MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • The 2022 report, to be released in June, focus on female representation in Indian entertainment

    Ormax Media & Film Companion announce 2nd edition of ‘O Womaniya!’

    By Our Staff

     

    Media consulting firm Ormax Media and entertainment platform Film Companion announced the launch of the second edition of their initiative on female representation in the Indian entertainment industry, titled O Womaniya! Releasing in June this year, other than the films released in the previous year,  the 2022 edition will also cover the streaming category extensively, analysing major digital-series and direct-to-OTT films, along with theatrical films, released in 2021, across Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam entertainment industries. Additionally, the current edition will also analyse female representation in the boardrooms of the top media and entertainment companies in India, and how the industry can work towards creating a nurturing environment that helps women grow into leadership roles.

     

    Speaking about the second edition of the report, Anupama Chopra, Founder & Editor, Film Companion, said: “I believe that cinema can shape the world. Which is why inclusivity and diversity is paramount.   O Womaniya! is our attempt to push the needle to move faster. We hope that data will trigger conversation, which will trigger change. We are happy to collaborate with industry bodies like the Producers Guild of India and Active Telugu Film Producers Guild, and streaming services like Amazon Prime Video, an important part of India’s rapidly evolving creative ecosystem, to take this conversation forward meaningfully. With multiple industry players joining hands with us for the second edition of O Womaniya! we believe we are moving the needle, slowly but significantly on this important subject.”

     

    Said Shailesh Kapoor, Founder & CEO, Ormax Media: “With every edition, we want to expand the ambition of this report, such as covering digital series this time. But the section of the 2022 report that I’m keenly looking forward to is on the representation of women in the senior management of Indian entertainment companies. These are the decision-makers who have the ability to shape the industry’s future, and hence, the analysis must start from the top.”

     

    To enable a deeper socio-cultural analysis of the findings, the O Womaniya! initiative has associated with leading gender expert, Sunitha Rangaswami, Independent Consultant – Gender and Women’s Economic Empowerment.

     

  • Ah, well, we know it's an unfair question to ask since it's still early days of the IPL 2022 edition, but still. Losing three games each. Well, we asked Dr Bhaskar Das, who is known to love the game very, very much, for his view for the April 7 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | The Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians teams have lost three of their IPL matches on the trot. Are both the champion teams a spent force or it’s still early days?

    Bhaskar DasAh, well, we know it’s an unfair question to ask since it’s still early days of the IPL 2022 edition, but still. Losing three games each. Well, we asked Dr Bhaskar Das, who is known to love the game very, very much, for his view for the April 7 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. The Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians teams have lost three of their IPL matches on the trot. Are both the champion teams a spent force or it’s still early days?

     

    A. It’s unfortunate but the principle of the survival of the fittest applies here too and it’s good for Indian cricket and it keeps the interest in IPL alive even after 15 years. Championship can’t be an entitlement. One has to work hard to earn it. Victory loves preparation and resting on laurels doesn’t always help. If one goes by the  axiom of  morning shows the day , the teams at the bottom of the pyramid would really work smart and hard to be in the race. One has to assume also that other teams would decide not to compete.

     

  • The Indian Premier League broadcast rights auction in June will impact the landscape of Indian media, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    On the field and off it: The big IPL year

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorThe biggest sporting event in India is currently underway. With each passing year, IPL seems to only grow in stature and brand value. This time, there are two new franchises, and the spectators are back in the stands too, albeit with a cap of 25 per cent. More franchises mean more matches and more talent on display, all of which eventually leads to higher monetization and valuation of brand IPL.

     

    But the eyes this year are not just on the ongoing IPL but also on what’s to follow on the IPL front over the next few weeks. IPL broadcast rights are up for renewal, and we are set to see a fierce battle in the auctions scheduled for mid-year.

     

    IPL is a crown jewel for Disney (Star), not just in India, but even worldwide. Hotstar, on the back of IPL, contributes more than 30 per cent to Disney+’s global subscriber base. Needless to say, Star India will stretch itself beyond its limits to retain both television and streaming rights.

     

    But there’s the newly-merged entity that goes by the working title Zee-Sony, which is a serious contender. Sony has been down the IPL road before, being the first ones to put their money on it, when the league was only an experiment, not a proven success story. With the combined might of two big networks, Star India’s competition is tougher than it was five years ago.

     

    Add Reliance (Viacom) to the mix, and we have a three-way tussle for IPL rights on the cards. BCCI’s decision to not go for combined bids this year makes things even more interesting, because it puts streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video into the reckoning, along with Google and Facebook.

