Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002
Financial Daily from THE HINDU group of publications Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002 |
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Television Sets Marketing - Strategy CTV makers to cash in on World Cup mania Neha Kaushik
NEW DELHI, Dec. 30 WITH sporting events emerging as a major driver for colour television (CTV) sales, CTV manufacturers, in order to cash in on the oncoming cricket season, have lined up a gamut of new models for launch in the next two months. Surely, if cricket is the flavour of the season, it has to be visible on your television sets as well. LG Electronics India, for one will be launching its CTVs with a cricket-bat shaped remote control, a new CTV model with 15 in-built games (inclusive of cricket games) apart from other models. Says Mr Vipin Gupta, Head, CTV (Research & Development), "We will also be increasing our flat television range and will launch a 21-inch flat TV for the first time. Also, our 15-game CTV will be made available at no incremental cost." But do these event-oriented models actually work? LG Electronics, which had introduced soccer-shaped television during the FIFA season, seems to think so. According to Mr Ganesh Mahalingam, General Manager (Marketing), LG Electronics India, "In fact, the soccer-shaped TVs did very well, especially in the regions where soccer is popular. However, more than anything, the event-oriented models prove to be a good parking point from a communication perspective. They add more zing to the communication." LG will be launching a large-scale cricket-oriented promotion from January 5, and is targeting to sell about 4.5 lakh units in the first quarter of next year. "We will be spending about Rs 50-55 crore on advertising/marketing during the cricket season next year," says Mr Mahalingam. Sansui too has aggressive plans for the World Cup cricket season next year. According to Sansui officials, the company is planning to introduce its first plasma TV in India, along with a "sound-oriented" CTV in the flat segment, which will have an output of 1,500 watts. Recently, several companies have launched CTVs on the sound plank, positioning it as providing a more complete and realistic experience of the World Cup matches. Sansui also plans to launch a conventional picture tube colour TV with FM Radio. Says a Sansui official, "With CTVs being directly related to the World Cup, there would be a definite increase in sales in the January-March period. Sansui is targeting to sell around one-lakh CTVs per month during the World Cup season." The company is planning to launch a consumer scheme along with a dealers' scheme during the forthcoming World Cup season. The Korea-based consumer durables major, Samsung India, too has charted out major plans for the season. The company is planning to launch five new models in the first quarter of 2003, both in the conventional as well as the flat TV segment, in the 21 inch and 29 inch category. Says a company official, "We will be leveraging Team Samsung in terms of advertising and consumer events in the first quarter of 2003. The total spend earmarked on cricket in the first quarter of 2003 is about Rs 20-25 crore.
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