amar chitra katha branding india's heritage
TRANSCRIPT
Dr Amit Rangnekar www.dramitrangnekar.com
Case learnings
• Successful marketing strategy of an Indian children’s
brand
• How ACK, built on print media, is connecting to its
target audience through relevant new platforms
• ACK’s attempt to emerge as a credible online
authority on India mythology & culture
• Brand building in the Indian context
• Analysis based on branding models
Comics- perceptual mapExp
en
siv
e
Traditional International
Aff
ord
ab
le
Popeye
Phantom
Marvel (Spiderman, Spider Girl, X-Men & Wolverine, Hulk, Fantastic 4)
Archies
Vernacular
Ben10
Tinkle
Asterix
Tintin
DC (Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman)
Richie Rich
Commando
Disney
Chandamama
Noddy
Champak
Comics in India• 1930s- US, animated films popular, led to comics
• Superheroes- Phantom, Superman, Batman- hits
• 1947 Chandamama, published in 6 languages since
• 1950s- Indrajal Comics (TOI) published US comics
• 1960s-Daabu (Milap) by Pran (Chacha Chaudhary)
• 1967- Amar Chitra Katha- Indian mythology & culture
• 1980s- Indrajal NPL Bahadur, ACK NPL Tinkle
• Comic graphics improved, but TV, Video games
affected
• 2007- Rs 100cr industry, 5mn English + 25 mn
vernacular
• Possible to create a local Superman/ Batman?
ACK mental map
Indian
Comics
Mythology
History
Stories
Acceptable
Knowledge
Art
Childhood
Library
School
Hobby
ACK 2008
• India’s most popular comic series ever
•90+ million copies till date
• 3 million copies per year, 10000 every day
• 436 volumes collection
• 20+ languages
• Global ambassador for Indian culture &
heritage
•Quintessential middle-class India culture
ideologue
ACK genesis• Anant Pai, UDCT Engineer, passion- publishing & comics
• Failed with children's magazine (Manav, 1954)
• 1967 Dismayed when Delhi boys unable to answer Indian
mythology quiz, but could answer on Greek mythology
• Quit Indrajal (TOI) when Indian section dropped
• Mooted comic on Indian mythology & national heroes, most
publishers rejected (Allied to Jaico)
• 1967 HG Mirchandani, India Book House, agreed
• ACK conceived and edited by Pai (Uncle Pai)
Founding thoughts
•‘Children love stories & stories
with pictures are even more
popular’
•Objective- Credible source of
Indian mythology, folklore, epics,
history, culture & heritage for
children
•Target- English educated urban
Indian children
• Position- Indian-style Aesop fables
•Comic book format, Art +
aesthetics, sober, iconic
1st edition
• 1969- 1st issue Krishna, No. 11, 30 page
• Monthly (then fortnightly)
• Not full colour- Panels in yellow, blue & green
• Subsequent issues, in full colour
• 1st issue lacked miracles-Krishna lifting
Govardhan
• Pai (engineer) skeptical of miracles, relented
(Superman without super powers?)
