(25 January 2008 2:35 pm)

NEW DELHI: DishTV and the Future Group today announced a marketing alliance that will give the DTH giant outreach to a huge market through its established footprint of Future Groups' retail formats Big Bazaar, Pantaloon and E-Zone. DishTV said that consumers shopping in these retail outlets can buy their connection at an "unimaginable subsidised price."

A statement from DishTV says this move is the next level of the engagement between the organisations after the equity investment announced two months ago.

"The financial tie-up now stands exemplified through the market alliance where the strengths of both the organisations will stand extended to 100-plus outlets and unimaginable footfalls.

"Not only this, the strategic alliance ensures DishTV's exclusivity in all the retail stores of the group including E-zone and Pantaloon," the statement emphasises.

The first activity for this new alliance starts with Big Bazaar's biggest promotion of the year "Sabse Saste 3 Din" starting 25 January, when consumers will see "some of the most mind-boggling" consumer offers, discounts and schemes.

One of the key offers will be a DishTV connection at just Rs 999 on a ticket size purchase of Rs 3,500.

Talking on the occasion, DishTV CEO Arun Kapoor said, "We are extremely pleased to join hands with the Future Group that marks DishTV's exclusive presence in all their retail outlets."

Kapoor said that with growing awareness and brand recall, the aspirations for owning DishTV have grown manifold, and this tie-up with the Future Group stores will enable thousands more to take up DishTV connections.

"This marks yet another landmark in our pioneering journey in the DTH category, by not just making the product affordable for the masses but getting it retailed through such large format organised stores that command huge footfalls," Kapoor says.

Big Bazaar CEO Rajan Malhotra added, "Future Group has always striven to provide innovative products and a unique shopping proposition for its discerning customers."

Malhotra feels that with this strategic alliance, DishTV can offer to the Indian masses yet another value-for-money proposition from the company's basket, with a product that is today very top-of-mind and desirable.

"We are confident that with our reach and value proposition, the tie-up is going to be huge success and it's only a prelude to many more such initiatives," Malhotra added.

During the Big Bazaar promotion campaign, DishTV connections will be available on all its 80 stores across 45 cities.

The company reasons that the benefit to the consumer will be obvious, as the existing market price for a connection is Rs 3,150, but the Big Bazaar price comes at merely Rs 999, i.e. less than about 30 per cent.

This includes installation cost too, the company informs.

However, the consumer will have to buy the subscription package separately in order to activate the box, after a week's free preview.