(19 February 2009 8:30 pm)

MUMBAI: The print industry should co-opt digital media and regionalise to grow in India, where the digital storm is yet to hit in its full fury.

These points were made at a Frames session on 'Print: Emerging successful from the digital storm'. The speakers included Bennet & Coleman executive president Bhaskar Das, Dainik Bhaskar Group president - ad sales and marketing Rajiv Jaitly and The Economist, India MD Suprio Guha Thakurta.

Guha Thakurta spoke about how one could co-opt the Internet to spread the reach of one's brand. The Economist's marketing activities were aimed at driving people to the site where content is free. There were those who thought this to be strange, as the popular perception is that the net is competition. The strategy however worked for the Economist, however, as 30 per cent of subscribers for the print edition came from the site, he said. Newsstand sales have also grown.

"What people expect from print is analysis that will help them connect the dots." He noted that newsstand sales have gone up despite the magazine being priced at Rs 200. He also offered the example of online retail major Amazon's reading initiative which allows one to read books online. The physical sale of books featured have more than doubled, he averred.

Das spoke about the importance of delivering a holistic value proposition. Print has to look at how it can connect, co-create and deliver to both the audience and advertisers. He also noted that competition is now non linear. "Media time is anytime. Decoding intent of the consumer will also become important, going forward. This is not easy as it not articulated. A brand has to be platform neutral and fit into the consumer's architecture," he opined. "Form myopia is out. Formlessness is in. Since the consumer has so many choices, he/she becomes unsure of whom to trust. The brands that manage trust the best will come out on top."

In terms of the value that print can add, he noted that dissemination of information, which is being done by the net and television, is passe. What newspapers can do is update the news and entertain by understanding the sociological environment of the readers, he said.

Jaitly spoke about the importance of regionalisation. "The population in villages is getting educated. They need one to one interaction. Publishers need to grow their reach and penetrate deeper into the heartland. The digital storm will come in waves and its impact will vary. We could learn lessons from what has taken place in the West." It was noted that readers tend to be hyper local in aspiration which is why local publications fare well. Advertisers too have not cut their spends there as it is still seen as being cost effective, it was observed.