THE TIMES OF INDIA

Marketing Strategies- A people centric approach for a people centric nation

Presented By: VARSHA MANIKANDAN MBA (M&S) AMITY BUSINESS SCHOOL, NOIDA

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 70.35 lakhs (7.035 million). This ranks the Times of India as the top English newspaper in India by readership.

1.What an IDEA
Most of the daily newspapers around the world promote their product the 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 tomtom 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.

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-degree programmes 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.

Yes, we are more in number, but Indias population is its biggest strength. In a nut shell, true to the democratic country that India is, the marketing strategies of TIMES OF INDIA should be, FOR the people, OF the people and TO the people, through and through!