MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • A looong and self-explanatory question, and a great answer as well. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 9 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | In a world where social media can make or mar reputations, shouldn’t large legacy organisations like Air-India realise how one mishandling of a case can lead to a hundred thousand memes lampooning the carrier. Your suggestion to top corporations on perception management

    Bhaskar DasA looong and self-explanatory question, and a great answer as well. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 9 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. In a world where social media can make or mar reputations, shouldn’t large legacy organisations like Air-India realise how one mishandling of a case can lead to a hundred thousand memes lampooning the carrier. Your suggestion to top corporations on perception management.

     

    A. The Air-India matter is very unfortunate and it is symbolic of our times. Reputation management must be a continuous affair as nano moments of truth (true or agenda-ised) can make or break corporate reputation. After all a company’s reputation is someone else’s opinion.

    The advantage with the Tata group is its impeccable reputation across various sectors where they are present and it is tested over time. So they would overcome this crisis too.

    In general, corporations all over the world are used to managing paid and owned media very well as they are under their control. In the age of ubiquitous existence of social media, management of earned media (24×7) has assumed tremendous significance as one doesn’t know when a problem would erupt. So social listening capabilities have to honed and attended to as a core activity of a Corporation. The skill would be to anticipate a crisis and nip it in the bud.

     

  • A tricky question to answer, but our Wizard with Words doesn't duck it. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 10 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | Soon GroupM and Madison will release their forecasts for AdEx growth or degrowth in 2023. Would you like to hazard a guess on what it could be?

    Bhaskar DasA tricky question to answer, but our Wizard with Words doesn’t duck it. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 10 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. Soon GroupM and Madison will release their forecasts for AdEx growth or degrowth in 2023. Would you like to hazard a guess on what it could be?

     

    A. I can’t guess but my common sense says that there would be overall growth as GDP growth is predicted anywhere between 6 to 7 %. As they say, if there is winter, can spring be far behind. So, advertising growth would be anywhere between 15% and 20%.

     

    Having said that, I must mention that growth per cent by media format would be different. The pecking order might hence be digital, including gaming, TV, print, outdoor, radio, cinema etc. At different bases, the % growth over the last financial year would vary for different media formats.

     

  • The threat of collapsing mountains is not really TV’s style… until they actually collapse, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Time to bid the Himalayas goodbye?

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiMedia coverage of the Joshimath disaster has been largely about the human factor. And about the facts surrounding the recent developments of cracks in homes in this mountain town of Uttarakhand. And yet, the story of Joshimath is not new, it is not unexpected. It was foretold. The 2021 Chamoli glacier burst once more underlined the horrors awaiting this historic town, known as the gateway to the shrine of Badrinath.

    A conversation with Joshimath resident activist Atul Sati early last year underlined what Joshimath is going through, sandwiched as it is between two hydropower plants, both of which suffered damage during the 2021 Chamoli incident. Sati has been consistent in his warnings. If only anyone was willing to listen. This column has consistently tried to draw media attention to Joshimath’s problems.

    Veteran environmentalist Ravi Chopra lists the dangers of unbridled, greedy “development” in the fragile Himalayas in this interview to Down to Earth.

    https://www.downtoearth.org.in/interviews/natural-disasters/ravi-chopra-on-joshimath-nature-has-decided-that-enough-is-enough–87000

    Chopra has been vociferous and consistent in his objections to development without adequate environmental impact assessments. For this, he and his family were attacked by government supporters and their pet poodle media outlets, and his warnings were ignored by the government to the extent that he resigned from the High-Powered Committee to monitor the Char Dham Yatra. The mainstream media did not bother much then either. The threat of collapsing mountains is not really TV’s style.

    Until they actually collapse.

    Now I read fiery editorials about reckless development and about “exhaustive coverage” on TV.

    Last year, I stood with protestors in the forests around Dehradun to protest against a plan to cut thousands of trees to widen the roads into Dehradun. One young TV reporter was sent to cover the protests. In an argument with fiery young protestors, she pleaded that she cannot do more than what her editor tells her to do. In that sense, it was a miracle that she was even there. To be fair however, newspapers and particularly the local Times of India have been regular in their coverage of the environment. Sadly, almost nothing reaches the national media.

    Anyway, almost every recent citizens’ protest to save the forests and environment in Uttarakhand has failed so there is not much of a story to be told anyway.

    The reason is not far to seek and it underlies all these issues. Including the collapse of the town of Joshimath.

