| It’s all in the planets. That’s the underlying philosophy behind the Amatrra, an enormous lifestyle spa to be opened next month in Delhi’s Ashok Hotel.
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| The spa, promoted by the Rs 1,000-crore Mayar Group, will take up a staggering 45,000 sq ft of space, but that isn’t its only selling point.
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| Amatrra uses astro-science to diagnose the ailments of its members and to prescribe the most appropriate therapies for a particular day.
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| What does this translate into? If you’re lucky enough to be one of the by-invitation-only members, you’ll first have the basic details of your horoscope entered into a computer. Your regimen will be planned according to date and time of birth, and the effect certain planets have on you at any given time.
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| These factors will determine everything from the kinds of oils prescribed for your massages to what you’ll be served at the spa’s juice bar (if your lucky colour on a particular day is red, it’s carrot or tomato juice). Even the little pebbles lining the floor of the pool will be stones with therapeutic value!
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| “The idea is to customise the spa experience according to scientific principles,” says Ashit Sud, director, Mayar Group. Also, he says, spa therapy should be a continuous process that helps one cope with work-related and other stress.
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| “We don’t believe in the destination spa culture, where people go for a short holiday, undergo spa therapy and then come back to their stressful jobs. It has to go hand in hand with other aspects of one’s life.”
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| Sud insists that despite the huge capacity of the spa “we are not looking at large numbers. Quality over quantity.” The Mayar Group has spent Rs 15 crore on the spa.
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| The equipment includes a floatarium — aimed at reducing stress and designed, appropriately enough, to resemble a womb — with a water bed imported from Germany. For using the gymnasium, each member has a “smart key” that, when entered in a kiosk, sets the equipment to the member’s personalised programme.
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| And the ancient science of astrology will rub shoulders with modern technology here — members who miss a couple of days of their schedule will receive personalised SMSs and e-mails “from the spa”, telling them they are being missed!
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| Staying in the black
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| It sure appears to be a season for colour. In a bid to push its hair colour brands — Coloursoft and Renew — the Rs 490-crore Godrej Consumer Products has embarked on a massive promotion scheme.
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| With a pilot project in 32 selected shopping malls in Mumbai and New Mumbai, the promotion offers free colouring sessions at these outlets for anyone who buys Godrej hair colouring products. The initiative which opened on Sunday will run till August 15.
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| Why is Godrej hardselling its products in the Rs 350-crore hair colour market? Firstly, there’s the fact that the market is growing at a 10 per cent clip.
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| Today, Godrej, with assorted colouring products for the hair including the mass-based Kali Mehendi, is the market leader with a 42 per cent share. Hygiene Research’s Vasmol colours 20 per cent and L’Oreal is at 15 per cent.
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| But the margins are said to be higher at the top-end of the market dominated by L’Oreal. Here, Godrej has only a 5 per cent share, which it now wants to boost. Says Hoshedar K Press, executive director & president, Godrej Consumer Products, “We want consumers to experience our products.”
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| This new initiative comes at a time, according to market experts, when Godrej has seen the greying of its market share. Three years ago, Godrej is believed to have had a 50 per cent share. Press claims that the free hair colouring sessions will be gradually rolled out nationally.
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| Will this push up Godrej’s marketshare? “That’s the intention,” says Press.
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| Surfing for more
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| It’s an animation channel with a difference. Animax, the newest channel from the Sony stable launched this week but executives were at pains to emphasise that the channel isn’t only for children.
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| “Animation has a wider appeal with a wide range of subjects from action to romance. Cartoon is mainly comedy and is meant for kids,” says Todd Miller, managing director, AXN Asia and Animax Asia.
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| For those who haven’t surfed their way to Animax yet, the channel shows Japanese-made animation programmes that are dubbed in English. There’s only four hours of children’s programming in the afternoons but that’s in Hindi.
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| So, who is Animax aimed at if it isn’t primarily trying to win the hearts and minds of pre-schoolers and the under-10s? The channel bosses say they are reaching out to viewers aged between 15 and 24. Children between four to 14 are a secondary target.
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| “We are targeting the youth and not the kids. In fact, we do not have any programming for pre-schoolers. For kids too, there is only a four hour slot everyday. The rest of the programming is for the youth,” says Kunal Dasgupta, CEO, Sony Entertainment Television,
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| Animax Asia launched in January and has been broadcasting to countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, the Philippines, Maldives, Vietnam and Indonesia. The channel was already available in Japan. Now, Animax South Asia will be available in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, besides India.
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| Is there an audience for Animax? The channel’s research shows that 46 per cent of the 45 million cable homes have viewers in the age group of four to 24. To ensure a wider audience all programmes will be dubbed in Hindi by next April.
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| Sony is taking other promotional measures like roadshows to familiarise people with the channel and its key characters. There are also plans for merchandising so we won’t have to wait long for Animax T-shirts to make their appearance. |
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