HT Media's reader engagement initiatives draw 3.3 lakh responses in just 18 days

Titled 'Festival of Gifts' and 'Festival of Gold,' the initiatives aimed to captivate readers nationwide and boost advertiser visibility.

HT Media, a leading media conglomerate, has stirred excitement across India with its festive reader engagement initiatives. Titled Festival of Gifts for print platforms and Festival of Gold for digital platforms, these campaigns have garnered an impressive 3.3 lakh responses from participants across the country in just 18 days.

The Festival of Gifts on print platforms and Festival of Gold on digital platforms aimed to captivate readers by offering them a chance to win daily prizes. Over the 18-day period, an average of 19,000 responses per day flooded in across Hindustan Times and Hindustan platforms. 

The questions posed to the readers were centered around festive offers and promotions of partner brands featured in Hindustan Times and Hindustan, providing an engaging platform for readers and advertisers alike. Prizes up for grabs included smartphones, smartwatches, and Bluetooth speakers, adding an element of excitement for the participants. The Festival of Gold digital campaign achieved high digital engagement, recording an average CTR of 3.2% on hindustantimes.com and 4.3% on livehindustan.com. With 650 winners expected by the campaign's conclusion on November 10th, the initiative aims to not only captivate but also reward the audience for their active participation generously.

One delighted winner, Krishna R. Vanjari, an avid reader from Delhi, expressed his joy, saying, "Discovering that I had won a smartwatch left me in sheer awe and brimming with happiness! My longstanding 15-year relationship with HT, ensuring I don't miss a thing, fueled my motivation to participate in the quiz—it's like the pages of HT just gave back to me in the most surprising way!"

The month-long campaign has garnered appreciation from both readers and advertisers. Shivani Malik, director of marketing at Da Milano, remarked, "We've had a long-standing association with Hindustan Times, and every visit feels like a warm return home. I believe this campaign will significantly boost both readers and advertisers. Such initiatives are rare among media houses, and it's an excellent way to kickstart the festive season, a pivotal period for advertisers." 

Vicky Ajit, director of media partnerships at Publicis Media, echoed similar sentiments, "Festival of Gifts, introduced by HT Media Group, is a commendable initiative for direct reader engagement. My heartfelt congratulations to all the contest winners. I express my gratitude to Hindustan Times for granting me the chance to be part of this fantastic initiative. I extend thanks to the entire HT team on behalf of Publicis Media!" 

The campaign garnered appreciation from marketing professionals across the country. Shivani Malik, director of marketing at Da Milano, shared her thoughts: "We've had a long-standing association with Hindustan Times, and every visit feels like a warm return home. I believe this campaign will significantly boost both readers and advertisers. Such initiatives are rare among media houses, and it's an excellent way to kickstart the festive season, a pivotal period for advertisers." Vicky Ajit, director of media partnerships at Publicis Media, reiterated similar feelings by stating, "Festival of Gifts, introduced by HT Media Group, is a commendable initiative for direct reader engagement. My heartfelt congratulations to all the contest winners. I express my gratitude to Hindustan Times for granting me the chance to be part of this fantastic initiative. I extend thanks to the entire HT team on behalf of Publicis Media!" Media & Advertising professionals including Iftikhar Khan, director, Assured Advertising and Media; Sujata Dwibedy - chief investment and trading officer, Amplifi, Dentsu International; Dolly Choudhary, director, promotions & marketing, GJEPC; Akhilesh Kumar Singh, COO, Red Chief; Anju Munjal, Senior VP, Usha International, and many more joined hands with HT Media Group to felicitate the daily winners.

The 'Festival of Gifts' initiative, with its wide-reaching appeal, has not only strengthened the bond with the existing audience but has also attracted new participants from diverse backgrounds and regions, creating a vibrant and interactive community of readers and advertisers alike while spreading the festive cheer this season.

Media and advertising professionals including Iftikhar Khan, director, Assured Advertising and Media Pvt; Sujata Dwibedy, chief investment and trading officer, Amplifi, Dentsu International; Dolly Choudhary, director, promotions and marketing, GJEPC; Akhilesh Kumar Singh, COO, Red Chief; Anju Munjal, senior VP, Usha International, and many more joined hands with HT Media Group to felicitate the daily winners.

(We got this information in a press release.)