Zee backs new show rollout with $3m advertising blitz

<p>NEW DELHI: Zee TV is attempting a comeback with 24 new programmes </p><p>and a multimedia marketing communications campaign to reclaim its </p><p>position as India's leading television broadcaster. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Its fight back for pole position comes after Star Plus recently grabbed </p><p>the top spot from Zee after it flooded the market with a range of new </p><p>shows, 35 of which were rated among the top 50 programmes across the </p><p>country. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With an annual budget of US$30 million, Zee has rolled out 24 new </p><p>programmes, which were developed following audience research. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The study, which focused on housewives aged between 25 and 35 - </p><p>perceived as the country's core group of television viewers - found that </p><p>people preferred shows with exotic locales, music, relationships and </p><p>interactivity. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Zee Telefilms chief executive officer, Sandeep Goyal, said: "The brand </p><p>needed a shot-in-the-arm. Remember, it's an intrinsically strong brand </p><p>with high recall. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"If you go back in history, most of our products have been enormously </p><p>successful," he added. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The programming roll-out came amid a blitz of television and print ads - </p><p>developed by Rediffusion DY&R - including a new logo and the tagline, </p><p>"In New Style". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The campaign, which is said to have a budget of around US$3 </p><p>million, has created a stir and Zee has been able to sell about </p><p>two-thirds of its advertising inventory within a short time, claimed the </p><p>broadcaster's marketing director, Partha Sinha. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The campaign and the programming aims to create specific opportunities </p><p>for the brand to present itself in the right context," said Sinha. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>One programme, for instance, coincides with Hindustan Levers' brand </p><p>position of fair and lovely for its skincare brand. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Zee has also introduced an interactive show with a mouthful of a title: </p><p>If you say yes, then yes. If you say no, then no, based on a popular </p><p>British series called You Decide, where viewers choose how a particular </p><p>story ends. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>