HP in BTL route to grow markets for Compaq

NEW DELHI - HP will ramp up below-the-line communications by 15 per cent this year, as it eyes semi-urban and rural markets for its Compaq line.

by | 02/08/2007

The increased activity also aims to distinguish Compaq from HP's flagship Pavilion computers, according to Shuchi Sarkar, head of marketing, personal services group, HP India. For the Pavilion, added Sarkar, the BTL boost means more association with technology events targeting CIOs and CEOs. Compaq, on the other hand, will organise more road shows and school programmes.

Compaq recently signed an agreement with Star India to have its notebooks used in the popular quiz show, SRK-KBC-3, hosted by India HP brand ambassador and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

Mona Jain, EVP, Zenith-Optimedia, HP's incumbent media agency, said: "Strategically, Compaq wants to become the generic company for notebook PCs in India."

A survey by Dataquest shows India's computer penetration stood at 22 per cent last year, with 1.9 million laptops and 20 million desktops.

Meanwhile, out of Singapore, HP has just pushed out a regional music-related BTL campaign, Inter-Action, to introduce the HP tx1000 entertainment notebook. The initiatives follow the roll-out of HP's global marketing platform, 'The computer is personal again', last June.