The Campaign

Kerala was the stronghold of local language dailies like the Malayala Manorama & The Mathrubhumi. And every other language newspaper was treated like an outsider. The Times Of India was entering this almost forbidden market for non locals and seeking out new readers and recruiting new subscribers. It was important to connect with the locals and gain entry into their homes where many family members could actually read in the English language but never ventured out to subscribe to an English newspaper.

Results

LIVE CONTENT: THE TIMES OF LOCAL CULTURE While every other newspaper employed regular delivery boys on cycles, The Times went much further and reached out to every potential home in the state with unusually direct home delivery. 1. Elephants who elevated traditional festivals by visiting homes only to bless people, were delivering newspapers door to door. 2. Kalari warriors, who historically delivered messages of war and peace across the several mountain kingdoms in this region, were home delivering newspapers. 3. Boatmen who traditionally transported people on the backwaters, were bringing home the newspaper and hot morning tea. RADIO CONTENT: A MUSICAL LEAP FROM MALAYALAM FOLK TO ENGLISH ROCK With the arrival of The Times of India in Kerala, it was time for Malayalam to meet English Musically. It was time to create content that would be born out of the fusion of the local language and the global medium. The Times of India leapt over the language barrier musically with the world’s first full length Folk Rock Song in ‘Malayalish’ that premiered on Radio Mirchi at 0600hrs on Feb 01 along with the first copy of The Times Of India - All Kerala Edition. A Times Initiative to celebrate the musical language of Malayalam. A Music Video followed with Live Delivery Events. LOCAL TRAFFIC NEWS & TV CONTENT: A Day in the Life of Kerala is a satire that Celebrates the Competitive Spirit of the Modern Malayalee. An authentic newspaper commentary on the state of Kerala today, where Competition breeds Chaos. Amplified with the voice of local Malayalam folk singer - Kalabhavan Mani. The soundtrack is satirical poetry narrated in the original folk expression of chaotic competition. And the form revives the ancient 'Naadan Paatu' folk news narrative tradition of Kerala, with a liberal dose of modern metaphors.

JUMBO LAUNCH DAY CONTENT : It was time to twist local tradition and deliver local news, drawing from ancient local folklore and popular local music. The Times employed the popular local language Malayalam Rock band to sing in English and home deliver newspapers. Every morning, 108 Elephant Delivery Boys, 126 Boat Delivery Boys and 180 Kalari Warrior Delivery Boys delivered the newspaper across Kerala. The local delivery boys live content, ensured that the Times was welcomed into over a million homes. The radio, film and music video content reached out to young English readers and ensured new readers every day.

THE OUTSIDER BECAME A WELCOME INSIDER : The True story of how thousands of local readers welcomed the world's largest English daily into their homes. Waking up to God's Own Delivery Boys became a much anticipated event every morning in the various localities generating phenomenal word of mouth, local pr and the much desired local acceptance for The Times of India. RECORDED RESULTS: 100000+ newspapers home delivered on launch day. 500000+ newspapers home delivered in 07 days. Cumulative Readership in Kerala crosses 01 million in 30 days.