MAM
BBC World’s campaign for ‘University Challenge’ pays off
MUMBAI: A 360 degree marketing and promotion plan that the beeb conceived for the new quiz seriesUniversity Challenge has paid rich dividends.
An official release informs that its microsite for the show hosted by Yahoo! India got over two million entries. In addition the beeb also organised a roadshow which attracted 18,000 students. The series is sponsored by Samsung Sound. In addition Singapore Roars also signed a sponsorship agreement for eight weeks of the programme starting 21 August. The show commenced airing from 7 August.
In addition the channel is also using the SMS medium and claims to have received 90,000 entries through this route. Meanwhile the roadshows have targetted the top ten colleges in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kokata. They featured quiz question cards and prizes. In addition there is a contest where two winners get a chance to have dinner with the presenter of the show Siddhartha Basu.
On the Yahoo! India University Challenge microsite visitors can click on banners to access a page containing details about the show as well as on BBC World. An online contest offers Samsung DVD players and a Kinetic Zing scooter. The campaign also used Radio City as well as outdoor hoardings and the print medium.
Samsung VP marketing M.B. Lee added,” We are very happy with the terrific response that theUniversity Challenge online and radio contests have elicited from the youth market who are the largest group for our audio category. We can also gauge the response from the amount of enquiries and the interest that has been generated for Witz. This is the caricature who is representing Samsung Audio in all our communication for this product category.”
The programme airs at 10 pm every Thursday.and repeats at 10 am on Sundays.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
