Sony Entertainment Television is aiming at consolidating its position in the television entertainment segment with the launch of a weekend family drama called Kkoi Dil Mein Hai.
The channel, after the launch of the serial Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, has grabbed more than 20 per cent of the prime time market share of the television entertainment segment.
"Beginning December 21, the serial will be telecast every Sunday from 9 pm to 10 pm," said Albert Almeida, senior vice-president, marketing, SET.
"We are at present number two in the entertainment television segment and are excited with what the Jassi serial has done to our slot share and prime time market share since October," Almeida said.
He added that with the launch of Kkoi Dil Mein Hai, a Balaji Telefilms production, Sony expects to improve its position.
"It will always be our endeavour to claim the first spot, but for the moment we have established ourselves strongly in the second place," Almeida said.
Stating that the new serial has been positioned in the weekend division, the vice-president hoped that this will strengthen the prime time products being offered.
"We already have serials like Jassi... and Kkusum, between Monday and Thursday and a mega movie on Saturday. With the new serial on Sunday, we will be able to provide a refreshing twist to Sunday evening viewing, as this is a relatively fertile slot still," Almeida said.
Commenting on the strategy used by the company to market Jassi..., which has already become popular among viewers, Almeida said: "Jassi... has provided the rocket fuel for our channel. The sponsors who joined in at the beginning are all smiles, while those now attempting to cash in on the success of Jassi... are paying much higher advertisement and sponsorship rates."
Stating that Sony deliberately created an intriguing and endearing picture of Jassi before the launch of the serial.
"We just hid her and did not promote her outside Sony. Then we had, for the first time, implemented the concept of flash mobs to promote the serial," Almeida said.
He said that a group in the 20-40 age group would suddenly turn up at a busy junction, hold posters and shout slogans of the serial and vanish off within three or four minutes.
"Then after the serial was on air, we sent out teams of youngsters into trains and buses and they would start off a discussion on the serial, and it was amazing how many people would join in," Almeida said.
SET India has also promoted the serial through shot messaging services and there have been over two lakh hits in the past fortnight alone.
The theme tune of the serial can also be downloaded as a ringtone.
"There is now a huge Jassi Pals Club and over 500,000 SETizens," Almeida said.
The new serial, though, has been positioned in the weekend segment because internal research has shown that there has actually been a drop in weekend viewership because of a lack of habit, the official said.
