MxMIndia

Author: mxmadmin

  • We thought we would have some fun with this Friday question. Our Wizard with Words gave it a very propah response. Here's Dr Bhaskar Das in the April 21 edition of Das ka Dum. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | It’s World Creativity and Innovation Day today. Isn’t having a day to observe this so very uncreative and uninspiring? Or would you say it’s fine?

    Bhaskar DasWe thought we would have some fun with this Friday question. Our Wizard with Words gave it a very propah response. Here’s Dr Bhaskar Das in the April 21 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. It’s World Creativity and Innovation Day today. Isn’t having a day to observe this so very uncreative and uninspiring? Or would you say it’s fine?

     

    A. Creativity and innovation as concepts will always be relevant. Imagine one has creative ability, but no innovation capability or vice versa—isn’t it absurd? To my mind, they go hand in hand. One would be meaningless without the other. It depends on how one interprets each term.

     

    This day highlights the importance of applying creativity and innovation to problem-solving with respect to economic, social, business and country/ global contexts. Needless to say, it’s not a one-day activity. It needs to be practised every day.

     

  • With the exception of South India, movies are mass, but movie-going is not, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Cinema: Mass Entertainment or Luxury Item?

     

     

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Shailesh KapoorJust 22 million (or 2.2 crore). That’s the number of urban adults who watched three of more Hindi films in a theatre in 2022. Add kids and rural audience to it, and the number will still struggle to cross the 3 crore mark.

     

    This single data point, from our new report Ormax Cine Sense: 2023, brings a lot in perspective to how mass (or not) ‘Bollywood’ is. The equivalent of the 2.2 crore number was about 3.5 crore in the pre-pandemic years. It hovered around that mark pretty much through the period from 2013 to 2019, for which this data is available with us.

     

    In effect, we are talking about only about 2% of India’s population going to movie theatres to watch a Hindi film at least once in 3-4 months. The equivalent numbers for the four South languages will be known soon, and the all-India number may look closer to 6-7 cr, which is still less than 5% of India’s population. Movie-going is clearly not as mass as many believe it is.

     

    Over the last decade or so, the growth in box-office business has been fueled more by rising ticket prices than by footfalls. In effect, cinema-going habit has become more and more elusive. With a wide range of alternatives to watch movie content being available, including OTT and linear TV channels, there is very little incentive for an average Indian to visit a movie theatre. And once the habit is broken, it is a tough ask to reinstate it.

     

    It’s not as if films themselves are niche as a content type. Theatrical films routinely outperform high-profile OTT originals on streaming platforms. Despite being a huge theatrical success, Pathaan has managed viewership numbers like Amazon Prime Video’s biggest hit series in recent times, Farzi. And this is despite theatrical and paid streaming categories showing a sizeable audience overlap, to the extent of about 75%.

     

    Till a few years ago, there was a lot of talk about India being an “under-screened” market. But when most of India’s existing 9,000 odd screens are operating at less than 15% occupancy for at least 40 weeks in a year, opening new screens is not a prudent move.

     

    Outdoor entertainment, by its very nature, if a luxury item in the budget planning of most Indian families. A single trip to a theatre for a family of four can cost them most than annual subscription of three OTT apps. That’s why, the youth (15-30 years), driven by social needs, have been the dominant target group for Hindi film consumption since the multiplex era started about two decades ago. But even with India’s young population, the numbers are not sizeable.

     

    In what may almost seem like a contrarian view, I don’t see much of an issue here. If the Hindi film industry can come to terms with its premium positioning, they can go all out and target only the 2-3 crore people who really matter, and let others consume the content at their homes. This will lead to sharpening of focus at various levels. For example, you do not actually need traditional media to target these audience, almost all of whom are active on digital platforms. Or the entire debate about ticket prices will become irrelevant, once you identify a target audience who is willing to pay a premium for their outdoor entertainment.

     

    But that’s not to say that the content needs to be ‘elitist’ too. SS Rajamouli, Rohit Shetty, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Rajkumar Hirani are the top four favourite directors for these 2 cr people. Escapism is still a dominant need that drives their decision to buy a movie ticket in the first place.

