ITV

Tag: MTV

  • RedWorks Digital Services appoints Gavin Hall as regional VP

    MUMBAI: Oglivy & Mather‘s design unit RedWorks Digital Services has appointed Gavin Hall as regional vice president for APAC. He will be based in Singapore.

    In this new role, Hall will expand the digital delivery capabilities of RedWorks across the region, including specialist and production operations in Bangalore, Ho Chi Minh and Beijing.

    RedWorks Asia regional president Michael Burgess said, “RedWorks has evolved considerably over the last three years and we are pleased to have Gavin on board to be part of our growth. His extensive management, mobile, online project and product management experience will further add to our service offerings and strong leadership team, and create additional value for our clients.”

    “It has been more than six years since I was part of Ogilvy and I feel as if I am coming home. It is an exciting time to join RedWorks, and I am looking forward to supporting RedWorks‘ growth across Asia Pacific,” Hall said.

    Hall began his career as an award-winning producer for MTV before joining OgilvyOne in the interactive space where he worked on regional projects for Nokia, Unilever and Lufthansa. He moved to Yahoo! where he managed regional mobile product offerings before his most recent role at SingTel, where he was charged with leading the developer and partnership relationships for the company‘s drive into mobile applications.

  • Channel UFX hires Fourth Dimension

    MUMBAI: English music channel, Channel UFX has awarded its advertising, sales and marketing mandate to Fourth Dimension Media Solutions. The agency has been roped in to devise a unique communication strategy to strengthen the brand imagery of Channel UFX in the Indian market. There was no pitch involved in the entire process.

    Fourth Dimension Media Solutions COO Bharath Viswanathan said, “The channel has a content that is on par with any other famous channels such as MTV, Channel V and so on. Our primary job would be to penetrate the brand as the most preferred music channel for youth amongst all media planners and clients. We have also hired a robust team to handle the ad sales duty of the channel nationally”.

    Channel UFX creative and channel head Shiran Mather said, “We are happy to have Fourth Dimension as we see a lot of potential in the company. They have been handling big brands and they could understand our channel well. I would like to have people who understand the brand, as they will reach the right client. I am expecting quick results from them.”

    Fourth Dimension Media Solutions carried out media outsourcing and handles television airtime sales for Tamil news channel ‘Puthiyathalaimurai‘ and its magazine by the same name. Its other clients include English radio station Chennai Live and Andhra Pradesh‘s news channel V6.

  • Firefox and MTV launch new co-branded adventure bikes

    MUMBAI: MTV, the youth entertainment channel, in association with Firefox Bikes, has launched a new range of co-branded adventure bikes.

    With this launch, MTV Consumer Products have extended into more than 16 categories like eye-wear, bags, stationery and paper, debit cards, mobile phones, bed-linen and helmets.

    The Firefox MTV bike models include the 24″ Thor, 26″ Smoke, Dirt and Hades. The range is priced between Rs 10,000 to Rs 16,000 and targets youngsters.

    Firefox Bikes managing director Shiv Inder Singh said, “Extending our lineage of high-end bikes this time in collaboration with MTV will certainly expand our market share; as MTV enjoys huge brand loyalty amongst the youth. These new bikes have specially been designed keeping in mind the generation next.”

    Viacom18 senior VP – consumer products Sandeep Dahiya added, “We‘re delighted to partner with Firefox, to launch MTV range of adventure bikes in India – a range that is as flamboyant in design as it is unique in functionality. The launch of MTV adventure bikes also marks the beginning of extending MTV licensed products in unconventional categories and 2012 is going to see more and more of that.”

    Firefox Bikes has over 90 exclusive bike stations across Indian cities and one in Bhutan. It has also introduced the Trek Bikes (USA) to India as exclusive distributors.

    MTV Consumer Products‘ key licensees include Citibank, Aureole-Inspecs, BILT, Portico, Micromax, Steelbird, Wildcraft, Lava Mobiles and ‘Mochi – The Shoe Shoppe‘.

  • ‘No advertiser or competitor can ignore the disruption we have created in the marketplace’ : Channel [V] EVP and GM Prem Kamath

    ‘No advertiser or competitor can ignore the disruption we have created in the marketplace’ : Channel [V] EVP and GM Prem Kamath

    For Channel [V], the radical moment has arrived. The reinvention process it started in 2009 as music channelsfailed to create differentiated content and had to settle for low revenues. Making the shift, the Star group channel has decided to discontinue all the music slots in its programming lineup effective 1 July.

     

    The new avatar will do away with Bollywood music as it searches for youth audiences that are monetisable. The positioning that it will take is a complete youth entertainment channel with 100 per cent content customised for this target segment. 

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Gaurav Laghate, Channel [V] EVP GM Prem Kamath talks about the channel‘s growth plans.

     

    Excerpts:

    Doing away with music is definitely a bold step. But what about the trailers that channel [V] airs?
    Trailers will continue as they are a source of revenue. We sell them as any other spot for promotions. But we won’t be airing any Bollywood music as part of our programming lineup.

    So from where did this idea come from? Do you see a lacuna in youth-targeted programming?
    The “Youth channel” word has become a misnomer in the Indian context with music channels calling themselves as youth channels. Unless you are creating youth content, you cannot be a youth channel.

    Music is as youth as a movie channel or a news channel or a sports channel is for that matter because if you see demographically with over 60 per cent of youth population, all the channels have youth as their main TG.

    So how is Channel [V] differentiated?
    We are very clear that we don’t want to be a commodity channel playing just music. If you see, all the music channels are in the same GRP (gross rating point) bracket and the content is identical.

    On the other hand, we offer 100 per cent customised youth content. And all our shows have worked really well and today ratings wise, we are two-and-a-half times of these channels.

    As you said, all channels have majority of their audience as youth. Why will an advertiser select Channel [V]?
    We are delivering to a youth audience, which is exclusive and substantial in number. This has made Channel [V] a vehicle through which the advertisers can target the said audience.
    ‘There is a risk in adding original content and not having anything to fall back on (like music) in case the shows don’t work‘

    So when did you finalise on shedding the Bollywood music completely?
    When we relaunched in June 2009, the plan was ready then. We were focussed on increasing the original content.

    In 2009, we had 75 per cent music content while 25 per cent was original content. And we gradually and consciously reversed that order. Since the last six months, we have been airing only three hours of music in a day.

    But don’t you think creating original content will increase the operational cost?
    Substantially, but we were clear that youth centric shows per hour cost a lot more than the usual music that runs on these kind of channels. We, therefore, built slot by slot.

    Today, we have 10 hours of original content per week. We have three successful fiction shows and will add on to have weekday primetime from 6-8.30 pm. And on Saturdays and Sundays, we will be airing a one-hour show at the 7 pm slot.

    Isn‘t one of your shows picked up by Star Plus?
    Yes, Gumraah, our weekly show, which we are changing to a daily. It is being aired on Star Plus at 8 pm as a repeat on Saturdays and Sundays. This also shows the strength of our content.

    Once you stop music, how will you fill up the slots?
    We will air all our shows three times a day. It suits our viewers also as India is predominantly a single TV householdand parents are in charge of the remote. So our TG can catch up on the show during the repeats. Also, colleges here operate in morning and afternoon shifts, so having three repeats will help in that case.

    If you see all the music channels, the main TRPs come from the morning band where you also were playing music. Don’t you think that removing music will affect badly on the ratings?
    Our channel is viewed by over 25 million people and we average over 50 GRPs week on week, which is a proof that our viewers are watching shows and not music.

    Moreover, as you pointed out, most of the GRPs on the music channels come from morning bands, which is ad free. So even if it helps in getting the ratings, it may not necessarily be monetisable.

    But these are safe GRPs?
    I agree that there is a risk in adding original content and not having anything to fall back on (like music) in case the shows don’t work. However, we are extremely confident about our content.

    Our break TVR is four times that of other channels. This goes to show the strength of our content – that is sticky and engaging. In case of music, people tend to change the channel the moment ad begins. Even our show to break conversion is as high as 80 per cent.

    But still when you say Channel [V] or MTV, the first image that comes to mind is that of a music channel. The legacy factor is there. Won‘t that get affected?
    Numbers are absolute truth and perception is not. And we have numbers to substantiate.

    How do you see current competition coming from music and youth channels?
    The disruption that we have created is so wide that it can’t be ignored by the advertisers or competitors. The current problem with music channels is that no advertiser is going to pay a premium, unless you have a differentiated offering.

    Having said that, top players will be profitable, albeit small. There will be a time when some of these players will have to relook on their business models.

    Earlier you had said that monetising the music content is difficult. How?
    Exactly. Today the same music is available on not just the music channels but also on multiple platforms like internet, mobiles and tablets. And consumption of music videos is very high on high-end mobiles and tablets.

    Anything that can get monetised on a television channel is loyalty. And that can‘t happen with the same content. That is why we decided to offer customised youth content.

    Everyone is bullish on digital today. What future role Channel [V] will have on the digital front?
    Everyone is trying to figure out the answer to this question. How and up to what extent digital entertainment will affect TV is yet to be seen. Having said that, if you understand your audience well and create content for them, it will work.

    Moreover, digital as a medium changes very fast, which adds further complexities. There are some myths,though, that are busting – like on internet only short form content works. Today, YouTube plays full length feature films and long format is also working well.

    Talking about our website, for now it will be an extension of the channel adding ancillary programming for TV.

    Unlike some of your competitors, you are not much into licensing and merchandising. Why?
    L&M for us is not making bags or T-shirts. It is not a marketing stunt and our belief is that L&M should be strongly differentiated and have big potential. So we have two properties – [V] Spots and IndiaFest.

    We have seen phenomenal success with [V] Spots. Both Saket (New Delhi) and Gurgaon outlets have broken even within a month of launch. We will soon be launching in Pune and by the end of our next fiscal (June 2013), we will have 10 [V] Spots across India. We are looking at Chandigarh and Bengaluru as potential markets.

    IndiaFest is one of its kind youth festival, which we organise in Goa every year. It is also growing year-on-year.

  • MTV signs L&M deal with Global Fragrances to launch Deos and EDTs

    MUMBAI: MTV India, the youth brand from the Viacom18 stable, has entered into a licensing agreement with aerosol, perfumes and cosmetic manufacturer Global Fragrance, to launch MTV range of body sprays (deodorants) and eau de toilettes (EDTs) for men and women.

    The deal marks MTV‘s foray into another significant youth category – personal care.

    Slated to be launched in August 2012, the MTV range will consist of four fragrances each for men and women. The collection will be available in over 100,000 retail outlets – conventional as well as modern trade, the company said.

    Viacom18 consumer products and communications senior vice president Sandeep Dahiya said, “We‘re excited to tie-up with Global Fragrances, to enter yet another significant youth category – deodorants and EDTs. The launch of MTV range of DEOs and EDTs is in line with our plans to expand the MTV franchise across key youth categories.”

    Global Fragrances managing director Somesh Choudhary added, “MTV is a cult brand that resonates strongly with the youth. Given our manufacturing and distribution capabilities, and MTV‘s creative strength, we‘re confident of this range doing exceptionally well.”

    MTV recently announced its licensing tie-up with mens innerwear brand Crusoe for a range of co-branded innerwear. Apart from this, MTV consumer products today extends to more than 15 categories with innerwear, adventure bikes, footwear, lingerie, eye-wear, bags, stationery and paper, debit cards and mobile phones having collaborations with brands like Bwitch, Citibank, Firefox, Aureole-Inspecs, BILT, Lava, PLG, J K Ansell and Mochi.

  • MTV and Crusoe tie up to launch range of men’s innerwear brand

    MUMBAI: Treading the unconventional route yet again, youth entertainment channel MTV has tied up with mens innerwear Crusoe to launch the ‘Roadies’ range of innerwear.

    The collection, called ‘MTV Roadies Men’s Innerwear by Crusoe’, comprises nearly 50 style options available at more than 1000 retail points, across India, including large format stores, multi-brand-outlets and exclusive Crusoe outlets apart from online sales options.

    Viacom18 Media senior vice president, consumer products and communications Sandeep Dahiya said, “Over the last one year I think what we have also tried to do is try the unconventional. The brands that we have lend themselves very well to the unconventional categories and ideas. We thought we have stationary, eyewear, apparels, footwear and what have you. So why not explore categories which have not been explored yet – globally or anywhere else. Again, research and insight told us that innerwear in India is very boring more so in the men’s range.”

    Research has led to the insight that for youngsters, innerwear is not just innerwear anymore. People now prefer to show it off and it has become as much a part of the ensemble as the regular clothes. The brand Roadies has been associated with daring, attitude and a rugged youth feel since the first season of the show. It lent as the synergistic partner for a men’s innerwear range.

    Speaking about this particular range Dahiya said, “Today’s youth is exploring more and expressing more when it comes to innerwear, and the MTV Roadies range by Crusoe gives them over 50 design options to choose from. We were looking for a brand which has synergy to partner with. Secondly we looked at brands which had similar mindset as us. We were looking for answers to questions like do they fall in the same space? Are they open to experiment? Are they open to playing and have an attitude like ours?”

    Imbuing the Roadies feel, the range is adventurous, out-doors, confident and upbeat. It comprises design elements like graphics, patterns and twisted-phrases and colours to make it unique and aspirational. The designs reflect the Roadies’ attitude with a variety of 12 styles like Maverick Briefs, Voyage Briefs, Gypsy Boxer Briefs, Beach Boxers, Wave Shorts, Surfer Shorts, Panache Vests and Getaway Shorts.

    Crusoe chief marketing officer Abhishek Tibrewal said, “MTV Roadies is a cult brand with huge following in the youth space and has great synergies with our brand ‘Crusoe‘. We‘ve developed a great range comprising over 50 styles and we‘re confident of it doing exceedingly well at retail.”

    Licensing and merchandising is an area of marketing that is only just rearing its head in India and one foresees bright prospects for the same.

    Dahiya says, “Licensing is a fairly new deal in India and so you need an open mindset more so you can converge there and then talk about ideas at the thought level, the design level, pricing, positioning and so on and so forth.”

  • MTV outlines characteristics of India‘s youth

    MTV outlines characteristics of India‘s youth

    MUMBAI: For India‘s youth marketers, there are three important characteristics that they need to keep in mind before tapping into this segment.

    The youth function as one. Each individual in distinct and the
    instinct is to maintain this distinction. Individuality is something that the youth refuse to trade with while continuing to display cohesive behaviour as a group.

    The second significant trait is that while being modern in thinking and expression, India‘s youth values the family. While society norms do not seem to bother them, parental perceptions and approval still matter.

    The third thing to notice is that the youth today, thanks to the high levels of exposure, is already inspired. What it wants is engagement.

    These are the findings of a research report by MTV on the attitudes and preferences of the youth. The research explores how the youth view themselves, what makes them tick and their modes and methods of expression.

    Empowered with information and digital platforms, youth has the ability to start revolutions, trends and movements that transcend demographics and geographies. In a crude way, they behave as one family where each member is in sync with the other.

    They present a unique case of participation, collaboration and competition. They are constantly involved in an informal match of one-upmanship through the various media available to them. Knowing is no longer enough. Being the first to know and having accurate up-to-date information separates the uber cool from the cool. Eighty nine per cent research online before making any purchase decision. They operate on multiple screens and live in the fast lane. They are the new age social butterflies aptly renamed digital butterflies.

    When asked whether they feel that the youth has the power to change or influence society, 72 per cent responded with assertion that they do feel so. An average 26 per cent were not too sure about it and a paltry two per cent believed that this was not the case. This shows the confidence that the youth has in itself and the conviction for making a difference as a unit.

    The youth of today is a participative lot. 42 per cent said that they would participate in a movement for a cause that affects them. This feeling was resonated across religions and genders. The study showed that females are slightly more participative with 46 per cent agreeing to participate while 41 per cent males responded positively. The research also showed that the will to participate in a movement is strongest among self starters (48 per cent), followed by students (42 per cent) while the salaried show least inclination (37 per cent). The younger age group between 15 and 21 years ie more likely to get involved in a movement (43 per cent) as opposed to those between 22
    and 24 years (40 per cent).

    They are largely independent of media influence when it comes to making significant decisions. The most important factor in decision making for the youth today is personal experience (32 per cent), followed by parent appreciation (26 per cent) and family approval as a whole (24 per cent). The least to affect the youth’s decision making process is media appreciation and fame (two per cent). Being
    particular about maintaining their identity, the youth co-creates content. With the digital platform, it is now possible to comment, criticize, applaud, modify and reinvent content.

    The social norms do not deter the youth from exercising their personal identities. When asked about the importance of society in decision making, 56 per cent replied that while the societal perceptions do bother them, they will go ahead with their decision if they feel they are right. Thirty seven per cent blatantly refused to acknowledge the society’s views while eight per cent admitted to never wanting to go against society sanctions. While more males were resistant to societal norms (39 per cent) than females (28 per cent), the fairer sex felt more strongly about going ahead with their decision, societal norms notwithstanding, on the basis of personal conviction (65 per cent) as opposed to males (54 per cent).

    The youth act as influencers in their own circles. When asked whom they feel they can influence the the maximum, the popular answer was parents (82 per cent felt so). Parents were followed by peers (57 per cent), siblings (39 per cent), professional colleagues (36 per cent), girlfriend/boyfriend (35 per cent) and social network connections (34 per cent). The government (15 per cent), brands/companies (12 per cent) and legal authorities (11 per cent) figured in the bottom three of the youth’s perceived spectrum of influence list.

    The youth of today is a passionate lot, given that they see logic in the cause. They prefer using their minds, weighing the pros and cons and then commit to a cause. According to the study, the youth find that corruption is the most significant societal issue that affects them today (21 per cent). This is followed by unclean surroundings (19 per cent), the issue of reservation or quota system (17 per cent) and pollution (eight per cent). Surprisingly, illiteracy (to per cent) and poverty (three per cent) got the least attention from the youth.

    The research stumbled across the concept of relevant causes versus glamour trends. While the former refer to more realistic and directly impacting issues like bad canteen food or ragging, the latter refer to causes that have gained momentum and are akin to trends. While relevant causes calls for high levels of involvement, glamour trends earn the youth participation points.

    When asked what motivated them to be a part of the movement, neither relevant causes nor glamour trends emerged winners. Forty one per cent of the sample size said that the reason for participation was that it was the need of the hour. Fifteen per cent participated as it had a direct impact on their lives while two per cent participated under peer pressure.

    The youth of today uses the mobile device as its primary tool for communication. Mobile phones have gained importance for not only receiving and making calls, but also in maintaining an online presence. Forty per cent of the youth today use the mobile to search Internet sites for various things while 41 per cent use it to access Facebook and eight per cent use it to tweet on the move.

  • Build creativity around brands across platforms: Holm

    MUMBAI: Brands have to learn to be creative across all platforms so that they can engage today’s youth, the most important segment that marketers need to chase to successfully sell their products.

    “You need to play the plot with creativity and remember to use all the screens. Today’s youth is a multi-tasker and to grab their attention you have to be present on all the screens they use. Each screen from the desktop to the iPhone have a unique technology that can be leveraged to engage the consumer,” said Rovio Asia SVP Henry Holm.

    Speaking about the “O-O-O” theory, Holm said it is a different take on the 360 degree marketing strategy in that it shuffles between online presence, offline connect and back to online. This works well with brands which operate in the online space. While the digital space is where the product or service exists, the offline space is used to create touch and feel experiences which make an imprint on the consumer’s conscious and engage them. Once the offline exercise is carried out, the consumer may directly follow up by going online or the brand may provide an incentive to do so.

    Apart from activiations, a brand may collaborate with other compatible brands or go the licensing and merchandising way. Many brands have taken the L&M route to increase consumer engagement and involvement. The trick is to find a way to harness fan value, mutual partner benefit and brand fit simultaneously, Holm elaborated while speaking at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum.

    Rovio Entertainment, the developers of the Angry Birds game, has had a huge success ride in the past decade. Holm shared the brand’s experience with marketing for the youth along with their key learnings.

    Though it may feel like the game has been around for quite some time, the journey started a mere two and a half years back. “Since the beginning our aim has been to concentrate on the characters and create a connect with the audiences through our online-offline-online strategy,” said Holm. “While exciting features may help grab eyeballs, unless a fan base is built, the success will be short-lived.”

    Rovio carried out an activation in association with T mobile in Spain (Terrassa near Barcelona) where a real life Angry Birds stage was set up. Players could aim the birds on the evil pigs on the iPhone installed at the site and the bird’s trajectory would be simulated in real life on the stage.

    The activation not only caught the fancy of the people on that day, but the videos of the event filmed by participants went viral and resulted in significant visibility for the brand. The players were stimulated by the game and went online to relive the experience in the digital space, Holm said.

