Case Study
Unearthing the notion quotient: A look at the prevalent myths of TV land
The unwritten media book puts down a universal rule of thumb – guys dig news, sports, reality shows and action movies. Women prefer comedies, romance and dramas.
Another commonly accepted belief in media is that women watch more TV than men and are that much more easily accessible than men – to the advertiser, that is. Yet one more widely held conviction to sway programming decisions is that afternoon viewers are largely women.
Are these just unsubstantiated perceptions or is there truth in these notions? According to TAM data covering males and females above 15 years of age in cable homes across the country for the period 13 July through 9 August, 2003; women do surpass men in overall television viewing. But a more specific analysis reveals a different story.
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Women do surpass men in overall television viewing. However, it is the male viewers who turn up in greater numbers for channels other than mass entertainment channels. So far as news and English entertainment viewing is concerned, men rule the roost while Hindi movies draw men and women in more or less consistent numbers, irrespective of the time band. An analysis of overall television viewing reveals that while women contribute towards a TVR of 32 during peak hours – at around 9:45 pm, men accounted for lower viewership contributing towards a TVR of 27. At the next highest peak, which is around 1:30 pm in the afternoon, the TVR ratio of women to men stood at 20:14. When it comes to across the board viewing, what pushes women up in the number game is mass entertainment viewing even though the number of women covered are fewer than men. While at the peak hour of 9:45 pm, women account for a TVR of over 20, men account for a TVR of over 16. The afternoon statistics provided by TAM however corroborate the widely held perceptions. At the afternoon peak of 1:30 pm, whereas women account for a TVR of 12, men represent a TVR of around seven. By and large, mass entertainment channels draw more women than men in both the time zones. While at the peak hour of 9:45 pm, women account for a TVR of over 20, men account for a TVR of over 16. In the afternoon peak of 1:30 pm, however, the gulf is wider. Whereas women account for a TVR of 12, men represent a TVR of around 7. In other words, the afternoon time zone draws roughly 44 per cent of male viewership vis-a-vis prime time viewership whereas, among women, it draws as many as 60 per cent of the eyeballs raked in by prime time viewing by women.
Women rule the mass entertainment channels, that‘s true again. All the same, while in Hindi movie viewing they are more or less at par with men, in news and English entertainment viewing, they lag behind (AXN, Discovery – are you listening?). In fact, at any time during the day, it is men who account for the higher TVRs than women. For instance, peak hour figures for English entertainment viewing reveal that men notched up a TVR of 0.5 as opposed to women‘s TVR of 0.3 in the week ended 9 August. During non-peak hours as well, men prevail in terms of strength. As far as English entertainment viewing is concerned, for both genders, viewing showed a steady rise over the day, plunging only around 9 pm but picking up momentum then onwards to peak in the 11pm -12 midnight band. For men, viewing peaks around 12 midnight while for women the crest comes two hours earlier. Even though trends for both men and women follow the same pattern here, English entertainment channels attract more men than women at any given point in the day including day slots.
News channels too are yet to catch up with the female viewer in India, even though it is the housewife who is an easy target for the 24 hour news and current affairs channels that are swarming the airwaves. The numbers are lopsided in favour of men. In the busiest time band, 9-10 pm, while men account for a TVR of 0.7, women tote up a TVR of close to 0.5. Even during the 10:30 am-6 pm time zone – which is considered as women‘s time band – men account for a TVR of around 0.3 while women are behind, with roughly 0.25 TVR.
The numbers of Hindi movie viewing, on the other hand, do not render such a marked bias. In fact, contrary to popular perception that it is primarily women who constitute the afternoon viewership, in the afternoon slot it is even stevens between men and women, with both registering a TVR close to 0.8 around 1:30 pm. In the prime time band as well, men and women stand in close range of each other, irrespective of the time bands- with men registering a TVR of 1.1 as opposed to women who accounted for a TVR of 0.9. An assessment of the aforesaid TAM data revealed that Hindi movies draw maximum female viewers around 10:30 pm even as for men, viewing crests around 12 midnight. In fact, afternoon viewing – when it peaks around 1:30 pm – pulls over 63 per cent of prime time viewing around the 9:30 pm slot.