     

    With the exception of South India (which is the topic of another article for another day), movies are mass, but movie-going is not. It’s about time the industry gets comfortable with this idea.

     

  • This is not the first government which has threatened the media and it won't be the last, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Deification of a politician is not job of media

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiI had the privilege of judging an inter-school debating competition last week. As ever, it is invigorating and enlightening to listen to the young sharpening their wits against each other, using knowledge and formulating arguments.

    As they negotiated their rather tough topics, they touched upon women’s rights, menstruation, geopolitics, misinformation and social restrictions and obligations.

    Invariably, the role of the media in all this, from spreading misinformation to forming opinions, enters the argument.

    An additional bonus to listening to these debates is reading school magazines. Topics discussed included free speech and social media, how algorithms affect the mainstream media and can polarise society, the consequences of bias in the media and the effects of corporate ownership.

    Young people are not unaware of what is going on in the media. We cannot pretend that we exist in some impregnable bubble where our weaknesses are not inherent.

    There is a small video doing the rounds of a student questioning journalists or at least TV anchors about their lack of objectivity and the fact that important matters are not covered by the mainstream media which concentrates on spreading political division. The answer given to the student is tragically honest and despicable at the same time: that the control of money makes journalists helpless.

    I know many members of the general public believe this, and I get informed constantly that journalists can’t help it because their owners need money and they need their salaries.

    There is a certain naïve cynicism to this argument. And ignorance. As ignorant and naïve as those who rant and rave that journalists work for money.

    Let’s be clear on Point 2: journalists get paid, columnists get paid and so on. That is how they make a living. No one works for free.

    As for Point 1, greed is no excuse for bad journalism. Rather the threat of being stopped or silenced should make journalists braver. Speaking truth to power: we all know that is our primary responsibility. Whether we work in glamour or sport or business or politics.

    This is not the first government which has threatened the media and it won’t be the last. Yes, the scale is frightening and unprecedented. And so are the abysmal levels of cowardice shown by both media owners and newsrooms. Journalists are not compelled to be cowards. Some of us choose to be cowards and worse. We choose to be bootlickers. If we seek rewards, it is outside the reparations we get for doing our jobs. Then, yes, we work for bribes.

    Though, what we see in the Indian mainstream media today is even worse than cowardice and greed. It is open bigotry, clear commitment to destroying democracy, and unabashed worship of a particular political party or its members. The deification of a politician is not the job of the media. That the media chooses to do so raises a number of questions. To believe that money alone makes journalists irresponsible is as ignorant a thought as the belief that only reporters are journalists.

    That out of the way, let us get back to today’s thinking and aware students. They understand the way the world is changing, with technology, with AI, with populist thought better than most arrogant journalists. They can see where they are being taken for a ride.

    Maybe we can fool ourselves, endlessly.

    Maybe not everyone is as stupid as us.

     

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

     

  • In his last role, Batra was heading creative for the Gurugram office of McCann Erickson.

    Kapil Batra joins Wieden+Kennedy as NCD

    By Our Staff

    Kapil Batra
    Kapil Batra

    It took Wieden+Kennedy 15 years to set up office in Mumbai, and truly expand its wings. Now a year later, it appears to be doing to do that in right earnest.

     

    Last year, W+K got on board Santosh Padhi (Paddy) as CCO and later Ayesha Ghosh as President. And then Anirban Roy as Head of Strategy and Shreekant Srinivasan hopped on as Head of Business, Delhi towards the end of 2022.

     

    And now, it’s got Kapil Batra Batra who joins as National Creative Director. It’s a countrywide role, but, as a communique notes, his focus will be the Delhi office. In his last role, Batra was heading creative for the Gurugram office of McCann Erickson. He will report to Padhi. To begin with, his focus will be the Delhi office, which is where he will operate from. 