     

    No amount of speculation can prepare us what may eventually happen when the e-auction commences on June 12 this year. But whatever the outcome is, it will shape the landscape of the Indian media industry for the next few years, even the next decade.

     

    The television industry is India has been struggling for relevance, despite being the medium with the highest reach, and by some margin too. IPL (and cricket in general) is one of the few things that keeps television relevant to the times, as far as media planning and buying goes. Digital viewership may have gone up, but television remains the dominant medium of sports consumption. The entire television industry, and the advertisers’ group (brands and media agencies), will be keenly awaiting the outcome.

     

    Till then, there’s some real cricket on the grounds to keep us busy. For another seven weeks, the cricketing action will continue to enthrall millions across the nation. It will also act as a reminder for the potential bidders everyday, on how big the opportunity in front of them is.

     

  • Advances billing capabilities of FloBiz's flagship product myBillBook

    FloBiz neobank launches first brand campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    FloBiz, a fintech platform for small and medium scale businesses (SMBs), has launched its new brand campaign ‘Business Ka Achha Time Shuru’ with a series of four ad films. The newly announced branding campaign bolsters the efficiency and advanced billing capabilities of FloBiz’s flagship product myBillBook, which is a GST invoicing and accounting software.

     

    Said Pulkit Saboo, Director- Brand Marketing, Flobiz: “The stories are a reflection of our user reviews. We feel fortunate to have been able to create a difference in the lives of SMBs by giving them an easy-to-use, powerful and affordable solution for their everyday business pain-points. Similar to our customer base, the films show a wide age spectrum ranging from a young businessman to an elderly well established business owner with each of them using myBillBook confidently and conveniently. The campaign has been well timed to usher in the new financial year with the brand promise of better times for your business. We are complementing the digital-first national roll out with a high degree of offline visibility through OOH advertising and BTL activities.”

     

    Added Rahul Raj, Founder and CEO, FloBiz: “The new brand campaign follows our previous campaign #BusinessKoLeSeriously launched in association with our brand ambassador Manoj Bajpayee. The recently announced ad series illustrates, in all its simplicity and sans-hyperbole and sans-jargon tenor, the benefits of having a superior product take on most of the daily business operations challenges for small businesses, leaving more time to concentrate on things that matter – more family and business strategy time.”

     

  • Sees record digital traction within 24 hours

    Zelenskyy interview sees R. digital viewership leapfrog

    By Our Staff

     

    Republic Media Network reports significant traction of its exclusive interview with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy las tweek

     

    The 60-minute interview conducted virually “has propelled crucial global conversations on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war,” reports the network. On digital, the interview, the network claims, received 600 million estimated impressions within the first 24 hours. Within minutes of the first playout of the live interview of President Zelenskyy to Republic Media Network’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, the interview was trending across India, added a release.

     

    According to a communique, on Youtube, the interview garnered over 20 million impressions in the first day of playout. On YouTube, the interview got over 2.61 million views in less than 20 hours.

     

    Notes a communique: “With four full playouts over the weekend, and an unstoppable on-going virality on social media, new digital records will continue to be set by Asia’s largest news network, the Republic Media Network.”

     

    Editor’s Note: Digital viewership doesn’t have any universally accepted third-party credible measurement tools, and even if some good ones exist, there are many reports of these being inorganically boosted. Consequently, MxMIndia, as a policy, does not report on digital measurement claims. However, when we do report on viewership spikes, we are convinced that there was a increase in viewership. However, we wish to assert that the numbers have not been verified by us or a third-party, so we urge our readers to base their decision by verifying these.

     

  • To continue accelerating the marketing transformation activity of the digital major

    Lenovo mandates Stagwell Agency Assembly & Dentsu

    By Our Staff

     

    Lenovo has announced the appointment of Stagwell Agency Assembly and Dentsu as its new global paid media agencies of record.

     

    Said Gina Qiao, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Lenovo: “As the technology and marketing industries undergo a profound transformation in an increasingly fragmented digital ecosystem, marketing needs to adapt and modernise as we navigate this new environment. We look forward to working with our new agency partners to continue innovating how and where we tell Lenovo’s vision of smarter technology for all, and to further advance the industry.”

     

  • It's not in the public domain so far, hence near-confirmed, though our sources tell us that it's possibly just waiting for some officialese. So we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question for the April 11 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | It’s now near-confirmed that former Disney Star big(g) boss Uday Shankar is going to take charge of a leading entertainment network (& perhaps more). How do you see this impacting the A&M&E space?

    Bhaskar DasIt’s not in the public domain so far, hence near-confirmed, though our sources tell us that it’s possibly just waiting for some officialese. So we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question for the April 11 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. There is now near-confirmed news that former Disney Star big(g) boss Uday Shankar is going to take charge of a leading entertainment network (and perhaps more). How do you see this impacting the A&M&E space?

     

    A. Even if the news isn’t confirmed as yet, but the arrival of an astute professional like Uday Shankar would definitely make a difference in the concerned company and consequently on the A&M industry. Uday Shankar would always be a star, wherever he is.

     

  • To build awareness around the importance of strength among adults

    Protinex launches #OneLegChallenge

    By Our Staff

     

    Protinex the flagship brand of Danone India, has launched an integrated digital campaign #OneLegChallenge. The campaign urges Indian adults to test their strength by taking up the One-Leg challenge. The six-week-long campaign will include multiple national and regional influencers who will be taking up this challenge by creating a positive chain of influence with influencers asking others to take up the challenge and share their scores.

     

    Said Sriram Padmanabhan, Marketing Director, Danone India: “Not many Indians are aware of the pivotal role that muscle strength plays in leading a healthy life. Through the launch of #OneLegChallenge our intent is to provide an easy way for Indian adults to test their strength vs what is expected of their age. The video encourages viewers to try the test by visiting a dedicated page that has been created to help them take the challenge and understand the results. They can also check if their daily diets provide the required amount of nutrients and take the help of a nutritionist who will design a 30-day diet plan free of cost.”

  • Stark Communications, V-ROK, Mindshare India and Social Beat triumph

    Big Bang Awards 2021 held

    By Our Staff

     

    Tthe Big Bang Awards 2021 for Excellence in Creative, Media, Digital and Marketing held by the Advertising Club Bangalore were held in Bengaluru on April 8.

     

    The Ayaz Peerbhoy Award for the Creative Agency of the year went to Stark Communications. V-ROK Communications Network was the Healthcare Agency of the year. Mindshare India was named the Media Agency of the Year and Social Beat was the Digital Agency of the Year.

     

    Amongst clients, Viatris was the client of the year in the creative category, Hindustan Lever was the media client of the year, Netflix the digital client of the year, Columbia Pacific Communities, Marketer of the year.

     

    Sharan Pillai won the newly constituted Arvind Kumar Award for Young Media Professional of the year. The Young Art Director of the year was won by Arun Gopidas.

     

     

    Said Laeeq Ali, President, The Advertising Club Bangalore: “We received over 400 entries this year from agencies and clients across the country and decided to wait till April so we could kick-start our activities for the year with an offline event in Bengaluru on the 8th of April.”

     

    Added Malavika Harita, Chairperson of Big Bang Awards: “I have been involved with the Big Bang Awards for the last 20 years. This year we saw a lot of emerging creative, media and digital agencies with innovative and exciting ideas. Adding a category for marketing excellence rounded off the entire gamut of marketing activities covered.

     

  • To drive awareness on convenience in availing loans

    KreditBee launches ‘Loans Anytime, Anywhere’ campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    KreditBee, the fintech platform. announced the launch of its first brand campaign, ‘Loans Anytime, Anywhere’. The campaign is aimed at creating brand awareness among its target consumers and highlights the ease and convenience in availing loans from KreditBee.

     

    Said Ishan Bose, Chief Marketing Officer, KreditBee: “We are delighted to launch our first brand campaign ‘Loans Anytime, Anywhere’, which is aimed to educate the young Indian middle class on how they can meet their aspirations by availing loans instantly in a simple, secure and hassle-free manner. At KreditBee, we are focused on understanding our consumers and their personal finance needs. This campaign gives us an opportunity to kickstart our audience engagement from a brand awareness standpoint and highlight our value proposition of being ‘the friend indeed’ in tough times, be it for occasions, events or emergencies.”

  • But the Indian media is too scared to tell you that, writes Ranjona Banerji

    India is burning!

     

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiIndia is burning. No, not just from the intense heat waves across large parts of the country. But from relentless attacks on freedom and democracy from our ruling regime’s stable of thugs. From the fires set on homes and businesses and religious establishments that belong to Muslims. From the force of the blows on the heads of students eating in their college canteens. From the spreading wave of toxic Hindu majoritarianism that now devours our nation-state.

    From their Twitter feeds, the most prominent Prime Minister-related news on the morning of April 12, 2022 from some English TV channels:

    Times Now tells us that the Prime Minister is busy with the Deoghar rope accident in Jharkhand.

    India Today tells us that the Prime Minister is busy with the “Ukraine war”.

    News18 tells that the Prime Minister has congratulated the new prime minister of Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif.

    The Prime Minister was not visible on NDTV’s Twitter feed, not even exercising on a rock or sitting in a cave or waving at no one.

