Source: TNN
Date: 29 May 2009
Here’s a film that has Hrithik Roshan playing Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik Roshan has something more to say on his Reliance Mobile
And for which he didn’t need to get into character, because he was the character. The script, too, was so true to him, that Hrithik was simply on a roll, he improvised on the spot, added dialogues and reactions that best mirrored him in real life. But... the film’s not for Bollywood, it’s for Reliance Mobile.
The Bollywood hunk, the brand new face of this leading Indian network, urges fans and subscribers of the service provider to never leave anything unsaid or undone... “Just pick up the phone, don’t wait... go for it!” is Hrithik’s powerful and heartfelt message in a new commercial.
Proud to be associated with a brand “that has constantly redefined how India communicates” and because he truly “believes in everything that it stands for,” Hrithik added, “when was the last time you felt like making that one call just to say a Hi, or a Thank-you, or Sorry? But you held back? The more you thought about whether to act or not, the more you hesitated, and then the moment was gone. This is my chance to tell the world to leave behind hesitations. To make that call. To connect. To go for it.”
Sanjay Behl, Group Head, Brand and Marketing, Reliance Communications said, “Today if over 350 million Indians connect on a mobile phone, it is because Reliance dreamed it to be possible. The addition of world class 3G ready GSM network to our already strong CDMA network is set to redefine the face of Indian telecommunications. Our omnipresent network ensures that you can act at the speed of thought. Wherever you maybe, whenever it may be.”
------
Source: Television Point
Date: June 01, 2009
If the India telecom story is making waves overseas, in the country, it's nothing short of aggressive moves and counter moves by players.
Reliance Mobile, part of Reliance Communications (RCom), which launched its GSM services in January this year, is initiating a high decibel media campaign.
RCom has signed on Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan as its new brand ambassador. Hrithik will be the official face for the company's mobile, data and DTH businesses, sources close to the development said.
The three-year deal with Hrithik is believed to be worth over Rs five crore annually and excludes the fees payable for appearances and events, sources said adding the overall deal could touch Rs 10 crore annually.
RCom will be spending over Rs 150 crore on the initiative, with Rs 50 crore earmarked for the World Cup T20 starting in June. When contacted by Televisionpoint.com, the company spokesperson declined to comment.
Advertising agency Cartwheel Creative is handling the advertising for Reliance GSM, while the media duties for the brand will be looked after by Radar, Mudra's dedicated agency for Reliance ADAG.
Says D Ramakrishna, founder, Cartwheel Creative, "Hrithik is playing himself in the campaign and doing things he would normally do as a person - texting, answering calls and so on. 'Go For It' will be tagline for the Reliance GSM service."
Hrithik Roshan is Reliance Mobile's first major celebrity endorser. Other offerings of the vertical, such as the DTH venture - Big TV, and its data services don't have any prominent endorsers. The actor was till recently endorsing for rival DTH company Tata Sky.
RCom's endorsement deal with Hrithik comes at a time when the telecom company is targeting a subscriber base of 100 million by the end of this fiscal. The corporate branding and marketing team is believed to have conducted an extensive study on the life experiences of various celebrities, before finalising Hrithik.
The six-month study was conducted to evaluate how various celebrities would fit the corporate positioning message and Reliance's overall brand values. The study suggested that Reliance's target consumers perceive Hrithik Roshan positively and value the message he endorses through his advertisements.
Meanwhile, apart from postpaid and prepaid services, Reliance GSM will launch a bouquet of VAS and will be the first GSM service to stream the World T20 matches live for its customers. On-ground activities for the brand include a tieup with Nokia to offer customers a package including both handset and service.
With over 280-million GSM users in the country, the Indian telephony market is seeing aggressive growth. Reliance Mobile becomes the eighth GSM player in the market and is the only private telecom player to offer services in both CDMA and GSM technologies.
COAI has predicted that India will have around 500 million GSM subscribers by the end of 2009-10 and over 800 million by 2012. Now, with number portability getting the green signal, times ahead look interesting for Indian consumers.