MxMIndia

Category: HARD KNOCKS

Anil Thakraney’s view on adland, medialand and more

  • If the businessmen aren't going to learn anything from the nation's biggest, mind-numbing financial scam, they never will

    Anil Thakraney: Time for clean up the 2G scam

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Supreme Court’s judgment on the 2G spectrum scandal is horrendous news for the telecom industry, the entire corporate world and the end consumer. The court has cancelled the 122 spectrum licenses issued in 2008 by the great A Raja, the then telecom minister. Fresh auctions will be held later in the year, and new allotments made.

     

    This means the cost of the licenses will shoot up, and the additional expenses will be passed on to the subscribers. What impact this will have on the telecom boom, you can easily imagine. Not just that. This judgment finally confirms the massive corruption involved in the 2G scam, and this is going to damage the overall business sentiment in the country. Foreign investors are going to think many, many times before parking their funds in this maha corrupt nation. Where, first you are expected to bribe to get licenses, and then one day you could be back to square one, your business model sent for a toss. Basically, it’s a lose-all situation.

     

    However, one hopes this huge scandal and its fall-out will serve as a starting point for a massive clean-up operation. Quite obviously, blatant corrupt practices such as these cannot be allowed to go on. If a huge shake up doesn’t take place this time, we will see this happen again and again. To begin with, Shri Chidambaram, who was the finance minister when Raja tore into the cookie jar, must accept moral responsibility and quit. And if he doesn’t, the mantri ought to be immediately sacked. Even if he was in the dark on the then telecom minister’s nefarious activities, he must be held accountable. Because at the very least, Chidu fiddled while Rome burnt. This is important. It’s not enough that Raja is in jail, the big heads must roll.

     

    And secondly, corporates in the telecom sector must take equal blame for this mess. Because if they had refused to bribe Raja, this scale of corruption wouldn’t have happened. The scam should be a lesson for all suits that they must play an equal part if the nation has to be rid of graft. In any shady deal, at least two shady partners have to be involved.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lw9ZeXB2uKs[/youtube]

    So even as the telecom industry gets busy and studies the exact impact of the SC’s judgment, it’s time for all corporates to wake up and smell the coffee. And swear to run a clean ship from now on. If the businessmen aren’t going to learn anything from the nation’s biggest, mind-numbing financial scam, they never will.

     

    ***

     

    PS: TV serials based on vampires have been a rage in the US in recent times. Audi has capitalized on their popularity, and has released a hilarious commercial. Damn cool!

     

  • The coming years will see massive newspaper wars because the category is on the decline curve. And each brand will have to be very smart and proactive to survive.

    Anil Thakraney: So then what must The Hindu do?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Times is on a rapid expansion drive. They’ve recently launched multiple editions in Kerala, including in small towns. This is quite understandable. Newspapers are in a slow death mode in large towns, and it makes sense to penetrate as many towns as possible to delay the inevitable demise of the newspaper as we know it.

     

    And this portends a serious challenge for incumbent brands. How can they protect their turf? How can they retain their readers in the face of stiff competition? It’s not going to be an easy task. The Times, which is a powerful challenger, has many strengths – the group has deep pockets, tremendous marketing fire power and the newspaper is wholesome; a healthy mix of serious news and entertainment. If the local brands remain lazy and complacent, they will struggle hard, that’s for sure. Deccan Herald learnt this lesson the hard way in Bangalore.

     

    Let’s take the current battle raging between The Hindu and The Times in Chennai as an example. The ad war between the two has already been discussed, and I mentioned in the Debrief section of this portal that I quite like The Hindu’s spirited fight back. But in terms of the content itself, what can the newspaper do to stay alive and relevant? This is a tough one; but allow me to put forward two critical points: The Hindu must NOT dump its image of an ultra serious brand. This is the newspaper’s core strength, it has been so for many decades, and it must be protected.

