Kicking off the program with the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2003 on DD, Nimbus aims to extend this program to select media assets in the future. The objective is to reward the advertisers who pin their faith in the deliverables of the company's programming and further reward those who express an early commitment.

Says Nimbus' senior vice president Sunil Manocha: 'Nimbus has been informally running such programs in the past providing the bedrock for constantly strengthening relationships with advertisers, but now we have created a formal structure for this and expect that it will become a media trend in the future.'

On the cricket World Cup, "Broadcast sponsors", "Match Cluster" buyers and "Flexi Buy" spot buyers will all receive "Loyalty Rewards" in the form of additional commercial time at no extra cost. In the classical pattern of loyalty programs, there is an ascending rate of reward for larger volume buyers. At the low end, rewards will start at 50 per cent volume bonus for "Flexi Buy" spot buyers, going up to 150 per cent volume bonus for presenting "Broadcast Sponsors".

Reversing the trend where advertisers who buy in early into a major event property, often fear that they will wind up paying more than those who buy at the death in case there is distress selling; Nimbus has pegged the "Loyalty Rewards" for all advertisers who booked their World Cup ads before 14 January at double the rewards that will accrue to those who book from 14 January.

Says Nimbus' vice president marketing Sanjiv Shroff: 'We are thrilled that we are able to provide retrospective rewards and that too double to those who bought in early without even knowing that rewards could follow, and we are overwhelmed by the gratitude of these advertisers when we broke the news to them this evening!'

12 media buying groups and advertising agencies and more than 40 advertisers will benefit from the double "Loyalty Rewards".

Nimbus intends to provide more pleasant surprises to all loyal clients in the weeks to come.