MxMIndia

Author: mxm_india

  • Parle vying for a place in Guinness World Records

    Rally of the dolls for Parle

    By A Correspondent

    Parle Products, India’s largest biscuits and confectionery brand, is all set to enter the Guinness World Records, aiming to reach there with the Parle’s Golu Galata, the first festival to feature over 1 lakh Golu dolls at one place in Chennai.

    Over the last six years, Parle has been at the forefront of trying to revive the dying tradition of Golu Dolls prepared by people in Tamil Nadu during the Navratri festival. This year, Parle has asked all participants to come together to participate in a community Golu by displaying their Golus at a common location in Chennai’s Island Grounds during the festival. More than 1 lakh people are expected to participate – creating a world record. Officials from the Guinness World Records have confirmed that they will attend the event.

    Navratri Golu, is celebrated actively during nine days of Navratri festival in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In Tamil Nadu, traditionally, women decorate various dolls (called Golus/Kolus) made of clay during Navratri celebrations by setting up odd numbers of steps and keeping Golus on it. This display is well decorated and friends and relatives are invited to witness the same. Through a detailed research, Parle found that due to time pressures, this tradition is slowly dying and is getting restricted to a select few households. Thus, to revive the fading tradition, Parle introduced this novel promotion called Parle Golu Galata contest in 2005 (Galata means a festival or a celebration).

    Mr Mayank Shah, Group Product Manager, Parle Products said, “It is a proud moment for us to be able to get to this rare record. When we started the Golu Galata festival our aim was to make the youth revisit our age-old customs and traditions. More than the achievement of a record, being able to view over one lakh Golu Dolls at one place showcases the fact that we have been able to create awareness among the youth of Tamil Nadu about this festival.”

    During the month Parle is also planning to organize several promotional activities to generate a buzz around the event, and has created a website for the event – www.parlegolugalata.com.

  • Test Your India Quotient on NDTV India’s ‘IDBI Bank Sawaal India Ka’

    How well do you know India?

    By A Correspondent

    In order to engage the Youth of India, NDTV India and IDBI Bank are presenting an innovative quiz show ‘IDBI Bank Sawaal India Ka’. Debuting on Monday, September 26, 2011 at 7.30pm, the show will test the contestants’ IQ (India Quotient) and knowledge on subjects of Politics, Government & Economics, Sports, Technology & Automobiles, History & Mythology, and Bollywood and Entertainment etc. Additionally, the contenders will also be judged upon their alertness, quickness and calmness and how they manage to maintain a balance under high pressure.

    ‘IDBI Bank Sawaal India Ka’ will be hosted by the experts in their respective fields each episode will feature a special theme.

    The contestants will win cash prizes in each round and as they climb the ladder, the amount will increase.

  • Delhi Mid-Day takes Bollywood to offices

    By A Correspondent

    Mid-Day gave its Delhi readers an opportunity to come face-to-face with the star cast of the movie Soundtrack through the  Mid-Day Bollywood Lunch Contest. Rajeev Khandelwal visited the office of Vivaki Exchange, Gurgaon to meet and have lunch with Nitin Dhingra, winner of Mid Day Bollywood Lunch Contest. Rajeev Khandelwal was accompanied by actress Mrinali Sharma and director Neerav Ghosh of the movie Soundtrack.

     

    Speaking on the occasion,Anirban Bagchi, Publisher, Delhi Mid-Day, said, “Mid-Day Bollywood Lunch Contest is an international award winning property with Mid-Day since the last four years, wherein we take the stars of the movie to corporate offices and give its employees an opportunity to interact with the stars. It is one of our many successful properties in Mumbai since the last 4 years and we have started executing this property in Delhi too, with the first one being BLC for Jhootha Hi Sahi with John Abraham.”

     

    The Bollywood lunch contest is an activity wherein Mid-Day runs a contest for the readers to win a lunch date with the stars of the movie. And because of the winner; all the office colleagues get to meet their favourite stars at their office.

     

    Mid-Day had earlier done Bollywood lunch contests with stars like Aamir Khan, Ajay Devgn, Ranbir Kapoor, John Abraham, Arjun Rampal, Emran Hashmi and Anil Kapoor.

  • The Anchor: Sanjay Reddy on 7 reasons why regional GECs should be treated differently

    #1 Ethnicity and Culture: India is a multi-cultural society, where every state has its own culture and language. Shows that do well in Hindi Speaking Markets (HSM) might not do so well in Tamil Nadu or even Andhra Pradesh. The GECs of the market need to show content that is in tandem with the culture of the masses.

     

    #2 Identification & Familiarity: Viewers like to feel associated with content that they can identify with and which feels familiar. Any major shift from this safe zone can sometimes (not always) lead to the viewer leaving the show. Most of these regional markets have their own movie Industries, showcasing their need for differentiation and attraction to what seems familiar.

     

    #3 Targeted Advertising: Most retailers look for the most cost-effective way to reach their target audience. If the TG is based only in Maharashtra, it does not make sense to advertise on a Hindi channel as the spillover would be tremendous. Thanks to the presence of Marathi channels in the region, the ROI is high and the spillover is limited. Having a strong GEC with content targeted at the regional market makes it a more appealing and value-for-money proposition for the advertiser.

     

    #4 Continued Experiments with Programming: Regional GECs speak to a smaller audience compared to the Hindi GECs. Hindi GEC need to provide content that caters across HSM giving it the chance to experiment with content and create shows that might not appeal to masses in small towns but might end up doing well in metros and big cities. In case of Regional TV GECs, yes sure here also people can experiment but anything too over the top might not go well will the audience and as most brands look at regional TV for targeted advertising, there are only a few mistakes that a channel can make, a typical chicken and egg situation.

     

    #5 Relationships in South and North GECs: When it comes to relationships, North and South India have a few differences. In AP a man can get married to his sister’s daughter – something that is totally unheard of in the north, similarly a marriage between a man and his bhabhi is an accepted fact, something that won’t be taken well in AP. This was just a small example but surely both GECs need to have different treatment in story structure and relationships.

     

    #6 Production Costs: Given the kind of advertising spends a regional channel sees, compared to a national Hindi GEC, it would be unfair to compare the two. Sets from the top Hindi shows are too high-maintenance for regional channels. There are regional channels that have spent a lot on their sets and shows but there can be only one show in the channel that can get such lavish budgets.

     

     

    #7 Influence of Western Culture: HSMs are more prone to western cultural influences, something that can be seen with successful shows like Indian Idol, India’s Got Talent, KBC, Big Boss, Masterchef India etc, which are remakes of popular international shows. Shows with a contemporary packaging haven’t done too well in regional markets.

     

    Sanjay Reddy is EVP – South Cluster, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited

  • Anil Thakraney on why and how it's not just money alone that's taking away talent from advertising agencies

    Hard Knocks: Why does the ad world lose talent?

    During my interview with O&M’s chief Piyush Pandey for MxMIndia, he mentioned that the biggest challenge the industry faces today is one of hiring and retaining talented people. That some of the most interesting people don’t want in. His theory is that it has mainly to do with remuneration, and the problem of agencies not being able to pay people properly. Surely he’s right, he must know being an industry leader. But I think there’s more to it than money. Here are two other reasons why I believe the ad world does not attract as much talent as it should, and why many of its stars defect to other industries.

     

    One, there is killer competition amongst ad agencies, and the pressure and anxiety to win and retain accounts is intense. Now while business rivalry is healthy, when it borders on desperation, something’s gotta give. So not only do clients suck the agencies dry, some also tend to treat agency personnel with disdain and disrespect. This leads to loss of morale within an ad agency office, and the inevitable happens. One is always looking around for better career options. We must remember not all ad agencies are led by heavyweights like Piyush and Balki. Who can stand up to an unreasonable client. For most agencies, putting up with all sorts of demands from clients becomes a way of life. There’s the sword of losing a client perpetually hanging on the head. And frankly, I really can’t see a way out of this mess. It was like this decades ago, and it’s pretty much the same now.

