ZEE Telefilms’ Competitive Strategies

Rahul SinghRavneet KangPrateek BhansaliSachin JainRushi Chokshi

About ZEE… ZEE is the publicly listed company of

Essel Group.Zee is one of the most popular brands in

Indian Media And Entertainment industry.The flagship channel ZEE Tv was

launched in 1992.Zee is the largest producer and

aggregator of Hindi programming in the world.

ZEE’s well known brands

And many more………

The Case and it’s key factorsThe factors that played a key role in the

establishment of Zee as a successfully integrated media company.

The competition in the television media segment.

The marketing strategies adopted by Star and Sony, and the reasons for their success.

The strategies adopted by Zee to regain its position in the Indian television media segment.

ZEE’s initial success strategiesLaunched two channels dedicated to news

and cinema.Entered into partnership with Rupert

Murdoch, the man behind Star in 1995.Launched the first round the clock news

channel of India.Zee entered the Global marketZee launched bouquet of regional

channels.

ZEE has many 'firsts' to its creditFirst listed media company in India.First to launch a Hindi General Entertainment

Channel in India - Zee TV.First to launch a Hindi Cinema Channel in India - Zee

Cinema.First to corporatize the Hindi film industry with the

costliest production and the highest grossing Hindi movie in its time - 'Gadar - Ek Prem Katha'.

First to launch a 24 hour Hindi News Channel in India - Zee News, now operating as a separate company called Zee News Limited (ZNL).

First to launch a 24-hour Food Channel in India – Zee Khana Khazana.

First to launch India’s Urdu infotainment channel – Zee Salaam

Some comparisons…

Zee News;

51; 51%Star

News; 30; 30%

BBC; 7; 7%

CNN; 4; 4%

CNBC; 4; 4%TVI; 4; 4%

ZEE News viewership 1999

Zee NewsStar NewsBBCCNNCNBCTVI

ZEE USA Subscriber Growth (in ‘000)

Jul-9

8

Aug-9

8

Sep-9

8

Oct

-98

Nov

-98

Dec

-98

Jan-

990

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

Subscriber Growth

Subscriber Growth

Competition from Star

September 1999,  the Star and Zee partnership came to an end.

Star, major break through “Kaun Banega Crorepati” came in july2000.

Star’s next agenda were tele-serials from Balaji telefilms banner for average married Indian woman (in the 25+ age group).

Star successfully attracted the viewers in the 7:30 to 11:00 pm

Competition from Sony

Sony, launched its channel "SET MAX" in 1999.

Sony started aggressive counter strategy and launched 7 new shows; “Jeeto Chappar Phad Ke” with movie actor Govinda as host, in January 2001.

In 2003, Sony carried out research called “Understanding Women” in 7 cities across India as a result launched “Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi” in september 2003.

Competition from others

India today group launched a 24- hour Hindi news channel “Aaj Tak” in December 2000.

Media report said that within a month of launch ,Aaj Tak’s viewership shot up nearly 5 times

ZEE fights back

From September 2000 onwards, Zee implemented a two-pronged strategy:-redefine prime time band (from 9PM to 11PM) extended programming slots to 45 minutes

In October 2000, Zee came out with “Sawaal Dus Crore Ka”(SDCK) two months after KBC.

Launched two new channels Zee English and Zee movies.

Strategies used in RebrandingEarly 2005, Zee initiated the re-branding of

the entire Zee range of brands.Changed its Logo, it was new on air

packaging and made promotions to increase TRP.

It renamed various channels.In 2005 zee took another step via conducting

zee cine awards ceremony in London to aim at its global audience.

Different sponsors around different regions of the world.

Quotation from the CEO Pradeep Guha(CEO) said “this

rebranding exercise is a first step in waiving a thread of common identity between a many diverse brand. And while each brand is a distinct entity of its own, now it is also a unmistakable member of the zee family. Also, rebranding is aimed at adding the extra zing and edge which reinvents the spirit of the brand and brings it closer to a younger audience cohorts”

Question1Launch of zee news and zee cinema, music Asia

Launch of zee in UK for NRIs.

High market share.

Various entities such as siti cable, e-connect, ZICA(zee institute of creative arts) and many more.

Various regional channels.

Question 2

Alpha channels launched taking in view the potential regional market.

The view was to segregate the regional audience under special brand name.

Alpha channels subsequently named under zee banner to bring in a unified look.

Question 3

Zee’s “sawal dus crore ka” could not match with KBC of star.

Zee kept on with old promotion strategies which came cold in front of Sony’s strategy.

Other news channels took the grab from Zee news.