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  • In my opinion, Tatas being a good fit for Bisleri is a very tenuous link, writes Vikas Mehta, in his fortnightly column

    Bisleri and the Chimera of the Tata Group

     

     

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaChimera is a fire-breathing female monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body and a serpent’s tail. A thing which is hoped for but is illusory.

     

    One of the big news of the week was Bisleri being up for sale and for all practical purposes Tata Consumer Product seemed to be the obvious suitor. The reasoning for Tata being the best suitor for Bisleri is the story of Chimera.

     

    I say obvious as the reaction and reasoning of the deal was more from the heart than sound business logic. A leading business daily which actually carried an interview with Ramesh Chauhan, the promoter of the brand (who incidentally, never confirmed the deal but just said that it’s in the works and Tata’s could be the destination for Bisleri), spoke about how the brand has had many suitors in the past but the promoter was holding off as he wanted someone who can nurture and grow the brand and Tata therefore is a natural fit.

     

    Does that mean that other suitors like Reliance Retail, Nestle and Danone which were mentioned, will not nurture and grow the brand? Or it meant that others will acquire the brand to kill it so that their small brands will thrive and grow? Or maybe reading between the lines meant that given the Tata’s reputation to be a business house with a heart of gold and who care about their employees they will translate the same empathy on to the brand?

     

    Frankly, I find this sort of conjecture and reasoning defying all logic. Business is about bottom line, financials, growth, shareholder value and return on investment. Sure, the social side of business is important but at the end of the day a business has to justify its investment in terms of returns. And growing a brand, making it more profitable will be the objective of most businesses.

     

    Both Danone and Nestle have a presence in the premium segment of bottled water. Exactly like Tata Consumer Product which has Himalayan and Tata Copper Plus as premium offerings. So, for any one of them, Bisleri can be a great acquisition with a presence in the economy segment. And the legacy plus the momentum of the brand will ensure that any suitor amongst the three, be it Tata or Danone or Nestle will hit the ground running with this acquisition. More so, as the current management team will continue to oversee the brand in the near future. So, I cannot figure out why only Tata can nurture and grow it. It is obvious that Tatas reputation of being a fair, just company is colouring the assessment of the suitors.

     

    Let’s also look at Reliance Retail. With Jiomart operational in more than 200 cities in India and Reliance Fresh retail presence being equally strong along with the much-touted acquisition of about 800 Future Group stores, RR is a great bet for Bisleri. RR is looking at private labels and has already nurtured Good Life in groceries, Snactac in snacks, Trikaya in fresh farm produce amongst others, while shopping for likes of Campa to add to its inhouse portfolio. Bisleri would seem to be an ideal addition to the same. And RR can make the brand much more visible in its own stores, websites and apps. Private labels give retaliers more margin and a brand like Bisleri would be a huge asset for RR. Why would the company not want to grow and nurture it? Seems its reputation of being sharply business oriented and its absence in the public mind for its charity work or its social side has made it unsuitable.

     

    Tata also has Big Basket and given the success of Fresho and BB Royal, Tatas would also be raring to acquire Bisleri. But BB is a standalone and is not a part of Tata Consumer Products. And Tatas track record in integration has not been too good in the past. The superapp Tata Neu is struggling. The consumer feedback and the app performance has been bumpy. So, the recent track record of Tata is not at all encouraging. Therefore, it seems illogical in assuming that Tata can nurture and grow the brand and others cannot.

     

    It is also not a coincidence that many marketing experts and gurus have suddenly started talking about sustainable packaging format for Bisleri. That is the Tata effect. Tata is a good, kind-hearted, responsible company. So, if it acquires Bisleri it must look at sustainable package. I find it strange, nay amusing, that suddenly with Tata in the news people have started worrying about Bisleri packaging. More than Tata, shouldn’t it be the responsibility of long time players like Nestle and Danone to be made more accountable for finding a sustainable packaging solution for bottled water? And shouldn’t the issue be more specific than just pinning category responsibility? For example, with the government already banning the use of one-time plastic should the marketing community not be asking for bottled water players like Bisleri to stop producing one time use 200 ml bottles? That’s a more practical approach than starting to expect Tata to wave a magic wand once they buy the brand.

     

    Getting back to growing and nurturing, let’s look at the track record of Bisleri. For a brand which has been in the Indian market, with the current promoter for more than five decades, the brand has hardly innovated, remaining more or less a one product brand. It could have for example, entered adjacent categories like fruit juices or health drinks. It therefore sounds downright hypocritical to hear the promoter wanting to sell the brand to a company which is a good fit because it will grow and nurture a brand.