     

    The other thing ad agencies have done is to give up the strategic planning function to the clients. Sure, large agencies have the so-called planning department, but these guys often do a cosmetic job for the brands. And are more like an extension of the market research agency. There was a time when client servicing people would offer major strategic insights. Now no one expects any from them. Either the creative directors figure out their own strategies, or the brand managers inflict one on the agency. It’s no longer cool being a suit in the agency business, it’s become more of a maintenance job. How can we then blame the officers for leaping over to brand management?

     

    And that’s also the case with media specialists, post the disbanding. I wonder if there are any media planners left. I only hear of media buyers being in demand purely for their abilities to cut sweet deals with media owners.

     

    It can’t be only about money. It never is.

     

     

    ***

     

    PS: With Twitter on a roll, every Seeta, Geeta and Reeta thinks she can be a journalist. Guys and gals, while I appreciate your enthu, do give us journos some credit, we must be in possession of at least a few skills, if not many! Ghazal master Jagjit Singh (who’s very much alive at the time of writing this, and all the best to him) was declared dead by some over-excited tweeters. Clearly, the khujli to “break news” is not restricted to the media.

    The lesson: Dear tweeters, leave news to us. And stick to sharing your lunch menu.

  • Anna Hazare issue triggers Cabinet discussion on press exaggeration

    Will Anna wave lead to media curbs?

    The Indian Government is looking at ways to curtail exaggeration in press reports, the case in point being the recent coverage of the Anna Hazare Movement.

    Media reports say the issue came up at a recent meeting of the Union Cabinet, with Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath speaking about the need to impose some restrictions on news reports to prevent exaggerations.

    Sources say that a committee to look into the issue of exaggeration in media reports might be set up, but the intention is not to curb the freedom of the press.

    As is known, earlier too the Government had raised the issue of being pressurised due to overdone coverage of events by media.

    The news media obviously is not too happy with this yet to be confirmed development.

    Mr Satish K Singh, Editor, Zee News, opined, Though we have heard about it briefly, we are not aware of the motive of proposed group. We will wait to see what it is all about. And if it is anything like clamping or strangulation  it will be opposed. However, he added that they would have no problem with regular interaction with the Government. It has happened in the past also, and we have always heard and contributed our bit.

    Mr Yatish Rajawat, Managing Editor, Dainik Bhaskar group, too was of the opinion that there is only a very remote chance of such a thing happening. He said emphatically, To begin with, I believe that the minister has been quoted out of contest. Nothing of the type would happen. He went on to question, How can the Government put in a panel? It is neither feasible nor practical or fair. How can a panel look at the news I am carrying every day?

    None of the news media professionals MxM India spoke to saw any virtue in the Government curtailing news media in any way. Mr Sanjay Prabhakar, Mumbai Bureau Chief, p7 news channel, summed up the sentiment with his argument, What is the media’s responsibility, if it is not to bring such issues into focus? Media knows its boundaries and limitations. No panel can decide for us, we are responsible enough to understand.

    And do people in the media that a section did go overboard, or gave the movement undue coverage? Yet once again the answer is a unanimous No. Mr Rajawat stated, I think the Anna coverage did not go overboard  when emotions are running high, the media has to present their angle, and reflect people’s sentiment. It is our job to discover what lies behind that sentiment.

    Mr Singh, meanwhile, was far more vociferous in his response, How can you reach the conclusion that the Anna movement was over-covered? If you see the Government’s stand itself, the Prime Minister himself has said that they are with the ideals of the Anna movement  he even saluted him in Parliament. He added, As for my channel specifically, we actually presented a very balanced view. We have spoken about the sanctity of Parliament, virtues of the Constitution, and also presented the Government’s point of view. I myself discussed these subjects more than 20 times. As a channel we have put everything on the platter.

    Clearly, this is not a debate that will die down in a hurry. Watch this space for more.

  • Clients want specialization but without siloization: Ashish Bhasin

    Clients want specialization but without siloization: Ashish Bhasin

    By A Correspondent

    Non-traditional media is picking up, and even at a time when ad spend projections are being corrected downwards, digital is being looked upon favourably. Little surprise then, that Aegis Media India, in its pursuit of a creative agency opted for Doosra, agency gaining ground in non-traditional brand communication area. Net result: creation of Doosra Brand Communications.

