Hindustan gets a facelift, more editions

HT Media’s Hindi daily, Hindustan, has been gearing up for a major revamp. The newspaper is seeking to conquer new markets in Aligarh and Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, Chandigarh and Dehradun in Uttarakhand. It will also launch an edition in Allahabad, again in Uttar Pradesh, later this month.

The Allahabad edition will be Hindustan’s ninth edition. It also publishes editions from Delhi, Patna (Bihar), Kanpur and Lucknow (both in Uttar Pradesh).

The Dehradun edition, which has a claimed print run of 60,000 copies, will also be available in Roorkee, Haridwar, Rishikesh and the Garhwal area (all in Uttarakhand). Similarly, the Chandigarh edition, which has a claimed print run of 70,000 copies, will also serve Mohali (Punjab) and Panchkula (Haryana).

‘Hindustan Gets You Prepared’ is the new catchline for the 360 degree campaign launched by the daily. The newspaper’s logo has been changed to red from black. It also displays a more colourful ‘weather’ on top of the home page.

Suggesting that Hindi is the medium of instruction for more than 50 per cent of the Indian population, Nilanjan Shome, chief marketing officer, HT Media, says he is sure that the revamped daily will play an active and integral role in its readers’ lives. He feels that the new Hindustan will not only prepare its readers better to face life’s challenges, but will also acquire a larger share of the Hindi daily market.

“To be able to cater to the growing young global Indian population, the newspaper has undergone a complete reengineering in terms of its content, design and presentation, thereby becoming a more contemporary, distinctive and avant garde product and offering an evolved and enhanced product to its readers. Part of the marketing strategy also means expanding in newer areas where readership was not earlier available,” Shome was quoted as saying in an official release.

The daily has released a TV commercial conceptualised by O&M, which is set in a small town and reflects the dreams and aspirations of small town youth. Radio ads have also been airing for a while now, saying: “Ab Hindustan ki baari hai. Kya poori tayyari hai?” A series of on-ground events, too, is on the anvil.

The campaign, which cuts across TV, radio and outdoor, has been put together by Media Agency Maxus in Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh.