From pioneering television advertising in the tile industry to becoming a name familiar in homes across Tamil Nadu, KAG Tiles’ story is closely linked with how media habits have evolved over the years. Television, in particular, has played a defining role in this journey—helping the brand connect with audiences beyond functional messaging and into the cultural fabric of entertainment.
In this candid conversation, G. Muralidharan, the force behind KAG Tiles’ marketing, reflects on how the brand leveraged the reach of television, built lasting associations with iconic shows, and adapted strategies for an era where digital and TV increasingly intersect.
Q1: How did media platforms shape the growth story of KAG Tiles?
G. Muralidharan: KAG Tiles was among the earliest tile brands to embrace TV advertising in a big way. We believed that if we could tell our story on a platform that reached millions, it would not just help our brand—it would grow the category itself.
A key shift came when KAG Tiles began investing in entertainment-driven television properties during its early growth phase. Partnering with leading channels such as Vijay TV, a brand that aligns with our vision to build deeper consumer connection, at a very early stage helped establish us as a category leader. Over the last decade we have grown alongside the evolving media landscape. One of our earliest and most impactful collaborations was with Super Singer, a brand that we continue to associate over the years, enabled the brand to move beyond campaigns on News Channels and connect more meaningfully with viewers.
This focus on high-impact entertainment formats, along with a broader mix of media initiatives, has since become a cornerstone of its approach and contributed to KAG Tiles’ position as a category leader.
Q2: Television continues to be a major part of your strategy. What makes it so effective for you
G. Muralidharan: Television has been the single most powerful medium in driving the growth of KAG Tiles. No other platform offers the depth of reach and penetration that television does, especially across Tamil Nadu. With television, we have the ability to connect with over 8.5 crore people simultaneously, something that no other medium can deliver.
For us, television has always been the first preference when it comes to communicating new concepts, campaigns, or initiatives. Whether it is launching a new product or promoting an expo, television allows us to reach our target audience within just 10 days and create immediate impact.
The medium gives us flexibility to introduce fresh concepts from time to time and ensures our message reaches every corner of the state. Quite simply, when it comes to brand building and rapid outreach, television remains unmatched for KAG Tiles.
Q3: How do you choose the TV shows or properties you associate with?
G. Muralidharan: At KAG Tiles, our advertising strategy focuses on engaging audiences with strong purchasing power and influence over home-related decisions.
We look for TV properties that have a loyal and wide-reaching viewership across demographics, particularly those that appeal to segments with higher disposable income. Entertainment channels and marquee shows have been a natural fit for us over the years, with Vijay TV being one among the platforms that align well with our objectives.
Our focus has always been on properties that bring families together and have strong aspirational value. In Tamil Nadu, shows like Super Singer, Cook with Comali, and Bigg Boss Tamil are cultural events in themselves. They give us both reach and emotional connect.
Music-based programs such as Super Singer have wide family appeal, reaching children, youth, and senior viewers alike — making them an effective platform for holistic reach. Similarly, comedy-driven formats like Cook with Comali have gained mass popularity and allow the brand to stay visible among a broad and diverse audience.
Reality properties like Bigg Boss Tamil, with its long-running format and emotionally engaging content, further support continuous brand recall over an extended period. Together, these programs enable us to balance depth and breadth — reaching urban, semi-urban, and rural markets while building familiarity with family decision-makers.
This consistent presence across high-impact television properties has helped reinforce KAG Tiles as an accessible yet aspirational brand, strengthening its competitive position in the market.
When a viewer watches their favorite show, they’re deeply engaged—that’s where a brand like ours benefits from association. It’s not just about visibility, it’s about staying relevant in the spaces people love.
Q4: Does seasonality impact your campaigns? How do you plan around festivals?
G. Muralidharan: Our product isn’t seasonal, so rather than focusing only on festive campaigns, we typically enter into year-long agreements with key television networks. As part of this approach, we look for properties that deliver sustained reach and recall across different times of the year.