     

    In my opinion, Tatas being a good fit for Bisleri is a very tenuous link. At best it is an attempt to appropriate the halo of the Tata name to raise the brand value of Bisleri so that the promoters can get a better valuation and in a worst case scenario it is desperately hoping that the deal with Tata will go through at the current estimated valuation as the others may not be willing to pay the asking price. The deal may well go through but the chimera that has been raised will obscure the real reason of the deal having gone through.

     

    Vikas Mehta is a Dehradun-based business strategy consultant and educator. He writes on MxMIndia every other Monday. His views here are personal

     

  • The question is self-explanatory, and the answer, well, makes sense. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the November 28 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Small to big retailers went to town last week with a Black Friday sale. Bizarre isn’t it, with no Thanksgiving observed in India, and the fact that Diwali, amongst a few others, is bigger?

    Bhaskar DasThe question is self-explanatory, and the answer, well, makes sense. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the November 28 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 or click here: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/das-ka-dum/

     

    Q. Small to big retailers went to town last week with a Black Friday sale. Bizarre isn’t it, with no Thanksgiving observed in India, and the fact that Diwali, amongst a few others, is bigger? So perhaps a month before Diwali…?

     

    A. I understand from where you are coming. I agree that Black Friday is a western concept. But if one shifts focus away from geography to triggers of consumer demand, apart from the usual ones like Diwali etc, in the current context of tepid consumer sentiment towards consumption, I feel a periodic bahaanato splurge isn’t a bad idea. In a global marketplace, borrowing of ideas need not necessarily be a counter-culture.

     

  • Film conceptualised by Schbang agency

    MSD Pharmaceuticals spreads awareness about HPV infection

    By Our Staff

     

    MSD Pharmaceuticals has launched a campaign to spread awareness about the human papillomavirus (HPV) that can lead to cancers. The film is conceptualised by Schbang, a Mumbai-headquartered integrated solutions agency.

     

    Said Anushka Gandhi, Creative Lead, Schbang: “A creative device for this particular campaign that spoke to me, quite literally, was spoken word. This poetic medium powerfully offers insight into the pulse and fabric of society, sociocultural issues which is why it felt fitting to leverage this narrative style for a stigmatized topic to aid awareness. With some audio-visual drama, a fresh visual treatment, dynamic art, and some bold performances by the cast, we got an elevated portrayal of this piece brought to life by Schbang Motion Pictures.

     

  • Launches Divers'Ability' week celebrations

    Future Generali to observe International Day of Disabled Persons

    By Our Staff

     

    Future Generali India Insurance (FGII) is observing Divers‘Ability’ to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons on December 3. To commemorate the start of Divers‘Abilty’ Week, the company has released a short video as part of the #DISABLEDBYYOURJUDGEMENT campaign.

     

    Said Ruchika Varma, Chief Marketing Officer, Future Generali India Insurance: “The Divers’Ability’ week celebrations at FGII is aimed at breaking inherent biases in the workplace and bridge the gap between our diverse employees in a healthy and innovative way. The video takes the narrative ahead and conveys the campaign’s central message: Your Judgment is My Disability. When we see a specially-abled individual, it is easy to paint them with the brush of their disability and ignore their individualities and contributions in the workplace. Instead of telling them how you feel, the video demonstrates how it is time for us to listen. This Divers‘Ability’ week, our goal is to look at things through a positive lens, with an emphasis on ability and break biases in context to work environment. We are extremely proud to be an inclusive employer and invite anyone with the necessary skills to join our team and embark on a rewarding journey.”

     

  • Launches campaign across digital and social media platforms

    PVR Cinemas turns 25

    By Our Staff

     

    PVR Cinemas has launched a new digital campaign – There is something about PVR!  – as a part of its 25-year celebrations.

     

    Said Gautam Dutta, CEO, PVR Limited: “PVR has something that makes it unique for each one of us, making it the most preferred movie going destination for the audience. We wanted to connect with the masses to know how PVR is special for them. There is one thing that has stayed constant, it is our focus on the customer and the experience and emotions that they go through inside our cinemas. PVR assigns a lot of value to consumer insights and perceptions, while working on our marketing strategies. This campaign observes the patrons and the million experiences while stating “There is something about PVR’’. We are delighted with the response we have received on this campaign.”

     

  • South Asia of GroupM, was elected President of the AAAI

    Prasanth Kumar is President of AAAI

    By Our Staff

     

    Prasanth Kumar
    Prasanth Kumar

    Prasanth Kumar, CEO – South Asia of GroupM, was elected President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the year 2022-23. Rana Barua, Group CEO of Havas Group India, was unanimously elected Vice President of the Association.

     

    Other elected members of the Board in alphabetical order are:

     

    :: Vishandas Hardasani: Matrix Publicities and Media India Pvt Ltd

    :: Kunal Lalani: Crayons Advertising Pvt Ltd

    :: Rohan Mehta: Kinnect Pvt Ltd

    :: Chandramouli Muthu: Maitri Advertising Works Pvt Ltd, Kochi

    :: Sridhar Ramasubramanian: Beehive Communications Pvt Ltd

    :: Shashidhar Sinha: Initiative Media India Pvt Ltd

    :: K Srinivas: Sloka Advertising Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad

    :: Vivek Srivastava: Innocean Worldwide Communications Pvt Ltd

     

    Immediate Past President, Anupriya Acharya will be ex-officio member of the AAAI Board for 2022-23.

     

    On this occasion, Kumar said: “I’m extremely honoured to be elected President of this prestigious association. Advertising is, in my opinion, a dynamic and idea-driven industry. Collaboration with industry organizations will allow us to shape the industry in a progressive way that benefits everybody. I look forward to building synergies with like-minded people and organisations and I believe that we will be able to achieve our goals if we work together. As always, I expect lots of support from my peers and colleagues within AAAI as well as from the broader ecosystem as well.”

     

    PK, as he is popularly called, is a GroupM veteran with over 25 years of experience having worked across the industry. He has worked at Pepsi, The Hindu, The Media Edge and McCann Erickson before joining GroupM. He has also been Vice President of AAAI from 2020-22.

     

    Added outgoing President Anupriya Acharya: “It has been a privilege to hold the office of President and take on the responsibilities that come with it for the last two years. We transitioned AAAI from a Society to a Section 8 Company, returned with our key events as the nation moved out of covid restrictions, relaunched the iconic Goafest and Abbys in partnership with The One Show, refreshed the AAAI logo in step with the times. But most importantly, we furthered our agenda on inclusion as we partnered with UN Women backed Unstereotype Alliance and brought more digital agencies into the fold and continued strong partnerships with other industry bodies. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board members for giving their energy, expertise, and time when most needed. I would also like to congratulate Prasanth Kumar on his election as President. He has been a key member of the Indian media and advertising industry for a long time. I’m sure he will take the Association from strength to strength.”

     

  • In a strategic re-alignment from the previous model, all functions of the group will now report to Subbu

    It’s official now: Exit Amer Jaleel and Virat Tandon, Enter Subbu as new Group CEO

    By Our Staff

     

    S Subramanyeswar
    S Subramanyeswar

    MullenLowe Group has announced the appointment of S Subramanyeswar, aka Subbu, as the Group Chief Executive Officer of MullenLowe Lintas Group India, effective immediately. MxMIndia was the first to report on Amer Jaleel and Virat Tandon moving on.

     

    In a strategic realignment from the previous model, all functions of the group will now report to Subbu. In addition, Subbu will continue to directly lead the Strategy function for the Group in India and maintain his role as Chief Strategy Officer for the MullenLowe APAC region.

     

    Alex Leikikh
    Alex Leikikh

    Speaking about the new era, Alex Leikikh, Chairman of MullenLowe Group and Executive Vice President of Interpublic Group, said: “During these transformative times where we are all facing many challenges, I believe, there is no better person to lead MullenLowe Lintas Group than Subbu. He is a proven leader with hard-core strategic skills, business imagination and the ability to bring people together. Subbu has a global perspective on how brands, communication and technology will intersect in the future. He’s also a big believer in brand purpose. This combination is exactly what we need as the company enters the next chapter.

     

    As we move into this new era, I want to thank Amer Jaleel and Virat Tandon for their dedication, passion and leadership throughout the years for us and all of our clients. I wish them the best on their next endeavours.”

     

    Since joining the company in 2011, Subbu has played a leading role in MullenLowe Lintas Group becoming the No.1 agency in India and APAC, and No.2 globally on the Effie Index ranking. MullenLowe Lintas Group was also awarded ‘Agency of the year’ several times at India and APAC Effies, and by Tambuli, Campaign South Asia, Ad Age, and WARC with Subbu helming the leadership from the strategy end.

     

    Excited about his new responsibility Subbu said, “Lintas is one of those extraordinary institutions to have truly impacted Indian society for decades through big, bold, culture-leading ideas based on a decisive stand taken by the brand. I couldn’t be more honoured to have been given the charge to lead the company at a very important time. The opportunity that lies ahead in an ever-expanding world of possibilities is limitless, but to seize it, we must focus precisely, move at a rapid pace, and be transformational. A big part of my job is to widen our creative and strategic aperture to innovatively apply technology and talent to solve new problems for clients, for people, and the world at large. I’m excited, grounded on the challenges, and upbeat, all at once.”

     

  • India does not have one single (outlet) to compare to Financial Times or Al Jazeera, said the all-new media boss. Ranjona Banerji comments

    So what will NDTV be under Gautam Adani?

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiIndia’s fastest growing businessman Gautam Adani has almost closed the deal to buy the news channel NDTV.

    Adani has stretched his wings, with a little bit of help from his powerful friends, to various industries from airports to mining to solar power, far from his original bastions of ports and edible oils.

    There has been much ferment over this hostile takeover because for many in India, NDTV has remained the last practitioner of Indian TV’s version journalism, as all its competitors have fallen in line with government diktats. In a sense, NDTV was the forerunner of free non-state-controlled broadcast news in India. Most of the older generation of television presenters were trained by NDTV, and that is where the first star anchors emerged from.

    Dr Prannoy Roy was a major influence on how TV would be conducted in India in the early days, after he and his wife Radhika Roy started NDTV in the mid-1980s. His show The World This Week for Doordarshan was very popular.

    The question now being asked over and over again by loyal viewers is what will happen to NDTV after Adani takes over? What will happen to Ravish Kumar, the fearless anchor who looks after NDTV’s Hindi news channel, the only TV journalist who does not kowtow to government forces?

    Why Adani wants a media outlet of his own is self-evident. His international press is not that good, and that sometimes spills over to India. The general assumption therefore will be one more propaganda channel which focuses on positive publicity for Adani companies and Adani himself. This is how many or most industrialist-owned media houses behave. Earlier the result journalism-wise would be disastrous because people expected some sort of basic standards – the collapse of the Observer papers after the Salgaocar-Ambani takeover is a case study here.

    But since 2014, assisted by a helpful government which demands total loyalty from media houses, the Ambani takeover of the News18 group has been a success. Not obviously when it comes to journalism but definitely when it comes to numbers.

    Hardly surprising then that Adani wants his own mouthpiece.

    What is amusing however – because I am cynical – is that in an interview to the Financial Times, Adani made the following comment: “Why can’t you support one media house to become independent and have a global footprint?… India does not have one single (outlet) to compare to Financial Times or Al Jazeera.”

    https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/25/indian-tycoon-defends-hostile-takeover-bid-for-broadcaster

     

    Now that’s an interesting standard for an Indian mainstream media which currently struggles to get even the basics correct. Neither the Financial Times nor Al Jazeera specialise in the sort of nightly high-decibel battles which characterise Indian television. The Financial Times is a serious pink paper, of the sort which today’s media owners scoff at. Indian news consumers, the general feeling goes, are largely thick, easily excitable and undiscerning and thus can only appreciate news in the form of a soap opera.

    There is nothing new in pandering to the lowest common denominator. It is an old media policy. But neither FT nor Al Jazeera fall quite into that News of the World, National Enquirer category. India Today TV recently ran a show where they objected to a tweet by actress Richa Chadha on the Indian Armed Forces. For their show, they ran photos of Chadha in swimwear. That works to belittle women, to put Chadha in her place as it were, and appeal to their crass audience. Actor Akshay Kumar objected to Chadha’s tweet, but the news of that was not accompanied by images of Kumar in revealing swimwear.

    Is Gautam Adani making it clear that this is not the sort of future he envisages for his version of NDTV?

    Well, you can hope as much as you like but the truth is likely to be elsewhere. In the same FT interview, Adani made this remark: “Independence means is government has something wrong, you say it’s wrong”.

    And Adani also said this: that the media should have the “courage” to back the government when it is right.

    There you have it ladies and gentlemen, clear intent from the tycoon himself.

     

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

     

  • The question is self-explanatory, and the answer, well, puts an interesting spin on the entire issue. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the November 29 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | A speech by a news media big boss has gone viral and it exposes heavy duty sycophancy towards a political party. Should media owners stay away from such overt attempts to please political rulers?

