More effective than hoardings, more direct than radio and higher recall than print ads. When it comes to innovative promotions of new serials, Star can often take the cake.

One of the double-decker buses which plied between Siddhivinayak temple and Borivali, on Tuesday last

To promote its new Sunday morning religious band Vandana, Star lugged into service a double decker bus that carts piously inclined citizens to the Siddhivinayak temple from suburban Borivali via S V Road on Tuesdays. The temple is thronged with visitors on this day as people from all corners of Mumbai converge for a darshan of the deity. Star, which has launched three shows - Gurukul, Jai Mata Ki and Yatra - in the 8 to 10 am band on Sundays from 14 July, ensured a


high recall value by running the bus free of charge on 16 July, a service that will be repeated on 23 July, says the channel. The channel also distributed Kaalnirnay calendars (which highlights auspicious Indian dates) and agarbattis (incense sticks) outside several Indian temples to remind people about the three shows.

Some of the flower stalls outside temples in Mumbai, had posters announcing the religious show

The crowd outside one of the temples collecting the Kaalnirnay calenders and agarbattis

The response to the service, every half hour, says Star, has been overwhelming with the buses packed with devotees. The first bus left at 5:30 am on 16 July and the last at 8:30 pm. Five specially done up double-decker buses, with posters of the three serials, took the devotees back home without having to jostle through the crowds.

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