     

    If they attempt to emulate Times’s please-all mix, they will become a me-too brand and quickly lose the battle. Sticking to their core values will ensure they don’t disillusion their loyal readers. However, at the same time, they have to win over the hearts and minds of younger readers. Already, there is pressure from the internet, so this is going to be a huge problem. The Times is, anyway, particularly strong in its youth appeal. The trick here is not to dumb down the content and dive into a full on filmi and party coverage.

     

    The youth of India aren’t dumb. Yes, they enjoy entertainment coverage, but they also have their own serious issues to worry about, which include education and career opportunities. And this is what The Hindu must tap into very aggressively.

     

    The Express tries to do that but they haven’t achieved much success, and that’s because they are pretty clinical in their approach, and don’t make enough song and dance. The style of presentation and the marketing of youth-related stuff is critical. Features on career prospects don’t have to be boring; they can be made to rock. And marketed in such a way that the youth of Chennai perceives The Hindu to be a newspaper that understands their needs and concerns.

     

    As I said, it’s going to be a tough one. And I used The Hindu only as an example. The coming years will see massive newspaper wars because the category is on the decline curve. And each brand will have to be very smart and proactive to survive. Interesting times await!

     

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    PS: I am not a huge fan of authors who parade themselves at Litfests. And an even lesser fan of authors who tweet. I have always believed writers must remain enigmatic and should be known only through their books. That, the mystery enhances a writer’s appeal. Here’s an interesting article from The New York Times, it  explains the authors’ obsession with Twitter.

     

    Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/books/review/why-authors-tweet.html?_r=2&smid=tw-nytimes&pagewanted=all

     

     

  • The cricket body has conveniently cloaked its workings in dark secrecy, and this has led to many dubious deeds.

    Anil Thakraney: A Sahara lesson for BCCI

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Though they may eventually resolve their dispute, and Sahara could again partner the BCCI in some form, it must be said one feels happy that the former decided to pull the plug on constant moolah supply to the cricket board. And the Sahara group has also opted out of the IPL. The world’s richest (and most arrogant) cricketing body can do with some hard jolts like these.

     

    In fact, I do believe sponsors and advertisers are the ONLY entities with the power to clean up cricket in India, so that the sport doesn’t wither away and lose its mass appeal. They must list down harsh terms and conditions on the BCCI before they put the money down. And this includes demand for complete transparency in the way the BCCI functions. The cricket body has conveniently cloaked its workings in dark secrecy, and this has led to many dubious deeds. Including financial scandals, unethical business practices, badly planned tour itineraries and a myopic vision of the future of Indian cricket. Humiliating defeats of the team in the recent past is sure to affect viewership of both, international tournaments and the great IPL. This means ad rates must be slashed as well.

     

    The big problem is that the BCCI appears to be accountable to no one. And quite characteristically, they are completely allergic to being put under the purview of the RTI Act. Which means there is no way to clean up this dodgy organization. Unless of course the advertisers gang up against them, and put some serious pressure. The autocratic style of operating Indian cricket cannot be allowed to go on. This is very important for the future of cricket in this country.

     

    Hopefully, Sahara’s bombshell will serve as a wake-up call for everyone else.

     

    ***

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGMOhOYvcw4[/youtube]

    PS: An ad tailor-made for the commercial break. Chrysler released this stunning patriotic commercial during the Super Bowl half-time, featuring the Hollywood superstar, Clint Eastwood. I can feel the blood rising miles away in Mumbai, imagine the impact on Americans. Super stuff.

     

  • When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal's case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity

    Anil Thakraney: Death in Mumbai, an excellent first effort

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Just finished reading Meenal Baghel’s ‘Death in Mumbai’. And must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Apart from the fascinating subject itself… the sensational murder of television executive Neeraj Grover and the subsequent nefarious deeds by the killer and his partner, model/actress Maria Susairaj… what interested me is that the author is a journalist and former colleague.

     

    When a reputed journalist writes a book, you can be assured of authenticity of material, and particularly so in Meenal’s case, I have known her to be a journalist of high integrity.

     

    I must say the writing is sharp and the style captivating. You simply cannot put the book down. What the author has been able to do very effectively is to bring out the motivations and compulsions of the three participants in the sordid drama. After reading the book, one has a clearer idea of what drove the three to that extremely lethal point, from where there was no possibility of return to innocence.

     

    And Meenal’s done her research, she’s done the leg work, she’s journeyed into their past and studied their behavioural patterns over a period of time.

     

    The section I most enjoyed reading is where the author paints a colourful picture of the very showy and the very wannabe Oshiwara area of Mumbai. The desperation to make it into the showbiz, and the sexual price many young people have to pay in the process. The most hilarious chapter is on the TV queen Ekta Kapoor and her mother, some recounts of the two leave you in splits, the tragedy notwithstanding.

     

    All in all, a great first effort from Meenal. The only disappointment (for me) was not being able to get a clear point of view from the main accused, the navy officer Emile Jerome. Since he was the man who executed the heinous crime, his voice is key to the story. I suppose the author would have found access to the man extremely difficult, and therefore one can’t really blame her.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Must read: Facebook has announced a $5 billion initial public offering. And here’s what Mark Zuckerberg says to investors. His long message gives you an idea of how razor sharp and cunning the man is when it comes to capitalizing on human interaction in the virtual world.

     

    Link: http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2012/02/zuck-letter/

     

     

  • Creative directors need to hire tech cats and then work ALONG with them for each brand

    Anil Thakraney: Left & right brains must marry

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The other day I was having a drink with a friend, an old world agency creative director. He’s one of those many old chaps who’ve been seriously challenged by the onslaught of the new media, and are at their wit’s end on how to deal with this ‘menace’. You see, not only are many clients now demanding to see creatives for the digital space AHEAD of the TV storyboards, they are putting pressure on the creative directors to make sure the videos go viral.

     

    I quite empathize with my old fogie pal’s predicament. Trained only in making television commercials, he’s finding it very difficult to learn new tricks. And what creative directors like him are doing is to hire net savvy kids and unleash them onto the clients. With the hope that the bachchas will take care of the digital work, while uncles, like my friend, can continue to focus on the old media.

     

    Personally, I don’t think this approach is going to pay dividends in the near future… in fact, it’s already showing signs of collapse. Digital marketing and advertising outfits are mushrooming by the day, and they are threatening to walk away with the digital business from clients. Clearly, this is revenue loss for the traditional ad agencies, and cannot be allowed to go on.

     

    I think ad agency creatives must begin operating the way movie studios work on sci-fi films, where massive technical effects are required. The movie director and the techies form a core team and each feeds off the other to produce scintillating cinema. The director makes sure the story keeps the connect with the audiences, and the tech specialists keep innovating till both are satisfied with the end result. Check out Steven Spielberg’s amazing work on the film Warhorse. The movie zaps you with special effects but the emotion runs through in every scene.

     

    In short, creative directors are digging their own graves if they leave the ‘headache’ of social media to youngsters in their office. They need to hire tech cats and then work ALONG with them for each brand, to make this work. Yup, the left and the right brains have to marry and produce goods that will meet the new media challenge.

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n-9-6ULjHY[/youtube]

    PS: British Airways has released a new commercial to commemorate its sponsorship of the forthcoming Olympic Games. It involves a race between luggage bags headed for various destinations. And the ad has been executed like the TV coverage of a sports match. Funny and smart. And I must add this: Many travellers on BA complain about lost luggage. Well, now we know why. The bags lose their way in all the hurry! 🙂

     

  • Either because of old age or because of blind love for his son, Thackeray Sr has allowed the Sena brand to depreciate very badly

    Anil Thakraney: How Brand Thackeray has got devalued

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Mumbai civic elections are scheduled for tomorrow. No, I shall not vote, I never have and never will. That’s because when I stare at the candidates list, my first thought is to migrate to Qatar or Bangladesh or Yemen. The names are that depressing. But this post isn’t about my allergy to the Indian democracy, it’s about political parties as brands.

