MxMIndia

Category: Media Agencies

  • The much-awaited Effie Awards will recognize the best and most effective advertising of the year

    It’s the Effies tonight

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    The stage is set for Effie Awards 2011 which will be held at Race Course, Mahalaxmi in Mumbai, tonight. The awards are much respected and coveted as they recognize effective advertising – ie, an award for advertising that has worked in the market. The client of the year and agency of the year are the Effies most watched for.

     

    The Effies 2011 were different even in judging as there were four sessions altogether, three in round one including one in Delhi which was for the first time and then round two. It is learnt that there were 60 judges in round one and 20 in round two and out of this number 75 per cent comprised the clients’ side who were involved in judging. The plan is now to take Effies case studies, a popular segment, toDelhinext year.

     

    Ajay Kakar, Chairman Effie 2011 Committee and CMO – Financial Services, Aditya Birla Group, on what the fraternity should expect from the Effies tonight, said, “The judges have cast their votes. When 60 luminaries from the advertising and marketing fraternities put their collective minds together to evaluate the work that has worked in the market place, you can expect nothing short of the ‘best among the best’ to gain its rightful recognition.”

     

    Work that has rightfully left its mark in the sands of 2010-11 will be unveiled at the gala awards night.

     

    “Effie 2011 has a host of records/firsts, to its credit be it the number of entries received (300), the number of judges (60), the number of clients in the jury, the judging in Delhi and the number of agencies (20) that contributed to the short listed entries. I am sure we can expect a few more pleasant surprises at the awards night,” concluded Mr Kakar.

     

    Also read:

    All set for Effies on Dec 14

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2011/11/edging-towards-effies/

  • Anil Nair on 6 things to keep in mind when hiring at mid-level in an advertising agency

    The Anchor: 6 things to remember when hiring mid-levels in an agency

    By Anil Nair

     

    I believe that these qualities are required at any level in our profession. While at senior level one would look at few more qualities and at junior there would be some less expectation, but largely these qualities are what I look for in an advertising professional.

     

    #1 Imagination: There has to be an ability to look beyond the obvious. Imagination is not just required for creatives but it’s a requirement for the industry. Our job poses challenges every day and if one is content to follow the prescribed method then there can be no growth. One has to have a rich and interesting imagination to build compelling communication.

     

    #2 Hunger: It is not just hunger to scale to the next level in the hierarchy. There has to be hunger for knowledge, insight and for better work. When a person believes that his appetite is satiated, that’s practically the end of his career. There has to be hunger to take things to the next level in all aspects of life.

     

    #3 Perspective: This is a rare quality among many people today. There is a tendency to follow things as they are given. Being perceptive helps in thinking beyond the obvious which is a requirement for everyone, be it creative, servicing or planning. This will be an important tool to help in growing the business.

     

    #4 Clarity: Whatever the point of view, if one has coherence in thought it will take a mid-level person to greater strengths. They are involved in building a communication platform for the client and there is a need to have logic and clarity in thinking to help the clients do better.

     

    #5 Emotional stability: By this I mean there has to be strength of character and ability to handle situation under duress. There is pressure from the person you report to, people whom you look up to and people who report in to you. I have seen many people crack under pressure and many times good talent become an emotional wreck. Again this is a rare quality and difficult to find in today’s times.

     

    #6 Anticipation skill: In this profession, if you do things now it will only lead to crushing you. You need to keep an eye on the ‘next’ and this can be developed by way of knowledge and interactivity with the industry. This is a complex world with cut-throat competition and the need is for the ability to anticipate and be prepared to face it.

     

    Anil Nair is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Law & Kenneth.

  • Young Guns 2011 announces the winners – India nets 3 bronze; 2 for Leo Burnett and 1 for Happy Creative.

    Leo Burnett bag two Young Guns bronzes

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    The winners for Young Gun Awards 2011 have been announced. Leo Burnett was awarded 2 Bronze Bullets and 2 Finalists, Happy Creative awarded one Bronze Bullet and Ogilvy&Mather managed 1 finalist, from India.

