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Targeted at Indians with high disposable incomes and who 'don't
live to work but work to live' (Tripathi's description); the channel
hopes to fill a need-gap in terms of enriching their lives. Says
Tripathi, "Our market research has revealed that the size of
this target audience is 75 million. Our programmes will help this
target audience in terms of planning their world tours, cultivating
hobbies, planning beach parties and shopping for the latest designer
wear, gadgets etc."
To further support their theory, making a presentation on how the
Indian consumer has changed today, Discovery officials said that
consumption no longer is just a function of income as there are
10 million credit card holders; disposable income has risen by over
270 per cent since 1990; dual income families are now a widespread
urban phenomenon and there is a fundamental shift in consumption
patterns of the Indian consumer.
The channel believes that 'Lifestyle entertainment' is the next
big trend and the channel is committed to putting in millions of
dollars to develop it. The programming genres will include travel,
health and well-being, food and cuisine, automotive and motoring,
home design and décor, hobbies and outdoor leisure.
Queried on whether Travel & Living would be adding on Indian
programming on board in the coming months, vice-president, programming
Pankaj Saxena says, "Indian programming will be introduced
in 2005, which would be acquired. But our focus is on the best that
the world can offer, so it's not really just India. So, if there
are things of that level happening in India those will be covered
and those will also be telecast in other countries."
Refusing to divulge further details on the kind of programmes or
production houses, Saxena says, "We are in the process of talking
to some production houses."
Some of the programmes that are already being seen on the new channel
include Celebrity Travelogues, Globetrekker, Floyd's
India, Cooking for Love (a blind date show blended with
cookery), Date Patrol, Biker Build-Off, He's Gotta Have It, Great
Vacation Homes, Superhomes, Other Peoples' Homes, While You Were
Out, The Chris Lowell Show, Tim Brooke-Taylor's Golf Clubs.
The company expects the channel to provide a new and unique platform
for advertisers by targeting an audience comprising upscale and
young adults with active interests in the age group of 18-45. It
is also likely to expand Discovery's ability to attract new audiences
and advertisers who have traditionally been advertising only in
the print medium due to a lack of a focused platform. The channel
claims that some of the largest advertisers have already signed
on.
As of now, Discovery reaches out to 35 million people in India
and Discovery Travel & Living hopes to reach a subscriber base
of 15-to 17 million people in a year's time. The channel will be
distributed in India by One Alliance along with the company's two
existing channels, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. Though the
channel will be a pay channel the subscriber price has not been
announced for now.
Preeti Vyas Giannetti has bagged the Discovery Travel & Living
creative account. A high-decible marketing and promo campaign has
been planned a week from now. Though Discovery officials refused
to divulge more details of the campaign, it definitely promises
to be one of the most high budget campaigns revolving around the
punchline 'get a life'.
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