Online BusinessFuture Group expects Rs 100 crore from media business next year
Kishore Biyani to revamp existing print media business, introduce tailor-made packages for TV advertisers
- Future Group forays into lingerie, eyes more private labels - Pantaloon books 22-mn sq ft space, to spend more on fashion - Corporate heads not in favour of religious profiling of staff - Retailers back in expansion mode as consumers return - Pantaloon Retail's full year profit dips 54% - Future Group to launch more private labels: Biyani
Future Group expects around Rs 100 crore from its media business by next financial year, up from around Rs 70 crore right now, riding on its outdoor media business, tailor-made packages for television advertisers, and revamped magazine launch.
Future Group promoter Kishore Biyani, who dabbled in film production a few years ago without tasting much success, has drawn up the blueprint for a full-fledged expansion in the media and entertainment business.
Kishore Biyani, CEO of Future Group, told Business Standard, "We are looking at relaunching our existing monthly magazine ‘My World’ with increased print run and more content relevant to our areas of operation. We realised that advertising revenues for us is increasing and there are a lot more brands and services in India now who want to advertise in our magazines, given the high footfall we enjoy at our stores."
"We monitor footfalls in retail stores and know what a shopper wants and how much he is willing to pay. So why not leverage and monetise that expertise?" said Biyani.
"We are not making any significant investments right now. We will draw from the investments we made around two years ago, Rs 60 crore, to set up Future Media, the arm that manages all our media properties. Our most profitable business right now is the outdoor media. But print business should also be growing as we plan expansion in that area. We expect around Rs 100 crore from our media business by next financial year, from around Rs 70 crore now," added Biyani.
By December this year, the revamped ‘My World’ monthly magazine would have a total print run of 1,50,000 copies, up from 20,000 print runs now. The magazine would also have some 200 pages of content, up from 100 pages now. The content would cover all sectors that Future Group has businesses in, instead of write-ups on only women-related topics.
Future Media, the arm spearheading all of Future Group’s media businesses, is already present in the business of visual spaces, which includes advertising in facades, staircases, elevators, pillars and trial rooms. The company has bought the rights for mall space in Pune, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore. "We are looking at acquiring any space of consumption, be it a mall, multiplex, cafe or airport," Biyani said.
Among other plans, Future TV, Future Group’s in-store television network brand, has introduced six different packages for advertisers, in order to rake in more advertising revenues. The six new packages are classified on the basis of consumption formats which is expected to give advertisers the benefit of reaching out to target audiences who display the required purchasing capacity.
The packages have been designed keeping in mind the fact that each consumption format attracts consumers with a certain "wallet power". For example, while Central attracts the young urban consumer with high disposable income, Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar attract the regular middleclass householder looking for great deals. "Hence, the need to differentiate audiences based on spending capacity," said Biyani.