P&G ties up with MAA TV to launch education initia

Hyderabad: Procter and Gamble (P&G) and MAA TV have announced the launch of 'Shiksha - Secure Your Child's Future', a special promotion to help educate the children in India.

By purchasing packs of Vicks, Whisper, Ariel, Tide, Head & Shoulders and Pantene between 21 April and 12 June 2003, a mother can win either Rs 2 lakh towards Graduate Education Fee of one child (24 such prizes), or Rs 5,000 towards Next Year's Tuition Fee for one child (96 such prizes) and a number of other consolation prizes, all courtesy P&G.

Everyday, Rs 2,25,000 worth of prizes will be announced between 9 pm and 9:30 pm on Todi Kodallu on MAA TV, totalling Rs 5 million dedicated by P&G towards the Shiksha prizes. All Shiksha prizes can be gifted and are transferable, in case the winner is not a parent or, if his/her child is above 21 years of age.

According to the latest IRS findings, only 10 per cent people in urban India are graduates and approximately 25 per cent children leave their studies after completing HSC / SSC. Consumer research conducted by P&G indicates that "education of her children" is the single-most important priority for an Indian mother. In fact, the Pathfinders' Study 2002 of the Nation's Attitude and Psychographics, a nationwide syndicated study conducted among married Indian women, also indicated that 80 per cent of the respondents said that they would invest in a child's education rather than save that money for her marriage.

Says P&G India marketing and sales director Chester Twigg: "P&G's mission is to improve the quality of life of consumers by offering them superior branded products such as Vicks, Whisper, Ariel, Tide, Head & Shoulders and Pantene. We also believe in contributing more directly to improving lives of the community in which we live. Shiksha is yet another initiative that will help us contribute to building a strong community and a more educated India."

Adds MAA TV executive director Rajendhira Prasad: "MAA TV is glad to drive a campaign such as Shiksha. This campaign is launched in the interest of the community, so we have linked it with our prime-time show Todi Kodallu, which is a complete family entertainer. We are positive that this initiative will be well appreciated by our viewers and the public at large."