Why the re-launch of ZEE failed to make an impact?
 

This is an honest analysis for all those who love honest opinions. Vajpayee does not like honest opinions. We think ZEE TV bosses are different. Now let us come to the point.

The re-launch of  ZEE failed because of the following factors.
 

A bad campaign

Stupid program selection as indicated by the quality and content of the new programs

The penchant of Zee executives to be self obsessive and to pat their own backs for some illusory success story in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary

Absence of a clear thinking guy like Sameer Nair in team ZEE

Teasers in the days of big bangs!

These are modern times and the environment is badly cluttered and splintered. It is time for extremely focussed big bangs. ZEE re-launch had an outdated campaign approach - the teaser approach - without realizing that in times of instant coffee, cricket, and romance, prolonged foreplay puts people off. It works only in the minds of older ladies and jaded admen. The dead creative brains at Rediffusion have had a ball of a time at ZEE's cost. They fucked up the POW campaign earlier and now they have done the same with their 'Khushi' brain wave. They rediffused the ZEE re-launch idea  to the extent it was not even noticed by those who matter i.e. the viewers. We have never seen such a huge waste of money on such a rank bad campaign in the last twenty years. However, Rediff guys are past masters at this. Once you give them money, they know how to splurge it. Someone has to conduct a study here to determine the effects of the campaign. The result probably will be like this.

Ad Recall: Two per(cent)sons (CEO and the Marketing Director of ZEE)
'Who is Khushi'?: Khushi who?
Tell us about the new ZEE programs? What programs?

Fifteen crores spent for nothing? The campaign did not even promote the new line up of Zee programs. It launched a juvenile face without character instead of launching the channel. They called her the brand ambassador of new ZEE, thus projecting a 'thakela' image of the channel.
 

New Programming initiative
 

One assumed since 'Choti Ma' is an adaptation of a successful Tamil soap, it will have all those sweet moments with a lot of regional flavour. Something has gone wrong seriously here. 'Choti Ma' is anything but a channel driver. Some say, it looks like a DD program which certainly is not a compliment. There have been successful adaptations of Tamil films in Hindi. 'Virasat' was a good adaptation of 'Thevar Magan' for instance. It retained the regional flavour, which in fact has a universal appeal and application. 'Choti Ma' seems to be a badly adapted and directed series. Other programs in the 8 pm to 9 pm band are bad. They appeal to none. They are badly directed and produced and qualitatively stand quite a few notches below the programs on rival channels. The much tom-tommed Dollar Bahu suffers the same fate. Where are the comedies and thrillers by the way? Something bizarre has been happening. About 'Aap Jo Bolein Haan....', one has to see if this experiment works. It seems unlikely with predictable 'yes' and 'no' options. 'Baazi Kiski' is another insipid joke played on the viewers.

The point is where do these new programs stand on various parameters vis-a-vis the offerings on other channels? You can make apt comparisons this way. They are not even better than the programmes that were taken off by ZEE. This being the case the re-launch exercise seems quite futile.

The scores of self promotion interviews by ZEE officials repeatedly mention that the new programming initiative was guided by market research. Who are these researchers? Were they researching with their eyes and ears closed? Did they look at the programming of rival channels? Someone mentioned about younger groups watching MTV in the evenings and thus ZEE decided to have music based programmes in 8 to 9 pm slots. What music based programmes? Where is the music? The characters in 'Chaand' and 'Deewane' do not even know how to strum a guitar. And what was the objective of having these programs? To wean away the MTV viewers? Are you serious ZEE?
 

Self obsession spells doom

There can be nothing dangerous than self obsessive programming. ZEE officials are behaving like the Vajpayee government. They don't like bending down, dirtying their starched shirts, putting their ears to the ground, and listening to the vibrations emanating from there. They listen to themselves most of the times. It is an easy thing to do. They conjure bizarre figures and ideas in their heads to support their self invented theories. They laugh at their own jokes without noticing that none else is laughing. What happens in these circumstances? You fail to exploit opportunities to the advantage of your employer and ultimately get your marching orders. Nobody gains in the end.

They don't even know that wars are not fought with money and machines alone. You have to have the will , the wit, and the steely determination to fight and win. You have to employ your resources, however meagre they may be, effectively and realize their full potential. However, one cannot blame the Zee officials wholly. They are doing what everyone else is doing these days, chasing fat pay packages, relying heavily on dame luck, and making hey while the sun shines in their lives.
 

ZEE needs a clear thinking guy like Sameer Nair

Star Plus before Sameer Nair was led by ex DD characters who took early retirement to make sack loads of money. They took the channel nowhere as they had typical mindset of Mandi House. One of them later started a series of language channels supported by Murdoch's money and has succeeded only in organizing parties where the glitterati and chatterati assemble in large numbers in trendy restaurants and make him feel good about himself. His channels are going nowhere. However, Sameer and the new Star Plus team worked with a single minded approach, to dethrone ZEE from its number one position. They did have almost unlimited resources but they put them to the best possible use. They did not go for a mindless gamble with no cards to play unlike what ZEE has done, gone for a blind when the cards of the opponents are already on the table, face up. What would you call it? Courage or rank stupidity of deranged minds?

That is why we think ZEE needs some clear thinking guys in its team and not self patting, self praising, self seeking, and self researching fatheads. Unfortunately, Sameer Nair types are not noticed easily. They generally maintain a low key and work hard towards achieving their objectives. It is not easy to find them. However, those who seek real gems, know how to discover them.
 

In spite of all this intense, a bit too colorful, and open criticism, Khullamkhulla wishes ZEE all the success as it is the only true Indian Media Group to stand up to the might of giant multinationals. Khullamkhulla also knows that ZEE will come out of the hole ultimately and rise above its competition with some great programming ideas.

Wake up ZEE!