Sumantha Rathore
Media

STAR plans marketing blitzkrieg for Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke

A slew of marketing activities have been lined up for its recently launched Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke

STAR Plus, which is on a show launching spree, has announced a slew of marketing activities for its latest offering, Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke. The daily fiction show was launched yesterday in the 7.30 pm time band.

The show is a love story with honour killing as its theme, targeted at the viewers in the northern region. The general entertainment channel (GEC), in order to create an initial buzz surrounding the show, is launching a slew of focussed marketing initiatives. According to the channel, “it is an attempt to build consumer connect and drive the audience towards the show.”

STAR plans marketing blitzkrieg for Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke
The channel has lined up innovative advertorials, outdoor spread, digital media and network blackout to promote the show. As a part of its marketing initiative, advertorials will be placed in newspapers including Amar Ujala, Hindustan, Hindustan Times, Punjab Kesari, Jagbani, Dainik Bhaskar and Navbharat Times in the catchment area of the show – Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi.

Anupam Vasudev, executive vice-president, STAR India, says, “These advertorials will be positive and inspiring, with an aim to leave behind a strong hook describing the key protagonists of Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke. It will also have stories about artists and celebrities who have won over family pressure and survived the threat of casteism.”

The advertorials will be placed on the front pages, asking the readers to turn to another page for the details of the story. Front page, back page or page 3 of the selected newspapers will have the advertorials of the show.

He adds that the show, being an important launch for the channel, has been introduced with heavy marketing support to create a strong connect with the viewers. “It is a conscious effort by us to make sure that the show creates the initial buzz. Whenever we launch a new property, the endeavour is to connect with our audience through a range of marketing and communication initiatives.”

Is STAR's decision to launch a slew of marketing activities influenced by the fact that other GECs are also launching shows? Vasudev has a different take on it and says, “The launch plan for Mitwa was fixed well in advance as we need to refresh slots and introduce new and fresh content that will appeal to our viewers on a regular basis.”

STAR plans marketing blitzkrieg for Mitwa - Phool Kamaal Ke
The outdoor spread for the show has been done by outdoor agency Ogilvy Landscapes for STAR Plus. Since the premise of the show is based on the rural backdrop, the outdoor campaign has been carried out in 16 cities in the northern region of the country. The key specific markets identified for the outdoors include Punjab, UP, Delhi and MP. The outdoor campaign will run for about two weeks.

The channel claims that more than 100 prominent sites across various cities have been employed, and branding across 21 metro stations in Delhi as well as train inside panels is being carried out for the purpose.

Promos of the show will be aired on STAR Network channels, Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Dilli Aaj Tak, Tez, India TV and Sahara Samay.

Network blackout is another method being used extensively to promote the show. “We have activated network promo roadblock starting Monday, May 25. The first roadblock went on air on Monday, 7.30 pm. It is a clutter breaking, high on sound and visual impact promo. The blackout will try to drive home the key take of the show,” says Vasudev.

This is not the first time that STAR Plus has done a roadblock for its shows. In the past, the channel did roadblocks for its shows such as Yeh Rishta, Laadli and Shaurya Aur Suhani.

The channel is depending heavily on the digital media. “Apart from regular video streaming and updates, it will have a serial page, wherein interactive web banners will be executed across key consumer sites in order to drive engagement and buzz across couples,” adds Vasudev.

The application will ask the user a few ‘his and her’ questions such as birth dates, anniversary date, names and other details, and based on the information fed, the couple will be receive a small write up on the bond they share.

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