Here's how startups can embrace TV advertising on a budget with Times Network's Brand Surge

Jignesh Kenia, President and Head of Corporate Strategy and Digital Transformation at Times Network, stated that their initiative 'Brand Surge' for startups, aims to debunk the notion that TV advertising is overly costly for emerging businesses. Instead, through this initiative, startups can gain visibility on television without a TVC, utilising alternative formats to propel their growth.

Kenia stated that the initiative's commitment is to support emerging businesses by offering them diverse channels within Times Network to connect with a broad audience.

With Brand Surge, startup brands can surge ahead on TV without a TVC and reach up to 25 crore viewers of Times Network through packages starting at Rs 1 lakh, he highlighted.

“This is the first-ever opportunity of its kind from any TV network to accelerate the startup ecosystem,” he added.

In a conversation with BestMediaInfo, Kenia said, “In the fiscal year 2015-16, we recognised our connection with the premium audience, the top of the pyramid audience of the country, who were gradually transitioning to digital platforms. Understanding that our TV brand had already established a presence in their minds, we decided to align with their shift to a different medium. Consequently, we launched our digital presence with the introduction of TimesNowNews.com.”

“I hired the initial 65 members of the team, launched three apps and three websites. To gain a deeper understanding of the digital ecosystem, I ventured into the startup world. So, this was around eight years back when I entered that space,” he added.

Furthermore, Kenia mentioned that he found the startup ecosystem very appealing and gained valuable insights. This led him to start investing in and mentoring startups. In the initial years, he focused on learning more about the startup landscape before making investments. Currently, his portfolio consists of over 100 startups that he has personally invested in.

“Around 18 months to 2 years ago, there was a decline in funding, commonly referred to as the funding winter. During this period, startups encountered significant challenges in their growth journey due to lack of funding,” Kenia said.

As most startups rely on funding for growth, the slowdown in funding affected their scale-up plans. It was during this time that the idea for Brand Surge was conceived, contemplating how Times Network could assist startups facing hurdles in their growth due to funding constraints, he added.

“It's an opportunity for startups to advertise on TV much earlier in their stage than they would have normally done,” Kenia said.

He also stated that startups often perceive TV advertising as costly. However, Brand Surge offers packages starting from just Rs 1 lakh, allowing them to advertise on TV without the need for a TVC, utilising various alternative formats like L-bands, Astons, logo toggles, content integrations, etc.

They require simple graphics for TV advertising that doesn't consume ad time, preserving available inventory for sales. Additionally, these clients are new to TV advertising, ensuring no impact on existing sales team clients.

“We offer packages starting from Rs 1 lakh where advertisers can purchase 2,000+seconds (200+ spots)  on English entertainment and movie channels. They have the flexibility to choose from these channels. Additionally, we have Rs 1 lakh packages for both English and Hindi news channels as well,” Kenia said.

“As you increase your budget (for example - Rs 2 lakh, Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh), the discount and deliverables also increase accordingly. While we do offer a network package, our primary focus is on assisting startups in selecting a suitable channel based on their target audience,” he added.

Kenia pointed out that the primary challenge in encouraging startups to choose Brand Surge is their perception that TV isn't a suitable advertising option.

“Our approach has been educational rather than sales-focused. We provide insights on TV's reach, optimal media choices and effective communication design,” he added.

Kenia said that startups opting for Brand Surge to advertise on TV mainly fall under the category of consumer brands. They choose this strategy to connect with their consumers, focusing on brand awareness and conversion.

When asked about what distinguishes Brand Surge from traditional advertising methods in terms of its unique value proposition for startups, Kenia explained that it differs by being non-video-based.

“Unlike TV commercials, it almost follows the format of their regular digital advertising. The graphics are created by the startups and provided to Brand Surge. This approach offers higher visibility at a lower cost, making ad preparation more cost-effective,” he added.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com