     

    Leo Burnett India has been awarded Bronze for Tide “Fold a Stain” Campaign in Art Direction categorty, team Ganesh Nayak, Amod Dani and a Bronze for Bajaj Irons “Fold Aide Box” Packaging in Design category,team Nadine Pereira, Zainab Karachiwala, Payal Juthani, Anirban Sanyal. Heinz “Sketchup” managed to be in the finalist category, team, Ganesh Nayak, Amod Dani.

     

    KV Sridhar aka Pops said, “it’s always good when young people are recognised since it is an assurance not just for the present but for a great future as well. We are happy that Leo Burnett worldwide has also won YoungGuns 2011 Network of the Year which proves that it is the agency encouraging the youth”.

     

    Ogilvy & Mather’s Anupama Sirsalewal, finalist for Unbearably Sour, Gun, Snake, Gullotine in the Illustration Campaigns category.

     

    Happy creative has been awarded Bronze Bullet.

     

    Agency Tally for India is as follows:

    Leo Burnett:                2 Bronzes + 2 Finalists

    Happy Creative:           1 Bronze

    Ogilvy:                             1 Finalist

  • The global media spends account is up for review @ Unilever

    It’s pitch time for Unilever media spends in India (and elsewhere in the world)

    By A Correspondent

     

    Life’s a pitch. Ah, well, for the new bossman at Mindshare India Ravi Rao, it’s going to be a hyperactive January as he takes charge after a week’s break later this month.

     

    For, Unilever has reportedly announced a global review of its media account. This is barely two years after it did one.

     

    MxMIndia does not have any official word from Hindustan Unilever, but media reports suggest that the review will include media buying and planning and will start next month.

     

    Unilever has apparently asked all incumbents to pitch. But there are a few more, and that’s the catch. According to Advertising Age figures, Unilever spent USD 6.62 billion on worldwide measured media in 2010.

     

    The pitch is said to include a review of the way spends will be conducted in India too. Please see the following reports which also carry Unilever statements:

    Ad Age report: http://adage.com/article/agency-news/unilever-puts-global-media-account-play/231536/

    Campaign Asia report: http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/284405,unilever-calls-us465-billion-global-media-review.aspx

  • Mitrajit Bhattacharya has a few guidelines for big-ticket names looking for the right avenues.

    The Anchor: 6 pointers for luxury advertisers when choosing a magazine

    By Mitrajit Bhattacharya

     

    #1 Whether the magazine caters to the right TG of the brand, not the TG that the planner/ advertiser belongs to, which may not necessarily be the same.

     

    #2 Most luxury brands in this country are consumed by the wealthy, so an income profiling is often better than SEC. The business community scores over the salaried class, who often simply cannot afford luxury (unless they are a rich banker). So, choose your vehicle accordingly.

     

    #3 Often a multi-brand distributor/ company has the same magazine list for all their brands. Decide for individual brands and not for the group; consumers finally see them individually.

     

    #4 Frequently check how the layout of copy/ edit pages is coordinated with that of advertisements. Many luxury magazines go to the extent of designing facing edit pages with relation to the ads and that really helps noticeability/ engagement.

     

    #5 Do not lose sight of sales; maintain the right balance of image-building (which is so critical for a luxe brand) without losing sight of the real impact on sales.

     

    #6 Be sure of the strengths of the medium and use it the best possible way, and not necessarily have the ‘same size fits all’ ad strategy across all media.

     

    Mitrajit Bhattacharya is the President & Publisher, Chitralekha Group & Vice President, AIM.

  • Starcom win Novartis worldwide, India office unaware if it will also get business. Meanwhile, it has won media biz of Caratlane.com

    Starcom win Novartis worldwide, Caratlane in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Novartis has awarded Starcom with its $600million global media account, reports Advertising Age. The review apparently started earlier this year.