    Obviously, the media is not to blame.

    But the media has to bear responsibility for the paucity of coverage. And here we reach the crux of everything that has gone wrong with the media for the last nine years.

    Why has Joshimath collapsed?

    Why did no one listen to the warnings?

    Why have geologists who work for government institutions been silenced?

    Because of the road which the government wants built through the mountains.

    The road that is the great desire of our Main Politician.

    The road that moves mountains and is now destroying a town.

    And that is why the media has gone slow on Joshimath. And even now will not question Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the bureaucrats around him, the Environment Ministry and the courts. When the government stood in court and deftly changed the reason for the Char Dham Yatra road from religious tourism to defence, no one questioned it. The government knew that national security is a neat reasoning, because it is impregnable as a defence for any response. Now when the Himalayas are collapsing, what exactly are we defending?

    And clearly, we must not mention how China has already infiltrated various other areas. Because there’s national security and there’s national security. Shhh…

    Reports will tell you that the PM is involved in some “high level” meetings about Joshimath. No further questions please.

    And there we have it. The environment is at the bottom of our priority list with this government and we know it. The evidence stares at us in the face. Recently Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari promised tourists to Uttarakhand even more roads.

    Until we are honest and discuss, as journalists, with our readers and viewers why the town of Joshimath is sinking we are still lost in Adulation Wonderland.

    You can bid the Himalayas goodbye now.

     

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

     

  • The app is called Bisleri@Doorstep

    Bisleri unveils campaign for delivery at-home app

    By Our Staff

     

    India’s leading packaged drinking water, Bisleri International, has launched a new quirky campaign for its delivery-at-home offering Bisleri@Doorstep.

     

    Commenting on the digital campaign, Jayanti Chauhan, Vice Chairperson, Bisleri International Pvt. Ltd., said: “It is in our DNA to prioritise consumers’ interests and meet their requirements. During the pandemic-induced lockdown, we were the first consumer goods company to foster the D2C concept and introduced Bisleri @Doorstep. We delivered our products at their homes without them needing to step out. With changing times, consumers are increasingly adopting digital ecosystems and delivery solutions. Through this campaign, we emphasize the ease of ordering Bisleri products online to provide consumers a seamless experience.”

     

    Added Anuraag Khandelwal, CCO – 82.5 Communications: “This film is the first of many for Bisleri’s e-commerce service. In this world of information overload with tons of apps coming into the foray, we wanted to do something simple and sticky to connect with this app native generation.”

     

     

  • Titled 'Koi Manzil Door Nahin'

    Ashok Leyland launches new tagline & ad campaign

    By Our Staff

     

    Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group commercial vehicle manufacturing company, has introduced its new brand tagline “Koi Manzil Door Nahin”. As Ashok Leyland enters its 75th year, the year will see a string of activities, celebrating its journey of innovation and nation-building, notes a communique

     

    Said Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, unveiling the new tagline: “I am delighted to launch the new brand positioning for Ashok Leyland “Koi Manzil Door Nahin”. This is an embodiment of what we truly believe – which is, our customers come first and everything that we do is to enable our customers transform their lives and move closer to their dreams and goals through our innovative products and services. In this current environment where everything seems so volatile, we want to reassure our partners and customers, that with us, no dream or destination is too far. We are by their side, like we always have been.”

     

    Added Piyush Pandey, Chairman of Global Creative & Executive Chairman, India, Ogilvy Group: “It is a privilege for me and my team to partner Ashok Leyland, a brand that has partnered India almost all through its nationhood. It is a brand which is not only technologically state-of-the-art, but at a human level, is totally state-of-the-heart. In Ashok Leyland’s endeavour to constantly reach greater heights, we have arrived at the spirit of ‘Koi Manzil Door Nahin’ – the new tagline and the spirit the brand.”

     

  • The IPG Mediabrands digital arm will help scale the brand’s online presence through differentiating content and strategies, notes a communique

    Interactive Avenues wins Vim mandate

    By Our Staff

     

    Interactive Avenues, a Reprise network company, and the digital arm of Mediabrands India, has won the digital creative mandate for Hindustan Unilever Limited’s dishwash brand – Vim. The agency won this mandate through a highly competitive pitch process and will handle the account through its Mumbai office.

     

    Said Amardeep Singh, CEO, Interactive Avenues:  “As a market category, dishwash typically has a low-involvement footprint online. We will leverage best-in-class strategies to shape impactful conversations for the brand and take their digital story to the next level.”