     

    The communique we received has a a slew of quotes. Here they are:

    Batra: “W+K has consistently created work that’s awe-inspiring. It is bold and rooted in culture. So when this opportunity to be a part of this truly creatively driven organisation came, I got all excited. And in my subsequent interactions with Paddy and Ayesha, where they spoke about their vision for W+K India, the culture, and more importantly, the vibes I got, everything was just fantastic. I am happy to join the talented team here and contribute to writing an exciting new chapter for W+K India.”

     

    Santosh “Paddy” Padhi
    Santosh ‘Paddy’ Padhi

    Padhi/Paddy: “We are in the people business and people are the source of creativity and ideas. We were looking for a solid creative people’s person with a great depth of insights, ideas and love for craft, we found all of these and many more in Kapil. After spending two decades in the industry, his passion and hunger to do more is what impressed us the most, his versatile body of work reflects human culture in a big way, which is one of the strong beliefs of W+K India and Global.”

     

    Ayesha Ghosh
    Ayesha Ghosh

    Ghosh: “When we saw the creative work that Kapil has been responsible for, we knew that we had to have him join us. Within the agency we often talk of breaking out of ads and breaking into culture. That is what much of his work represents. And it doesn’t hurt that some of his campaigns have gone on to make a sizeable difference to the brands they were created for! What completely sealed the deal for us over and above the work, is that Kapil is an incredibly nice, humble person, who lets his work speak for him. And we’re suckers for that.”

     

  • Conceptualised by Ogilvy India and directed by Vijay Sawant

    Shubman Gill celebrates Engage Intense of ITC

    By Our Staff

     

    ITC Engage has launches its new range of deodorant Engage Intense with cricketer Shubman Gill as brand ambassador. The film is conceptualised by Ogilvy India and is directed by Vijay Sawant.

     

    Said Sameer Satpathy, Divisional Chief Executive, Personal Care Business, ITC limited: “It is indeed motivating to witness the changing attitudes towards success and achievement. Many young people are more willing to take risks and pursue their passion and dreams, even if it requires enormous hard work and facing uncertainties. It is this journey of the zeal for performance that Engage Intense celebrates. With Shubman Gill, Engage Intense celebrates the strength of performance not only metaphorically but also in the product promise.”

     

  • Campaign conceptualised by Mullen Lintas

    Hindware ropes in players from PBKS & RCB for TVC

    By Our Staff

     

    Hindware Limited has unveiled a TV campaign conceptualised by Mullen Lintas. The campaign highlights the aspirations of today’s traveller, who aspires to have the same experience in bathroom as they get in a 5-star hotel. The TVC campaign features prominent players from Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab Kings.

     

    Commenting on the announcement, Sudhanshu Pokhriyal, Chief Executive Officer, Bath Business, Hindware Limited, said: “As a leading player in the bathroom solutions market, we are always looking for innovative ways to connect with our customers. We are excited to launch our latest TVC campaign, ‘5-star Hotel Like Bathrooms’, which highlights the importance of creating a luxurious bathroom experience. Our products are designed to offer a premium and relaxing experience to our customers, and we believe that this campaign will resonate with them. Furthermore, our campaign features cricket phenoms who are the heartline for some many cricket fans. We are confident that with is collaborated TVC we will be able to connect with wider audience and reinforce our brand’s position across Indian markets.”

     

    Added Charu Malhotra, VP & Head of Marketing, Hindware Limited: “We are delighted to launch our new TVC campaign ‘5-star Hotel Like Bathrooms’, which features some of the biggest names in cricket. The collaboration between Hindware and Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings is expected to bring increased brand exposure, stronger brand positioning, enhanced customer engagement, and subsequently increased revenue for the brand. The TVC will be followed with this 360-degree integrated campaign which comprises print, radio, digital, OTT, OOH & robust social plan as we aim to leverage the one of the biggest sporting extravaganzas – IPL and connect with millions of cricket fans across the country.”

     

  • Vikas Mehta feels imprisoned by a cacophony of repetitive and listless ads on the TV/OTT coverage of the Indian Premier League 2023

    IPL: Are we the prisoners of advertisers’ laziness?

