Jignesh Kenia on how Brand Surge is making TV advertising affordable for start-ups

In an interaction with Adgully, Jignesh Kenia, President & Head of Corporate Strategy & Digital Transformation at Times Network, provides a comprehensive overview of the groundbreaking “Brand Surge” initiative. This innovative campaign holds the potential to revolutionise the advertising landscape for start-ups and small businesses, addressing a crucial need in the industry.

“The key thought here was the funding winter, where start-ups struggled to raise funds and hence, advertise and grow their business or scale up their operations,” Kenia explains. Drawing from personal experience as an angel investor, he realised the impact of the funding crunch on start-ups during the last 18 months. This inspired the birth of Brand Surge, aimed at helping start-ups advertise on TV at minimal costs to navigate through the funding winter.

Highlighting the network’s commitment to social initiatives, Kenia says, “During the Kerala floods, we helped raise funds for the affected people. During demonetisation, we ran a campaign called re-monetisation to increase the circulation of money in the system.” Brand Surge aligns with this ethos, designed to assist start-ups in building brand awareness during challenging times.

“TV can help them build brand credibility, leading to repeat purchases and hence, the continuity of that revenue without having to advertise again and again,” Kenia emphasises. TV advertising provides start-ups with a platform to create brand awareness and credibility crucial for long-term success.

Kenia acknowledges the perception that TV advertising is expensive and explains, “That is where Brand Surge makes a difference.” The initiative offers alternative advertising options at highly discounted packages, starting from Rs 1 lakh, making TV advertising accessible to start-ups and addressing the cost barrier.

“Even today, TV reaches out to 20 crore households and close to 90 crore audiences. This kind of reach cannot be provided by digital currently,” Kenia points out. He highlights the unique impact of TV advertising, particularly in family decision-making scenarios, where it complements digital advertising.

Kenia clarifies that Brand Surge is an initiative designed for small to medium-sized brands. The focus remains on assisting start-ups during the funding winter and creating a long-term partnership with the start-ups.

These are edited excerpts, for the complete interview with Jignesh Kenia, watch below: