ZEE: Family ties

The positioning and identity have also been extended to cover the group's news and digital business verticals under one umbrella brand, called Zee Media, in order to maintain a consistent look and feel across the group.

Corporate brand ZEE has, for the first time, come up with a brand positioning statement, 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,' inspired by the core message, 'The World is My Family'. Earlier, the brand did not have any positioning statement; however, the brand identity was changed in 2011. The words 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' are written beneath the logo of the brand.

Reflecting the brand's Indian heritage and ethos, the words Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam written in English, are capped off with a line over them (like in the Devnagri script). The "Dands" (∫∫∫∫) on either side of the word Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, amplify the authentic vedic origin of the ideology and signify the essence of 'completeness'. The 'Bindu' signifies the 'mark of welcoming someone in your home'.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is the ancient Indian dictum on shared humanity, promoting a world where there is unity, harmony, and respect for every individual irrespective of caste and creed.

Punit Goenka, MD and CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE), clarifies that the positioning is mainly for corporate brand ZEE. "This does not apply for channels/products of the company, since those have their independent positioning statements. The corporate brand caters to its TG, which comprises of internal and external stakeholders," he adds.

The network has also announced the newly framed company, Zee Media, which will host the three verticals - all news channels, DNA, and India.com. Zee Media will incorporate the same positioning 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the World is My Family' in order to maintain a consistent look and feel across the group.

However, there was no confirmation if the group's earlier company, Zee News Limited that comprised of all the news channels, will be dissolved. Also, as on date, there is no clarity on the BSE listing for the company.

Dr Ambi M G Parameswaran, ED and CEO of Draftfcb Ulka Mumbai, the creative agency behind the new positioning route, says, "Zee is not just another brand for our agency and our relationship with Zee runs deep. Today, Zee is a force to reckon with on the global stage as well. The company is rooted in true Indian values of philanthropy and spirituality. The new identity and the global positioning line try to embody this in a succinct manner."

About communicating the change to the various stakeholders, Goenka mentions that the launch of the new positioning will be in a phased manner. The first phase comprises unveiling the same on all the important corporate touchpoints. The second phase will comprise of a brand film, supported by other communications on leading media platforms.