SAMPLE WORK
SANMARG - PROFILE INTRODUCTION
Reality or Perception?
Give us an honest answer to this one. What is your first perception about Kolkata? Do you have pre-conceived notions, where all Bengalis are pan chewing, Marxists who read only Bengali Newspapers? Most Taxi Drivers and barbers of Kolkata come from Bihar? Hindi, being the third language, no one reads Hindi papers? And, that the moneyed class of Kolkata is deeply influenced by Western traditions, and he can speak, read and write only in the Queens English?
Well, all this is to be expected, as it is basic human nature to think in terms of regional stereotypes. But, ultimately this results in alienating your brand from a lot of Kolkatans, who have the right profile to be your target audience. This means an opportunity lost to expand your market and improve the sales graph.
Now, keep on reading, as we try to clear some of the misplaced perceptions about Kolkata, and the importance of Hindi as a medium of communication here. To start-off consider this: 39,000 Bengali speaking Kolkataites read the Sanmarg. Now, read on.
For a new generation of Sanmarg readers, a mouse is not a funny little animal that processes cheese. The mouse were talking about processes information. And last year, the mouse population, especially among Sanmarg readers, was on the rise. 11,000 Sanmarg readers own personal equipment and software and the readers accessing Internet has increased almost by 500%. That isnt cheese. If you want to catch your share of that action, bait your trap in the pages of Sanmarg.
If you still think a Sanmarg readers standard mode of transport is the age old hand drawn Rickshaw, then consider this: In Sanmarg households, ownership of 2 wheelers has gone up by 5 times and that of 4 wheelers by 3 times. So, if you have 2/4 wheelers to sell, then welcome to the fast lane.
If your idea of a Sanmarg reader looks like a straight lift from the 60s era, welcome to the 21st century. In Kolkata, Sanmarg ranks number one in reaching concentrations of 25-44 readers and in the youth profile (15-24) it is second only to Telegraph. Moreover, it has the highest number of male readers in 20-34 age groups among all non-Bengali dailies, thus covering majority of chief wage earners and potential decision makers. When you advertise in the Sanmarg, you buy an audience that sets the trends and shapes the buying patterns for the most affluent consumers in Kolkata. Thats the kind of reality you can take to the bank.
If you are of the opinion that, the Sanmarg readers idea of travel is from Hedua to Naktala, you couldnt be further away from the truth. 3, 13,000 Sanmarg readers travel extensively all over India and the number of readers travelling abroad has increased by 300%.
If you think you can calculate the net worth of a Sanmarg reader by emptying his right front pocket, then you need to take a much closer look at his profile.197, 000 Sanmarg readers own Colour TVs, while 2,31,000 readers use refrigerators and other home appliances. Also, Sanmarg has recorded a 100% growth in the 20,000+ MHI (Monthly Household Income) segment. So, its time for you to cash in on the action in Sanmarg.
Now that you have the right perspective about Kolkata, you can distinguish between perception and reality. And, the reality is that for maximum penetration in the Kolkata market, there can be no substitute for the Sanmarg.