STAR campaign to break out on Feb 5

Come February 5, and STAR TV will unveil its new corporate identity. First, it plans to drop the suffix TV from the name and second, it will sport a new purple corporate logo that says just STAR. The new logo without the 'TV' comes as part of the pan-Asian media and entertainment company's new brand positioning on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

In a signed communiqué to journalists, the company's chairman and CEO James Murdoch said, the new logo of STAR reflected the evolution of the company from primarily a television brand to a multi-media, multi-platform brand. "Over the years STAR has evolved from primarily a television outfit to a content company controlling 19,000 hours of programming," clarified Yash Khanna, STAR's official spokesperson in India.

To reinforce is new identity, News TV India, the Indian arm of STAR, will unleash a media campaign on February 5. The campaign will run mostly in print, besides being telecast on the STAR bouquet of channels. "The three-ad campaign will run in national dailies like The Times of India, Economic Times, The Hindustan Times, as well as in newspapers with strong regional clout like The Telegraph and Deccan Herald," said Khanna. "The campaign has been created by an in-house creative team and will run in our key markets in Asia."

He said the Harshvardhan Nawate, the first winner of Rs 1 crore on STAR Plus' game show Kaun Banega Crorepati, has been chosen as the "brand ambassador" for the new campaign. "We haven't of course paid him for this modeling assignment though we flew him to Hong Kong for the shoot," said Khanna.

Talking about its new identity, Murdoch said Star had over the last decade diversified into distribution, radio programming, Internet and broadband, besides expanding in its existing television business. "We are into production of movies in Hong Kong and we have invested in and are partnering with cable distribution companies like Hathway in India," added Khanna.

About the network's expansion plans, Murdoch said that the company's partner in the radio venture (P K Mittal-promoted Music Broadcast) would be launching six new FM radio stations in 2001. "We believe that the commercial FM market, recently liberalised in India, is one of the most promising new media sectors in the region," he said.

In terms of Star's Internet initiatives, Murdoch mentioned partnering with portals like indya.com, netease.com and others, apart from leveraging of STAR's brands, content, technology, local expertise and extensive infrastructure. The company is expected to launch new service like enhanced television and electronic programme guides as well as new channels though its networks in 2001.

© agencyfaqs! 2001