seema Kotecha understands the value of credibility. It is a quality often associated with the famous BBC brand, and a necessary one for a global news channel. It also helps to explain BBC World's recent repositioning around the concept of 'putting news first', which saw the channel embark on a major global advertising campaign.
For Kotecha, the decision to build a campaign around the personal experiences of BBC correspondents and cameramen was based on worldwide research which delivered the key insight that viewers value BBC World for its commitment to 'real journalism'. In the unforgiving world of 24-hour news, it is an edge that BBC World is keen to hone, and understandably so. "You have the heritage of the BBC brand and you've got the quality associated with BBC News, and you've also got slightly different perceptions in every market," says Kotecha. "There is a passion about news. With BBC News being non-commercial, it's completely about news and we are putting news first."
While this aspect proves beneficial for BBC World, which remains the only commercial-carrying BBC property, brand associations can cut both ways. The Hutton Report into events surrounding the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly caused the BBC to hit headlines across the world, but Kotecha believes that the episode had little effect on BBC World's viewers.
"We researched whether or not the levels of trust were affected," she explains. "We found it had no significant impact at all." If research appears to be a recurring feature in Kotecha's work at BBC World, it is not by accident. After arriving at the channel two years ago to oversee its global marketing operations, Kotecha's first move was to initiate research into viewer perceptions of the broadcaster. "We lacked insight into our consumers, and it was important to find out how they differed from one market to the next," she says. "Research has really directed the way that we've gone with the new brand positioning."
Based in London, Kotecha leads a marketing team that extends to Delhi and Singapore. She calculates that about 30 per cent of her time is spent on the road and she recently completed a gruelling six-week stretch around Asia.
However, Kotecha is visibly enthused about the global nature of her role, and points to her previous experience as being ideal background for the current job. Significant travel industry experience includes marketing roles at Debonair Airways and Virgin Atlantic, after which she spent two years as marketing controller at BSkyB London.
"At the budget airline, I learned how to make budgets work for you and it provided me with a really good understanding of how to work with different markets," she explains. "A large proportion of our target audience is international travellers. Having worked at Virgin Atlantic -- that gave me a very good understanding of the profile of international travellers."
Connecting with its target audience is just one of the challenges that Kotecha navigates, as she attempts to pit BBC World against a range of international rivals that are often larger and better funded. The channel remains the market leader in India and, in Asia, also counts Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong as key focal points.
"We don't have the resources that our competitors have," notes Kotecha. " We have a small, tight team but that gives people responsibility and ownership."
For Kotecha personally, meanwhile, the future holds the promise of an expanded role, and greater responsibility. "In 10 years' time, possibly I will be in a broader commercial role, not just marketing," she muses. "The next step is to grow the remit."