MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • The CII's white paper on 'Self-Regulation in Advertising in India – A critical Evaluation' upholds the ASCI's cause and says that more government legislations or authorities will not help

    Make ASCI membership compulsory: CII white paper

    By A Correspondent

     

    The CII National Committee on Marketing has released a white paper on “Self-Regulation in Advertising in India – A critical Evaluation”. The paper identifies key concerns regarding misleading advertisements and analyses the issues. It also critically evaluates the role and responsibilities of all stakeholders – regulators, industry, activists and consumers. The paper further suggests that the solution to the problems posed by misleading advertisements is not to add one more legislation in the form of an Administrative Authority as proposed by Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), and only in cases of non-compliance of Consumer Complaints Council’s (CCC) decisions should the matter be referred to any other regulatory body.

     

    Adi Godrej, President, CII, said, “This white paper reinforces that self regulation in advertising works, as seen in over 70 countries already. In India too, we believe in the efficacy of ASCI to regulate misleading advertising and more importantly its ability for speedy redressal. We urge the Department of Consumer Affairs to reconsider its recent proposal to set up a parallel administrative authority, which we strongly feel will delay the process of consumer redressal and be counter-productive to its intent. Instead, we request them to consider partnering with and strengthening the current mechanism of self regulation through ASCI further, a win-win for consumers, industry and the government.”

     

    The CII advocated that given the Advertising Standards Council of India’s (ASCI) track record in self-regulation of ad content, co-regulation between ASCI and regulators like DCA, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Information & Broadcasting etc. as an effective solution. Co-regulation will ensure that ASCI and the government work together with all stakeholders to enforce compliance currently vested with ASCI but without any punitive powers. However, the paper suggested following areas of improvements of ASCI:

     

    • Mandatory membership of ASCI. Membership of ASCI be made compulsory for all industry players with exposure to advertising industry in India – the media vehicles, the advertisers and advertising agencies. For instance, rules in Holland require all organizations releasing ads on TV and Radio to be member of its SRO.
    • Integrate ASCI Code into statutory provisions: Sub rule (9) of rule 7 having Advertising Code of the Cable Television Network Rules, 1994 prohibits TV channels from carrying any advertisement that is in violation of the ASCI Code. Similar provisions may be introduced in other statutes like Press Council of India’s Advertising Code to ensure that advertisements while in conformity with the statutory provisions also adheres to the ASCI Code.
    • Expand coverage of ASCI code to digital and social media: A strong digital outreach programme is required to monitor digital and home shopping networks including outdoor advertising and mobile advertising. Large digital companies like Google, YouTube, and Twitter must join as members and compulsorily sign on to ASCI code.
    • Suspension pending investigation: This is one of the major concerns, and therefore control is required on account of advertising with sexual overtones, religious underpinning, and delivery of magical remedies/promotions in the mushrooming Indian advertising industry. To stop airing such advertisements a special fast track process which involves temporary suspension of an advertisement, which prima facie causes harm to the society, pending final decision by CCC can be implemented.
    • Co-regulation between ASCI and DCA as an effective solution instead of a new legislation. The committee has drawn a parallel with the successful model of Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in UK, which does not possess any punitive powers but co-regulates with the government bodies to ensure smooth control over the misleading advertisements in that market.

     

    Thomas Varghese, Chairman, CII National Committee on Marketing 2012-13 and CEO, Textile Business, Aditya Birla Group advocated self-regulation in advertising. While he maintained that awareness about ASCI is low, Nandini Chopra, Partner and Head – FDCG, KPMG India, said, “ASCI is moving from reactive phase to proactive phase. Of course, lack of punitive powers and insufficient awareness needs to be tackled but with a lean budget that ASCI has, the proposed road would make for conducive eco-system.” She also pointed out that 60% of complaints come from competition, which helps in keeping the industry honest and self-regulated.

     

    Sam Balsara, past Chairman, ASCI and MD, Madison World said, “Everyone knows and understands that advertising is an engine of growth and economy. It is up to the industry to increase the confidence of consumers in advertising. Even as the white paper mildly criticises ASCI, we welcome it. We at ASCI will be looking at all these suggestions. We are also setting up machinery to screen the ads ourselves, before we get complaints,” he added.