  • Youth marketing’s mantra: Listen, learn and engage

    MUMBAI: That the social media and digital platform is the present and future of marketing is no longer a surprise or a secret. Also, the fact that marketing needs to be customised to engage the youth is well known and accepted by now. Building on these two tenets of modern day marketing, a panel of six experts discussed the nuances of this phenomenon at the MTV Youth Marketing Forum held here today.

    Nike India marketing head Avinash Pant opined, “While the environment and lifestyle trends have changed, I believe the fundamentals of marketing are still the same.”

    The youth, according to him, are looking for inspiration and love innovation. So it is still a matter of getting the message through to them, but in ways that do not pile the communication on them; they should engage them.

    Viacom18 Motion Pictures COO Vikram Malhotra pointed out, “The youth is no longer just a segment of the audience. It has become tHE segment. Thus, it has become important to open up engagement channels in ways that the youth want, and not what we think is best for the brand.”

    In other words, it is time brands shifted from the manufacturer mindset of dishing out content and information they want the audience to hear and use and go on the field and create experiences for engaging the youth.

    Social media can no longer be considered an optional or secondary aspect of marketing plans as it has become a necessity, especially when targeting the youth. While it is true that it isn’t only the youth that access the digital platform and social media, it is a fact that they are the first and most frequent users.

    “I feel that there are some products that will gain maximum footage through the use of social media. My personal experience says that the success of my movie Shaitan was because of the conversation that happened online,” offered film director Bijoy Nambiar.

    Giving yet another example of the same, actor Aayushman Khurana said, “We experienced something similar with Vicky Donor. The YouTube video and word of mouth has made a great impact on the audiences.”

    What makes conversations with the youth online interesting is the fact that it is a generation that is ready to experiment and voice its opinion. The youth are not afraid to put it as it is and this can be a major leveraging point for the brands. The trick is to internalize the conversations that your brand generates among the young netizens.

    To tap into it brands, need to keep in mind that the youth is on-the-go and need to keep up with them. The trick is to listen, learn and engage. The youth also do not mind taking risks and, in fact, enjoy engaging in something that has a risk quotient. The important thing is to keep pace. The conventional modes of thinking and organising need to be reworked or changed in a way to tune in with the youth.

    Tata Docomo DGM marketing Sumeet Pahwa added, “Also remember that the youth likes to take ownership, thus involving them in brand conversations so that they feel like they are part of the co-creation process. It goes a long way in making an impression on their psyche.”

    The marketing forum concluded that apart from listening, learning and engaging the youth, it is important to believe on your gut feeling as well. The pace at which the youth change their perceptions and preferences calls for prompt intuitive and informed marketing moves by marketers. It makes sense to look beyond the obvious and experiment when your TG likes taking risks.

  • Comedy Central to push for revenue growth

    MUMBAI: Comedy Central has roped in 30 advertisers after three months of launch and is looking at developing other revenue streams including on-ground events and licensing & merchandising.

    The on-ground events will kick off from the second half of the year. “Comedy goes beyond standup act routines. The events will be a combination of small scale and larger properties. We are exploring ideas. The challenge lies in their execution and doing them in a way that makes economic sense,” says Viacom18 Media senior VP, GM English entertainment Ferzad Palia.

    On the L&M front, Comedy Central will hope to capitalise from MTV and Nick, its two sister channels that have run longer in the Indian market. The channel will launch merchandise products for its show South Park in a couple of months.

    Says Palia, “This will cover a range of products. Because of Comedy Central‘s TG (15-34 years), avenues for purchase may be different from what has been seen. Depending on how this works we could launch merchandise that pushes the Comedy Central brand.”

    Comedy Central‘s first advertiser was Volkswagen. Now it has a roster of advertisers that include Jaguar, Nivea, Idea and Vodafone. “We are looking at doing innovations on TV and also outside it. This could take the shape of advertiser funded properties,” says Palia.

    The focus in the first year will be to get the sales strategy right. “There have been times when we have refused business as we felt that we were not getting a fair rate. Advertisers are getting more receptive towards this genre,” avers Palia.

    Content costs are a challenge with costs doubling in the last 18 months. “80 per cent of our content is acquired. 60 per cent of our content is old which is fine as comedy is evergreen. The balance 40 per cent is new content. We have managed to create a new genre,” says Palia.

    Comedy Central is exploring the possibility of starting local productions. “The challenge though will be to find content that lives up to the international standards,” concludes Palia.