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NEW
DELHI: The National Geographic Channel (NGC) today announced
the launch of Lufthansa Nat Geo Genius, a 54-episode
quiz contest that will fit the branding of both the companies
and help break new markets for them, officials of the companies
said today.
National
Geographic MD (South Asia) Nikhil Mirchandani said that the
clear link between the two companies created a natural synergy.
NGC is committed to bringing the world to the people through
its programming; Lufthansa takes the people to that world.
In
a similar vein, Lufthansa Director (South Asia) Werner Heesen
said that it was a privilege to be part of this show as NGC
showcases foreign climes and Lufthansa, getting associated
with the show, immediately creates the link, telling people
there is a connection and they can get to those exotic places.
"The
two companies have the same kind of audience and NGC is a
highly trusted company, so we are thrilled to be a part of
the show," Heesen said, adding that Lufthansa, like NGC,
believes in experiments and innovations.
"We
have never tried this kind of marketing before. Anyone can
put in an ad on TV or print, but this is just so sophisticated
a manner of connecting with the people," he said, stressing
that volume by volume, India is Lufthansa's second most important
market.
The
programme, which is hosted by noted actor and film personality
Rajat Kapoor, kicks off on 19 January and will be aired at
9 pm every Saturday.
Mirchandani
also said that the show will be interactive, and viewers will
also have questions to answer and win prizes.
This
is a very important show as this is being done for the first
time in India, though the original show, Nat Geo Genius,
aired in the UK in 2001, had been a massive success and had
been aired in India as well, he added.
According
to him, Rajat Kapoor's image fitted the role needed for the
host. "Getting such personalities as Konkana Sen Sharma
and Rajat Kapoor has helped us penetrate into areas where
we were never before," he added.
Mirchandani
went on to say that the goals of the last important India
initiative, My Brilliant Mind, have been fully achieved
largely because of the strategy to use Sen Sharma as the host,
and the talents were locals. He is confident that the same
will be the case here in Lufthansa Nat Geo Genius.
For
marketing the forthcoming show, the NGC will make use of all
the platforms such as online, print, radio, outdoor and SMS.
Explaining
the format, Kapoor said that on each round there will be three
contestants, who will be asked questions on different countries.
Each successful answer will fetch 1,250 km flying miles.
At
the end of the rounds, whoever clocks the largest number of
flying miles will get the prize, he explained, adding that
there will be 18 quarter finalists, six semi-finalists and
three finalists.
The
final winner will receive a seven-day first-class travel for
two on Lufthansa to any dream destination in the world.
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