MAM
KTV eats into parent Sun, leaves rivals untouched
Sun ruled the galaxy of Tamil channels, with no rival able to hold a candle to it for nearly eight years. That was till Star, burning bright north of the Vindhyas, decided to extend its influence southwards with the relaunch of Vijay.
The revamped Vijay failed to create ripples. But KTV, which a defensive Sun launched in retaliation, has instead cannibalized into the parent channel, eating into nearly 10 per cent of the channel share in Tamil Nadu since its arrival. In an analysis of channel shares in the last quarter of 2001, OMS, the media division of Mudra Communications, has pointed out that KTV has emerged a clear number two in a state which did not have a strong contender for the position in a long time.
For over five years, Sun shone while others like Raj, Jaya and DD 5 cowered in its shadow. Post the KTV launch however, Sun seems to have lost a bit of its steam. And the reason seems to be two-fold. The launch of KTV obviously had an impact in that it ate into Sun‘s viewership. There was another reason. The culmination of Chitti, Sun‘s super hit soap with film star Radhika in the title role. Viewers seem to have taken a breather from TV altogether after a year of following the swinging fortunes of Chitti every evening between 9:30 pm and 10 pm, as no other channel gained from a drop in Sun‘s share. Jaya TV was the only one that recorded some growth, possibly due to the launch of a KBC clone, Koteeswari, hosted by popular actor Khushboo, according to OMS.
While the launch of Vijay did bring down Sun‘s domination in the south, it was Kondattam TV that grabbed eyeballs in the last quarter of 2001. The third relaunch in its history, Vijay had new packaging, new logo, new programmes and used print, outdoor and radio for its promotions. The relaunch on 1 October resulted in marginal growth for the channel, most of it due to Marumagal, a daily soap loosely based on Kyunkii Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, again with Khushboo in the lead, the report notes.
The Kalanithi Maran promoted Sun Network was ready with its response within three weeks. Kondattam – enjoyment was the keyword that launched KTV on 22 October, and cinema was the staple diet that it offered viewers, with Tamil film stars coming on board to promote the channel. The advertising burst was huge, with the network spending massive amounts on hoardings, posters and print campaigns even in the interiors of the state.
According to the analysis of channel shares post Vijay relaunch and post KTV launch in the prime time of 7 – 11 pm in Chennai, the reigning Sun TV took a beating from 54 to 47 per cent after Vijay was relaunched. The channel slid a further nine per cent after sibling KTV came along. Raj TV and Sun News took a slight beating in the clash of the titans, while Jaya inched up a bit and DD 5 which saw viewers moving away after Vijay‘s relaunch, remained at the same position after KTV‘s launch.
The rest of Tamil Nadu responded only slightly differently. Sun‘s losses were lower, notes the report, sliding from a channel share of 48 per cent to 44 after Vijay‘s launch and then further to 36 per cent after KTV arrived. According to OMS, this reflects on viewers‘ loyalty to the time band even after Chitti had been seen to its end. Vijay‘s slight improvement after its relaunch was tempered again after KTV hit the screens. The scenario post KTV has been the same as in Chennai, the report observes.
Tables
Chennai
| Channel |
Channel Share (%)
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre Vijay/KTV | Post Vijay | Post KTV | |
| Sun TV | 54 | 47 | 38 |
| KTV | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Raj TV | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Vijay TV | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Jaya TV | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Sun News | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| DD5 (Tamil) | 6 | 4 | 6 |
Rest of TN
| Channel |
Channel Share (%)
|
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre Vijay/KTV | Post Vijay | Post KTV | |
| Sun TV | 48 | 44 | 36 |
| KTV | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Raj TV | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Vijay TV | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Jaya TV | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Sun News | 2 | 1 | 1 |
All said, Vijay TV looks like having shaken Sun TV into launching KTV but it has only resulted in the creation of a clear No. 2 channel in Tamil Nadu. This did not exist till now what with the rival channels jockeying amongst themselves with about the same percentage share of the channel pie give or take a percentage point.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