Again, notions are not restricted only to viewership figures. It is widely held among the media community that men and women differ fundamentally in their approach to the act of viewing television as such. In fact, the opinion that advertising strategy for attracting men has to be different than that for women derives power from this very notion. Men, it is said, tend to view home as a site of leisure as distinct from their workplace. Not surprisingly, as Amit Ray of Mudra told indiantelevision.com some time back, “men watch TV whole-heartedly, but selectively. For women, on the other hand, home is primarily a place of work – even to those with jobs. That is why they seem to watch TV distractedly as they have chores to attend to.” While women, he says, usually combine television viewing with chores and are not averse to bits of conversation, men tend to watch TV more attentively, in relative silence and without interruption. This is one area that TAM data cannot explore and may need more qualitative research. Also, men are seen to plan their evening‘s viewing by checking schedules in papers or on TV itself and they are unlikely to remember the day or timing of programmes. Women, in contrast, go for unplanned viewing as a norm though they may be aware of the timings and days of their favourite shows. Also, increasingly changing priorities and lifestyles over the years have led to changing viewing habits. More and more distractions have weaned some of the explosive additions to India‘s population off television only to hook them on to computer games, Internet, et al. Research conducted by children‘s network Nickelodeon and by TN Media in the US recently shows that more children aged between two and 11 are turning off the tube, often in favour of Internet use or video games. The drop in the number of children watching television has the $ 800 million children‘s advertising industry worried, especially since young children are often accompanied by their mothers during their rationed television viewing times. And no, this phenomenon affects not only the affluent class, but also the not so well heeled. So, what exactly constitutes prime time? Prime time, these days, is now more of a ‘frame of mind‘ when and where consumers are ‘open‘ to receive brand information. Till about a decade ago, the time slot between 8-10 pm was generally considered as prime time and life was relatively simple. Not so these days. With channels dishing out programming 24/7, programmers and advertisers are now splitting hair over time bands and programming slots even as impelled by changing lifestyles, the television now competes with the web, videos, and busy schedules. Nevertheless, the audience is getting more and more receptive to unusual hours of TV viewing. In fact, prime time could be more than just a time of day. If current trends are any indication, there could be different prime times for different channels that are catering to different clusters of consumers. Discovery, for instance, has Woman‘s Hour on weekdays from noon to 1 pm, family time on weekdays from 7 -10 pm and also late night Discovery from 10 pm to midnight. In an interview given to indiantelevision.com late last year, Discovery Communications India‘s managing director, Deepak Shourie said, “The branded time zones and creation of new prime time have helped us. For us day parts are also prime time?” According to TAM data covering males and females above 15 years of age in cable homes across the country for the period 13 July through 9 August, 2003; for both men and women, prime time viewing peaks at 9:45 pm in the evening band as also in the next most popular time band is the afternoon slot which peaks at 1:00 pm. Between the afternoon and prime time bands, viewing troughs for both genders around 6:00 pm. But further analysis reveals that whereas for women, the prime to non-prime viewing ratio (at their respective crests of 9:45 pm to 1:30) stands at TVRs of 32 to 20, for men, the TVR ratio stands at 27 to 14. Which effectively means that during the afternoon slot, advertisers are getting up to 52 per cent of prime time male viewers and 62.50 per cent of prime time women viewers. In fact, now news, information, cartoons, sitcoms and soap operas – it is said – are watched more often outside of prime time. Movies and event coverage, by contrast, are said to have a larger audience in the evenings. For niche channels like Fashion TV, prime time is generally 10 pm and onwards. In the upshot of this perpetually recalibrating definition of prime time, one thing is getting increasingly clear – prime time is more of a ‘frame of mind‘ when and where consumers are ‘open‘ to watching a certain programme and receiving brand information. |
Mumbai: GIVA, a premium jewellery brand aiming to make authentic, elegant, and fine silver jewellery accessible in India, launched their latest line of Rakhi collections, for the upcoming Raksha Bandhan festivities in India. Renowned for redefining the art of presenting exquisite sterling silver jewellery, GIVA takes immense pride in launching an emotive campaign that honours the profound sibling connection. Aptly named “Ties of Love,” the campaign transcends being a mere collection; it is an exploration of the emotional connection that siblings share. This campaign artfully encapsulates the essence of sibling relationships through meticulously crafted 925 silver jewellery rakhis, serving as poignant symbols of affection, protection, and enduring love.