•Krishna reprinted 60 times, 1 million+ copies
•Followed by Ramayana and Mahabharata
•India’s most popular comic series
Slow & steady progress• Lucid, entertaining storylines, variety, slow
response
• Own style- panel, drawing and narrative
• Focus on diversity- Hindu- gods, saints, kings,
Muslim kings, British villains, musicians, courtiers,
freedom fighters, folk tales
•Illustrators- Yusuf Bangalorewala, Pratap Mulick &
Ram Waeerkar
•Borrowed from Raja Ravi Varma
• Writers- Anant Pai, Kamala Chandrakant, Margie
Sastry, Subba Rao, Debrani Mitra and CR Sharma
ACK contribution
•Colourful window into India’s glorious history and
mythology for urban Indian nuclear families
•Filled traditional story telling void (Grandparents) •launch coincided with shift away from joint families
•Ubiquitous, shaped Indian sensibility and identity
•Entertainment + education + reading habits
• Connects Indian diaspora to India•English helped reach majority of children•Brought alive architecture, costumes, flavours & facts•Non controversial, sober, parent & teacher acceptance•Promote national integration & regional awareness
Familiar formats
ACK- Criticism
•Stories simplistic, Indophilic and authentic
• Often single source research
• Most characters artist imaginations or from old
paintings and depictions
•Gods & kings, always fair and well formed
•Demons & villains dark & grotesque
•Hindu mythology specific
Makeover
• Mid-1980s, sleeker reprints of original comics
• More durable editions, thick cardstock covers
• Better colour separations
• National footprint- all major book retailers, most
small bookstores and many vendors
• Best-selling children's publication
Range
• Fables & Folktales (Panchatantra, Hitopadesha,
Jataka)
• History ( Shivaji, Akbar, Rana Pratap)
• Mythology (Krishna, Hanuman, Buddha)
• The Epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata)
• Humour & wit (Tenali Raman, Birbal)
• Biographies (Vivekananda, Lokmanya Tilak)
• Literary Classics (Shakuntala, Nala Damayanti)
SKU & extensions
•‘Singles'
•Hardcover 3-in-1 and 5-in-1 bundles
•Mahabharat special editions- 3 volume 1300+
pages
•“Bumper" issues 90 pages (Birbal, Hitopadesha)
• Longer stories ( Ram, Christ)
• Regional classics
• Back-issues in print throughout 1970s & 80s
• Full collections
• Issue collections
•Theme Sets
Lingua Franca
• Mid- 1980s
• 5 lakh copies per month
•English, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Assamese,
Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil,
Sanskrit, Urdu
•French, Spanish, German, Swahili, Indonesian,
Fijian and Serbo-Croat
Indian animation
• Indian ‘animation DNA’ exception than norm, outsourced
• Hanuman, Disney’s Roadside Romeo, Toonz’s Tenali Raman, Green Gold’s Chota Bheem & BIG Animation’s Little Krishna- closer to world-class
ACK Media
• 2006 ACK Media, founder Samir Patil (Ex Mckinsey)
• N3Y $20mn- M&A + portfolio (brands, titles, content)
• N3Y- Top Indian content producer (stories, characters)
• 2006- M&A Amar Chitra Katha +Tinkle titles (IBH)
• M&A controlling stake in Karadi Tales
• Revive ACK popularity levels using new media
• Set up 20-25 ACK Lounges in metros and large cities
• Shop-in-shops & reading lounges- browse at leisure
Brand expansion
Category
Channel AdjacentSegment
Geography
Broadcast +
virtual media
Broadcast +
virtual media
Print media to entertainmentPrint media to entertainment
TVCinemaMobile
Internet
TVCinemaMobile
Internet
ACK
Indian to globalIndian to global
ACK Media- Founding thought
• Fables, religious parables and historical
biographies
• Introduction to great & lesser-known stories of
India
• “The opportunity to take brands locked in their old
worlds & rediscover them in other forms excited
me. ACK was synonymous with storytelling, and
will retain the unique ACK storytelling flavour”
ACK Website
• 2007 1 stop shop, global delivery, India free delivery
• Credible to suit gen now
• Target Indian children + Indian diaspora
• e-comics @Rs 45, promotions galore
• Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Gujarati, Bengali & Marathi
• Ads on relevant issues, cultural updates
• ACKpedia- India encyclopedia- credible online authority
• Focus on customer engagement
Customer engagement
•Flip-pages to give comic feel
