INTERVIEW : ALEX KURUVILLA

http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=148841

Fe Insight


INTERVIEW : ALEX KURUVILLA

Personalisation will spark a media revolution

  India was the missing link in the growth plans of the over
$2-billion-publishing-house Conde Nast International. The company has
now bridged the gap with the launch of its India operations under the
tutelage of ex-MTV head Alex Kuruvilla. Soon titles such as Vogue will
make it to the stands here. Though New Delhi-based Living Media has
been publishing Golf Digest and Golf World—Conde Nast brands—under a
license agreement, the Indian arm does have a few aces up its sleeve.
Kuruvilla, who is managing director of Conde Nast India, gives the
details to Viveat Susan Pinto of fe.

Considering that the fashion and lifestyle segment is fairly crowded
with national and international magazines, how do you propose to be
different with Vogue in India?

The work that one sees in the fashion and lifestyle space in the
country is pretty slapdash. There are shortcuts used at every stage,
be it production, editorial, photography etc. You do require a solid
work ethic to bring out a fashion magazine. The kind of quality we are
talking about can only come when you are dedicated to your job. We
haven't licensed the brand to a local partner. So that helps. We've
also tried to get the right people in place for the task at hand. I
believe this should help us go a long way with Vogue in India.

What kind of an audience profile do you have in mind for Vogue and
what kind of advertisers will you target?

The audience will definitely be upscale. The cover price of the
magazine will be over Rs 100, so the segment we are targeting is
niche. These people typically enjoy fashion and luxury and are looking
for a premium offering. As an emerging market, we felt it was
appropriate for us to make our presence felt in India with brands like
Vogue. Aspirations are growing here and so is the market for luxury
brands. So we don't see a dearth of advertising at all in the space.

As far as our other publications go, we will decide what is the need
of the hour and which segments require to be addressed. For instance,
Glamour, which is more mass than Vogue is, is a hit in Russia selling
7 lakh copies in the country. Similarly our niche offerings like
Architectural Digest do very well in certain countries.

We also propose to use the Internet in a big way in India. We may
extend this association to the mobile segment as well. Worldwide, our
Internet operations are very successful. Websites such as vogue.com,
style.com or innovations such as fashionfinder.com in the UK are very
popular.

Besides setting up our own websites, we have been looking at
acquisitions in the space, especially, in markets such as the US.
Considering that Internet penetration is on the rise in India, we are
not closing our eyes to avenues or opportunities that exist in the
country.

How do you view the media scenario in India?

With increasing saturation of mainstream media, niche segments will
come into their own in the country. So far, the emphasis has been on
achieving numbers. This has resulted in a focus on going mass, with a
one-size-fits-all approach. I see this changing. Also, there has been
a dumbing-down of content because of a mass-market approach. This will
change too.

Both advertiser and consumer pressure, in my opinion, will compel
media houses in the country to bring quality into their work. For
instance, fashion writing hasn't quite evolved in India the way it has
in the rest of the world. As international publishers and brands make
a beeline for India, I see the quality ethic creeping into the system
here.

The concept of personalisation will also take-off in a big way in the
country. As technology evolves, people will demand content in the
format and manner they desire. Already, direct-to-home, digital cable,
for instance, are attempting to bring this personalisation or
interactivity into consumer lives. The real revolution in media will
happen when this personalisation takes off in a big way in the
country.

When is Vogue going to be launched in the country?

The Indian edition will be launched by September or October next year.
We do want to get allied titles into the country too. On our wish list
are brands such as Glamour, Conde Nast Traveler, GQ, which is a men's
magazine, Vanity Fair and Wired.

But wasn't there an attempt in the past to get Wired and Glamour into
the country?

Executives of the Conde Nast group have been making regular trips to
India. Chances are local publishers may have been talking to the group
in the past. But these brands have never been launched in the country
so far. They will make an appearance under the Conde Nast India
umbrella only now.


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