     

    On Tuesday, the Starcom India spokesperson said the offices here weren’t aware of the win. Novartis, the AdAge report adds, is one of the 100 largest advertisers in the world.

     

    Meanwhile, what the India office did inform MxMIndia was about being awarded the mandate by Caratlane.com, an online portal offering a selection of diamonds and diamond jewellery. Starcom will handle all the media investments for Caratlane.com from its Chennai office.

     

    Confirming the appointment, Narendra Alambara, Vice President, Starcom Worldwide, Chennai said, “We are extremely happy to partner with the pioneers of online diamond jewellery business. Caratlane.com has a superior business model that ensures quality of the product, with better prices for the consumer. Their decision to work with us will help them accelerate visibility. Starcom’s solid research and strong consumer data will help Cartlane.com achieve higher business returns and become a name to be reckoned with in the diamond jewellery business.”

     

    Caratlane.com is one of the first and few online businesses that offer a range of diamonds and diamond jewellery. They also have offline operations and diamonds are available at select stores. The diamonds have a Jaipur quality stamp and the automated manufacturing system and quality control processes ensure that jewellery is made exactly to specifications. This is especially to ensure trust and uniform quality as the customers buy a piece of jewellery based on specifications rather than look-and-feel.

     

    As to whether the India office will also handle Novartis, guess one will have to watch.

  • Mr Thappa, who recently left Mail Today, will be working at Mindshare as Leader – Client Leadership, South Asia.

    Rahul Thappa is back @ Mindshare

    By Akash Raha

     

    After his stint at Mail Today, Rahul Thappa has once again joined Mindshare. Mr Thappa will be working at Mindshare as Leader – Client Leadership, South Asia, reporting directly to Mindshare CEO Ravi Rao.

     

    In his last stint with Mail Today, the compact Delhi daily which is a joint venture between India Today Group and Associated Newspapers (ANL), publisher of Daily Mail, UK, he was the COO of the organization. He had joined the newspaper in May 2011, taking over from the then-COO, Mr Suresh Balakrishnan.

     

    Mr Thappa’s earlier stints include working as the Managing Director at Mindshare Malaysia; Business Director, Entertainment Sports & Partnerships at Group M Malaysia; Business Director at Mindshare Malaysia; and Planning & Buying Director, Team Unilever at Mindshare, Malaysia.

     

    MxM had received no official confirmation from Mindshare at the time of this report.

     

  • Fueled by great ideas, intelligence and analytics, the focus will be on growing our existing clients behind a strong strategy and thrust in digital, says Ravi Rao, Leader – Mindshare South Asia

    @GroupM: M Suku to join ESP, Mindshare restructures

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s change time at Group M too. The media major’s Mindshare arm had announced a series of changes on Wednesday , the leading media agency of the country, announced on Wednesday a series of management changes and key appointments to strengthen the company and position it for long-term success.

     

    In what may not necessarily be a related development, MxMIndia learns that veteran media specialist Mr Suku Murti who is currently with Aidem Ventures is also moving to Group M. Mr Suku has been with GroupM in the past, having set up Broadmind which later transformed to the entertainment, sports and promotions practice (GroupM ESP). He headed ESP for the entire Asia Pacific region. Mr Suku has worked with Unilever, Colgate, Lintas, JWT, ABCL, Eenadu other than Group M and Aidem.

     

    Mr Suku will continue to be associated with Aidem for a few months even as his association with Group M ESP begins.

     

    Meanwhile, the rest of the restructuring news @ Mindshare: Mr M Parthasarathy or MAPS currently the Leader-Business Planning will head the Client Leadership team. Mr Alok Sinha will now oversee Strategy, enabling ‘no-line’ thinking across India. Mr Sandeep Pandey will spearhead Consulting & Intelligence which involves analytics and modelling for better ROMI (Return on Marketing investment). Ms Anita Karnik will continue to handle Branded Entertainment and Activation. Messrs Jai Lala and Ashok Lalla will continue in their current roles managing Exchange and Digital.