•Download ACK heroes
•Write own stories
•Draw own art
•Narrate own tales, share with others
•Design and mail a new ACK comic cover for
existing title
ACK Digital Media- Tie-ups
• Strategic fit- leverage own content strength of comic
books to harness digital media reach & potential
• Turner TV- Tinkle and Amar Chitra Katha
• Vodafone Essar mobile- audio books, comics,
ringtones & wallpapers
• Synqua mobile games- Bheema, Arjuna, Suppandi
• iRemedi- ACK comics on iPhone & iPod, global audience
• NPL- online, 2D multi-player game- Legend of Katha
ACK-Vodafone •Comics, stories & dramas, poetry on Vodafone Live
•Download ringtones, characters, wallpapers, quiz,
jokes
•Monthly subscription Rs 30
•Rs 5 to download video, Rs 15 ring tones, Rs 50
games
•"Today mobiles have as big a reach as TV. For
content owners like us, this is very critical. By
launching wide range of ACK games, wall papers,
comics & audio stories we have taken an important
1st step forward.“ CEO Patil
Why TV
• “We grew up in a different world. But to connect with
today's kids, you have to be present in the
broadcast (TV, films) media.” CEO Patil
• "Popular Children TV shows are from foreign sources,
hence dubbed, but adult programs are produced
locally & suit Indian tastes. So we have adopted
localisation strategy to take Indian kids' channels
content to the next level.“ Monica Tata- Turner TV
ACK on TV• Turner International- Content tie up
• Adjacent expansion, strategic fit (Harry Potter)
• 3 properties: Pre-production work+ In-house Cartoon Network
work+ Outsource production to other studios
• On air in 2010- Shivaji, Hanuman, Mahabharata
• “ACK entertained many generations, so its a great idea to
bring alive those amazing stories, which most Indian adults
have grown up with.” Monica Tata, Turner
• ACK similar plans for Tinkle magazines
Turner TV deal
•Archives- 26 episodes (30 mins) + 2 films (70
mins)
•Cartoon Network- Turner’s global animation
channel
•Pogo- Turner’s 100% Indian channel (only
country)
•Deal range-30 mins @Rs 12-20L, Film @ Rs 50L+
•Basis- content strength+ channel reach+ deal
period
•Turner- perpetual film rights, 7 years sub-
continent series rights, ACK can exploit other
markets
•ACK Turner’s 35th Indian animation title in L10Y
Turner TV• Harness popularity of Indian animations/cartoons
• Screened- Little Krishna & Chotta Bheem, Bal
Ganesh, Akbar Birbal, Tenali Raman, Vikram
Betaal
• Movies- Tripura- The 3 Cities of Maya - Summer
2010, e-comic for itunes
• Sons of Rama- Diwali 2010, Hindi e-comic
i-Remedi
• Technological tie-up- iRemedi Corp US
• Hi-res e-comics for iPhone & iPods from iTunes @$1.99
• Retell ACK classics to global audiences
• Titles- Krishna, Buddha, Gita, Ashoka, Saibaba, Karna,
Shakuntala, Panchantantra, Mirabai and Bheeshma
• “This launch has brought the world of Indian story-telling
to the iPhone community. Besides comics we will create
new applications and games for this platform,” CEO Patil
Copyrights
• No copyrights on mythological characters?
• But specific artworks can be patented
• Mythological characters- familiar, accepted, growth
potential
• So less money to familiarise & build such brands
• Lesser content development time as storylines &
characteristics known
• Scope to create new stories on accepted platforms
4Ps
Online, WoMback of book,
Online, retailers, book stores
India’s history, culture & heritage
VFM, affordable, volumes based
STPD
Indian school children
Route to their roots
Credible, sober, variety
English educated urban Indian school
children
PLC extension, strategy map
Amar Chitra Katha
ComicsOnline
TV
Cinema
Mobile
Gaming
1967 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
SynquaTurner TV
iRemedy
Vodafone
ACK Media M&A
Ansoff matrixX Market N Market
X P
rod
uct
N P
rod
uct
Adjacency expansion in entertainment & media
Brand Amar Chitra Katha- value proposition
Functional- Authentic, insightful, easy to read, sober
Economic- VFM, Sets
Emotional- Quintessential Indian history & glory
Brand Identity & Image
Customer’s Mind
Identity
Image (Perception
)Credible source of
Indian mytholog
y & history for children
Credible &
acceptable source of Indian mytholog
y & history
Position
Indian, credible route to
roots
POP & POD
