D.Murali

Chennai: Compared to the $27 billion revenues of the parent, $25 million by the Indian subsidiary may seem meek, but that was the situation in 2004, as between Viacom, MTV’s parent company and MTV India. Yet, MTV’s future in India certainly looks bright, declares a new book, ‘The Branding of MTV’ by Dr Paul Temporal, a brand expert (www.wiley.com).

“Cable operators are still signing up new subscribers, and advertising is growing at a double-digit pace despite the tightness that still exists as a result of dividing available advertising dollars among the plethora of cable networks,” he observes. With the advertising expenditure pie getting larger, “MTV doesn’t mind waiting; it’s a business that has a long-term perspective.”

Despite being originally a Western brand, the key to MTV India’s success, according to Temporal, has been its ability to reflect the local culture. The Bakra is one such customised ‘Candid Camera’ offering Cyrus Broacha’s pranks on celebrities and well-known athletes.

India isn’t just one market but many, acknowledges the author. With about 54 per cent of the nearly one billion population under 25 years of age, and almost 600 million (approximately 10 per cent of the world’s population) under 28, youth is now driving the economy of India, he adds.

Of relevance is a 2001 study by the Indian Market Research Bureau, titled ‘Tuning into the Indian Youth, Part 3,’ which divided the youth market into segments such as homebodies, two-faced (inwardly traditional, outwardly modern), wannabes (materialistic show-offs), rebels, and cool guys (the influencers).

“Invincible and fragile, emotional and insecure,” is how Ashish Patil of MTV sums up the target audience, in a quote included in the book. Their motto, “It’s my life, it’s my world,” is a distinct resemblance to the philosophy and evolution of MTV itself, he feels. “In India, Patil says, young people are looking not only for music but also ‘gaming, romance, dating, travel, adventure, food, relationships, the works!’”

Interestingly, MTV India reaches the young “not only through music videos, but also with programmes dealing with social issues.” Innovation comes from partnership with local content providers; also, MTV India has put together a think tank of programmers, split between New York and London, who come up with about a dozen concepts designed for global consumption, informs Temporal.

Besides facing issues of cultural preferences with programming, MTV India faces a tough battle and strong competition with regards to making money from advertising, he notes. “MTV has responded creatively with several initiatives aimed at going beyond the selling of 30-second spots.”

These initiatives include: inviting advertisers to help in developing new programmes; setting up global and regional sales teams to sell ads to multinational companies thus becoming a one-stop shop for companies to place ads for the entire world; expanding the target audience to include a slightly older cohort; selling merchandise; exporting programming (to cable and satellite operators in the UK, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, in a bid to reach the Indian diaspora); and forming alliances with mobile companies.

A read that rocks!

**

http://BookPeek.blogspot.com