     

     

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaSome people have equated IPL matches as the equivalent of modern-day colosseum games with the two teams being the gladiators. The stadiums are a riot of screaming chanting spectators who are fenced in almost like prisoners. I tend to agree, having watched one or two matches at the stadium before the pandemic. But I think the same spectacle is at home too. Specially if one is watching the match on a big screen. Except one feels like being imprisoned by a cacophony of repetitive and listless ads. Not to forget the myriad ads by the channel which keep on promoting the matches endlessly.

     

    I used a strong word, prisoner. For many reasons. Because most of the ads are bad. I am sorry there is no better word to describe how I feel about the decline of a profession with which I was associated for quite a long time.  And I think everyone is getting caught in a vicious economic cycle, with we, the audience at home, getting the wrong end of the stick at the lowest end of the food chain.

     

    As a sport, IPL is definitely a hot property. It’s sport, entertainment, tamasha and money all rolled into one. And it can’t get bigger. The biggest name in world cricket are a part of it. There is a bottomless pit of unlimited audience and there are big brands and corporates ready to shower crores on it. Safe to say that IPL has made the BCCI the big bully of world cricket. But in all this, the viewers, who sit at home and watch the matches on TV and through streaming, who are the reasons that the brands spend the big bucks are being served up some sports in the cacophony of the ads. Hardly a decade ago, when the IPL started, brands and companies would work towards preparing some memorable communication for the IPL. But the decline is alarming.

     

    Many people put the blame on arrival of digital. On lack of enough data to measure ad effectiveness. On short attention spans. But all of this is irrelevant. What has happened is that in the guise of all of the above both, marketeers and advertisers have become lazy.

     

    Lazy enough to repeat product proposition and forgetting the role of desired response. Lazy enough to finetune the target audience and not talk to all. Lazy enough to get some celebrities and not bother to see if their personality matches with the brand’s. Lazy enough not to have an idea which the target group can relate to. And to sum it up, lazy enough to not weave a story but happy with hammering a generic benefit while glamming it up with technical effects.

     

    And still worse, in today’s day and age lazy enough to run ads which have been on air for past few months. Be it Kingfisher, Kamla Pasand, Rajashree Pan Masala, Vimal Pan Masala, TVS tyres, Macho underwear…….and all of them use celebrities, most of whom do not fit the brand personality.

     

    There are some new ads. Spinny. It’s a vehicle buy, sell and upgrade platform. And they use not one or two but three ex-cricketers. Tendulkar, Kumble and Yuvraj. I am not even getting into if the brand personalities match but I did not even get what the product is or how it is different from other vehicle resell platforms. And seriously, does the brand want us to believe that these three are the best of friends who would be going for long drives in ordinary vehicles?

     

    Those of you who read my last column here, will remember that I had singled out the Dream 11 ad as a stand out. It’s follow up ads are also very well done. I think that amidst a clutter of fantasy sports brands, it’s Dream 11 advertising which has positioned the brand brilliantly. The others, inspite of using celebrities, are a haze of similar sounding and similar offering brands.

     

    I had asked my readers to revert with their comments on the Ranveer Singh Pepsi ad. Some who responded, mostly GenZ, gave it a thums up. I think it’s a good ad, could have been better, but Pepsi has finally found a celebrity which matches its brand persona. Frankly, I wonder what took them so long. I always slotted, Ranvir as the Pepsi type of a guy.

     

    Then there is the new Rupay Visa card ad. A very good example of story telling while communicating the product proposition. Well crafted, good stimulus and sustains interest. Watch it here.

     

    In a similar vein is the new Maaza ad with Amitabh Bachchan. I thought the second ad in the series, worked very well. It sticks to the product benefit. It uses the personality of Mr. Bachchan and very nicely superimpose it onto the brand and in an interesting way also takes care of the target groups desired response. Here it is.

     

    Last IPL, Tata the key moneybags of the tournament, had launched the Tata Neu super app. While the product got a lot of flak and the consumer experience was not as great as thought, the communication has not disappointed. Even this year, the peppy, making shopping an enjoyable experience, the ads have focused on the story of Neu coins helping you buy more. The short stories have good humour and they have focused on the product proposition interestingly.

