Airtel plans ad blitz

Airtel would use fresh advertising campaigns and other activities to create a brand recall for long-term profitability.

Airtel has chalked out its growth plan for this fiscal which includes thrust on extensive advertising campaigns and association with popular activities to strike a chord with consumers emotionally.

Ajai Puri, CEO "" mobility for Bharti Airtel in West Bengal and Calcutta, said it had a subscriber base of 25 lakh in the Calcutta and Bengal circles.

"The next step is to maintain this trust. Innovative advertising and other brand building activities would help build top-of-mind recall to ensure long term profitability," Puri said.

Although Puri declined to comment on ad spends, Airtel would continue to use the audio-visual and outdoor media more to pitch for its services.

In activities, Airtel is planning a Durga Puja campaign this year.

"We have not decided on what the activity would be like, but for a telecom company, we could look at 'vote for your best puja by sms and make it win' activity or 'lucky entry-passes to the biggest Durga Puja pandal in the city', or some such similar activity to create a brand recall," Puri said.

Airtel is also planning sequel of some of its successful ad campaigns.

In services, Airtel planned consumer-friendly offers like its four-month old lifetime prepaid offer which added 1.5 lakh customers in 30 days. "We have added 15 lakh subscribers in Bengal and Calcutta in the past 15 months," said Puri.

In July last year, Airtel had 7 lakh users.

The company invested around Rs 400 crore in Bengal and Calcutta in the first half of this fiscal and plans to do the same in the second half. Holding company Bharti's estimated capital expenditure this fiscal was Rs 12,000 crore, with 70 per cent dedicated to mobility services.