     

    In that context, I want to deal with Brand Shiv Sena. Whether the netas like it or not, their parties have to follow the principles of brand management. They have to market their parties, create the right image amongst the target audiences and then nurture that image for a long period of time. And I must say, Thackeray Sr has turned out to be a rather poor brand manager. Either because of old age or because of blind love for his son, he has allowed the Sena brand to depreciate very badly.

     

    Saheb broke the fundamental rule of branding: Stick to your core values. If you deviate from those, it creates serious dissonance in the minds of your consumers.

     

    Brand Shiv Sena’s appeal for all these years has been parochial aggression and exclusivity. Loyal consumers have, for decades, bought into that brand value. Their hardcore fans connect with the ideology of violence and street justice. The moment

     

    Thackeray Sr, the brand custodian, delegated decision making to his son, and looked away when the brand values were being tinkered with, Saheb allowed the brand to move away from its core strengths. His son, the ‘junior’ brand manager, has been talking non-violence, inclusiveness and development. And in the process, he’s converted Brand Shiva Sena into a me-too to Brand Congress and Brand NCP. Thus losing the brand’s only USP, its source of power in the target market.

     

    This massive shift in the positioning has already had a huge impact. The brand appeal has eroded in the last seven years or so, and the vacant slot has been usurped by Brand Raj Thackeray. And therefore I would be very surprised if in the current elections, Brand Shiv Sena’s market share doesn’t erode even further. No rocket science this, it’s basic marketing logic.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAGeLgiTKmY[/youtube]

    Moral of the story: It’s not enough for political parties to launch election campaigns and run promotional drives. They have to run their parties like brands. Here’s Brand Shiv Sena’s latest promo. Notice how confused, jaded and uninspiring it is.

     

    Good luck to them anyway!

     

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    PS: A bit long, but it’s worth a read. This hilarious incident very accurately describes the state of the media today:

    A biker is riding by the zoo inWashington,DCwhen he sees a little girl leaning into the lion’s cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes of her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his Harley, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on the nose with a powerful punch. The lion, whimpering because of the pain, jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly.

     

    A reporter has watched the whole event. The reporter addressing the biker says, ‘Sir, this was the most gallant and brave thing I’ve seen a man do in my whole life.’ The biker replies, ‘Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger and acted as I felt right.’

     

    The reporter says, ‘Well, I’ll make sure this won’t go unnoticed. I’m a journalist, and tomorrow’s paper will have this story on the front page… So, what do you do for a living and what political affiliation do you have?’

     

    The biker replies, ‘I’m a US Marine and a Republican.’ The journalist leaves.

     

    The following morning the biker buys the paper to see news of his actions, and reads, on the front page:

    US MARINE ASSAULTS AN AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH

     

    The views expressed here (in Para 1) are Anil Thakraney’s and not necessarily those of others in the MxMIndia.com team. Certainly not mine :-). If you are in an area where there’s polling tomorrow (or in the future), please do go out and vote. – Ed

  • Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm

    Anil Thakraney: India Inc needs Narendrabhai

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If there’s one CM most industrialists adore, it’s Narendra Modi. Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani have been pretty vocal in their appreciation of Mota Bhai. Can’t fault them. Modi, being a Gujarati, has dhanda engraved in his genes; he understands business more than any other desi politician. In any case, he stands out big time amongst the chief ministers because the rest are either corrupt (we all know of them, don’t we?) or angsty (Bengal) or inefficient (most of them except perhaps Nitish Kumar).

     

    And so, Gujaratis flourishing in terms of industrial growth, there has been a lot of development in that state since Modi took charge. This is an undeniable fact. Which is why I am quite sure the corporate world would want Modi to run the entire country in the near future.

     

    Projects will get cleared faster, infrastructure will get a serious boost and most importantly, whether you like Modi or not, he is not known to be a corrupt man. At least, so far there’s been no evidence to the contrary. He would most likely kick people like Raja and Kalmadi out of the cabinet the moment there’s a whiff of chori.

     

    Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm. As a case in point, I don’t see projects like FDI in multi-brand retail being so easily knocked off the radar under Modi’s regime.

     

    However, there’s a big impediment to Modi’s progress beyondGujarat: his massive ego. Okay, so the SIT commissioned by the Supreme Court has exonerated him of direct involvement in the post-Godhra riots, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the violence happened under his watch. That, hundreds of people got killed right under his nose. Just for that, Modi must unconditionally accept his failure and apologize. And move on. That done, who knows, people may move on as well and he could get that black mark erased from his otherwise healthy resume. And look to moving toDelhiwith a larger mandate.

     

    I really thinkIndia’s industrialists, for their own good, must meet Mota Bhai over chai and dhoklas, and educate him on the importance of ego management.

     

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    PS: Blast from the past! Can you even imagine such an ad being allowed to run in 2012. Kahaan gaye woh din? 🙂

  • The question bothering me is the question that I am sure is bothering all brand managers: How did Mumbai Mirror as a brand gain from this event?

    Hard Knocks: Did the flash mob benefit MM?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Good event idea from Mumbai Mirror, they organized a flash mob dance at Churchgate station with Tamil star Dhanush in tow. Not a very original idea, you have to say, because the event simply married the two viral sensations of the year… the Kolaveri video and the CST flash mob dance. Still, an event worth organizing for a city tabloid. Especially because of its appeal to young Mumbaikars.

     

    The question bothering me is the question that I am sure is bothering all brand managers: How did Mumbai Mirror as a brand gain from this event? Okay, they ran a cover story on it, but that edition will be tomorrow’s fish paper (as it happens to all akbaars), so where does it go from here? Even if the event goes viral, which is what the brand manager of the newspaper might be hoping for, how does it build the Mirror’s own brand image? What return on investment did they get on the venture?

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABTOlE8avE[/youtube]

    Here’s a link to the video and you would notice someone else has hi-jacked the party, and after many views I could not spot the Mumbai Mirror branding anywhere. In fact, I spotted translites of other brands in the background, those already present at the Churchgate station. The least the Mirror team ought to have done was to flood the station with their creatives on the big day.

     

    I don’t know the answers, quite frankly. What I do know is that riding the net viral bandwagon is a great idea for brand marketing. At a relatively low cost, it can get you instant access to millions of consumers. But how does one ensure the brand remains the parent of the videos? That it gets paid back for its investment? I really think these answers need to be found before brand managers start salivating over this fantastic new medium.

     

    ———————————————————————————–

     

    PS: Haha. Deadly press release from Droga5,New York. Wonder if the local media fell for it. In India, I am quite certain, something like this would have been promptly published.

    Link: http://www.droga5.com/pressrelease/

  • The publishers of the Deccan Herald are either being very brave. Or very foolish. Either way, let's wish them luck. They'll need loads of it.

    Anil Thakraney: Deccan Herald’s Mission Impossible

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Having learnt to live a life in India where just about anything is possible, nothing ever unnerves me. But I must say I woke up on Sunday morning to rather shocking news, it totally rattled me. No, not that Anna Sahib is going on another fast (that’s no news, really), but that Bangalore’s Deccan Herald has launched a Delhi edition. To be honest, I am still reeling from this totally sensational khabar.

     

    Here are few reasons why the Deccan Herald simply CANNOT be undertaking this suicidal mission: One, newspapers are closing down all over the world. And India, because of its massive reading population and a continuous flow of new readers, will survive this danger for some more years. But closures will happen, it’s only a matter of time. In fact, quite ironically, Deccan Herald’s foray into Delhi comes close on the heels of Mid Day’s closure out there. Given that, prudence lies in beefing up strong editions and putting all the resources into your main markets, so that the demise can be postponed as much as possible. One would imagine that the proprietors of the Deccan Herald would go all out to spruce up their Bangalore edition. And what do they do? They go to Delhi! Wow!

     

    Next. Delhi is a very crowded newspaper market, and it’s pretty much dominated by the very deep pocket wallahs, the TOI and the HT. It took the Times many years and lots of moolah before it could manage to eat into HT’s market share. And there are other cash rich players too. In this fish market scenario bravely trots in the low profile southern Deccan Herald, hoping to make a dent in the market. And from what I know, owners of the DH aren’t exactly loaded like the owners of the TOI and the HT, so they will always struggle to get noticed.

     

    And finally, what sort of freshness can the DH bring to an alien territory? The name ‘Deccan’ itself cues south of India. Why would a Dilliwallah be interested in finding out from a southie what’s going on in his backyard. And where he must wine and dine. Makes no editorial sense at all.

     

    Well, all I can say is that the publishers of the Deccan Herald are either being very brave. Or very foolish. Either way, let’s wish them luck. They’ll need loads of it.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Some of the more enterprising ex-O&M guys organised an agency reunion in Mumbai last week. To catch up and mark David Ogilvy’s 100th centenary. Was fantastic meeting the old boys and gals, it felt like homecoming. I must say this: no reunion brings me as much joy as the one with the Ogilvy gang. Not school, not college, not other organization reunions. Must be Sir Ogilvy’s magical touch. Can’t think of another reason.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a Mumbai-based columnist and commentator and is a former adman and editor. He is Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.

  • Most people find it galling to hear about Yuvi's chemotherapy sessions on the news channels, and watch this particular commercial during the break. In the light of such a strong backlash, I think the advertiser must pull the ad.

    Anil Thakraney: Why Birla must pull the Yuvi ad

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have always appreciated Birla Sun Life’s campaign, the one which has cricket players speaking out about their insecurities, much like we ordinary mortals do. The ads look real and they find the mark. It’s quite scary to watch celebs worry about their future. Because this means we aam aadmis and aurats should be really alarmed over what lies ahead, given our meager resources.

     

    However, things have changed a bit with the new Yuvraj Singh commercial in which the player worries about his career in the context of the cancer scare. Many have called the ad opportunistic and insensitive. I agree with that view point. But I have a slightly different take, and I mentioned that when I reviewed this particular TVC for mxmindia. Which is that if Yuvi does not have an issue with the use of his tragedy for commercial reasons, that should be fine. I mean, if the man at the center of the whole issue is cool, then so should we be.

     

    Having said that, it’s abundantly clear that many people don’t agree with my view. I have read and heard many negative reactions on Birla Sun Life’s ad. Most people feel it is deeply insensitive and off-putting, and find it galling to hear about Yuvi’s chemotherapy sessions on the news channels, and watch this particular commercial during the break. In the light of such a strong backlash, I think the advertiser must pull the ad. Because while it’s good to be an aggressive, cunning brand manager, one has to know where to get off. Being perceived as insensitive is too much of a risk to take for an insurance company. Or for any brand for that matter.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl1ujzRidmU[/youtube]

    Here’s a suggestion for Birla: Drop the ad immediately. And wait. Sooner or later, Mr Fighter will recover and he will be back on the cricket field. It is THEN that the advertiser and their ad agency should swing into action. And create an ad where Yuvi speaks of his ill health, the fears he experienced, and the subsequent joy and relief on recovery. No one will object to that. We all like happy endings.

     

    Net net: Drop the ad, dear Birla Sun Life. It’s not worth it.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Funny and dark at the same time. This video is an example of how Facebook has strained the relationship between parents and their deviant teenage children. This guy’s reaction is rather extreme… still, a must-watch for today’s parents.

     

  • It would hurt Dr Vijay Mallya's pride if his pet project got killed. But there's no place for ego and emotion in business

    Anil Thakraney on 9 reasons why KFA must shut shop

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Dr Vijay Mallya is in no mood to entertain talks about shutting down his messy airline. He is a proud man, and it would hurt his pride if his pet project got killed. But there’s no place for ego and emotion in business, every die hard dhandhewala knows that. Here’s why I think it’s better to ground Kingfisher Airlines Limited (KFA).

     

    1. Dr Mallya doesn’t get this business at all.

     

    2. Running an airline is not the same thing as running a liquor company. Or sailing on a private yacht. Or anchoring Page 3 parties. Or owning an IPL cricket team.

