Adgully Exclusive | Targeting Next Gen female audience: Imagine's Nikhil Madhok

Imagine, launched on January 21st 2008, is an offering from the Turner General Entertainment Networks India Private Limited - TGEN - (a Time Warner Company). The channel in the Hindi GEC space came out with shows which had different themes and more relevant ones and which caught the audience's attention.

The channel's programming has a wide range of varied content like unique fiction stories, epic tales and path breaking reality shows. Some of the very famous shows from the channel's wide range of offerings has been Ramayan, Rakhi Ka Swayamvar, Bandini, Jyoti, Raaz Pichle Janam Ka, Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jayega, Devi and Rakhi Kaa Insaaf.

The channel recently launched the first of its kinds show to reach out the job requirements of the youth across the country through their show "Job Time TV'.

Adgully caught up with Nikhil Madhok, Senior Director Marketing and Communications, IMAGINE TV, to gather about the channel's plans and to know more about the continuous strategy of offering better and unique content to the viewers.

Talking about the channel's expectation in terms of viewership with the current line of programming, Madhok says, "We are as you know a GEC, the driver TG for any Hindi GEC tends to be women and what we are trying to do is getting our content and communication efforts behind getting traction in this core TG of women. Since in the long run they are the set of loyal audiences for us, within that we have seen a lot of success within the core TG, which is in the age group of 15-24 females. Eventually over time we would want to other members of a house pulling up and being a part of the channel's viewership. Currently our content is singularly focused on attracting females"

" It is a conscious decision to capitalise on the TG signifying more of women. But we launched Imagine almost three years ago, our flagship at that point of time was Ramayan, however what happened that it got us an audience in the category of young boys as well as males and females who were 55+ in age. It was basically being viewed by young children along with their grandparents, which was not very favorable for us from an advertisers perspective and long term sustenance perspective. So we consciously decided that we need to improve our performance in the category of young women. So in a way we gradually changed our content and the way we reach to the people through various communications. We have since then seen an upward movement in ratings," he adds.

Sharing some of the channel's recent marketing initiatives recently, Madhok points out three specific initiatives that stand out. The first one according to him was when the channel had launched Gunaho Ka Devta, through research the channel found out that women in smaller towns feel unsafe to venture out of the homes and so one of the qualities that they look in a man is to protect them. So the channel created the campaign around the insight of this longing to be secured by a brave man and the campaign line read- "Woh Pyaar Hi Kya Jo Aapki Hifasat Naa Kar Sake.' As a part of the on-ground promotional initiative a lot of girls college were visited where girls were handed over a packet which read "If your boyfriend is not like Avnish (the show's protagonist) then you might need this pack' and the pack contained chilli powder. The second one Madhok points out was for the reality talk show "Meethi Chhoorii No1'. Knowing the fact that the content of the show could be slightly risky and sensational, the channel decided to position it as a show that one should not watch with their mother. As a part of the on ground activates a so called "Forbidden Zone' was created in many colleges where the girls could experience things that they might normally not be allowed to do like get a tattoo done etc. "When Kitni Mohabbat Hain was being launched in its second season, we used the same title track and we did a lot of activities around the music. So we have been very innovative as far as our marketing is concerned," Madhok adds.

Talking about the importance of digital media in the channel's marketing mix, he says, "With every passing month digital media is growing in importance for us. Even now where it primarily helps us is being able to connect with our international audiences. Since unlike India, overseas communication is for us a very niche category of audiences consisting of people living abroad. So digital is very important in terms of supporting our international communication. Besides the other interesting thing that we have utilised digital media is to create online gaming versions of some of our reality shows."

When asked if the channel is trying to target the smaller pockets across the country, Madhok contends that, "That is a fair observation. About 7 or 8 years ago we were about 40-50 million cable homes, now we are close to around 110 million cable homes, so television is growing downwards outside the metros. This may also add high consuming watchers of television and they may not consist of more number of mature audiences and hence what they look for is a resemblance of their life. Television becomes interesting when one sees stories that are related to one's real life situations. Since the medium is growing downwards we make sure that it is also reflected in the kind of programming that we do."

"In terms of being well-entrenched in reaching out to our TG of young females we are placed at number 4 in the GEC category. When we initially launched in the first year we had skews which were largely metro and reflected higher SECs. However gradually the skews have become more favourable to some of the smaller towns and has strengthened its position of lower SECs too," he adds.

The channel is also reasonably charged in terms of programming during weekends. "In terms of nature of programming and the number of hours programmed we are fairly good on the weekends as well. But I would say if we plan to strengthen the weekend slot it will only follow the process of having a potential prime time programming from Monday-Friday," he opines.

The channel's marketing mix ideally consists of promos across the channel, running promotional spots on other television channels like Music, news, kids and sports channels, print ads, radio and on ground activities.

Talking about the channel's upcoming plans and while signing off Madhok says, "In 2011, right in the beginning we will be announcing two shows which will be first time on an Indian Television's GEC and both will be extremely unique." | By Prabha Hegde [prabha(at)adgully.com