    Bhaskar DasThe question is self-explanatory, and the answer, well, puts an interesting spin on the entire issue. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the November 29 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 or click here: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/das-ka-dum/

     

    Q. A speech by a news media big boss has gone viral and it exposes heavy duty sycophancy towards a political party. While there may be business interests at play, should media owners stay away from such overt attempts to please political rulers?

     

    A. I am an ardent advocate of freedom of speech. Hence any communication in public domain has to be respected. Human minds loves to dissect and deduct as per their proclivity towards a point of view. There is nothing right or wrong about a standpoint. So it is everyone’s fundamental right to align with a viewpoint that coincides with a political party. By your logic, the whole country is aligned to a political party, dominantly. What’s wrong in it if the electorates feel that the promised delivery has been happening? Other political parties are not barred from promising deliveries as per expectations of the electorates. They have been trying and biting the dust, more often than not.

     

    The normative approach that you recommended about media owners abjuring the path of appeasement of ruling class, appears to me to be a case of realised perception and were not purported to be a strategic intent of the media owner. One can’t be objective in subjective matters. What say? I shall be happy if you don’t agree. That’s the Intoxication of Democracy.

     

  • Accelerates ambition to become a future-ready, people-focused organisation

    Dentsu appoints Unmesh Pawar as CPO, India & South Asia

    By Our Staff

     

    Speeding up its growth journey, Dentsu has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Unmesh Pawar as Chief People Officer (CPO) for India and South Asia. In his new role, Pawar will report to Luke Speers, Chief People Officer, Dentsu APAC, and Peter Huijboom, Interim CEO, Dentsu India.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Speers said: “We are delighted to have Unmesh joining us. His experience and performance over a long period of time perfectly align with the transformational nature of developing people strategies and products fit for the future. The path ahead for this great market is incredibly exciting and I very much look forward to partnering with him to enhance the way our employees experience Dentsu every day.”

     

    Sunil Seth, who has been supporting the network as Human Resource Director-South Asia, will continue to maintain his role in Dentsu India. He will report to Pawar and focus on the People function’s operations, making sure these are set up for success.

     

  • Aims to remain at the forefront of the entertainment revolution

    Shemaroo crosses 60

    By Our Staff

     

    Shemaroo has played a huge part in providing entertainment, especially to folks in South Mumbai. In the days of the video cassettes – the 1980s and 1990s, the Shemaroo pickup-and-drop person was always welcome for our weekend fill of entertainment. Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd is now celebrating 60 years.

     

    Speaking on the milestone, Shemaroo CEO Hiren Gada said: “Sixty years in the entertainment industry is a watershed moment for us and we are grateful to all our customers who have consistently showered us with love. Through our innovative and agile approach. we will continue to enhance the experience of entertainment consumption in India by providing tremendous value to our customers.”

     

    Talking about the exciting road ahead, Arghya Chakravarty, COO, Shemaroo, added: “Shemaroo’s legacy and trust is built upon the ability to embrace change and entertain India in the most innovative ways. We are set to embark upon the new path by taking giant strides in the consumer facing market with a seasoned team of professionals and ever-increasing arsenal of impressive content.”

     

  • To provide full-fledged SEO and content strategy services for the brand

    AdLift bags mandate for TheLabelLife

    By Our Staff

     

    AdLift, a digital marketing agency, has won the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Content Marketing mandate for TheLabelLife, an online fashion store. As part of the mandate, the agency will focus on providing full-fledged SEO and Content strategy services that will help fuel visibility and awareness of the brand and its vast range of products.

     

    Speaking on the win, Prashant Puri, CEO and Co-Founder, AdLift said: “We are delighted to partner with TheLabelLife – the brand that is demystifying the concept of relevant styling. We look forward to taking the brand to the next level of growth through well planned SEO and Content Marketing campaigns. We are positive that our award-winning teams with their data driven strategies will be able to elevate the brand’s digital presence, showcasing it to the right audience at the right time.”

     

    Speaking on the collaboration, Siddhi Kasliwal, Director, TheLabelLife added: “TheLabelLife is a leading lifestyle brand and is growing aggressively in the ever-evolving fashion industry. We are a brand that understands apt styling- relevant styling for every occasion – and that is what sets us apart. We are excited about this partnership with AdLift and are looking forward to some engaging and result oriented campaigns.”