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Promos, packaging for building channel brands
MUMBAI: The concluding session of the first day of the 2002 Broadcast India Symposium dealt with ‘promos and packaging: Defining the brand and identity of television channels’. The presentation was made by Discreet’s Chetan Shah. He handles the broadcast and streaming business of the company.
Some tips Shah offered for building loyalty were that the channel should remove monotony through creative packaging. Right now there are too many soaps going on in Hindi general entertainment channels and viewer fatigue can set in as is the case with SET India’s Kutumb and Kkusum. Broadcasters also need to dynamically respond to market trends. They can also breathe new life into current programming like re-runs. For instance for old episodes of the landmark game show KBC Star Plus introduced SMS. Explosive promos with lots of variety are important to hook viewers. He gave the example of promos used before the soccer World Cup by Ten Sports.
In addition to promos, the channels id and logo defines its brand identity. The senior management team decides on the kind of design needed. For a new channel the process begins from day one. The creative team makes the design storyboards which have to be approved by the research and marketing team. The next level are the ad templates. 15 graphic elements are involved. They include filters, bumpers, montages, opening title sequence. This helps viewers remember the channel. Similar templates are used for advertising in the print media, hoardings or even online. Once this is done it goes back to the research and marketing team. Every 16-18 months the look and feel of the channel is changed. Usually this work is outsourced by the channels. Before that every three to four months the existing elements are packaged in a refreshing manner. In house higher end systems are used for this, Shah said.
He showed a promo the company had done for WBZ4 News. To put across the message the people waking up should tune into the channel for updates the promo starts with a snapshot of the sun rising. Another promo starts with showing corporate honchos in suits leaving the train station for work. That is the viewer the channel is targeting.
Shah also said that a trend which has become popular is for a channel to create basic design elements. These appear everywhere from the id to promos. After Tamil language channel Vijay TV relaunched under the Star banner the logo was identical to a logo for a Star Chinese channel in terms of the colours used and shape of the rectangle, he pointed out.
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.