     

    Interactive Avenues is a full-service digital marketing company with offices in Mumbai (headquarters), Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata. They offer a comprehensive range of cutting-edge services including Media, Programmatic, Data & Analytics, E-Commerce, Paid Search, Social Media, SEO, ORM, Creative and Web Development under one roof with fluid, multidisciplinary teams.

     

  • Prof Akshaya Vijaylakshmi, Associate Professor, Marketing, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), who has been onboarded as the Knowledge Partner for the initiative

    Second edition of ‘I Lead’ survey alunched

    By Our Staff

     

    We have our views on the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry but must say that its PR & Digital Marketing National Council, one of the 150-plus Councils the association has, is superactive. The Council has launched the second edition of the ‘I Lead’ Women Leadership Survey. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) have joined hands with WICCI to support this survey, notes a communique

     

    Prof Akshaya Vijaylakshmi, Associate Professor, Marketing, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA), has been onboarded as Knowledge Partner for the initiative. Said Prof Vijaylakshmi: “We talk about how it takes a village to raise a child but what we also need is an organization to come together to help a mother not just stay at work but also succeed and grow in the firm. This is just one example. The ‘I Lead’ Women Leadership Survey by WICCI aims to get a wholesome understanding of what organizations are doing to help women thrive. This survey is the much needed roadmap that we need for the future.”

     

    Announcing the launch of the survey, Kavita Lakhani, National President of WICCI PR & Digital Marketing Council said, “It is a known fact that gender equality is key to unlocking greater chances for women to prosper at leadership positions. Through the ‘I Lead’ Women Leadership Survey, we will attempt to understand from CXOs of communications firms firstly on how much they believe in providing equal opportunities, equal respect and equal empowerment.  Secondly what is their formula for an equal future – specific programmes, partnerships and policies within their organization – all designed to support women and to break down any barriers to recruitment, retention, development and leadership.” The  survey can be taken on mobile.  The survey link www.enswype.com.

     

  • Many brand or company purposes are just a mask. They are bound to fail as they are fake, notes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Effectiveness ladder of purpose-led branding in life and business

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaFinally, last Sunday, I visited my dear friend and mentor Vermajee at his Mumbai residence. Last week, he returned from one of the ashrams in Uttarakhand after completing a meditation course that started on December 25, 2022 and ended on January 4, 2023. He was feeling fresh but was not opposed to some drinks in the evening, and the mood was sombre and purpose-led.

    Lintas sent me to a short four-day yoga meditation at Lion’s den Lonavala in the mid-1990s. By Day 3, I was talking to rocks and flowers and ready to leave. I poked Vermajee by telling him that maybe he was now enlightened with a purpose in life and that he had a direction.

     

    Simplifying Purpose.

    Vermajee spoke. You watch cricket, and you would have watched a purposeful Australian cricket team trying to win against a South African who suddenly realised they had a purpose too. Maybe they were inspired by the suddenly purpose-led Pakistan cricket team on the last day of the test match with New Zealand. The goal of every team is the same. To win and not to lose- to engage their fans. The intent may be stronger if the test series championship is at stake. The strategies and the format may differ, but the purpose remains the same.

     

    THE PICTURE WAS GENERATED BY DALLE.E

     

    Purpose In Life.

    Similarly, we all have the same purpose in life. To live by Dharma and keep improving with time by natural evolution or individualistic drive. To repay our debts. The ultimate purpose is Salvation- Mokasha– Nirvana. It is as simple as that. It’s what every enlightened person and preacher has been saying. Do good. Do live and let live. To not only be seen as a good Smartian, a person with Dharma, honesty, love and care, and to behave like one. And being a better person than you were yesterday is the simplest way. Don’t you always send wishes to friends, ‘May your today be better than your tomorrow’. You just need to tweak it a bit. Say, ‘May you be better than what you were yesterday’, and the wishes will not only have a better meaning but a great direction- however, many may not understand and appreciate this change.

     

    Probing Purpose-Led Business.

    I knew Vermajee was oversimplifying the whole discussion, and it was time to throw a bait and get the maximum out of it.

    I poked further. That would mean that every purpose-led business, brand, and service must have the same purpose. Then what is there with all these purpose-led design and communication purpose-led brands?

    Vermajee smiled, and that smile said that he had been thinking about the subject. He countered, why should it be different for the business.?