     

    Just when one thought that things were looking up, I came across this ad for Happilo. So, you are an official sponsor. You can use some cricketers. Their availability is an issue. They maybe cannot act or emote. What does one do? Use them in a song and dance. Use them against a chroma background. Superimpose the shots with some tech wizardy. Get a rap sounding song. Highlight all benefits in the lyrics. Use some GenZ typical words or phrases. Let the brand name be mouthed in direct proportion to the number of seconds that the celebrities can speak. Voila! You have an ad.

     

    Can it be worse? Yes, watch this Ceat tyre ad with three cricketers.

    I am bailing out. Need a release from all these ads.

    So, next week I am off to watch a match. Maybe it’s better to be a prisoner in the colosseum of a stadium rather than in my TV room. Will keep you all posted.

     

  • The awards that Sidharth Rao won over the years do not truly reflect the greatness of the man. For the April 24 edition of Das ka Dum, we asked Dr Bhaskar Das a question on Rao. Read on…

    Das ka Dum with Dr Bhaskar Das | The country has lost one of its brightest digitally first creative whizkids. Your memories of Sidharth Rao?

    Bhaskar DasThe awards that Sidharth Rao won over the years do not truly reflect the greatness of the man. For the April 24 edition of Das ka Dum, we asked Dr Bhaskar Das a question on Rao. 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. The country has lost one of its brightest digitally first creative whizkids. Your memories of Sidharth Rao?

     

    A. Honestly, I can’t claim to know Sidharth Rao very closely but interacted with him, off and on, in industry body and in some industry event where his appearances were few and far between.

     

    But whenever I met and engaged with him, I found him to be a very straightforward guy who dreams, lives by anything that is digital. His views had always been futuristic. He might have looked casual in his appearance and in his outfits too, but the quality of his thinking was in a different stratosphere, compared to many other professionals in the domain. His dream gave birth to Webchutney and his agency won many awards in Cannes, apart from Goafest, if I recall right. His humility, his straightforward and humane approach made his personality an extremely endearing one. These are rare qualities these days. Even if I have a very limited interactions with him, he left indelible memories with me.

     

  • To help expand business

    Cornitos onboards Crayons as agency

    By Our Staff

     

    Cornitos, a healthy snacking brand, has onboarded Crayons Advertising Limited, as an integrated communications partner.

     

    Speaking on the development, Vikram Agarwal, Managing Director, Cornitos, said: “Our vision is to expand our reach and penetrate deeper across all channels pan- India. Our search was for a partner who understands Bharat, provides strategic inputs leading to high-impact marketing, and creates strong communication ideas. Over a few meetings and extensive interactions with Team Crayons, we strongly felt they understood our objectives and aligned with our Vision. We are very excited and look forward to strengthening our brand with Crayons as our integrated communications partner.”

     

    Commenting on the account win, Samir Datar, Chief Strategy Officer, Crayons, added: “Cornitos created a taste for Nachos in India, long before international brands set foot in this market. With growing conversations around healthy snacking, Cornitos, with its expanded portfolio, is poised to capitalise on the opportunity. Their expansion into Baked Extruded Snacks with Crusties offers a unique opportunity to communicate the evolution of its brand identity and messaging in the coming months. We are proud to partner with the brand and delighted to be part of this exciting journey ahead.”

     

  • Billed as a first-of-its-kind musical talent hunt for the advertising fraternity

    Goafest 2023 to also award music talent, with Advertising Rocks

    By Our Staff

     

    With an aim to give India’s creative community a platform to showcase their musical talent, Goafest 2023 has announced ‘Advertising Rocks’, a platform for the musicians in the fraternity to showcase their talent and also win some dosh.

     

    With three categories – Vocals Solos (Indian), Vocals Solos (Western) and Bands (Indian & Western – mixed), all finalists will be given an opportunity to perform for a jury and delegates at Goafest and will be offered an all expenses trip consisting of air-fare, stay and entry at Goafest 2023. Moreover, the winning bands stand to win cash prizes of Rs 2,00,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for the first and second place respectively and soloists stand to win cash prizes of Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 for the first and second place respectively.  Winners will be selected on the basis of final combined score by a jury and live voting attendees at Goafest.