    The biggest news was by-elections, the wedding of Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor, US President Joe Biden’s meeting with PM Narendra Modi on Ukraine, summer vacation dates in Maharashtra.

    What have our newspapers tell us about what’s going on in India? How about the violence against Muslim fruit-sellers in Dharwad, one more in a list of attacks on Muslims in Karnataka?

    https://www.hindustantimes.com/videos/news/karnataka-muslim-fruit-sellers-carts-vandalised-by-right-wing-vandals-101649585323450.html

    The wording here is delicate: “members of a Hindu rightwing group Sri Ram Sene”. The criminal behaviour of Sri Ram Sene has long been known. Its founder Pramod Muthalik has been in and of the Shiv Sena, Bajrang Dal and the BJP. His rabid toxicity was apparently too much for all of them. But here he is, untouched and free to carry on with his violence and targeting of Muslims and women.

    What’s the bet that the word “members” would have been replaced with words like “terrorists” if a Muslim organisation had been charged with these attacks. At least, you may argue, the thugs were not called “activists”. Those usually belong to the Bajrang Dal or ABVP.

    The “incident” at Jawaharwal Nehru University over non-vegetarian food in the canteen on Ram Navami?

    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/students-clash-at-jnu-hostel-over-non-vegetarian-food/article65309582.ece

    This story from The Hindu is very careful to just lay out all the accusations and counter-accusations so that the reader imagines that there was no bloodshed and that everyone involved – ABVP and Left unions – was equally responsible.

    So also from The Telegraph:

    https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/abvp-left-students-clash-over-non-veg-food-in-jnu-during-ram-navami/cid/1860032

    Tippy-toe, tippy-toe. Baba, we must pick our battles carefully. These students are like this, all aggressive, lefties especially and this ABVP. Let us just do a bland report and move on.

    How about the many attacks on Muslim-owned meat sellers across India over the issue of Ram Navami, the spring Navratri or nine days of some form of fasting by some Hindus, particularly in North India?

    Here are two digital platforms on the issue, The Print and Article 14. Both go further than the mainstream media.

    The Print tells us that the attacks on Muslims are “brutal”, but also decided to describe these violent criminals as “vigilantes”.

    https://theprint.in/india/nothing-can-stop-this-gurugram-muslims-say-after-brutal-attack-on-meat-transporter-lukman/473330/

    Article 14 looks at the larger picture of consistent assaults on Muslim traders and workers:

    https://article-14.com/post/muslim-vendors-scarred-by-delhi-s-so-called-meat-ban-terrified-confused-about-the-future–6250e3f04ceeb

    There are Youtube videos and individual accounts of a Ram Navami procession in Madhya Pradesh attacking a mosque. The Madhya Pradesh government reacted by blaming Muslims, arresting them and then bulldozing their homes. Here, from the Hindustan Times:

    https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/houses-of-accused-in-mp-ram-navmi-clashes-razed-probe-on-101649704338664.html

    This is standard practice, to blame the victim and then use loopholes in the law to destroy their property based on accusations. What law, life and individual liberties mean in India I have no idea. Does the bulk of the media?

    Indeed, what exactly the Indian media does in its newsrooms, even those who do not only comply with orders from the Modi government, it’s hard to understand or imagine. Those of you who can remember, look back at the 2011 India Against Corruption movement where the same media amplified tiny crowds as national unrest and what we now know are absolute lies about corruption in 2G spectrum auctions.

    India is burning. The media is too scared to tell you that.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.

     

  • Okay, so we know that our Wizard of Words firm believes that for a media professional to have a future, s/he must take a future-ready path. So we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question for the April 12 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Chax has joined a SAAS-based platform that supports spas and salons. Your view on the career move of a legacy creative guru overseeing creative at a spa company

    Bhaskar DasOkay, so we know that our Wizard of Words firm believes that for a media professional to have a future, s/he must take a future-ready path. So we asked Dr Bhaskar Das the question for the April 12 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. KS ‘Chax’ Chakravarthy has recently joined Zenoti, a SAAS-based platform that supports spas and salons over 50 countries. As VP – Creative Services. A legacy creative guru overseeing creative at a spa company. Your view on the career move?

     

    A. First, I must state that there is nothing like a legacy creative Guru. Such adjectives would be inappropriate for a creative mindset. Chax’s move itself is a testimony of my POV.

     

    Secondly, kudos to Chax to opt for a state-of-the-art, cloud-based all-in-one software company for the spa and salon industry. While technology may be robust, it takes a creative and design-based thinking to complement the market attractiveness of Zenoti. That Chax got nominated for the task, it demonstrates his personal brand appeal and the futuristic relevance of his craftsmanship.