MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • Given the way 2021 has been, the year 2022 will remain in a state of flux, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Uncertainty is the Only Certainty

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaThe yearend is right at the corner. 2022 is waiting to be welcomed. It went fast like the shortened IPL season, and you never could anticipate what would happen next. Oh yes, there were trendwatchers (not analysts) fishing in the chaotic world trying to make some sense of it. They knew everyone was for themselves and that predicting a trend was becoming dangerous. And even if one did pick the right trend, predicting when it would hit the shore and with what capacity was challenging. Predicting a typhoon and tornado was decidedly more straightforward.

     

    I was born in the last week of December, and here is the riddle with the date. ‘Three days here or there- the world celebrates with me’. The yearend is a new beginning in more ways than one. So, I am unsure if I should smile and celebrate surviving another year or cautiously welcome the future uncertainties with all hope and smile.

     

     

    Pressure Plates

    The tectonic plates of Human Needs, Desires, Ambition, Greed, Love for Simplicity and Certainty have been rubbing against Fear, Anxiety, Complexity, Chaos and Uncertainty plates. All this is happening in an unstable ecosystem of uncertainty, scalability, digital technology-induced euphoria, job unsustainability, climate changes, Covid pressure, vaccination, immunity studies, conspiracy theories, religious zeal and regionalism fuelled by interested stakeholders. Something is going to give way soon. And what form will the resultant earthquake take is anyone’s guess.

     

     

    Media Games

    The media has been at its games. The lobbies and the puppeteers are clearly identified. Believability is dependent upon your loyalties and pre-existing POV. You and I, like everyone else, is already in a reverse spiral spin.

     

     

    Accelerated Radicalisation

    We are being sucked deeper and deeper into fixated ideologues. Arena where it is my way or no way. Unknown to us, we are getting radicalised.

    We further help and accelerate the process with our over-dependent on the digital and social media world. A world that knows you better than your parents. And may better predict your reaction to a stimulus than you could.

     

    Identifying fake news or harmful propaganda will be a colossal task in the future. Will digital provide a solution to the Bhasmasura it has created?

     

    Artificial and Alternative intelligence, along with the machine learning capabilities, may soon be giving birth to the real android. And with that, the future unpredictability and uncertainties will spike.

     

     

    In search of purpose

    Purpose or no purpose, intended or unintended, overt, or covert- it seems everyone in the universe is seeking one. Technology is seeking purpose, so are the brands, and humans have been seeking meaning from time immemorial.

     

    People without a defined life purpose keep defining the brand’s purpose, despite knowing they no longer own the brand.

     

    Yes, when purpose resonates like the twin twining forks in a physics experiment, they get amplified. However, the range of this resonance is way limiting. And, hence, believe that the business should and must keep growth, revenue, and ROI in focus, and treat purpose as one of the arrows it has in its quiver and not the only one. Because the purpose is higher up in the chain. Needs and wants at the primary level still need to be satisfied first. A 10-minute delivery may only matter to those who can afford to buy and experiment.

     

    However, I must remind all that life on planet earth can be purposeful without living or chasing a stated- discovered- at times crafted purpose. Be true to yourself in every way possible and do justice to your potential. Purpose can take care of itself.

     

     

    Digital Tsunami

    Like digital and digital currency and wallets, OTT had a good year. More converts are deserting the earlier love: television. Print is still holding. However, the OTT space is overcrowded, and niche play is not the answer. I do not see OTT behaving like television and following price correction, original overloads, exclusive deals, genre dominance, and focus on availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability. This is another tectonic plate that is under pressure and set for disruption. The How and what is unknown.

     

     

    Long live the agency

    The agency model is changing. In many ways, advertising is dead. However, there is still scope for a group of professionals who know their business well. Who sees themselves as a business contributor and not merely a communicator, storyteller, or advertising? The business is getting redefined, and the more it does- the more it will remain the same- Brand Creators- Brand custodians, Brand evolvers.

     

     

    The war of consideration set

    Irrespective of technology price wars and delivery timelines, return policies and other interventions, the human mind will continue to gyrate towards the three-four brands in the consideration set. The top brands in any business real or number lead will continue to make over evaluated and have disproportionate revenue and market share.

     

    It may be advisable to be the strongest brand in smaller geographies, addressing a viable not necessarily a niche need than be one with marginalised shares across geographies. The dominance will be further fragmented across categories, and it will be price and geographic area dictated. Irrespective of the life-cycle stage, degree of dominance, stronger and vital chain management, or employee’s satisfaction- no brand will remain immune to business volatility. Hence, a brand must seek expansion and extension of its value and association.

     

     

    India Dies. Bharat Rises

    The unnecessary ill-defined polarisation of Bharat and India will continue to be pushed by consultants and Marketing managers. While they will start being more dependent on micro-market schemes, Geo-targeted brand communication is more and more in the language of relatability. India will die a niche death, and Bharat will emerge- one nation with many territories in market terms. More zones and regions will get redefined and recharted under a digital socio-cultural geographical divide.

     

     

    Micro-influencers for impact

    The influencers will have ore role to play. At some places, they will become the mini brand ambassadors and, at times, the brand ambassadors. The OTT celebrity and even regional sports person and personalities will find their role in the brand and marketing world.

     

     

    Ignore at your own cost

    The brand will find that they are more and more in a market full of scattered market forts across categories, willing and well equipped to defend against the rebels and disrupters. No longer will the giants take any disruption at face value or ignore than as business unviable. They will drive innovation, disruption and even Jugaad. Guerrilla warfare and moment marketing will continue to be debated. And few desperate brands will even adapt and properly manoeuvre and execute a controversy as a marketing strategy.

     

     

    Back to basics

    People have blamed westernised lifestyles and the pursuit of materialistic dreams for decaying emotions and relationships. They realised and accepted the need for interdependence. Thus, recognising the need for a healthy body and mind more than anything else. Finally, believing in the legacy of lineage – transferring of culture and heritage. A substantial upsurge of patriotic feelings will be reshaping the thoughts of people. A potpourri of mixed emotions and redefined needs will start shaping the ideas. And hence return to basics of Vegetarianism, Yoga, Healthy food, saving for the future, investing in family, taking care of elders, and working family life balance will happen. The ethical use of technology and data privacy will take centre stage.

     

     

    Uncertainties will certainly win

    The year 2022 will remain in flux with uncertainties and recoveries; hence the idea of these thoughts will find support, but I expect them to really flourish by 2023 or 2024. Undoubtedly, uncertainties will multiply, and emotions will be further stretched. Technology will keep disrupting life. And naysayers will keep asking for concrete proof of reality.

     

     

  • It was a year of survival. Shruti Pushkarna hopes for equality and inclusion in this lookback of 2021

    Equality & Inclusion: The Year that Wasn’t

     

     

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Shruti PushkarnaThis time last year, there was hope that the new year would be somewhat better than the ‘lockdown’ year. People thought things would change miraculously at the dawn of January 1, 2021. Sadly, it was only meant to get worse. India was hit by a worse second wave, losing numerous lives to the deadly virus.

     

    This year there isn’t any pretense. Going by the latest news reports of rising coronavirus cases and the new Omicron variant infecting people at a ghastly rate, so far there are no indications of a better 2022.

     

    Sigh.

     

    Looking at the year gone by, it seems as if once again we are standing at the helm of where things began. In February 2021, fears of another wave were rising despite the accelerated vaccination drives across the country. And here are we are again. A third wave now.

     

    Ending and starting on a similar (dreary) note, seems like this year was a total washout. Perhaps best classified as ‘The Year That Wasn’t’.

     

    The Top 10 words that defined 2021 were:

     

    1. Vaxxed- Social media was viral with selfies after taking first and second jabs

    2. Oxygen- or the lack of it! It was a battle for air at the end of the day

    3. Anti-viral- Drugs like Fabiflu were going off the market for thousands of rupees. Little did we know if they helped at all

    4. Plasma therapy- Donors were being lined up by families in the hope that patients could benefit from a treatment which was eventually scrapped by medical experts

    5. Variant- Delta was the D-word, if you had it, you were doomed

    6. HDU- Patients recited horror stories from their time inside a High Dependency Unit in hospitals

    7. Black fungus- Mucormycosis, a serious fungal infection that was presumably a fallout of steroid overdose

    8. Medrol- Hardly anyone with a severe Covid infection went without a prescription of this steroid. Many developed serious conditions from overuse

    9. Anti-vaxxers- Those who haven’t yet taken the first shot, at a time when boosters are due

    10. Mass graves- The summer of 2021 witnessed thousands of bodies cremated/buried without a proper closure for their family members

     

    It was a year of survival. Not just battling death and illness through most quarters but also surviving insensitivity, bordering on apathy. Personally, I struggled with my health, job and emotional sanity. It was tough to be playing against so many odds. But as they say, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’. I learned to sail through, it was the greatest test in resilience.

     

    A trait that so far, I only observed in the people I work with. Persons with disabilities fight with several adversities, both physical and mental, to survive in a society which is bereft of equality. And yet they sustain and thrive somehow. Since the start of the pandemic, the general population has been given lessons in adjustment, patience, survival, accommodation, things that come naturally to the disabled community. With tables being turned on the majority, one hoped that the world would become more empathetic. Especially when an absolute cliché, ‘one when door closes another opens’, became a personal reality for many.

     

    Despite aligning our ways of living to a ‘new normal’ which had immense potential to be more inclusive, the disabled population remained invisible for the most part.

     

    Vaccination drives sidelined the vulnerable groups, mindless of their specific needs and challenges.

     

    Workplaces resumed operations without considering the travelling issues faced by persons with disabilities, in a socially distanced scenario.

     

    Olympic champions were cheered and Paralympians merely made it to the national headlines, despite a historic tally.

     

    Many Covid survivors experienced invisible disabilities and chronic conditions, and yet no sign of empathy for the 15 per cent global population.

     

    Collectively bracing through a year ridden with morbidities and economic slumps, sections of society failed to negate their differences. Instead, we saw a dark, selfish side of human existence. From hoarding medicines and essentials, to fighting for hospital beds and oxygen, people were erroneously engaged in self-care. Even in death, they were seen bargaining for a ‘better’ spot for incineration. If sickness of such magnitude didn’t help us equate our fears and troubles, one wonders what will.

     

    Recently, I started reading this book on honing the art of storytelling. Before getting down to the tips and techniques, the author talks about the power of narrating stories with respect to breaking down feelings, sharing pain and trivializing the whole ‘victim’ psychology. Just by a mere act of filtering emotions through words, we can step aside from the problem that seems so big in our heads, otherwise. Working in the disability sector, I have realized the need to focus on solutions rather than aggrandising the problems.

     

    The preamble also got me thinking of what the Dalai Lama once said, “The planet desperately needs more peacemakers, healers, restorers, storytellers and lovers of all kinds.”

     

    Going into another year of possible lockdown, disease and misery, we need to be mindful of equal opportunities and protection for all, included the disabled. Let the defining words of 2022 be, ‘equity, equality, equanimity’.

     

    Shruti Pushkarna is a former journalist who now works as a programmes and media specialist for the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Shruti writes for MxMIndia every other Thursday. Her views here are personal. She can be reached via Twitter at @shrutipushkarna

     

  • It's a question we couldn't stop from asking in this lookback series of Das ka Dum. So it’s over to Dr Bhaskar Das and his response. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | In 2021, any sector you felt really awful about, given that it lost out because of the pandemic. Or couldn’t measure up to your expectations?

    Bhaskar DasIt’s a question we couldn’t stop from asking in this lookback series of Das ka Dum. So it’s over to Dr Bhaskar Das and his response. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar.

     

    Q. Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das| In 2021, any sector you felt really awful about, given that it lost out because of the pandemic. Or couldn’t measure up to your expectations?

     

    A. Airlines and hospitality (in other words any proximity businesses) suffered the most for obvious reasons as maintaining social distancing was expected to be one of the dominant behaviour patterns. Come to think of it, even auto and its related industries also suffered due to supply chain problem. Healthcare system took time to rebound to save human lives but once the vaccination process started, things started improving.

     

    I hasten to add that in the face of such an unprecedented crises, being judgmental isn’t kosher. What is laudable is the indomitable spirit of human beings to counter it, absorb losses of human lives and yet stand committed to face the challenges, irrespective of sectors. I salute that indomitable spirit.

     

    The Das Ka Dum yearenders through this last week of the year:

    Monday (Dec 27): The year in creative advertising

    Tuesday (Dec 28): The year in entertainment

    Wednesday (Dec 29): The year in news and sports

    Tomorrow, Friday (Dec 31): What gave him maximum happiness in the year or made him sit up and say ‘Wow’

     

  • Features host of celebrities like Jim Sarbh, Dia Mirza, Tarun Tahiliani, Sanjay Puri

    Obeetee Carpets launches ‘Add Life To Your Home’ campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Obeetee Carpets has launched a campaign to showcase its products with a tagline ‘Add Life To Your Home’. The campaign features Jim Sarbh, Dia Mirza, Tarun Tahiliani, Sanjay Puri, and Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, highlighting how Obeetee carpets are for every home.

     

    Talking about the campaign, Angelique Dhama, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Obeetee Retail, said:  “We are thrilled to announce our debut digital campaign. It is the little things that truly add meaning and value to the monotony of everyday life and Obeetee helps you do that.”

     

  • Sixth Sense Global conducts research on parent-child relationship as marketing activity

    Colors Marathi launches ‘Project KYC- Know Your Child’

    By Our Staff

     

    Colors Marathi has launched ‘Project KYC- Know Your Child’, a show which speaks about a single mother-daughter relationship. As an extension of its marketing activity for the show, the channel has conducted a research by Sixth Sense Global that will provide a comprehensive overview of Parent – Child relationship pertaining to Maharashtrians.

     

    Said Aniket Joshi, Business Head, Colors Marathi: “2021 is a year which changed many things on personal and professional front of many people, this is also the contributor to the changes in the relationship. This research is pivotal which will help us to add the value in creative front. Parent and Teen relations are ever changing, and this research will help in the long run for show messaging and will help the brand to develop strong bonding with audience.”

     

    Added Viraj Raje, Programming Head of the channel: “We all know one of the purest bonds in this universe is that of a mother-child. Her unconditional love for her child is irreplaceable. However, in today’s world, we see that this bond is rapidly changing, whether it is between a mother and a son or a mother and a daughter. This shift can be attributed to a variety of factors in our society. As a parent or a child, we never noticed this problem or what is missing in the relationship. To study this most important aspect of the Parent-Child relationship, Colors Marathi conducted a KYC study across Maharashtra for the first time, which will also help us on the creative front.”

     

  • The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by FoxyMoron

    Burger King unveils campaign for Sober Whopper

    By Our Staff

     

    Burger King has launched a new year campaign for its limited edition whopper. The #Sober Whopper, a juicy, cheesy, flame grilled double patty Whopper has been specially curated for guests to enjoy the first-hand experience of 1st Jan. The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by FoxyMoron.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Kapil Grover, Chief Marketing Officer said: “Our strategy is to constantly hack contemporary moments and culture. After a successful Cricket Hack campaign, we are back with yet another Topical Campaign called #SoberWhopper. The #SoberWhopper was designed to ensure that no matter how hard our guests party, they can start their New Year on a Whopper Note. Besides increasing brand salience & consumer engagement, the campaign also allows us to bring a limited time Whopper exclusively available on our BK App. #SoberWhopper can be ordered via the BK App or earned Free by tagging us on social media. Our last campaign of 2021 wishes all our guests and everyone a safe and a very happy new year.”

     

    Adding to the same, Pratik Gupta, Co-Founder Zoo Media & FoxyMoron said: “Burger King as a brand has a unique way of connecting with its TG of GenZ and Millennials. While most brands focus on bringing in the New Year, Burger King in its signature humour and topical lens, decided to focus on the unique touchpoint of the customer’s sentiment the morning after, when all the fun and frolic is over, and all you want is great food!”

     

  • An appropriate question to end the year. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the December 31, 2021 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | What from the year 2021 gave you maximum happiness? And something to laugh about? And what made you sit up say: Wow! ?

    Bhaskar DasAn appropriate question to end the year. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the December 31, 2021 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

     

    If you wish to access the archives, please go to the Das Ka Dum tab on the website’s top navigation bar.

     

    Q. Roundups and recaps can get boring, and this year many of them have painted a sorry state of affairs: What from the year 2021 gave you maximum happiness? And something to laugh about? And what made you sit up say: Wow! ?

     

    A. A few wow moments for me in 2021:

    1. Rise of Unicorns in India (read the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovative spirit), b. Technology companies facilitating digital transformation at an accelerated pace, hitherto not experienced during the last decade

    2. The essential service providers at every level of human existence,

     

    And, finally:

    1. The arrival of covid vaccine.

    All the above have given me optimism about the future.

     

     

  • Amitabh Bachchan has joined Legends League Cricket as its ambassador

    SPN acquires rights for Legends League Cricket

    By Our Staff

     

    Legends League Cricket (LLC) has announced its partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) to live telecast all the matches of the league to be played in January 2022, on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3 channels as well as livestream the matches in India on SPN’s premium OTT platform, SonyLIV.

     

    Said Raman Raheja, CEO of Legends League Cricket: “We are extremely happy to announce this partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India. They have a very credible history of making sporting events a grand success, including the most premium T20 cricket leagues in the world. We wish to walk a long mile with them and ensure viewers are treated with a very competitive and entertaining form of Cricket. The league starts January 20th 2022.”

     

    Added Rajesh Kaul Chief Revenue Officer, Distribution and Head – Sports Business, Sony Pictures Networks India: “It’s a very exciting partnership to get into and having these stalwarts on the ground playing competitive cricket will definitely engage our viewers across India. Sony Sports has always served its viewers with its diverse portfolio of premier sports content and with the Legends League Cricket, we will present our viewers a great viewing experience of watching these legends in action on our sports channels.”

     

    Actor Amitabh Bachchan has joined Legends League Cricket as its ambassador and will be promoting the League. The League also has former India Head Coach, Ravi Shastri, as its Commissioner looking after the cricketing aspect. As a host Oman has presented itself a very promising destination for cricket after successfully hosting the 2021 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup matches recently.

     

  • Projects digital video and gaming to be biggest growth drivers

    CII-BCG Big Picture 2021 Report: ‘Way Forward for Indian Media and Entertainment Industry’

    By Our Staff

     

    The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) unveiled a report of the media and entertainment sector titled, ‘Blockbuster Script for the New Decade: Way Forward for Indian Media and Entertainment Industry’. The report explores the industry’s status after the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and highlights key imperatives for achieving its potential over the next decade.

     

    Said K Madhavan, Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and President, The Walt Disney Company India and Star India: “It is delightful to see that the hard work put in by all stakeholders in the face of great challenges, both professional and personal, has paid off and now our industry is back on track. Media and entertainment played a crucial role in helping the country navigate and overcome this crisis and reinforced its role in people’s lives”. The report projects that the industry is set to grow to $55-70B by 2030 at a CAGR of 9-11%, with digital video and gaming being the biggest growth drivers.

     

    Commenting on the report, Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, added: “CII has maintained its thought-leadership in Media and Entertainment sector over the years through various measures. Industry as well as Government and policy makers value the inputs which CII initiatives add to the knowledge pool of the sector. The Big Picture report, released on the occasion of the CII Big Picture Summit every year, holds a special place in this resource ecosystem. This year’s report, once again put together by BCG with the help of CII Media and Entertainment Committee, looks at the decade ahead, will help businesses chart their growth path and aide the government in framing enabling measures to facilitate further expansion of the sector.”

     

    Said Siddharth Roy Kapur, Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment and Founder & Managing Director, Roy Kapur Films: “Film production and film exhibition were amongst the worst affected sectors in the M&E business due to the pandemic. After a long period of shutdown, cinema halls are now back in business with a bang. A record number of big-ticket movies are lined up for release well into 2022. That augurs well for the sector but caps on occupancies, closures of cinemas and modified audience behaviour might impact the speed of recovery. On the other hand, streaming has provided new avenues for screening and broad-based the options available for producers, artistes and technicians. Along with the rise of regional cinema, this marks the start of a truly fantastic decade ahead for the Indian content business. Kudos to team CII and BCG for another enriching edition of the Big Picture report.”

     

    Added Biren Ghose, Vice Chairman, CII National Committee on Media and Entertainment and Country Head, Technicolor India: “This year’s CII – BCG Big Picture report appropriately features the games sector in India captioned the “Future is play”. Despite sporadic regulatory hiccups, in some states, this segment is growing at around 30 per cent per annum which is the highest among the animation and visual effects (AVGC) sector. CII is confident that this report articulates the critical inputs to guide future policy thereby creating an enabling environment for industry to grow. The success of India’s media and entertainment will ultimately depend on the ability to scale world-class creative talent in order to capitalize on the global opportunity in this sector.”