    The surprise element in this deal, however, is that it is perhaps for the first time in India that a true blue media network has brought a creative agency into its fold. Does one hear the returning footfalls of an integrated communication agency here? Not quite the same, explains Mr Ashish Bhasin, Chairman India & CEO South East Asia Aegis Media. “Integrated communication as we knew it earlier is neither feasible nor practical in today’s world. Clients do require and demand specialization – for instance, one needs a specialized digital agency to meet the clients’ specific needs in that area. The same is true of every specialized field. However, clients no longer want to deal with 20 people. Our ‘One country – one Aegis’ policy gives them all the benefits of specialization, without the disadvantages of silos.”

    The creative agency’s role, he says, cannot be undermined, as no media plan can be effective without an effective message. He elaborates, “We need to understand and value the creative agency’s role in achieving clients’ communication objectives. In each of Aegis’ specialized areas, we require creative expertise – be it activation, digital or tradition media.”

    The buzz has been on for some time that Aegis is looking for a creative agency. Why the decision to get into equity partnership with Doosra? “Doosra is an excellent fit for us – Zahir Mirza and his team’s creative excellence spans beyond traditional – they are about much more than TV commercials, and they would definitely bring a new dimension to Aegis Media’s holistic ‘integrated marketing’ approach,” explains Mr Bhasin.

    Doosra Brand Communications will operate out of Aegis Media’s office at Poonam Chambers, Mumbai, and in fact have already moved in.

    Picture: Fotocorp

  • We seem to be so wrung out and tired by recent events that even some T20 cricket tournament has not filled us with our normal passionate exuberance.

    Freaking News by Ranjona Banerji: Where’s the fizz gone?

    Life is dull, I have to admit, when television is not having hysterics about some issue or the other. And this week has been particularly short on made-for-television news events. I know I’ve grumbled about the neglect of subjects like the civil war in Libya or the collapse of the world economy but even I know that we cannot whip ourselves into a jingoistic frenzy with such sparse material to work on. No anchors foaming at the mouth, no calls for answers and no heartfelt pleas for justice, mercy or anything at all, nothing in fact that makes television news compete with the top general entertainment channels.

    So yes, the collapse of the world’s economy did make it to Indian television at last but that’s only after the Sensex fell at the end of last week and investors lost a notional amount that ran into lakhs of crores. By now we are so used to inflation and rising interest rates that no one can drum up even one fleck of hysterical foam at the mouth.

    In fact, we seem to be so wrung out and tired by recent events that even some T20 cricket tournament has not filled us with our normal passionate exuberance. We did try to drum up some enthusiasm for that mysterious note that one finance minister wrote to another former finance minister, something to do with the 2G scam, but no one knows enough about it and the people who know aren’t telling.

    Then Headlines Today, which is trying to steal the top patriotic channel slot from Times Now, did get quite excited about the current fight between the US and Pakistan but even that didn’t go far. Shoaib Akhtar, the Pakistani cricketer, said something about Sachin Tendulkar in his new book (yes, apparently he can write). But for all the patriotic fervour which we could have shown, the only people who managed to make something of it were some political parties in Maharashtra.

    CNN IBN remained steadfast in its coverage of the earthquake in Sikkim and its aftermath while by Monday morning, the floods in Orissa and Bihar were all over television.

    Talking about Pakistan, the BBC has a fascinating Hard Talk with Imran Khan, asking some very tough questions as usual and allowing the guest to answer them.

    **

    The newspapers, obviously, were in the same boat. They also realised that the world economy was in trouble. They managed to explain something of it, throwing the collapse of Greece into the mix as well. The unfortunate plane crash in Nepal got the front pages. Patriotism is everywhere so the Hindustan Times headlined the number of Indians who had died. Lesser mortals of other nations not so fortunate to be Indian also died.

    The weekend saw some newspapers telling us that Paris Hilton, general celeb and heiress of the eponymous hotel chain, was in town. The opinion pages were still obsessed with Narendra Modi and his prime ministerial ambitions and whatever else. Am not sure that anyone else still cares, especially since we are currently in this non-news cycle.

