Jul 11, 2012
Reading time 3 min.
WatchTime Launches India Edition Amidst VIPs and Bollywood Stars
India is not only one of the world’s most populous nations; it is also one of the world’s fastest growing markets for fine watches. However, until recently, Indian watch lovers have not had a magazine devoted exclusively to their hobby. This month, Ebner Publishing International, parent company of WatchTime, remedies that oversight with the launch of WatchTime India, the first watch magazine for the Indian market.
The magazine will be published by Malayala Manorama, India’s leading publishing house. Founded in 1888 in Kerala, South India, the company is regarded as one of the most innovative media companies in Asia. Malayala is the publisher of The Week, India’s best-selling news magazine (as well as the country’s no. 1 women’s magazine and its best-selling childrens’ magazine) and also owns several TV stations and radio programs.
WatchTime editor-in-chief, Joe Thompson, will oversee the editorial strategy of WatchTime India, working closely with editor Neha S. Bajpai, and her team, based in Dehli. Ebner Publishing CEO Gerrit Klein and WatchTime managing director Dominik Grau attended the launch events in Mumbai and Delhi to introduce WatchTime India to the market. The events, hosted by Varghese Chandy, general manager of Malayala Manorama, and Riyad Mathew, senior assistant editor and director, drew a high-profile crowd of affluent Indian watch collectors, watch brand representatives, and well-known politicians and celebrities. The guests from Bollywood, India's famous film industry, included actress Priyanka Chopra, and the political luminaries included India’s Minister of Human Resources and IT, Shri Kapil Sibal.
The cover of the premiere issue of WatchTime India
PR
launch event in Mumbai
PR
WatchTime India, an English-language magazine that will incorporate both translated material from the original, American WatchTime and original material from the Indian editorial staff, will be supported by a media campaign that will include outdoor displays, focused on the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, as well as print and online ads, mobile marketing and social media communication all across India.
"We are very happy to welcome Malayala Manorama as the perfect business partner," says Gerrit Klein. "They share our strategy of publishing top-quality media with the highest journalistic standards and an absolute focus on readers. Ebner Publishing has been a family-owned business for 200 years and Malayala Manorama has a family history of almost 125 years – an ideal combination. We are sure that WatchTime India will grow fast and achieve the same reputation among watch fans and the watch industry as WatchTime USA has in the 13 years since its launch. WatchTime India is the first watch magazine for the fast-growing Indian watch market, one of the most important emerging economies worldwide. We are proud to serve this market."
Dominik Grau adds, "WatchTime India is the start of our international expansion strategy. Ebner Publishing will bring WatchTime’s success to other emerging markets very soon. But for now, I’m very pleased with the launch of our Indian edition. Malayala Manorama’s team has done a great job and we will try our very best to support them with our knowledge, creativity and all the resources of Ebner Publishing."
editor-in-chief Joe Thompson speaks at the launch event in Delhi
PR
)
PR
(In Mumbai, l-r:) Neha S. Bajpai, Priyanka Chopra, Gerrit Klein, Joe Thompson, Riyad Mathew, Dominik Grau
PR
Receive all the news, features and reviews from WatchTime for free! Sign up to our free weekly newsletter and get all the news delivered to your inbox.
