Tata Sky’s New Planned Value Added Services!

I came across this interesting article in The Financial Express about Tata Sky’s plans for its value added services. Speaking to The Financial Express, Vikram Mehra, the Chief Marketing Officer of Tata Sky revealed that they have partnered with renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor and florist chain Ferns 'N' Petals to increase their value added services portfolio. While Sanjeev Kapoor's recipes would be a part of Tata Sky's Active Cooking service, Ferns 'N' Petals would offer flower delivery service across the country.

In the interview, Vikram Mehra said and I quote "We have tied up with Sanjeev Kapoor to showcase his recipes on our Active Cooking channel. Also, we have partnered with Ferns 'N' Petals, who would deliver the flowers and cakes across the country,"

Apparently, the user needs to choose flowers or cakes which have product codes and SMS the code to the company and a representative would call back to take the delivery details.

I believe a lot of consumer insight and research must have gone into this. While Tata Sky is a DTH company, it has been consistently improving its value added services. It does appear to be a well thought through strategy. As the competition between various DTH operators increases, there will be very little differentiation in terms of content. Then, it is value added services like these which will distinguish one operator from the other. Tata Sky is preparing for such a scenario to maintain its position as a market leader.

I can’t but help think that most guys would love the idea that they can send flowers and cakes to their wives or girlfriends without having move out from their comfort zones. They woudnt have to bother going out in the hot sun for flowers and cakes! I must say Tata Sky grip on consumer insight is getting stronger by the day!

Check out the following link for the details of the interview

http://www.financialexpress.com/news/tata-sky-enhances-vas-offers-flower-delivery/450768/

The Sports Ad from Tata Sky Plus!

“Sports are too much with us. Late and soon, sitting and watching - mostly watching on television - we lay waste our powers of identification and enthusiasm and, in time, attention as more and more closing rallies and crucial putts and late field goals and final playoffs and sudden deaths and world records and world championships unreel themselves ceaselessly before our half-lidded eyes.”

-Roger Angell. (A columnist of The New Yorker and one of the greatest baseball writers of our time)

I couldn’t but help quote this statement as I completely agree with Roger Angell. As a noted baseball writer, he was in the best position to reflect on the strange relationship between men, sports and television. I think they do make a pretty strong combination. I have spent late night plunked in front of my TV catching up with Test matches, Premiership League soccer matches or anyone of those adrenaline thumping F1 Races. Late at nights, after all that excitement, you go to sleep dreary eyed. And the next morning is another story….. The alarm rings, you realize that you have woken up late, you rush through the shower and breakfast and scamper to work only to see your boss giving you that look, with his eyes sternly saying “You are late”. You feel guilty and embarrassed and make a false excuse. Then, soon, a new match, late nights, waking up late and the whole drama unfolds again….

I have been through this several times and am sure as have many of you. Haven’t you wondered many times that wish we could do something to break this vicious circle? Well, the new Tata Sky+ Aamir Khan ad gives you that answer. In this ad, Aamir Khan appears sitting late night watching a match. Then, he remarks that he is sleepy and his match will be recorded on TS+. After that, in a sarcastic time, he exhorts viewers to keep watching the matches late into the night irrespective of the fact that they may be late to work the next day. The ad ends with a message that you can record all the live matches with TS+ and view them later. You can view this new ad over here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsY9aEHC40g

I liked this ad for several reasons. The most important one is that its coming from a powerful consumer insight and hence almost instantaneously establishes a connection with the target audience. Second, the ad isn’t really preachy and patronizing like many ads on television and third, the use of sarcasm has been very subtle and kind of empathetic, which is a very interesting way of bring out humor in the context. It’s a short ad, but very effective!

With the impending and the ever exciting English Premier League around you, I hope you are really looking forward to recording your matches or are you are you still choosing to go late to work?

Guys there couldn’t have been a better time to own a TS+ than Now!