What was the first thing that you wanted to do after you took over?
As a marketing person, Chandamama was an interesting challenge for me. Such a fine brand in the dumps, I thought it would be great if I could do something about it. As a content person, it is great to build a brand all over again.
The first thought that came to my mind was: Chandamama doesn't even have a website. I don't want to get into the debate of whether children should read or not read but the fact is that they don't read as much as you want them to read. The definition of reading has changed. The consumption of content has changed. You have to keep pace with the changes.
Do you feel that was why Chandamama moved away from the young?
Chandamama had two sets of problems. One was a set of internal problems like the labour problem which lead to its closure and the subsequent weakening of the distribution channel.
The second was the changing market. The kind of content the Indian of the 60s and the 70s consumed was different from what the children of today want. There was no understanding of the demands of the market at Chandamama. For example, today, my children have 3-4 email IDs but only one postal address.
I have to make this brand relevant to today's children. It is a daunting task.
Chandamama's New Year issue
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