     

    The report highlights the Media and Entertainment industry’s multimodal growth story. The Indian OTT sector is currently in the scaling stage with strong subscription growth and high investment in premium & original content. The sector is one of the most competitive amongst emerging markets with 40+ players representing all types of content providers. “Cord cutting” (cancelling TV subscription and moving to OTT) is in nascent stages and is expected to be limited in the medium term. Said Mandeep Kohli, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group India:  “The share of traditional media is slowly declining with increased digital adoption but there is still high headroom for penetration with only 54% of Indian households having a pay TV connection compared to more than 70% in China. For many households, TV continues to be the center of the home and a significant part of family time.”

     

    As was the case with other industries, the past year has been a challenging one for the media and entertainment industry. However, the industry has shown remarkable recovery with TV ad volumes bouncing back to pre-COVID levels and expected to continue growing in the future, driven by increased advertising on regional channels & entry of new advertisers. AVOD is now one of the fastest growing ad segments in India driven by interactive ad formats, blending of content and ads and the rise of short form AVOD platforms.

     

    One of the major themes in this year’s report is the industry’s anticipated transformation over the next decade. The Media and Entertainment industry is at a critical juncture of transformation, offering rapid growth in some areas. “To realise this growth, companies must tweak their strategies to take advantage of the current market situation. In addition to investing in content and technology to improve user experience, companies should also leverage suitable distribution models to enhance reach, focus on providing integrated ad solutions and offer innovative marketing formats to enhance the value proposition to advertisers,” explained Kanchan Samtani, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Boston Consulting Group India.

     

    Setting the tone for the coming years, Madhavan added: “Our industry has always been at the forefront of disruption and we will continue to innovate over the next decade. We will now need new answers and will need them fast, even on the most fundamental things like talent pool to run our companies and methodology for measuring the impact we are delivering to advertisers on our platforms. We will need to continue to embrace change going forward to create the most value for consumers as well as our partners.”

     

     

  • It's the last of our yearenders, where Ranjona Banerji looks back at the year

    Ranjona Banerji: Never, not, and a wishlist that’s not going to happen

    Ranjona BanerjiBy Ranjona Banerji

     

    It’s such an awful cliché that I had to do it.

     

    To write this wishlist, I mean, because the calendar changes.

     

    Wishes on my life in the media.

     

    Never to have to sit through a Zoom/ Google/ WhatsApp/ WhateverNewTech call or meeting.

    Not going to happen. Covid is back.

     

    Never to have to wait on tenterhooks for freelance money to come into the bank account.

    Not going to happen. No one except A and A have enough money. And Covid is back.

     

    Never to have to see endless publicity for the Modiji the Great in every news outlet.

    Not going to happen. Because the media thrives on rah-rah-ga-ga. And there are always elections somewhere.

     

    Never to wade through fence-sitting column blather: if only, then if, what then, not now, round and round.

    Not going to happen. Ouch that fence hurts my bottom only happens in private.

     

    Never to have to watch some loony tune TV anchor shout toxic nonsense.

    Not going to happen. TV anchors are notoriously short of simple logic and high on their own toxic nonsense.

     

    Never to have to read how everything wrong today is the fault of someone in the past and not the present incumbent.

    Not going to happen. Because for the media the current incumbent, the more inefficient he gets, the more effective he is as a “leader”.

     

    Never to have to read about the mysterious TINA again.

    Not going to happen. TINA is notoriously embedded in the minds of the Without Intelligence To Lessen Enslavement (to) Stupendous Stupidity.

     

    Never to have to read the use of the word “elderly” to describe anyone above the age of 40.

    Not going to happen. The children are in charge.

     

    Never to have my own jokes on social media explained to me.

    Not going to happen. Silliness begets silliness on social media.

     

    Never to have to trawl through endless bad news outlets to get to a few nuggets of good.

    Not going to happen. Media going through worst phase ever.

     

    Never to have the media ignore the pain and suffering of others because they’re too busy worshiping at the altar of false gods that they have made.

    Not going to happen. The media is now terrified of the false gods of its own creation.

     

    Never to have to explain the difference between reporters, subeditors, editors and other journalists to the general public.

    Not going to happen. They know it all. And TINA and so on.

     

    Never to have the general public quote poopindia and so on to me, in the innocent delusion that it’s a news site.

