STIVANT SOLAINA ROLL NO: 54 FYBMM POMM ASSIGNMENT

INTRODUCTION The Times of India (TOI) is an English Language daily newspaper in India. It has the largest circulation among all English-language newspapers in the world across all formats (broadsheet, tabloid, compact, Berliner and online). In the year 2008, the newspaper reported that (with a circulation of over 3.14 million) Certified by the Audit Bureau of Circulations (India) as the world's largest selling English-language daily newspaper. Placing as the 8th largest selling newspaper in any language in the world. According to the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2010, the Times of India is the most widely read English newspaper in India with a readership of 70.35lakhs(7.035million). This ranks the Times of India as the top English newspaper in India by readership. 1. "WHAT AN IDEA" Most of the daily news papers around the world promote their productthe paper itself, its contents, the speed and accuracy of their journalists. As Indias leading brand of newspapers, the Times of India does not feel it needs to tom-tom its own achievements, or product attributes and benefits. TOI, having such a wide reach across India should employ their marketing power to promote an IDEA. 2. The People Strategy Focus on communication that is driven outwards. Rather than talking about the newspaper, TOI should be the platform or the presenter of ideas that come from the readers own lives, reflect their hopes, aspirations. That way, people feel that the brand realizes their importance and needs their support to flourish. People become part of the brand. 3. Broader Campaigns Link routine or tactical announcements back to the product subtly, rather than a narrow campaign focusing on the product itself. This approach will help position TOI as an iconic brand echoing the mood of the people, rather than a self-serving consumer product.

4. Connect Emotionally Indians are a bunch of emotionally swayed people. The Lead India of TOI worked because it connected powerfully with a strong emotion lying dormant in the hearts of young Indians. India can only achieve its rightful place on the world stage if we get ourselves a better and more committed set of political leaders. However, TOI has made a very good contribution towards making the educated elite in India feel connected with the issues of India and to give them a sense of involvement and ownership.

5. Follow activism In India, the upper middle-class reader of a newspaper like the Times of India feels a strong sense of alienation from the political system and the administrative machinery. Being a mass media weapon, the use of direct, often confrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike, in opposition to or support of a cause can create a lasting impact. Indians feels a leadership vacuum. The Times of India should try to step in and fill this vacuum, at create awareness, paving way to the idea. 6.360 degree focus It would be naive to say that any news paper has actually made any big or lasting impact on the country as a whole. India is too vast a country with far too many deep-seated problems for that. There should be all round-360 degree focus on things and minute importance to detail in any news article featured. Before the Lead India TOI, for instance, taken up 360-degreeprogrammes in each of the important cities TOI operate in, aimed at the citys betterment (citizens views, panel discussion etc. leading to a citizens charter). Such spotlight of events directly relates to the overall effect in the touch points.

7. Sales Promotions Sales promotions can help increase in turnover. Sales promotions enable companies to stand out in a competitive retail environment.

This is done by creating differentiation between their products and those of their competitors. (Main competitors of TOI are The Hindu and Hindustan Times). Real product differentiation is quite hazy these days due to the convergence of technology. Since the appeal of products is to a huge extent determined by price, sales promotions enable companies to adjust the retail price of the product for short periods of time and with minimal price difference. Regular sales promotion techniques enable increases in sales volume while at the same time improving the market share of the company. Times of India-Marketing Strategy The Times of India as a newspaper offers a buffet of contents spread over a diverse range of interesting. From hard, political analysis to soft trend related news reports, to spiritual and metaphysical stories. News are developed and interpreted with a more local focus and an equally strong global context. There is a strong emphasis on encapsulating news in lucid info graphs and illustrations. Cartoons and caricatures are used to create humor and cheer them for the day ahead. News stories are kept short and crisp to save the readers time. A typical paper runs into anywhere between 24 and 32 pages and carries daily city centric life style and other supplements such as Delhi Times, Bombay Times, Kolkata Times and related supplements like Education Times (Education), Ascent (Careers) and Times Property (Real Estate). The supplements recognize the readers widening scope of interests. Across the main newspaper and the supplements, there is a strong emphasis on local content. Individual editions reflect the local character of their geographic region while being true to the brand philosophy to the core. In May 2002, TOI came out with a slicker launch in International standards. In 1992, with an invitational price offer, the cover price was halved and the content in the newspaper was dramatically increased. Primed up local coverage, additional pages for sports, business and entertainment with color, graphics, cartoons became the key elements of Times of India new editions. In June 2003, The TOI offered its hindi newspaper Navbharat Times (NT) with the English newspaper at a special price of Rs 75 per month.

It was a great scheme as existing readers of Navbharat Times got an opportunity to read the English newspaper for only a small amount. Moreover, people could buy a package for their family. Both the newspapers have different editorial feel and frequently varying viewpoints. So the reader got a chance to have different perspective of exposure. In less than 30 days, The TOI-NT combo could move 200,000 orders. In July 2003, TOI offered its second combo offer TOI with Economic Times at the same attractive price of Rs 75 and the response was overwhelming. In early 2003, TOI in Delhi became the first newspaper to go full colour. This was in line with companys urge to innovate and the readers sensitivity to style and penetration. TOI embraced technology in earnest in the whole value chain. From receipts of advertising to production of the newspaper, the company makes extensive use of technology; allowing the newspaper to interact with customers and advertisers on real time basis, coordinate the scheduling and page making functions and print and volume smoothly on a sustained basis. The advertising campaigns can be classified as a set of unified and well planned programs in which the finger is on the pulse of the audience. The advertising campaign of TOI tries to touch every Indians life. They have moved from functional, circulation based advertising claims to establish an emotional chord with readers. They have used a set of emotions from hard realty to humour, from slice of life creative to those celebrate a day in an average Indians life. The common thread has been a distinct true to India style, which has led to appreciations from readers and a host of awards in various advertising functions. The campaigns represent the period in which we live. The 50 years of freedom campaign launched in 1997 subtly brought out the various facets of life in India. The advertisements have highlighted the Indian-ness in all the campaigns and reflected how TOI is a part of this great journey of Indian-ness. Now they need to move ahead and develop a campaign which can highlight their success and also build similar brand values across all the newspapers and supplements.

The 4Ps Of Times of India are:

1) PRODUCT: Times of India prints out supplements of its newspaper as its one and only product. Here, the only needs it has to cater to are the requirement of the news to its subscribers. 2) PRICE: The price of a supplement of the newspaper is very less as everyone wishes to keep themselves up to date with the national news. This is so as to provide news of happenings in every section of the country. 3) PLACE: Supplements of Times of India reaches all over India, even in the smallest of villages. Times of India had spread its branches all over the country in order to increase its circulation. 4) PROMOTION: As a part of the initiative to enhance its promotion, TOI gives the readers the chance to be interactive with the newspaper. Such initiatives involve conducting surveys into whether they should create new supplements and editions during festivals, sport events, mass events, etc.