     

    Speaking on the restructuring, Mr Ravi Rao, Leader – Mindshare South Asia said in a communique: “With this infusion of senior talent and expertise, I am looking forward to beginning the year with the Mindshare mantra: Original thinking that brings in thought leadership, innovation that aids in brand growth. Fueled by great ideas, intelligence and analytics, the focus will be on growing our existing clients behind a strong strategy and thrust in digital. We have competent teams and the changes will ensure continuity in each role, while enabling us to broaden our team’s experience and capabilities – something that will be important as we continue to drive new business and grow our market share.”

     

    The new appointments also include Mr Rahul Thappa (as reported by MxMIndia on Wednesday), who has come in to manage North and rest of Mindshare South Asia. He has been entrusted with business operations in Pakistan,Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

     

  • Mudra gave former CCO Bobby Pawar a hearty farewell in a unique way by putting up a billboard right next to his new agency, saying 'Mudra welcomes Bobby Pawar to JWT'.

    Typically quirky, Mudra ‘welcomes’ Bobby Pawar to JWT

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    Mudra showed that it is an agency with a big heart as well as an extraordinary creative bank, demonstrating both innovation and affection in its farewell to Bobby Pawar. In a billboard that has been put up right next to JWT, where Mr Pawar has taken charge of his new responsibilities, Mudra said “Mudra welcomes Bobby Pawar to JWT”.

     

    The billboard came as a shock to some and a pleasant surprise to some but it undoubtedly managed to catch everyone’s eyes.

     

    Pratap Bose
    Bobby Pawar

    Pratap Bose, COO, Mudra Communications, said, “Tuesday evening was Bobby’s farewell. The whole idea was to show Bobby how special he is for us. It’s a gesture to show that the fact that Bobby remains in advertising is good news for the creative industry.”

     

    A generous gesture like this makes one feel proud to be a part of an industry where relationships can be warm as well as professional.

     

    On the gesture by Mudra, Bobby Pawar, CCO and Managing Partner, JWT, said, “Both the agencies (Mudra and JWT) really touched me with the welcome I received. It feels great to get such a warm greet. My first day at JWT was spent knowing people and understanding the brands. Hope the fun and enthusiasm continues.”

     

    The way Mudra has wished luck to Bobby for his new innings will sure be remembered by the industry in a very special way. One hopes there are more such instances where people feel proud to be a part of such an industry.

     

  • Bus shelter ads are strategically placed in areas with more pedestrians, where it is easy to see the brand and its message. Advertisements on bus shelters are usually lit at night with visual appeal.

    Trade bullish on bus shelter advtg

    By Robin Thomas

     

    Looking for a cost-efficient medium with high brand recall and healthy Return on Investments (ROIs) to advertise your product, then you should head to the nearest bus stop. The bus shelters, strategically placed in areas with the target group travelling either by foot or in a vehicle, are fast becoming coveted advertising mediums. FMCG brands, television channels and retail brands have increasingly started using bus shelters as a medium to deliver their brand message as ads placed at bus shelter make it easy to see the brand and its message.

     

    Many advertisers prefer to go for bus shelter advertising as it is cost-efficient and has a high brand recall, especially in the metros like Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Hindustan Unilever and P&G are two big instances of big OOH spenders which are very active in bus shelter advertising, particularly in Mumbai and Delhi. According to Bikas Verma, Associate Vice President, Outdoor Advertising Professionals (OAP) Pvt Ltd, bus shelter advertising contributes approximately 10-15 per cent of the overall OOH advertising spends.

     

    Gurjit Singh, COO, Crayons Advertising observed, “Compared to other OOH formats, bus shelter ads give more frequencies to the campaign as the strategic look gives an edge to the campaign.”