We have had a long-running association with popular entertainment formats — for example, music-based shows like Super Singer and long-duration reality programs such as Bigg Boss Tamil, which ensure visibility across multiple festive periods due to their extended run. Similarly, our presence on shows like Cook with Comali helps maintain ongoing audience engagement even after marquee reality formats conclude.
Alongside these, we also partner with select fiction titles on leading Tamil entertainment channels to reach different viewer segments. This balanced mix allows us to maintain consistent brand visibility across demographics and throughout the year.
Q5: Vijay Sethupathi as your brand ambassador was a big move. How did that happen?
G. Muralidharan: Our decision to bring Vijay Sethupathi on board as the brand ambassador was based on his strong connect with audiences across Tamil Nadu. His popularity cuts across urban and rural markets, and that fit perfectly with our brand.
Interestingly, soon after we signed him, he became the host of Bigg Boss Tamil on Vijay TV. That gave us a double advantage—our ambassador on one of the biggest shows in Tamil Nadu. It’s a good example of how the right combination of celebrity and platform can amplify impact.
Q6: You’ve worked with multiple ambassadors—who made the biggest difference?
G. Muralidharan: Each of our brand ambassadors has added value to KAG Tiles in different ways, depending on the stage of our brand journey and the audience segment we were targeting.
Parthiban brought strong regional resonance, especially in Tier B and Tier C markets. His powerful communication style—whether it was endorsing offers, highlighting services like free delivery, or promotions—had a strong recall and left a lasting impression with customers.
Keerthy Suresh, on the other hand, helped elevate the aspirational and premium image of the brand. Her engagement with audiences lent a touch of class and sophistication, strengthening KAG Tiles’ positioning as a modern and stylish choice.
Vijay Sethupathi has been the most impactful overall. His wide appeal, credibility, and grounded persona connect seamlessly with both urban and rural consumers. Importantly, his personality does not overshadow the brand; instead, it aligns perfectly with our ethos. This balance has made our association with him a true win-win, ensuring that the brand identity remains strong while benefitting from his immense popularity.
Q7: Can you elaborate on the campaign strategies adopted by KAG Tiles?
G. Muralidharan: Our campaigns have always been designed with a strong focus on solving customer pain points and adding tangible value beyond just brand visibility.
We began by highlighting the quality and wide range of our tiles. Over time, we realized that customer concerns extended beyond the product itself—delivery, installation, and affordability were major challenges. To address this, we introduced a series of innovative campaign strategies:
- Free Delivery: Delivery was a major hurdle for customers. When we introduced free delivery, the response was immediate and highly positive.
- Professional Laying Service: The lack of trained tile layers was another customer pain point. Taking inspiration from service models like Asian Paints, we launched a trained laying service. This initiative was very well received as it brought professionalism and reliability to tile installation.
- EMI Options at 0% Interest: Affordability was another barrier. Many customers delayed tile purchases due to budget constraints. By introducing 0% interest EMI schemes, we enabled them to purchase tiles without financial strain.
Our approach has always been to ensure campaigns are informative and innovative, not just promotional. For example, when we highlight services like free delivery or laying solutions, it creates genuine customer engagement and brand trust.
We also keep campaigns dynamic—repeating the same message reduces impact, whereas introducing new concepts or offers consistently revitalizes customer attention. Whether it is highlighting offers like 30% discounts, promoting our EMI schemes, or introducing service-led innovations, our campaigns are structured to create real customer value, strong recall, and sustained demand.
Q8: How does your media spend look today, and what about emerging platforms?
G. Muralidharan: We are witnessing rapid growth in digital media, and it is becoming increasingly important for us to strengthen our presence there. Television still takes the largest share—roughly 80%—because it delivers the strongest results. But digital is growing fast, and we’ve started investing there, especially in OTT platforms like JioCinema and Hotstar.
That said, digital is vast, and much of our investment here is routed through dealer-level budgets, enabling geo-targeted campaigns, local influencer tie-ups, and regional activations. While we remain confident in the branding impact television continues to deliver today, we are prepared to realign our strategy as audience behavior changes, ensuring KAG Tiles stays ahead of emerging trends.