     

    Purpose And Business.

    Vermajee continued, and I started soaking in the Gyan.

    The business purpose is growth. Brand purpose is to create better services and products at a lower and lower cost. What they change for you is the individual company’s outlook. And the purpose of it is to create preference. To evolve with time and adapt to the changing needs, demands, desires, aspirations, and expectations- thus giving the experience that is better than expected. Simple, that is the business purpose.

    There is nothing much to it. Consultants, agencies and researchers are trying to find a purpose for their brand, company, product or service. It is a business purpose, their business purpose. People who don’t understand, explore and realise their life’s purpose are telling the company what its purpose should and could be.

     

    You Don’t Force A Purpose.

    You start with a purpose, and there is nothing wrong with it. There is even nothing wrong if the purpose gets tweaked with time as it reflects the flexibility and agility of the company. But you don’t create a purpose. However, you may discover a purpose. It is simple: you may have a purpose or don’t. And it is fine if you understand the overall macro purpose of business.

    I have told you the business purpose from a consumer point of view. There is another purpose, which is creating wealth for the stakeholders. Remember, most will replace stakeholders with shareholders, but that is a myopic view. Stakeholders are a broader ecosystem, including Government, business associates, the category, and the consumers. The wealth could be intrinsically monetary and could be emotional.

     

    Purpose-Led, Purpose Less, Without Purpose And Faking A Purpose.

    Well, it’s the best situation if you have a purpose that defines and directs your decision. And that you are always true to it. It is more demanding than discovering the purpose. But not having a unique purpose for your company, brand and service is not wrong. Purpose does not make a company better or superior unless the company understands the growth, wealth and preference creation purpose of business. Like in life, many of us may not have a defined purpose, but we don’t lead a purposeless life. They are two different things. Such people may be more healthy, emotionally wealthy, and happy.

    The problem is when one fakes the purpose. When one forces a purpose or tries to define everything around a purpose. Where purpose is a mask and not a reality. Or when a purpose is a tool for perception creation. There may not be much wrong, but a fake purpose does not last. All fake purposes are campaign able and time-bound. They are a drag on the company after some time. One gets constrained and controlled by them, and getting out of it becomes tougher and more challenging with time. Because such a purpose does not align with the purpose of business, I shared it with you.

    Many brand or company purposes sold by consultants and agencies, like gender neutrality, wokeism, inner beauty, equality, and saving the world, based and sustenance-led green purposes, are just a mask. They are bound to fail as they are fake and not aligned with the real business purpose of growth, constant improvement and being future-ready.

     

    Without Purpose A Safer Bet For Brand And Companies

    With a twinkle in his eyes and a self-satisfying smile playing on his lipsVermajee could read the dilemma I was facing. He clarified for my benefit.

    It is better to be without a purpose than to fake a purpose. Faking a purpose is adharma in business. Doing anything for your benefit, manufacturing a purpose, and doing anything not aligned with the business’s long-term purpose is adharma.

     

    Archetype Masking

    Vermajee continued. I am not saying that the company should not try to explore or discover the purpose. But before adopting it, they must adapt to it across their internal landscape. Understand how the same person wears different masks while interacting with various stakeholders and how that is confusing and detrimental to a uniquely defined image.

     

    Net-Net

    Vermajee looked at me and continued to sum up the discussion.

    You should understand it is like the archetype-based purpose discovery workshop you do. Or the multiple archetype masking discovery you do for the organisations to align everything towards the same objective, knowing fully well that the objective is a mid-milestone and sometimes masquerades as a purpose.

    Everyone is happy as they discover something collectively which seems to work. But, I will iterate and say it is better to be without a defined purpose than to fake or force a purpose. And defining the purpose is a responsibility of Senior management- How to do that, you understand.

     

  • Another tricky question to answer, but our Wizard with Words doesn't duck it. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 11 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | On Friday, the Effies will happen. In a scenario where all adspends must be RoI-driven, is there space for creative awards? Effectiveness and effectiveness alone must be the yardstick for ad awards. What say?

    Bhaskar DasAnother tricky question to answer, but our Wizard with Words doesn’t duck it. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the January 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 or click here: https://www.mxmindia.com/category/columns/das-ka-dum/

     

    Q. On Friday, the Effies will happen. In a scenario where all adspends must be RoI-driven, is there space for creative awards? Effectiveness and effectiveness alone must be the yardstick for ad awards. What say?

