In an effort to reach out to retailers in key segments like textiles, jewellery, electronic goods etc, The Hindu group of publications has come out with a three-day free marketing expo in Coimbatore.
This expo provides the business community an insight into how the print advertisement works to their advantage and has come at a time when retailers are increasingly facing intense competition not only in the same segment but also from e-commerce portals which have the advantage of low running cost.
Styled ` The Hindu Pressense', the marketing expo offered the retailers the advantage of locking in advertisement rates for a 12-month period which shields them from any rate increase during the duration of the contract. The advertisers also benefit from assistance in designing their advertisement campaign and the participants also have the chance to win a brand new car!
Some of the major issues being faced by the retailers in key segments like textiles, jewellery, electronic goods etc, are the need to keep themselves constantly in the public mind because of the new launches, changing fashion and intense competition from the same businesses. This requires high visibility that regular advertisements offer, the high cost of which at times deters small retailers losing their market share in the business. The programme helps the business community to discuss their requirements and work out a campaign that would provide them an edge in the business which is also cost effective as the ad campaign comes at a substantial savings to standard rates.
Another compelling reason for retailers to join the programme is the heat traditional business formats are facing from e-commerce portals. With all major brands from footwear to air conditioners to electronic goods, clothing and jewellery now being available at the click of a mouse, sometimes at a good discount to the retail price of the products, the retailers face intense competition from online sellers and the cost effective ad campaign `The Hindu’ group provides to its advertisers enrolled in the campaign is a boon they could not miss!
Suresh Srinivasan, Vice President( Advt), The Hindu Group of Publications, Chennai said the great benefit of participating in the campaign was that it enabled `any business of any size or (in any) stage’ in its development to execute a `simple, effective and consistent’ print advertisement campaign to power the growth of their business or brand and this comes with the `power of The Hindu at extremely affordable prices’, he said.
The three day expo being held from June 19 to 21 has seven sessions daily to suit the convenience of the participants. This is the second edition of `The Hindu Pressense’ being held in Coimbatore, the first expo was held last year. The beneficial impact the advertisement campaign has on the businesses of the participants could be judged from the fact that close to 80 per cent of those who had participated in the first year of the campaign are expected to take part this year too.
Suresh Srinivasan and Asokan Muthuswamy, MD, Ambal Auto, Coimbatore, presented the key to a brand new Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire car to J Lakshmi Narayanan and L Saanthy of Jeeva Trendz, who were the lucky winners of the first prize in the first edition of the Pressense held last year.