Titli National Publishing Brand Management

1. Case Analysis of Titli Periodical
Submission made by:
- Sanmeet Dhokay (Roll No. 25)
- Mandar Risbud (Roll No. 14)

2. 1. Case Situation and Performance of Brand Titli
Case Situation: This case is about marketing challenge and Brand
Positioning situation faced by a leading publishing house National
Publishing Company (NPC). The challenge in the case is about “How to
manage a Brand over time” and repositioning Titli from a “light reading
material” to “knowledge and information related serious reading source”
NPC has a multi-brand portfolio, and one of its products is a leading
children’s periodical – Titli – published every fortnight in a vernacular
language. The situation describes that Titli was a market leader and had
attained peak sales in 1987 but in 1990, it is facing a problem of rapidly
reducing sales. The challenge in front of the Marketing Manager of NPC is
how to increase the sales of Titli to regain its lost market share and grow
further.
Detailed analysis of the case leads to following observations which helps us
further clarify the case situation:
- The buyer: The buyers are parents of children in age groups ranging
from 3 years to 14 years. Exhibit 4 conveys that the buyers are more
prominently from income group of Rs. 1,501 p.m. to Rs. 4,000+ p.m.
- The consumer: The consumers as well as one of the influencers of
buying decision are children. Titli is read more predominantly by
children in age groups 8-9 and 10-11 years (Exhibit 5)
- Competitors: Titli is far ahead of other competitors (45% share) as
against other vernacular magazines like Chand aur Suraj (5%), Dadima
(3%) etc
Critical review of performance of the brand ‘Titli’: Titli’s performance as a
Brand can be reviewed on following dimensions:
 Brand Identity and Image – Titli had established a strong brand
identity over a period of years. It’s core identity was that of a “good,
harmless entertainment magazine for children of 8-12 years old”
creating a foundation of strong moral values in growing children.

3. Page 5 of the case quotes that a study revealed that “Parents
expected to inculcate values of responsibility and develop personality
and self-confidence.”
However, parents of children in age group 13-14 years felt that Titli
had no great value for older children.
 Brand strength – Titli was a market leader in children’s periodicals
segment (Page 2 of the case). In 1989, Titli had a market share of 47%
while the closest follower had a share of only 14%.
A market research study revealed that there was a high degree of
awareness of Titli among respondents (about 76% mentioned the
magazine spontaneously).
The focus group discussion also indicated that Titli was perceived as
“superior magazine” by the children.
70
50
32
23
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Titli Petals Chand aur Suraj Guiding Light
TITLI'S LEADERSHIP IN
"REGULAR BUYER" CATEGORY

4.  Brand position: The market research study revealed that about 55%
of Titli buyers did not buy any other magazine while 80% buyers of
any other magazine also bought Titli. This clearly shows that for the
age group of 8-12 years, readers of Titli considered Titli as a complete
magazine. Younger children were eager to associate themselves with
Titli.
However, after attaining peak sales in 1987, sales of Titli had declined
by 40% in 1990. And despite of introducing a popular cartoon
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Titli Petals Little
Flowers
Chand aur
Suraj
Dadima Little
Master
Guiding
Light
45
11
5 5
3 3 3
% Household Buying
6
18
17
16
17
9
9
7
2
8
14
20
24
13
11
9
3 4- 5 6- 7 8- 9 10 - 11 12 13 14
EXTENT OF PENETRATION
Readers of Children's Magazines Readers of Titli

5. character from another magazine, sales of Titli did not register a
worthwhile increase.
From 1985 to 1989, Titli’s market share had been consistently
reducing which shows a deteriorating performance of the brand Titli.

6. 2. Estimation of Opportunity Loss since 1985
Following table calculates opportunity loss of Titli since 1985. The
explanation of the calculation is given below the table.
a) In 1986, overall market of children’s market increased by 25%. However,
Titli’s market share reduced from 30% to 26%. Hence, the opportunity
loss is (30% - 26% = 4% of total market size which is 37,50,000 copies)
which comes to 1,50,000 copies
b) In 1989, overall market of children’s magazine fell drastically by 56%
however, due to cartoon characters carried from the discontinued
Children’s Delight magazine, market share of Titli creased to 47%.
Assuming that the overall market of children’s magazines remained to
earlier levels of 1986, the increased market share of 47% would have
given additional revenue of (3,75,000 – 1,65,000) x 47% = 9,87,000
copies
c) Thus, for Rs. 2/- per copy, opportunity loss is (1,50,000 + 9,87,000) x 2 =
Rs. 22,74,000

7. 3. Key Problem Faced by Mr Saxena in context of brand “Titli”
Above diagram illustrates Titli’s brand identity traps. In addition to these,
Titli’s Marketing Manager is facing following problems:
- Reducing Sales – This is the most apparent problem. Sales of Titli are
reducing after attaining peak sales in 1987
- Very few lapsed buyers were buying other magazines, they had actually
given up reading any other magazines
- The lapse rate was highest in that age group in which reading was 2nd
most preferred leisure activity (12 years, 13 years and 14 years)
- Influence of TV was eating into leisure time of children
o Positioning of Titli was more as entertainment magazine. Hence,
when TV emerged as a more impactful medium of entertainment,
brand strength of Titli eroded
- Positioning – Exhibit 8 shows that elder children (age 10 to 14 years)
consider reading as the 2nd
most preferred leisure activity after watching
TV. But this is exactly the same segment that was embarrassed to
associate themselves with Titli

8. - Parents didn’t think Titli is for elder children, they looked down upon
Titli
Mr Saxena can identify solution to the situation by using “Strategic Decision
Framework”, as follows:

9. 4. Identification of Options
a. Change positioning of Titli - Position Titli as Infotainment periodical
as against only Entertainment
b. Change positioning of Titli as knowledge magazine as against only
Entertainment
c. Increase scientific and informational content and influence parents
by advertising about the improved content quality in appropriate
vernacular marketing mediums (Ex: Newspapers, magazines,
electronic media etc)
d. Increase commission of Agents to increase % of occasional readers
e. Approach schools and request them to subscribe Titli in their school
libraries
f. Bundle Titli subscription with other Family/Social category
publications of National Publishing