     

    “Bus shelters are primarily service-oriented street furniture item. They also prove to be a very effective OOH format as they offer an efficient channel for the brands to reach out to the consumers in every nook and corner of the city. Advertisers have acknowledged this medium as very cost-effective, offering best in class ROIs. Bus shelters also provide widespread exposure to their campaigns, catering to a wide range of target groups,” explained Ayush Kakkar, Assistant Manager – Marketing, JCDecaux.

     

    The road ahead

    Mr Verma is of the opinion that since billboards are now facing government restrictions, bus shelter advertising, which is high-impact and high-frequency advertising, is bound to grow further. “In markets like Mumbai or any other metro, bus shelter and likewise street furniture will be the future of OOH advertising, as these serve the dual purpose of being a utility as well as an ad revenue stream. This format of OOH media is very apt for the female TG and since billboards will not be permitted in these markets in future, their growth potential is nearing the end.”

     

    Mr Kakkar of JCDecaux noted, “The growth potential in case of bus shelter advertising is huge and it will continue to grow as more and more cities adapt to these service-oriented formats. Globally, bus shelters are already a very popular communication vehicle in the world’s best cities.”

     

     

  • Brands are increasingly employing social messages to touch the heart-strings and attract attention

    Winning consumers, dil se

     

     

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    ‘Advertising’ generally relates to a 30-60 second commercial which is, in some way, a break from whatever has grabbed our attention on the TV. It is, at times, packed with humour or creativity which manages to engage audiences and pay attention to the product being endorsed. But these days, brands are thinking beyond short term goals such as increasing sales to a long term goal of maintaining goodwill for the brand.

     

    For a while now, a lot of advertisements are not just based on a self-centred motive to sell the product but the brands and creatives are becoming more and more altruistic and trying to engage the audiences by including them in the commercial.

     

    Whether it is Coca-Cola “spreading happiness” or Tata Tea asking the consumer to “Jaago Re”, almost every brand is trying to step ahead and be an element revolutionising society.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5ECJrnqPcI[/youtube]

    R Balki, Chairman and CCO, Lowe Lintas India, said, “There needs to be a connect of the message with the product. Brands just cannot jump onto the bandwagon by saying something which isn’t connected with the product. Even before Tata Tea or Lead India, it was Lifebuoy that came up with ‘koi dar nahi’, which encouraged kids to walk out and clean the streets. Hence, there is a definite need of product association with the message. Even in the Tata Tea campaign, tea is always associated with awakening and, with a name like Tata attached to it, we took it a step ahead and correlated it with awakening against corrupt politicians and so on. The thought was based on being optimistic and not cynical.”

     

    As a matter of fact if we are to recall, such advertisements are also the ones that manage stay in our minds the longest. Be it ‘Jaago Re’ ‘Lead India’ ‘Hum Mein Hai Hero’, ‘Idea’ commercials or the latest Stayfree campaigns.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0M0EZ8T5J8[/youtube]

    “Every businessman today realises that just a transactional relationship with a client does not work these days, there is a very important need for emotional connect with the consumers, and brands like Coca Cola are realising the same. The trend has been there for a while, but its gaining momentum as every brand wants to be in the good books of the consumer. This is a worldwide trend where the society needs to know what exactly we are giving them back,” explained Prasoon Joshi.

     

    The problem lies when rather than being engaging, these commercials become preachy. The idea should be that it sermonises in such a creative way that it manages to engage a consumer, who considers an advertisement a break from a nail biting cricket/football match, or a soap opera that he /she is watching

     

    KV Sridhar, NCD, Leo Burnett, India, said, “More and more brand are realising these days that whatever we do is replicable. All the uniqueness and benefits get blurred after a while. Be it the uniqueness of an iPhone which is replicated by Chinese and Korean companies or the uniqueness of a brand communication. The other thing that marketers have understood is that ‘honesty’ and ‘selflessness’ are the keys to attract audiences. The Brand now tries to tell the audience that your ideas and my ideas are the same and this has become the solution to connect with the masses.”

