Marketing Case Study Marimar

Background
Marimar is a Mexican TV telenovela originally broadcasted in 1994 in Mexico. The rights were later bought by RPN 9, dubbed it in Filipino and re-broadcasted on a primetime slot on Philippine television. Pitted against industry giants ABS-CBN and GMA-7, Marimar caught the fancy of Filipinos and became a nationwide sensation. Intriguing is the fact that at that time, ABS-CBN and GMAs shows lord over television and their shows occupy a very huge chunk of the ratings pie. In came Marimar and shoved its rivals ratings. What made this foreign telenovela so special that it was able to do such? On the marketing perspective, what strategies were employed that led to the tipping of the ratings scale? The company and its available resources Radio Philippines Network, Inc (RPN), initially known as Kanlaon Broadcasting system, is a broadcast television network in the Philippines owned by the Government Communications Group. Initially it only operated radio stations but in 1969 it launched its television arm. In the 70s and 80s, RPN was a big player in the local broadcast industry with several shows and special coverage in its fold. It aired special coverage like the Olympics, Thrilla in Manila and the Miss Universe Pageant. It also launched trendsetting programs such as John en Marsha, Superstar, Eat Bulaga, and several bigname animes. It also bought rights for re-broadcasting of several hit TV shows from the United States. After the 1986 EDSA revolution, RPN was sequestered by the government and its assets were turned over to the Government Communications Group. In its fall from grace, the network lost much of its viewership to GMA and ABS-CBN. Some of its high-rating primetime shows were either cancelled or moved to a rival network. It eventually fell into a ratings slump due to the resurgence of ABS-CBN and GMA. Being a government controlled company; it was running on a tight budget. The company stature couldnt compete head-on with its rivals heavily funded shows. As an obvious result, the viewer-market favored other networks programming over theirs. The company is in dire need of something to turn the tide in their favor. Other Variables Providing as background to the events of the 1990s, economically, the Philippines was not faring well. Though it had made progress with its rapid economic growth under Pres. Fidel Ramos (1992-1998), the poor still constituted a majority of its citizens. This time was also characterized with power shortages leading to widespread blackouts.

The Primetime Slot In 1996, both GMA and ABS-CBN fielded their respective top-rating early-evening news program in the primetime slot. GMA had Saksi and ABS-CBN had TV Patrol. Both news programs were headlined by the 2 networks popular newscasters. At that time, shows supplanted by RPN on this timeslot took a back seat on its rival networks newscasts. The Primetime Slot: An introspective Look The programs of ABS-CBN and GMA on its 6pm timeslot were characterized with similar attributes. Both programs catered to the same need. Being all too similar, both programs also left the same void in the market. News at that time was often about the dire plight of the country. Some light stuff would be earmarked here and there but the emphasis almost always bordered on the negative. The audience were in a neck-deep dire state and the newscasts were highlighting the scenes they would otherwise leave unnoticed. Disapproving they may be of the newscasts, with no other alternative, the newscasts ratings were sky-scrapers as compared to RPNs.

Analysis
Tapping an Untapped Market Owing to its near-nil resource and recognizing its inability to contend toe-to-toe with GMA and ABS-CBNs well-planned, well-executed and highly-financed newscasts, RPN looked at the programming choices it will offer for the 6pm primetime. With nothing to lose and nothing in their current roster of programs resilient enough to contend with the heavyweights, RPN decided to look elsewhere. RPN was already importing foreign shows (mostly from the US and Japan). It was not new to them to import top-rating shows in other countries whose formula are akin to the shows patronized in the Philippines. Two years prior, a craze was spreading across Latin America. The craze was called Marimar. Marimar was a top-rater in any Latin American country where it was shown. With Spanish influence deep in Filipinos blood, the executives at RPN hoped that the same phenomenon (or even half of that) would infect the Philippine scene. It was also more cost-efficient and less risky to show Marimar than gambling on a similar news program to match the already popular and well staffed rival shows. Marimar thus became the pawn against the bishops and rooks of their rival.

Product Comparison (Strengths and Weaknesses of Programs in the 6pm slot) (pardon me for the use of non-business language..wala ako maisip na iba eh..)

TV Patrol/Saksi Market Rationale (?) Provides news and updates in local and international scene High Cost: Both newscasts employed highly paid anchors and a number of top calibre reporters. Also, it made use state of the art technology in broadcasting and news reporting) round-the-clock Tried and tested formula that generated high-rating To infinity and beyond Regular marketing (ads, billboards, etc.)

Cost

Marimar catered to the family demographics Provided a breather from the stressful negativity of living conditions by means of entertainment Cheap: Re-broadcast rights added with dubbing cost were cheap

Time to produce Market share(?) Projected Tenure Marketing

Shorter time to produce Newcomer in the market Lasted only a few months Same plus a promo (Manalo, Mag-enjoy sa Acapulco)

(Maybe we can add more here)

Marimars Success Story Marimar's success to can be attributed to several of its qualities, first it was the characterization of the heroine as an underdog that really made the audience love it. The Audiences could easily relate with the sufferings of Marimar as a reflection of the socio-economic plight of the majority. Marimar's triumph in the end signified hope, and the fairy-tale ending satisfied viewers as an escape, at least symbolically, from their bleak plight as individuals and as a people. Thalia's physical feature, as well as the other actors faces, was another factor that contributed to Marimar's success. The beauty of Thalia captured the hearts of Filipinos, and kept them glued to their screens. Airing the foreign soaps was good business sense. The venture was more cost-efficient: no production costs and talent fees.

Summary
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