     

    A. The days of a binary answer for most of the business challenges have become irrelevant. It ought to be ‘AND’.  In the instant case, one can engage in endless polemics on which one to opt for. Even Effectiveness needs Creativity and Creativity needs Effectiveness. An RoI is a combination of factors – tangible and intangible – that contribute to creating brand dominance or leadership. They don’t happen in isolation. Both have its merits. The skill is how to use various consumer touchpoints/ emotions, be it cognitive, affective or olfactory, to appeal to the served market. An ‘either-or‘ approach could be self-defeating. In the same way, digital touchpoints are complemented with analog craftsmanship. Consumers are not just algorithms. They are human beings with normal feelings and not just patterns as determined by regression equations.

     

  • Will be responsible for increasing the brand awareness

    Heylin Spark bags mandate for 92 New Accounts

    By Our Staff

     

    Heylin Spark, a data-driven brand communications firm, bagged the PR and digital mandates of 92 New Accounts to its portfolio in a short span of two months. The firm bagged the accounts in a multi-agency pitch and will be responsible for increasing the brand awareness and media visibility for these accounts as a part of its partnership.

     

    Speaking on the achievement Shubham Sharma, Founder & CEO – Heylin Spark said: “A strong brand matters as the importance of branding is increasing with every passing day. In today’s competition-driven marketplace and business landscape, businesses can no longer ignore their branding strategies and branding has become more than just attractive logos. Modern businesses require tailored solutions as per their business goals & requirements and must focus on all aspects of business, including company reputation, customer service, marketing, advertising, online presence, etc. to build a strong brand around their products and services.”

     

  • For its Precious Brightening range of skincare products

    Dia Mirza in new campaign of Lotus Organics

    By Our Staff

     

    Organic beauty brand Lotus Organics + has released a new campaign with actress Dia Mirza, for its Precious Brightening range of skincare products. As the Brand Ambassador for Lotus Organics+, Dia will appear in a new campaign which will run across various platforms.

     

    Commenting on the new campaign, Nitin Passi, Chairman and Managing Director, Lotus Herbals, said: “Lotus Organics+ is a brand that uses only 100% certified organic actives in its products.  We want our customers to be our ‘eco-responsible partner’ and adopt a sustainable lifestyle. In the new campaign our Brand Ambassador Dia Mirza highlights the organic ingredients that go in our Precious Brightening Range, potency of the organic ingredients in achieving skincare goals and the message to all of our customers to ‘live organic’”. Actress Dia Mirza elaborates,  “Lotus Organics+ resonates with me as their products use only 100% certified organics. I believe that it is important that our lifestyle should be natural, free of toxins and healthy for the planet as well as ourselves. Everyone must do their bit for the environment and these steps begin at home, especially, through the beauty care products we choose. Lotus Organics+ embodies the idea of a sustainable and healthy lifestyle.”

     

  • Ashish has spent over 25 years reshaping brands and building memorable campaigns

    DY works appoints Ashish Bahl as CEO

    By Our Staff

     

    DY Works appoints Ashish Bahl as CEO. Ashish takes over from Tresa Paul who has moved out to pursue new opportunities.

     

    Ashish has spent over 25 years reshaping brands and building memorable campaigns in advertising, marketing & media. He has worked with SABMiller India (now AB-Inbev) Neo Cricket & Sports, Mccann, Contract, JWT, Leo Burnett & O&M, where he’s worked with over 100 iconic global brands including Pepsi,Coca-Cola, MasterCard, Nestle, ESPN, SABMiller, Hero-Honda and many more. Since 2017, Ashish has founded/co-founded three companies including The Happiness Project, 1418 (a platform for 14-18 year-olds) and Happinessperkm (India’s only motorcycling brand built by riders).

     

    On this appointment, Santosh Desai, CEO & Managing Director, FutureBrands, said: “I’m thrilled to welcome Ashish on-board. Ashish’s appointment signals the evolution of DY Works from building products and experiences to re-crafting and using design-thinking to find impactful solutions rooted in deeper belief systems. I’m excited about what’s yet to come and the change we’ll bring.”

     

    Said Ashish Bahl, Managing Director & CEO, DY Works, “I’m honoured to join an incredible team at DY. My key focus will be to use design-thinking and semiotics to build purpose-driven brands. In this new phase at DY we will expand the definition of design where we will build brands committed to human-centric business design. I look forward to this new journey and creating some fantastic work with the DY team.”