    This morning The Times of India came to me bright yellow as if it had been dipped in haldi and this made reading it very difficult.

     

    **

    I can only hope that things pick up as the week moves on.

  • Hiring days are here again as McCann Erickson, Dentsu get in to the act

    Slowdown? McCann, Dentsu are hiring like crazy

    By Ratna Bhushan & Neha Dewan

     

    After a lull of about two years, largescale hiring is back in advertising agencies such as McCann Erickson and Dentsu. McCann Erickson has recruited at least 50 people over the past two months, 30 of them at the senior level, to service new businesses like Aircel and General Motors , a person familiar with the matter said . Dentsu is in the process of recruiting 15 senior-level officials and more at the junior level as it revamps its business.

     

    McCann Worldgroup Executive Chairman Mr Prasoon Joshi said the size of his agency’s India operations has grown by about 40% and business from its Delhi branch alone has almost doubled this year . “The new talent we have brought in is completely growth driven ,” he said. In the past few months , McCann Erickson has bagged some big accounts such as telecom services provider Aircel , auto major General Motors and paints maker ICI Dulux.

     

    Dentsu India Group Executive Chairman Mr Rohit Ohri , who quit the country’s largest ad agency JWT this June to join Dentsu , said he will hire 15 people at the VP and higher levels across its nine offices in the country , besides hiring at junior levels. “We are looking at restructuring the agency and creating the Dentsu India group holding company ,” he said.

     

    All agencies including Dentsu Communications, Dentsu Creative Impact and Dentsu Marcom will report to this company. But he denied rumours of poaching people from JWT as had been the buzz earlier. McCann’s recent top-level hires include executive director Mr Alok Lall , planning head for Delhi Mr Jitendra Dabas , who moved from JWT , creative directors Mr Mayur Hola and Mr Anshumani Khanna, who came from Ogilvy and Mudra , respectively , and senior VP Mr Ashish Bahl. They will mostly service the big ticket accounts the agency has won in recent months.

     

    The Aircel account is estimated at Rs 200 crore while the GM account could be worth close to Rs 150 crore . This is the first time the US carmaker consolidated its brands Beat, Cruz, Optra, Spark and Captiva with a single agency. McCann won the deal after a four-month-long pitch .

     

    Other new businesses with McCann this year include ACC Cement, Britannia Dairy, History Channel, Parx from Raymonds, quick service restaurant chain Subway and mobile phone brand Lava. Globally , there is a freeze on recruitments across many leading agency groups such as WPP, Publicis and IPG.

     

    In 2009 , the world’s largest agency group network WPP, with agencies like JWT, Ogilvy & Mather, Young & Rubicam and Grey in its fold, had laid off 14,000 employees , and in fact that year the ad industry saw layoffs amounting to 200,000 jobs. WPP Group Chief Executive Sir Martin Sorrell had said in an email to employees that any job offers made but not accepted must be withdrawn immediately .

     

    But in India, agencies have been hiring on and off on account of new businesses. Ms Usha Hephzibah, promoter and owner of Head & Tail Hunters, a search firm specialising in recruitments for advertising and media , said : “Tremendous hiring is happening at all positions, from top to bottom, in the advertising industry.” Agencies such as Leo Burnett said they are doing limited hiring, depending on requirement . “There has been no large scale hiring; we haven’t done it in bursts,” Leo Burnett Executive Director Mr Samir Gangahar said. He said the agency hired 4-5 people in Delhi last month .

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2011, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

  • 9X Tashan has highest uptake In music genre on mobile TV

    9X Tashan is mobile topper too

    By A Correspondent

    After registering an unprecedented growth of over 100 GRPs in the opening week of its launch across the PHCHP Markets, 9X Tashan has set yet another milestone in the television industry. The Punjabi music channel has garnered over 1 million video views on Zenga Mobile TV across India. 9X Tashan is also available on Apalya & Mundu TV platform.

