The end of March started with the New Year for the Maharashtrians “Gudi Padwa”. Loksatta celebrated “Gudi Padwa 2006” under which there were a series of SMS initiatives:
Charoli contest: A contest wherein the readers sent four line poems or “Haiku” in phonetic Marathi by sms. The readers were given 100 early bird prizes and few of the best ones were published in Loksatta on the occassion of Gudi Padwa.
Personal Astro Forecast for the New Year: The reader sms’s his details – age, time of birth, location etc. Loksatta will send the 1000 lucky readers their personal forecast for the new year.
Downloads of Gudi Padwa wishes and picture messages and text.
These initiatives generated 3000 responses.
Loksatta Sanskruti: An on ground activity on the eve of Gudi Padwa wherein Loksatta ushered the New Year with a musical and entertaining evening. Well-known Marathi singers enthralled an audience of around 1400 readers.
Ongoing activity:
Sonali Home Visit : The promotional activity of celebrity home visit launched on 11th March continued further and Sonali Kulkarni visited more homes in Mumbai creating excitement among readers.
General SMS contests - Cricket:
Is Desh Ke put Kis Rajya Ke hai Sut : A contest run during the India England series, which generated 8000 responses. Readers had to sms, which state does a cricketer play for.