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Channel branding gets top of mind at Broadcast Asia
SINGAPORE: What are the things you have to keep top of mind while branding your channel? A clutch of panelists tried to answer this question at one of the sessions at Broadcast Asia in Singapore.
Among them, MediaCorp TV CEO Selena Ho Su-Lin lists her top seven checklist points.
They are as follows:
*Differentiate – Find out what is your channel for and let that be your calling card. Use strategic thinking and market research to differentiate and build your brand.
* Have commitment, long term commitment – Branding is a long term game. It is an investment in the future. Find innovative ways to look fresh.
* Innovate constantly within the broad umbrella branding you have chosen – Find new ways to highlight your channel’s USP. Expose your promo department to good initiatives. Let them travel abroad and see world class work. Invest in them, they will give you back returns.
* Budget – Try and keep within your budget round. Manage it well. Let your promotions be both strategic and tactical. Utilise your promo spending in sync with paid media. Be aware of innovations that can lower your costs of production.
* Seize every opportunity to brand – Do deals with partners. If your company wins awards, build a campaign around it, both on and off air. If there is an association you can make which can help your brand do it by all means.
* Create icons and ambassadors for your brand – Develop characters who can be the flag bearers of your channel. Let them be both local and regional. Ensure that they don’t get overexposed. And develop newer ambassadors constantly.
*Change your weakest elements before they start hurting the other elements – Every part of your band should deliver quality. So if the product is not up to the channel brand quality, drop it before it goes on air. Otherwise it could muddy the good aspects of your channel.
Disney Channel Asia producer Mark Denton spoke about how Disney has created an Asian brand and how it caters to various markets in the region. “Disney is special entertainment with heart,” he said.
“For us localisation is key,” he said. “We have introduced the first Asia Pacific animation series which looks at legends – Legends of Rings of Fire.”
Then he added that another way Disney has been reaffirming itself as a local brand was by getting local artistes to sing and take part in promos of theme songs of key properties the family channel wants to promote. “Overall, we pay an obsessive deal of attention to the fact that the Disney Channel is a family channel with values and that still sells,” said Denton.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