    Not going to happen. Those TVwallahs have given Poop & Co legitimacy by calling them to their nightly akhaada sessions. Plus, they must have paid Google to pop up early in searches.

     

    Never to have to beg again for media solidarity when our own are attacked by the vicious government.

    Not going to happen because the mainstream media is sitting goopily in the pocket of said vicious government and cares little for the lives of journalists that do journalism.

     

    Never to have to wait for mainstream media outlets to cover pandemics and other disasters promptly and responsibly instead of after independent journalists have already done it.

    Not going to happen because independent journalists are always on the job and mainstream media outlets are usually “Hindu khatre mein hain”, bank balance is also in danger, prejudice is in danger and so on.

     

    On that miserable note, see you in 2022.

     

    Masks on.

     

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia every Tuesday and Friday. Her views here are personal

     

     

  • There are going to be surprises in M&E next year, and Shailesh Kapoor hopes they are more pleasant than those in 2021

    The Year to Remember… The Year to Forget

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh Kapoor2021 has been a treacherous year, and it’s been generally hard to predict what’s in store next. Even as I write this on the last morning of the year, a third Covid wave knocks on our doors, and this time, we know it’s an inevitability. That it’s likely to be a wave of milder infections is the silver lining we latch on to.

     

    The media and entertainment business has done well to stay afloat in a difficult year. Two categories had the maximum opportunity to make the most of it: OTT and News. The streaming players did their part, and came up with content across languages to keep us engaged while we were locked down. The focus, however, was on quantity over quality. More than 200 series and 75 films launched on streaming platforms in India in 2021, and only about a dozen of these managed to make an impact. It often came down to international content to save the day, such as Squid Game and Money Heist for Netflix. That does not reflect well on an industry that, till not very long ago, had announced itself as the torchbearer of a new content revolution in India.

     

    The news story has been a dichotomous one. While television news shed all pretense and became unequivocally subservient to the powers that matter, the print media, especially in the Hindi language, kept the flag of good journalism flying high. If I had to choose a media brand of the year from India, I’d seriously consider Dainik Bhaskar for that award. It takes courage to go against the tide, and stand up for the truth. Even the subsequent IT raids did not deter them.

     

    Digital news platforms were persistent in their coverage of the second wave too. But that ecosystem is still struggling to find a viable business model, as they try and convince Indians to pay for their news, which is at least two degrees away from the first frontier for any pay digital platform to surpass: To convince audience to pay for content, of any kind at all.

     

    The television sector, in general, would have had another forgettable year, with stagnant viewership and no breakthrough achievement in content. But we can always bank on TRAI to inject some nuisance to counter the dullness. Much of the year saw broadcasters and TRAI tussle over NTO 2.0, and the last chapter of that story has still not been written. There was also the mega-merger of Zee and Sony, which opens immense opportunities for the new entity, with their complementary strengths. But that’s another topic for another day.

     

    We can hope for a lot from 2022, but it’s not a year you want to write a script for. There are going to be surprises on the way, and this time, one hopes they are more pleasant than those in 2021.

     

  • Nouriture cattle feed brand of Anmol Feeds has announced actor Pankaj Tripathi

    Pankaj Tripathi to endorse cattle feed

    By Our Staff

     

    Nouriture cattle feed brand of Anmol Feeds has announced actor Pankaj Tripathi as its first brand ambassador for a TVC. The aim is to change perceptions of its range of products through its positioning of ‘Sirf chusti nahi, pushti bhi’. The creative agency handling the campaign is Shreyansh Innovations.

     

    Speaking on the campaign Amit Saraogi, Managing Director, Anmol Feeds, said: “We wanted to create a high recall for our cattle feed brand, Nouriture Godhenu Gold, and our superlative product deserved a brand ambassador like Mr. Pankaj Tripathi who has a unique appeal across the country with his own inimitable style. He is an energetic and versatile actor with a rich legacy of work. Pankaj’s common man personality resonates with our brand values, and we believe the association will go a long way in not only achieving the desired top-of-the-mind brand recall but also in bringing about a paradigm shift in farmer behaviour towards the right feed. Our campaign aims to educate and inform the farmers about why they need the right cattle feed for better yield. We hope the words, Sirf chusti nahi, pushti bhi is embedded in the minds of every farmer and stays for a long time.”