GIVA has embraced a digital advertisement that eloquently portrays the deep and meaningful love that siblings share. This ad serves as a heartfelt depiction of the profound bond that exists between brothers and sisters, further resonating with the brand’s dedication to celebrating and cherishing these special relationships. The ad beautifully captures the essence of a sibling duo celebrating a long-distance Raksha Bandhan and highlights the range of emotions amidst virtual and real-time celebrations. The campaign’s strategic blueprint leverages modern communication platforms such as influencer marketing, Youtube and Instagram advertising.
In a strategic move, GIVA enlisted the support of prominent social media influencers and celebrities Ridhhi Dogra, Pooja Gor and Sreejita De to convey the campaign’s key messages to their target audience. To honour this enduring bond between siblings, GIVA has created an Instagram filter named #TiesofLove. This filter is a tribute to the unbreakable bond we share with our siblings and with this, GIVA aims to witness countless siblings sharing their own delightful and hilarious anecdotes all through August.
GIVA has introduced an exclusive Rakhi collection complemented by exquisite fine silver jewellery choices, with prices beginning at just Rs 899 only. This assortment encompasses a diverse range of options to cater to various preferences, featuring personalized rakhis designed to strengthen the sibling bond. These personalised rakhis can showcase intricately embedded names of brothers and sisters, alongside specially crafted Lumba rakhi designs for beloved sisters-in-law. Moreover, their innovative Convertible rakhis offer a unique transformation into stunning pendants, reflecting a blend of sustainability and style.
GIVA founder Ishendra Agarwal said, “GIVA’s Ties of Love Rakhi campaign embodies GIVA’s mission: celebrating the timeless with a modern twist. This year, we sought to extend Rakhi’s warmth beyond a day by crafting convertible rakhis that can transform into cherished pendants. We also extended our shipping to over 20+ countries to truly celebrate sibling love across borders.
It is more than a campaign. It’s a call for togetherness. It’s a shared tribute to love, tradition, and cherished moments. Our curated collection of gift hampers, personalised rakhi and rakhi gifts are a testament that gifts should know no boundaries.”
To extend a perfect gesture towards both sisters and brothers-in-law, their Bhaiyya-Bhabhi combo stands as an ideal selection. The Rakhi Box is an exclusive gifting choice that presents a personalized rakhi and kumkum, encapsulating a heartfelt touch. Additionally, they also have Bracelet rakhis that seamlessly fuse tradition with fashion, adding to their charm.
Ensuring no one is left out, GIVA has an exclusive Kids’ collection that presents a delightful array of rakhis, starting at just 699 INR. This collection is tailored for younger siblings, capturing the spirit of sibling love playfully.
GIVA’s Raksha Bandhan campaign seeks to highlight the profound emotional value of the rakhi tradition in India, positioning the brand as a provider of thoughtfully crafted and meaningful silver jewellery. The brand’s objective is to establish a heartfelt connection with customers, nurturing a deeper understanding of sibling connections while showcasing the brand’s impeccable artistry. GIVA has always prioritized individuality and self-expression in its design ethos. This Raksha Bandhan, the brand is particularly attentive in presenting a diverse range of top-notch, hypoallergenic rakhis, all certified by GIVA. This effort is dedicated to cherishing the enduring bond, as precious as silver, that exists between siblings.
