HT hits a 8!IPL spurs customised editions

The IPL is a game-changer in cricket because it delivers the goods with corn-popping quickness: cricket gods, brutal hitting, and film stars. In other words, the IPL is a sizzling success because it gives consumers exactly what they what want. It is fitting that this ability to effect "mass customisation' has spurred a similar, history-defining innovation in an industry that requires it the most: newspaper.

On the day on which the IPL's first match was to be played,12th March, every reader of the Hindustan Times received the newspaper featuring his or her favorite team on the cover. To orchestrate that ambitious customization, eight versions of the Hindustan Times were printed. To achieve the precision-targeting mission, Hindustan Times collaborated with the IPL, O&M, and Maxus.

Mass customization: The nitty-gritty

How did Hindustan Times complete mammoth creative and logistic challenge? Well, a day before the IPL inaugural, the paper asked its readers to send SMS votes for their favourite IPL team. The deluge of responses resulted in the printing of the eight different versions of the paper in Mumbai, Delhi and Chandigarh.

The customisation, implemented in an overnight flurry of production and printing, had the different versions of the paper heralding the captains of the eight teams participating in the IPL.

Fervour added to innovation

The customisation not only surprised the readers, but it also thrilled them. Because, like the IPL, the Hindustan Times' initiative adds new excitement to an old habit. "As a media house known to support innovation, we are taking the lead in "mass customisation' by adding fervour to the IPL excitement," the HT Media's vice-president (marketing), Shantanu Bhanja, has been quoted as saying.

As for the operation itself, it was akin to a complicated surgery performed to a tight deadline. A million copies were distributed to readers across the length and breadth of the three target cities. Moreover, hundreds of winning readers also received a special copy of the Hindustan Times, featuring their favourite team on the front page. Such copies were hand-delivered.

Groundwork for the innovation

Salil Sadanandan, business head, South & West, HT Media, has explained the scope of the logistic complexity. He has told the media the logistic activity was intense at the ground level, at the printing press and in the network of vendors. "Extra manpower was brought in at the press to ensure proper bundling of copies," Sadanandan has been quoted as saying. "Vendors were briefed in advance and considering the poor lighting early morning and the nature of the creative, we used symbols to denote different IPL teams on the cover."

Ajit Varghese, MD, Maxus, has told the media that the objective of the campaign was to boost viewership, both in-stadia and on the ground for the IPL. He has said the Hindustan Times initiative "took the IPL's original campaign forward: 'Which side are you on?' Conversation and viewership of the tournament will peak only with team loyalties getting stronger."