PODCredibleAcceptedRangeReach
POPComic
English & Vernacular
VFM
ACK-Aaker’s ModelExtended
MultimediaGlobal
Brand Essence
Core
Tales
MultilingualEducation
Children
Entertainment
Indian history & mythology comics
Available
ACK- Kapferer’s Brand Identity PrismE
xter
nal
isat
ion In
ternalisatio
n
Physique (Purpose)- Knowledge, History
Personality (Soul)-Traditional, Indian
Culture (Brand in customer’s conscience)Sharing, common roots
Relationship (Brand to customer)-Social, family, ethical
Reflection (Customer identifies wrt brand)-Values, focus
Self-Image (Customer identifies brand wrt self)- Credible, acceptable
Keller’s CBBE / Brand Equity Pyramid
Loyalty, connect, engagement, attachment
Researched, credible Indian, roots
Knowledge, values, history Accepted, traditional
High recall, awareness, range, reach
Meaning
Who ar
e you
Respo
nse
What a
bout
you
Relatio
nship
Brand c
ustom
er co
nnec
t
POP / POD
Positive reactionsIntense loyalty
Aw
arenessIden
tity
Building blocks
Case questions
• Can the ACK comics model be
replicated across digital
media
• Would today’s kids reared on
western characters lap up
Indian mythology & icons
• Can ACK revamp to suit gen
now
• Would a virtual ACK emerge
as credible Indian online
authority on people, places
and culture
References•India's Immortal Comic Books: Gods, Kings, and Other Heroes, by Karline McLain, Indiana University Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0-253-22052-3•Turner laps up Amar Chitra Katha, Omkar Sapre PUNE , ET 7Aug09 p18 http://ibnlive.in.com/news/amar-chitra-katha-to-make-its-tv-debut-soon/99031-8.html • A New Avatar For Amar Chithra Katha! Mumbai, July 20, 2009 http://living.oneindia.in/kids/book-movie-reviews/2009/amar-chitra-katha-270709.html •Amar Chitra Katha and the construction of the Indian Identity- Pramod Nayar, The ICFAI Journal of English Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 26-35, March 2006 •Amar Chitra Katha & Turner Ink Deal For Animated Films & TV Series; Legend of Katha
http://www.medianama.com/2009/08/223-amar-chitra-katha-legend-of-katha/ •Synqua Games To Develop Games On Amar Chitra Katha http://www.medianama.com/2009/04/223-synqua-games-to-develop-games-on-amar-chitra-katha-tinkle-rights-to-mythological-characters/ •Now Amar Chitra Katha is available on iPhone, iPods, Business Standard Reporter / Mumbai June 3, 2009•Changing with times: Amar Chitra Katha, Kanupriya October 7, 2008
References•The Classic Popular: Amar Chitra Katha, 1967-2007. By Nandini Chandra. New Delhi: Yoda Press, 2008. 260pp Paperback: ISBN-10: 8190363433 || ISBN-13: 9788190363433•ACK Media Pvt Ltd. Updated 03/8/2009•http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=39144912
•The Classic Popular: Amar Chitra Katha (1967-2007), by Nandini Chandra, Yoda Press, 2008. ISBN 81-903634-3-3.•Amar Chitra Katha makes a comeback online Oct 15, 2008 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anant_Pai•The Evolution Of Comic Strip And Its Changing Characteristics,Manas Maisnam http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=kshow&kid=728 •Comics may be India's new cult biz TNN 18 August 2006 •Amar Chitra Katha to make its TV debut soon Manisha Mahaldar / CNN-IBN, Wed, Aug 12, 2009•http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Amar-Chitra-Katha-makes-a-comeback-online/373664/
References• Tinkle; Rights To Mythological Characters? Nikhil Pahwa April 15, 2009 ⋅• "Amar Chitra Katha,Tinkle to entertain kids on Net". CNN-IBN. 2008-01-27• "ACK Media buys Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle brands". The Hindu Business Line. 2007-
11-22• ^ http://www.iRemedi.com/amarchitrakatha.htm• ^ http://ax.search.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSearch.woa/wa/search?
entity=software&media=all&submit=seeAllLockups&term=iremedi• The official Amar Chitra Katha website• The Amar Chitra Katha hangover, Anand Ramachandran, 2009-07-01
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/the-amar-chitra-katha-hangover/483313/• Amar Chitra Katha, Vodafone Essar tie up, 28 February 2009
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/02/28/stories/2009022850981700.htm• Amar Chitra Katha gets talking on Vodafone Indiantelevision.com Team (28 February
2009)