    Speaking about this, Ms Vibha Gosher, VP- Digital, 9X Media Pvt Ltd, said, “Today the viewers consume music through various platforms besides television. It’s the age of convergence. Mobile TV being an easy-to-access platform, it makes it possible for the digital natives to watch their favourite channels. We are ecstatic that just within 10days of the launch of the channel, 9X Tashan has managed to break the 1 million video views on mobile TV with Zenga, the highest in the music television space.”

    9X Tashan is available through various mobile TV platforms including Airtel Mobile TV (SMS TV to 54321), Vodafone TV (SMS TV to 111 (toll free), Zenga TV (visit http://tv.zengatv.com on your phone), Mundu TV (SMS TV to +919212401234 or visit http://m.mundu.tv on your phone) and Apalya TV (SMS TV to 58888). The 9X Tashan theme song can be set as a caller tune by dialing 505999951 from the mobile phone on operators such as Idea, BSNL, MTNL (Mum), Vodafone, Airtel, Tata GSM, Tata Docomo.

    Viewers can also access the channel online on 9xtashan.in.

  • Getit introduces dedicated websites for information on upcoming festivals

    Dussehra, Durga Puja go online

    By A Correspondent

    With Dussehra and Durga Puja coming up, Getit has introduced new websites for the two festivals. These websites provide knowledge and connect people with the splendour of these festivals. The websites, http://mysoredussehra.getit.in/ and http://durgapuja.getit.in/, have information about the festival, the background, recipes, rituals etc, and the Durga Puja website also gives an insight into the top Puja Pandals. The site has integrated search, allowing users to find companies offering services related to the Puja festivities.

    The ‘Mysore Dussehra’ website showcases the grandness of this festival in most parts of Karnataka. Getit, through the special site, aims to provide a platform for users to find all information related to the festival, as well as conduct a search to find suppliers/products that one needs.

    Commenting on the launch, Mr Sidharth Gupta, CEO, GETIT Infoservices Pvt Ltd said, “Festivals are the best time to get closer to our customers by giving them the right solutions to help them celebrate with ease. Based on the success and acceptance of our Onam webite, we have launched these two sites for Dussehra and Durga Puja. The fact that we can provide search solutions integrated into these sites, significantly enhances their utility.”

  • Air, Food, Water, Internet – Cisco study reveals just how important internet and networks have become as fundamental resources in daily life

    The net is as important as air – Cisco finds

    By A Correspondent

    Demonstrating the role of the network in our lives, an international workforce study announced today by Cisco revealed that one in three college students and young professionals consider the Internet to be as important as fundamental human resources like air, water, food and shelter. The 2011 Cisco Connected World Technology Report also found that more than half of the study’s respondents could not live without the Internet and cite it as an “integral part of their lives” – in some cases more integral than cars, dating, and partying.

    These and numerous other findings provide insight into the mindset, expectations, and behaviour of the world’s next generation of workers and how they will influence everything from business communications and mobile lifestyles to hiring practices, talent retention, corporate security companies’ abilities to compete.

    Overview

    The second annual Cisco Connected World Technology Report examines the relationship between human behavior, the Internet, and networking’s pervasiveness. It uses this relationship to provoke thoughts around how companies will remain competitive amid the influence of technology lifestyle trends. The global report, based on surveys of college students and professionals 30 years old and younger in 14 countries, provides insight into present-day challenges that companies face as they strive to balance current and future employee and business needs amid increasing mobility capabilities, security risks, and technologies that can deliver information more ubiquitously – from virtualized data centers and cloud computing to traditional wired and wireless networks.

    Key Findings

    Internet as One of Life’s Fundamental Resources

    Air, Water, Internet: About one of every three college students and employees surveyed globally (33 percent) believes the Internet is as important as air, water, food and shelter. About half (49 percent of college students and 47 percent of employees) believe it is “pretty close” to that level of importance. Combined, four of every five college students and young employees believe the Internet is vitally important and part of their daily life’s sustenance.

    In India, 95 percent of college students and young employees surveyed admitted to the Internet being as important in their lives as water, food, air and shelter.

    Life’s Daily Sustenance: More than half of the respondents (55 percent of college students and 62 percent of employees) said they could not live without the Internet and cite it as an “integral part of their lives.”

