The Hindu Business Line : Archies dedicates a day for daughters

Kolkata, Sept. 18 Parents, gifted with one or more daughters, will now have a day to celebrate their pride, courtesy Archies — the card and merchandise company.

The company has launched a celebration campaign for parents on four radio and eight TV channels to dedicate the fourth Sunday of September to the daughters.

Mr Anil Moolchandani, CMD, told Business Line ICICI Bank, PVR, Gitanjali Jewellers and Ferns & Petals have also joined the dedication, albeit in their own way.

“In 2004-05, some Government officials wanted our help to promote the concept of pride in having a girl child in view of the steadily increasing unfavourable sex ratio in the country. We did an informal survey among our partners and associates in the business of sharing emotions. Following a cue from CRY and innumerable other responses, we decided to position a day in a year for the treasured daughters i.e., on the fourth Sunday of September. This year, it falls on September 23. Incidentally, the Unicef-promoted Day of the Girl Child is on September 24,” Mr Moolchandani said.

A 10-day campaign has begun on September 14 on the FM radio channels to air special programmes and dedicated slots in 25 cities, including all metros. “From September 19, we are launching a five-day programme on TV channels such as NDTV, TV Today and Zee, which would include 15 to 20 spots.”

Archies and Gitanjali are spending about Rs 75 lakh each for the inaugural campaign for Daughter’s Day this year. Figures for others were, however, not readily available.

Archies has also created a slogan — “My Daughter, My Hero” — which it has already made a permanent corporate statement for itself. Apart from this, all its products would carry special dedications.

Archies 90-plus retail outlets and more than 400 franchisees are involved in this campaign and have began popularising the concept “I’m proud to be a daughter”.