MUMBAI: Programming targeted at kids is sure going places on Indian television. While Star Plus launched it's new kiddies show Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Dhooom (K3D) recently, Sahara Manoranjan's Ruby Duby Hub Dub (RDHD) will debut today on the channel. And Sahara is leaving no stones unturned to promote it.

In a major promotional and marketing blitz, Sahara is using all media like outdoor, radio, Internet and below-the-line activities to increase awareness about the new show among the kids in 13 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Ahemdabad, Pune, Kanpur, Bhopal, Amritsar, Lucknow, Nasik, Kolkatta and Indore.

A notable fact here is that the basic premise of both Star Plus' K3D and Sahara's RDHD is somewhat the same, that is, revolving around five-six kids and the pranks they play.

Talking about the promotional blitz for RDHD, a Sahara executive said, "It is a very focussed campaign which is aimed at the right target group. This is the first time that we are heavily using below-the-line activities and contests to promote a show."

For starters, 500 school buses in the above mentioned cities will be painted with the promos of the show. Sahara is also looking at painting some government and city buses in the same. Apart from that, the channel will be putting up 5000 cloth banners (six feet by three feet) promoting the show in front of 1000 schools. Now if that won't catch the kids' attention... what will?

Internet as a medium is also not being left out. A few media websites will sport the banners of the show, also the channel will send out e-mail fliers across media agencies to increase awareness about the new show among the media fraternity. Add to that that almost 40,000 direct mailers about the new show are being sent out from the channel's data bank.

RDHD will air from Monday to Thursday at 7.30 pm and has replaced Gulli Danda and Chacha Chowdhary on the channel. As far as on air promotions are concerned, Sahara has chalked out a contest, which airs between 7 pm to 8 pm, called 'Date Se Date Milao.' Everyday between 7 pm - 8 pm, the channel will announce the birthdays of celebrities and if any of the viewers' birthday coincides with that, they would qualify for a prize which the channel would give away. Eight couples with two kids each will win a holiday to exotic locations like - Holiday Inn Goa, Sinclairs - Ooty, Darjeeling, Majorda Beach Resort Goa and Riverdale Kerala.

Radio as a medium is also not being left out. Sahara is planning innovative activities with Radio City and Red FM, although nothing has been finalised on that front as of now.

Apart from this, the channel will also be venturing into merchandising in the form of book labels. The labels will be made available to almost one million schools in the above mentioned 13 cities.

Sahara sure seems to have geared up for their new kiddies show and looks like it has managed to strike the right chord. But before that, it remains to be seen how RDHD fares among the kids.