“Asia is a big continent. In reality, Asia is comprised of non-homogeneous markets with unique and distinctively different cultures and languages. A case in point on the complexity of marketing in Asia is simply to consider the different spoken languages of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Korea and Japan.” One of the biggest challenges in branding, says Gunson, is being able to consistently deliver a coherent message across the continent. “Many marketers fall into the trap of generalizing Asia and adapt a one-size-fit-all template strategy.” He says that success lies in the localization of marketing strategies and campaigns. “By adapting a campaign to the local market, we have been successful in aligning National Geographic Channel to the tastes of the local markets.” Apart from awards events like Promax, Gunson says that branding success can also be measured through internal commissioned brand tracker surveys or on publicly available brand surveys such as the Synovate PAX – pointing out that “National Geographic Channel is one of the fastest rising stars on the list of channels being tracked by PAX.” “More significant to us is the viewership of National Geographic Channel. It directly measures the value and success of the brand,” he continues. “For the past 3 years, we have seen more people tuning in and staying longer on NGC. This is an affirmation that our strategy is working and we are on the right track.” Gunson adds that in many Asian markets today, National Geographic Channel is the mostwatched documentary channel. As SVP of programming and broadcasting, Gunson says that every programme commissioned has to be able travel the world; taking into consideration that every market has its own nuances, likes and dislikes. “We see that certain Asian markets prefer certain genres of programmes better than others. And there are markets that are highly sensitive to non-conventional religious and cultural views.” The network is also seeing a shift in media consumption habits due to changing demographics. “Hence, NGC has been proactive in introducing National Geographic Channel VOD, which has been very successful in Hong Kong. In some markets where viewers are more sophisticated and discerning, we offer National Geographic Channel HD.” Noting that generally, wildlife documentary programs are widely accepted across all markets, Gunson says Nat Geo Wild is proving a successful product in both Singapore and Hong Kong. He adds that the localization of the channel into Cantonese in Hong Kong has resulted in a rapid increase in subscription and viewership. So how have branding and marketing focuses and priorities changed or evolved in Asia? “Brands have to stay relevant in the face of rapid changes. Since the advent of the Internet and the introduction of digital technology, the cheap availability of bandwidth has resulted in a rapid proliferation of channels across Asia. This has dramatically changed the way marketers think. “We used to be a one channel business. Today, we operate a network of National Geographic branded channels of different sub-brands and brand extensions to cater to the different audiences and viewing choices across Asia. It is always tempting to move towards a simplified way of putting the brands in one basket. We must not forget that the reason for the proliferation of these channels is the fragmentation of viewers. Hence, we have to treat each channel individually in our marketing priorities.” Marketing Case Study A very good case study is our HD co-production initiative with the Film Development Corporation of Malaysia (FINAS). In August 2007, we launched the first 1 x 60-min program entitled Becoming a King in Malaysia. For the first time, National Geographic Channel’s exclusive access took viewers inside the coronation of a king. As we went behind the scenes from the majestic grandeur and tradition to the momentous celebration, we revealed the inspiring personal story of Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, Malaysia’s 13th supreme ruler. It was an outstanding integrated campaign, including an onground premiere event at Cathay Cineleisure in Kuala Lumpur, where we showcased the High Definition documentary program on Sony’s CineAlta 4K digital projector. The event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Datuk Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim, Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage of Malaysia, Encik Mohd Mahyidin Mustakim, Director-General of FINAS and international artiste, Michelle Yeoh. Through the campaign, we were able to demonstrate our leadership in HD in Asia. In Malaysia, the press was fascinated with the story of the beloved Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku. Astro reported that the premiere of Becoming a King was the most-watched English language program among the international channels on August 27, 2007. For the week of August 27 to September 2, 2007, Becoming a King was also the most watched documentary program across all international factual entertainment channels in Malaysia.