Hallmark Channel plans

Mumbai: Hallmark Channel has announced its plans for the next fiscal. By using an aggressive marketing and programming strategy, coupled with an equally aggressive sales and distribution strategy, Hallmark Channel intends to rank itself among Indias top entertainment channels.

Says Hallmark Channel marketing director (Asia) Laxmi Hariharan: "Our key focus is to consolidate distribution, convey our product proposition, bring in new viewers and clearly position our channel in the minds of the consumer."

About the programming, she says: "We will broaden our product offering by introducing box-office hit Hollywood movies, never-before-seen-in-India series such as Star Trek Voyager, The Guardian, Party of Five and premiering Golden Globe winning original movies like Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows. With the premiere of Steel Magnolias, starring Julia Roberts in May, Hallmark Channel is moving towards engaging mass eyeballs with theatrical movies. This follows the channels premiere of Courage Under Fire, starring Meg Ryan in the US earlier this week."

About the strategy, Hariharan says: "We will increase brand awareness in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata through a media-mix of outdoor, cinema, websites, radio and print. Going by the tremendous success and recall value of Sliders and The Valentines Day Love Lessons campaign, we are definitely looking to duplicate the resultant increase in ratings. We will consistently cut through the media clutter with our upcoming campaigns."

Hallmark, she says, is the only channel that has made Hollywood stars available to India. "The stars have always supported the channel by being available both to the Indian press and viewers. From Jason Scott Lee, who came to India to promote Arabian Nights, to Mathew Modine and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and shortly Bridie Carter, one of the upcoming stars of tomorrow and the leading lady of Mcleods Daughters, will be available to the Indian press."

The channel is currently available in all major Indian metros and mini-metros in 9 million homes. Its distribution has seen a marked rise of 60-per cent in the last quarter. The channel boasts of New Show launches that include Australias No 1 terrestrial TV serial Mcleods Daughters in March, and Fidel, based on the colourful life of the famous Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. These launches will be supported by aggressive ground promotions. Other large on-ground campaigns will include a multimedia marketing-mix to celebrate Womens Week on the occasion of Mothers Day in May.

About the advertising sales strategy, Rohinton Maloo, managing director, Mediascope Associates, and Hallmark Channels partner for ad sales in India, says: "In a highly-fragmented viewership market, where TV ad spends are constantly optimised, niche networks like Hallmark Channel provide a targeted and no-wastage-vehicle for many of todays advertisers reaching affluent Indians."

Hallmark Channel, he says, will now be proactive in pre-empting advertiser needs and providing tailor-made communication solutions. "We aim to be a marketing partner to our clients and assist in their brand-building strategies. We are confident of matching growing advertiser requirements with the viewers demands through integrated marketing solutions, including aggressive ground-marketing and creative on-air packages."

Currently, Crown Media Holdings which owns and operates pay television channels dedicated to high quality, broad appeal, entertainment programming operates and distributes Hallmark Channel in more than 100 international markets, incorporating over 83 million households. Significant investors in Crown include Hallmark Entertainment (a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards), Liberty Media Corp, VISN Management Corp (a for-profit subsidiary of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition) and JP Morgan Partners.