    The New Way to Get Around: If forced to make a choice between one or the other, the majority of college students globally – about two of three (64 percent) – would choose an Internet connections instead of a car.

    The New Social Life: Internet over Love and Friendship?

    First Love: Two of five college students surveyed globally (40 percent) said the Internet is more important to them than dating, going out with friends, or listening to music.

    Social Life 2.0: Whereas previous generations preferred socializing in person, the next generation is indicating a shift toward online interaction. More than one in four college students globally (27 percent) said staying updated on Facebook was more important than partying, dating, listening to music, or hanging out with friends. Within certain countries, including India, updating Facebook was ranked as the highest priority, even more than hanging out with friends.

    The Use of Mobile Devices for Accessing Information…and the End of TV and Newspapers?

    Importance of Mobile Devices: Two-thirds of students and more than half of employees (58 percent) cite a mobile device (laptop, smartphone, tablet) as “the most important technology in their lives.”

    For young employees, India came second globally when it comes to importance of mobile device usage (71 percent), behind the UK (74 percent), but ahead of Australia (66 percent), China (62 percent), and the US (62 percent).

    Continued Rise of Smartphones: Smartphones are poised to surpass desktops as the most prevalent tool from a global perspective, as 19 percent of college students consider smartphones as their “most important” device used on a daily basis, compared to 20 percent for desktops – an indication of the growing trend of smartphone prominence and expected rise in usage by the next generation of college graduates upon entering the workforce. This finding fans the debate over the necessity of offices compared to the ability to connect to the Internet and work anywhere, such as at home or in public settings. In the 2010 edition of the study, three of five employees globally (60 percent) said offices are unnecessary for being productive.

    In India, 68 percent of young employees surveyed prefer using smartphones and consider it as their “most important” device.

    TV’s Decline: Both surveys indicate that the TV’s prominence is decreasing among college students and young employees in favor of mobile devices like laptops and smartphones. Globally, less than one in 10 college students (6 percent) and employees (8 percent) said the TV is the most important technology device in their daily lives.

    Paper Route’s Dead End? Only one of 25 college students and employees (4 percent) surveyed globally said the newspaper is their most important tool for accessing information.

    Saving Trees: Two of five students (21 percent) have not bought a physical book (not textbooks required for class) in a bookstore in more than two years – or never at all.

    Influence of Social Media – and Distractions in Daily Life

    Facebook Interaction: About nine of 10 (91 percent) college students and employees (88 percent) globally said they have a Facebook account – of those, 89 percent of college students and 73 percent of employees check their Facebook page at least once a day. One-third (33 percent) said they check at least five times a day.

    Of all the countries surveyed in the studies India ranked highest in the frequency of Facebook interaction, with 92 percent of students and 98 percent of employees checking it daily

    Online Interruption or Disruption? College students reported constant online interruptions while doing projects or homework from IM, social media updates and phone calls. In a given hour, more than four out of five (84 percent) college students said they are interrupted at least once. About one in five students (19 percent) said they are interrupted six times or more – an average of at least once every 10 minutes. One of 10 (12 percent) said they lose count how many times they are interrupted while they are trying to focus on a project.

    Work Is Life: Seven of 10 employees “friended” their managers and/or co-workers on Facebook, indicating the dissolution of boundaries separating work and private life. Culturally, the United States featured lower percentages of employees friending managers and co-workers – only about one in four (23 percent) – although two of five friended their co-workers (40 percent).

    In India, 85 percent of employees surveyed confirmed adding their colleagues and managers on Facebook.

    The Work Grapevine: Of employees who use Twitter, more than two of every three (68 percent) follow the Twitter activity of either their manager or colleagues; 42 percent follow both, while one-third (32 percent) prefer to keep their personal lives private.

    About the Study

    The study was commissioned by Cisco and conducted by InsightExpress, a third-party market research firm based in the United States.

    The global study focuses on two surveys – one centering on college students, the other on a group of young professionals in their 20s. Each survey included 100 respondents from each of the 14 countries, resulting in a survey pool of 2,800 people.

    The 14 countries include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Russia, India, China, Japan, and Australia.