National Geographic gets Ford’s muscle for new show

National Geographic and Ford India have joined hands for a new adventure series, ‘My Endeavour Alterrain’, featuring five celebrities from different walks of life.

Talking to exchange4media, Debarpita Banerjee, Vice President, Marketing, National Geographic and Fox International Channels, India said, “Our objective is to make content that people would like to see. Content from the real world with real people and real stories are important. It needs to be very natural and inspiring. We came up with an idea of personal journeys with different kinds of personalities. They are celebrities, but at the end of the day they are people who have certain bucket list of some unfinished business.”

The shooting for the show will commence from March and the show will go on air from May. It will be telecast once a week at prime time, with repeat telecasts twice a week. National Geographic plans to create a huge buzz around this show by using the entire 360 degree medium. Online promotion has been given preference and will see a lot of engagement in the marketing plan.

When asked about the marketing budget for the new show, Banerjee said, “We haven’t worked the figure yet, but top metros will hear about the show and it will be good enough to surround it.”

Commenting on this initiative, Vinay Piparsania, Executive Director, Marketing Sales and Service, Ford India said, “Ford has found a fitting partner in National Geographic Channel to present ‘My Endeavour Alterrain’. Real people and their real experiences have been synonymous with both Ford India and National Geographic Channel and the viewers of this show would be able to relate to that spirit of adventure when they will see these motivated individuals drive to their calling in the dependable Endeavour Alterrain Edition.”

The five celebrities who will be driving the Endeavour Alterrain to their destination of choice in the show include filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, author Chetan Bhagat, actors Gul Panag and Rajeev Khandelwal, and Olympian boxer Vijender Singh.