Hindi & Tamil: Digit in local languages

Hi Friends,

Most pathetic brand extension I have seen in my life is of 'digit' if they call it brand extension.

Around five old and a very successful brand 'digit' has launched its local language products as its brand extension- 'digit fast track' in Hindi and Tamil language in last week. Both the 'book-cum-magazines' are available on news stands at Rs.50 and Rs. 40 respectively. Both the editions are carrying one CD also.

After going through 'digit fast track Hindi' edition, I would like to say that its just a horrible product. In comparison of their mother brand- digit, these editions are simply going to disappoint their readers. Readers will also feel cheated when they will not find the product and content quality which they may expect from the 'digit' brand.

Both the covers are poorly conceptualized and designed. I can't find any logic nor any connection of putting the models (obviously they are taken from their old stock) with the title- Microsoft Office. Cover design is equally bad and seems like an outcome of thoughtless execution.

Most disappointing is the paper quality of the 112 pages' magazine which is not better than even a local news paper's paper quality. Whole magazine is poorly printed in mono black color and screen shots are horribly faded that no one can see what is shown there. And readers will be feeling cheated as they don’t expect such a bad product from the brand digit.

Oh content??? Don’t even ask about that! Translation is ridiculous and not user friendly and there are uncountable typo errors on each and every single page. CD completely is in English except one word- 'fast track' is written in Hindi on its face!

What all I can say is its simply an insult of non-English speaking reader by providing such degraded product to them. Providing this kind of product for Hindi speaking audience shows that publishers of 'digit fast track Hindi' underestimate this audience. They think that this audience can accept even this kind of pathetic product. That too at such a decent cover price! In fact, there are lots of other Hindi magazines in the market which are printed in four colors on good quality of paper and having good quality of images and that too at even half of the price.

Anyways, 'digit fast track Hindi' is the topical book/magazine which doesn’t have any fixed periodicity as it is not the regional version of 'digit' regular magazine. Publishers of 'digit' might have some thought behind this product, but I can't think that it is going to add any value to their brand.

Regards,

G.S.Virdi