     

    It won’t be wrong to say that Indian society gives utmost importance to values when compared to any other society. Hence, it helps a brand to come across as socially responsible.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”250″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DkS7wfPMdQ[/youtube]

    Rahul Kansal, CMO, Bennett, Coleman and Co, said: “When it comes to using a social message to promote one’s brand, it has to have certain connection with the product. Sometime back, we saw Aircel’s campaign to Save the Tigers. Despite being a good concept, the campaign did not leave a mark, as it didn’t really help the brand because the cause wasn’t really connected with the brand. On the other hand, if we talk about Tata Tea’s Jaago Re campaign, it is a beautiful example of laddering up by a brand since tea is always associated with awakening and here the brand communication took it a step further by making it an awakening of the society towards the corrupt system. The Coke ad is also an example of going ahead with a thought of a drink which is meant to quench thirst, stepping ahead and becoming a brand to spread happiness. Times ofIndia’s ‘Lead India’ and ‘TeachIndia’ are also an example of laddering up by using a social message.”

     

    One might wonder, is creativity becoming a follower rather than a creator? One can also speculate that creative thought is the slave of trend, where one does something exceptional and others follow, as that becomes what the audiences want. The fact that such campaigns manage to capture the consumers’ eye is evidence. This practice had been seen in the past as well, but more and more brands have been adopting the concept lately. Will it continue, and how well can creativity present it? The fact remains that any product endorsing itself on such messages, even if remotely, needs to be connected with the communication at a certain level.

     

  • Stalwarts from advertising and media paid fulsome tributes to the memory of Bal Mundkur, at a prayer meeting held in Mumbai.

    Industry veterans remember Ulka founder Bal Mundkur

    By a Correspondent

     

    Draftfcb Ulka Group held a prayer meeting in memory of the late Bal Mundkur, veteran adman and founder of what is today Draftfcb Ulka. The prayer meet was held on Thursday, January 19, 2012 at Yashwantrao Chavan Pratisthan in Nariman Point, Mumbai.

     

    Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia Ogilvy & Mather India; Alyque Padamsee, theatre personality and ad film-maker; Gerson da Cunha, stage and film actor, social worker and author; and theatre veteran Dolly Thakore were some of the notable personalities from the advertising and media fraternity, other than the leadership team from Draftfcb Ulka who attended the prayer meeting.

     

    Shashi Sinha, CEO, Lodestar UM remembered the late Mr Mundkur as a man who was always a leader, and never a follower. A man who was very generous, always ready to help those who needed help, and a man who did not work for money alone but, also for a lot of noble causes which he did not give up even after his retirement. Mr Sinha pointed out that Mr Mundkur had left his cushy job to start his own agency, and that he named the agency – Ulka – at his mother’s suggestion.

     

    A two-minute silent prayer was observed in memory of Mr Mundkur which was again followed by close friends, associates, former colleagues etc. sharing their thoughts and memories of the late advertising veteran.

     

    Mr da Cunha highlighted the recently released ‘Ad Katha’, a special volume tracking the history of Indian advertising, as one of Mr Mundkur’s huge achievements. Mr da Cunha was also quick to point out that a lot of people not just owed Mr Mundkur the brands he created for them, but many owed him their career as well. Mr Mundkur has created great professionals, he said, while dedicating the 300-page ‘Ad Katha’ to the memory of Mr Mundkur.

     

    Mr Alyque Padamsee was also among those who spoke about Mr Mundkur at the prayer meet, saying he remembered Mr Mundkur as a man of rumbustious character. A man who had big ideas and was determined to see each one through. Mr Padamsee also added that his inspiration comes from Mr Mundkur, who was always ready to defend someone – ie, if you believe in something then stand up and fight for it.

     

    Mr Mundkur passed away in Goa on January 7, 2012 due to heart failure. Mr Mundkur had founded Ulka in 1961, ten years after he joined the world of advertising. In a span of another ten years, Ulka had become the fourth largest agency in the country, and by far the largest independent Indian start-up.