     

    On announcing ‘Advertising Rocks’, Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India and Goafest 2023 Co-chair said: “Advertising Rocks is a unique initiative and platform that recognizes the musical talents of people beyond their daily roles in the advertising and media industry. The initiative not only celebrates their creativity but also brings the industry closer together in a fun and innovative way. Being a music lover myself, I can’t wait to see the level of excellence that will be displayed at Goafest’s Advertising Rocks! this year.”

     

    Added Subhash Kamath, Former CEO of BBH and curator of ‘Advertising Rocks’: “The advertising and media industry is full of musical talent. Over the years, I’ve heard some wonderful singers and bands. What better occasion than Goafest to give this talent a stage to perform in front their peers? Advertising truly rocks!”

     

    Said Ashish Bhasin, Co-Founder & Chairman, RD&X Network and Chairman of the Events Committee at Goafest 2023: “Advertising Rocks is an exciting initiative that will surely drive engagement prior to the festival as well as on-ground. It also gives us an opportunity to know our industry colleagues beyond the creative business. We encourage the industry to participate actively in Advertising Rocks and look forward to some interesting performances at Goafest 2023.”

     

    And one more quote. Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India & Chairman, The ABBYs Award Governing Council and Ajay Kakar, Managing Committee Member, The Advertising Club & Co-chair, The ABBYs Award Governing Council: “Our industry can boast of multi-faceted talent. And this initiative will draw out the hidden musical talent that either gets neglected or doesn’t have a platform to express itself, in this fast-paced life. Goafest is known to dial up excitement levels for our industry folks.  Advertising Rocks offers a unique proposition for our industry to showcase its musical talent. It will be fascinating to see our colleagues perform for our industry at a festival of this scale.”

     

  • As strategic investor and brand ambassador

    Dia Mirza launches Allter organic baby care brand

    By Our Staff

     

    Allter organic baby care brand launch its latest campaign ‘Every Mother is a protector’, in association with Dia Mirza, as a strategic investor and brand ambassador.

     

    Said Dia Mirza, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador: “As a mother, I wanted my baby’s journey to be earth-friendly and safe for his health. Even before Avyaan was born, I spent a long time looking for a plastic-neutral, safe product and upon research found that most diapers contain a plethora of harsh chemicals that take centuries to decompose. It was a sense of great satisfaction when the first diaper I used on my baby was an Allter diaper!”

     

    Added Surbhi Bafna Gupta and Arnav Gupta, the co-founders of Allter: “As young parents and cofounders of Allter, we know first-hand the importance of choosing top-notch products for our precious little ones. When we realised the monumental gap in the baby care industry back in 2020, we took it upon ourselves to address the issues that modern parents faced. Parents are becoming more mindful of the ingredients they use for their babies and demand clean, chemical-free, and safe alternatives. Here at Allter, we’re all about providing unbeatable quality products that parents can trust.”

     

  • For Green Abby, Technology and Static Print categories respectively

    Bobby Pawar, Emmanuel Upputuru, Sabyasachi Mitter are Jury Chairs for Abby 2023

    By Our Staff

     

    Emmanuel Upputuru, Founder of Efgh Brand Innovations, Sabyasachi Mitter, Founder and Managing Director, ibs + Fulcro and Bobby Pawar, Chairman and CEO, Havas Group India, are Jury Chairs for Green Abby category, Jury Chair of Technology category, and Jury Chair of Static Print respectively, at the Abby One Show Awards 2023.

     

    Said Mitter said: “The Abby One Show Awards is without doubt the gold standard of the advertising awards in India. With technology becoming ubiquitous in marketing and communication and CX becoming a critical lever of business success, the technology category at the Abby One Show awards is really the one to watch out for.”

     

    And this is what Pawar has said in the communique: “I am thrilled to be on the Abby One Show Jury in a category I love which is Print. I look forward to raising the bar further in this prestigious award show.”