(11 May 2009 9:30 pm)

NEW DELHI: Dish TV has inked a deal with Microsoft for advertising the multinational's gaming device 'Xbox 360 Arcade' on its DTH platform, tapping a thin revenue stream outside of its main subscription income.

The ads will run on Dish TV's interactive channel, 999. The campaign includes branding of Microsoft’s new offering, Xbox Arcade’s theme and logo, on Dish TV’s gaming service.

The Essel Group DTH service provider, which had no advertising revenue last fiscal, had earlier exploited Congress and BJP ads on its platform.

Says Dish TV COO Salil Kapoor, “Marketers are constantly looking for innovative ways and channels to send marketing messages. Increasingly, as an outcome, customers are being bombarded with so much advertising messages it’s not surprising that these messages are blocked out. Dish TV with a critical mass of over 25 million viewers is filling the void as an innovative medium in the advertising market by providing greater flexibility and a highly targeted medium to reach customers within uncluttered advertising environment with measurable results.”

Adds Microsoft India regional director, entertainment and devices division, Jaspreet Bindra: "An increasing number of Indians are now active gamers and by coming on to the Dish TV platform, we strongly believe we will enhance our positioning as the best gaming console money can buy."