NDTV Convergence has partnered with Quikr to launch NDTVClassifieds.com. Quikr.com was formerly Kijiji.in, a local classifieds site for apartments, cars, jobs, services, used goods ads. Quikr, backed by Matrix Partners India and eBay, is just the latest in NDTV’s line of “mutually-beneficial” relationships with online companies.
The Past
Many of its outsourcing partners in the past have cut their ties with NDTV Convergence barely a year after launching joint projects. In 2007, the company tied up with Thailand’s Yello Jobs to launch NDTVJobs.com but after a year, Yello Jobs broke away and the company then outsourced it to CareerBuilder. In January this year, the company partnered with Carwale.com to set up an auto portal called NDTVAuto.com but ended up outsourcing it completely to Carwale.com. The company had also launched NDTVAnswers with Ammas.com. What happened with that partnership? NDTV no longer figures in Ammas’ list of ‘top affiliates’.
Why Does NDTV Do This?
Over the past year, NDTV has launched around six sites and subsites through partnerships. NDTV forges such alliances to spread the net of its brand wider. Sanjay Trehan, CEO, NDTV Convergence said in the press release, “Leveraging the wide network that already exists on our site, NDTV.com, classifieds was a natural extension.”
NDTV is seeking to ‘extend’ its brand by partnering with online service providers to add to its basket without putting the time and effort into a long term plan to develop sub-brands. When partnerships do not last, do they create a negative impression of the brand? Is NDTV right in pursuing a brand strategy of fleeting partnerships?
Others
The company continues to flex its brand in random sectors – from commodities to e-learning to travel. It tied up with Commodity Online to set up NDTV Commodities; iXiGo and A4A Hospitality Service to power NDTVTravels; online e-learning firm TutorVista for NDTVTutor and Astroyogi for a section on astrology. Will NDTV now search for a partner for NDTV Doctor?
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5 Comments until now.
The way Prannoy Roy runs his Co, I sometimes fell whether he really is an economist or not.
I have been involved in one such discussion with NDTV in the past. The deal never materialized. That classifieds is a natural extension is bogus. Their only interest is the revenue they can extract from the partner – which is actually fine – but this positioning they are trying to create in participating in the internet space with classifieds, etc etc is definitely not correct.
Name one tieup with NDTV that has succeeded. These TV channels are arrogant and they think just because they have a sub-domain the fortunes of quikr would change? If life was only that simple
And I am surprised to see the management of Quikr (backed by Matrix) is not intelligent enough to realise this is flushing money in the toilet.
@Satyam
This is how the deal gone thru and matrix guys aren't dumb
NDTVConvergence : Are you guys interested to be part of NDTV site by paying 1.00-1.50 crores per annum?
Matrix Guys : But who visits your channels. We are not keen..Bye
NDTVCOnvergence : hey..hey..Hey..You got it wrong . We'll give you TV ads worth the deal value. But you can choose only from the unsold inventory. We'll also give you more on TV
Matrix Guys ( among themselves) : Hmmm.. looks like its a win-win deal… This guy wants to save his job. We'll make the most of it
OK NDTV Convergence , we pay 1.00 crore per annum but you give us TV Ads worth 1.20 Crores.
NDTV Convergance : Deal done { Damn… I can survive for one more quarter }
calls up Pranoy – Hey Boss..I closed a deal worth 1 Cr
Pranoy Roy to his EA : Ok ..postpone the decision to shutdown NDTV Convergence :-P
@Shivam,
lol! Now do u know whats the deal NDTV has with the Indian army so that the army's ads are only on the #3rd english news channel NDTV24/7 which no nationalistic Indian youth wanna watch.