    Totally different sets of rules apply.

     

    3. Kingfisher’s continuing crisis has badly hurt Dr Mallya’s own image as that of a man who can do no wrong. This is damaging his credibility as an industrialist.

     

    4. Because it’s a brand extension, the airline’s very poor image in the market could harm UB group’s cash cow beer brand, Kingfisher Lager. It’s not a risk worth taking anymore.

     

    5. Even if Dr Mallya decides to run KFA as a totally low cost, zero frills airline to slash operating expenses drastically, it will backfire as this strategy doesn’t gel with the stated brand position of ‘Good Times’. So it makes no sense to be around from the marketing point of view either.

     

    6. The huge inconvenience and financial losses Kingfisher has been causing to thousands of flyers across the nation because of cancelled flights will have seriously eroded brand preference. And this situation in the hospitality industry has a cascading effect. Loyalty once lost is very hard to gain back. Just to give you can example: GoAir once cancelled a flight I was booked on at the nth hour, and I have sworn never to touch them again.

     

    7. The KFA staff is highly demotivated. I don’t even want to discuss the ramifications if the airline’s maintenance engineers don’t do their jobs with care.

     

    8. There’s not much hope in his son and heir to the throne, young Sid Mallya. The way he dives into verbal clashes with aggrieved KFA flyers on Twitter is a clear indication that the dude does not fit in with the service business.

     

    9. Dr Mallya doesn’t get this business at all.

     

    * * *

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuiEKm5dDrY[/youtube]

    PS: Not a very recent commercial, but a must watch in case you missed it. Super one from Playstation. Fantastic understanding of the target audience, and totally exciting creative.

     

     

     

  • Truth is, nothing like a story of two 'decent' groups behaving like hooligans inside a five star hotel. And absolutely nothing like it if one of the parties happens to be a movie star. And secretly, we would love it if the battle rages on.

    Anil Thakraney: Yes, we want to read about the Saif punch-nama!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    As usual, the knives are out for the media on the carpet coverage of Saif Ali Khan’s moment of madness at the Taj in Mumbai. The noble souls of the nation opine that too much attention is being given to what was just another brawl in a public place. That the media has lost it, that it must instead focus on serious issues.

     

    Reality check, people. I can assure you all these so-called nobles were hooked to their TV sets and read every single word in the newspapers on the fisticuffs saga, and they fully relished the drama. And then later quickly logged on to Twitter and got busy dissing the media. Such is the hypocrisy we suffer from.

     

    Truth is, nothing like a story of two ‘decent’ groups behaving like hooligans inside a five star hotel. And absolutely nothing like it if one of the parties happens to be a movie star. This sort of stuff is sensational, riveting and great fun. And secretly, we don’t want the opponents to reach a quiet truce, we would love it if the battle rages on, and some more blows on the nose will be soooo cool! Yup, we all love masala news, whether we confess to it or not.

     

    And this is not peculiar to India. If a Hollywood star behaved thus, respected newspapers like The New York Times and The Independent would dive right into the action. Celebrity news, especially of the violent kind, sells like hot potatoes; we are all suckers for it. Bottom-line: Saif’s nefarious deed collided with another big story: Congress leader Kripashankar Singh’s ill-gotten wealth. And the latter was given secondary importance to the Wasabi confrontation simply because that’s what excites us people. We are sick and tired of the routine political and civic stories, we need a break from these bores. And the media will give importance to what viewers/readers want, that’s the hard business reality.

     

    So please, kripa karein, and be a little less hypocritical.

    PS1: There have been allegations that the incident was engineered by the actor’s PR machinery to get some buzz going on his soon to be released flick. Bollocks, I say. Wish our PR industry was that smart. Alas!

     

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    PS2: Ah! Sci-fi comes into hoardings. Super media innovation in London. A hoarding that ‘recognizes’ you and customizes content for you. High time we saw some excitement happen on this oft neglected medium.

     

    Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/shortcuts/2012/feb/20/advertising-that-can-recognise-you