     

     

  • Behind every great commercial is super strategy. Every week, MxMIndia brings you the brief and the strat as given by the client and whatever else that went into creating a winning ad

    AdStrat: Tata Tea – Duties Big & Small

    Vikram Grover, Head, Marketing, Tata Global Beverages

     

    Name of the Campaign: Tata Tea’s Jaago Re

     

    The Brief:  To emphasize the importance of both big and small duties with the new Jaago Re campaign.  The TVC to bring alive the perfect blend of ‘Chhoti and Badi patti’ in the context of the ‘Jaago Re’ philosophy.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAEV1K8JuV4[/youtube]

    Research insights:  Tata Tea’s award-winning Jaago Re campaigns have time and again awakened individuals and inspired them to be the change they wish to see around them. Making its debut in 2007, the campaign began with a television commercial (TVC) which showed a young man enquiring about the credentials and credibility of a local politician campaigning for votes before offering him a cup of tea. Striking a chord with the youth, the campaign launched a series of advertisements over the last four years that wove in the themes of awakening, enlightening and civic consciousness.

     

    The creative process behind:  Tata Tea’s flagship brand Tata Tea Premium in its latest TVC touches upon the importance of fulfilling ones duties, however big or small they may be. Inspired by the Jaago Re! philosophy, the TVC plays up the fact that to make a serious impact, it is not enough to do only the ‘big important’ things like voting and fighting corruption, but that it is crucial to do what are often considered minor tasks like following traffic rules, that are equal in importance and impact.

     

    The film plays out at a typical Indian home where the husband returns on a motorbike with two of his friends. The wife teasingly asks the husband if he is done with his day’s share of whiling time away. The husband replies with great pride that he just cast his vote and has thus fulfilled his ‘big’ duty. His wife, on hearing this, starts to prepare tea made merely of big tea leaves. On being questioned by her husband she explains that just the way the perfect cup of tea has a blend of ‘chhoti’ and ‘badi’ patti (big and small leaves), it is equally important that one gives importance to a blend of all duties, however big or small they may be.

     

    Media Vehicle:  TVC led with 360 degree approach

     

    Does the treatment do justice to the brief? Yes, taking the route of common man’s attempt to bring a change, the treatment does justice with natural performance which strikes a chord with the masses.

     

    What is the differentiating factor of the ad? Lowe which has been working on the Tata Tea ads scores with perfect casting coup with people who resemble average Indians who inhabit many of our homes thus making the point of big and small duties much more relatable. Plus the fact that it’s a perfect match of social awakening that goes well with a cup of tea that somewhere is also akin to waking up peoples senses when they consume it.

     

    Client feedback:  Our insight from recent events has been that while we as a country are getting deeply engaged with the larger issues that the nation is facing, we sometimes forget the small duties that we are expected to perform as citizens. The film builds on giving due importance to issues, big or small. The commercial draws from Jaago Re’s philosophy and blends perfectly with the product differentiator of Tata Tea premium which has a perfect blend of small and big tea leaves (chhoti and badi patti) required to make a perfect cup of tea.

     

  • Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL)has launched a service pioneered by MTS, aptly called "MTS mAd". The service provides leading brands a clutter-breaking means to engage with customers on a one-to-one basis

    MTS launches mAD to break mobile ad clutter

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sistema Shyam TeleServices Limited (SSTL) that nationally operates its telecom services under the MTS brand with over 16 million wireless customers, has launched a service pioneered by MTS, aptly called “MTS mAd”. The service provides leading brands a clutter-breaking means to engage with customers on a one-to-one basis.

     

    MTS Smartphone customers using mAd will be able to make free local calls by just watching a video ad. The launch of this service makes MTS the first telecom operator to offer this unique service on a pan India basis.

     

    MTS mAd service is available on all Android devices on the MTS network including MTS MTag 3.1, MTS MTag 351, MTS MTag 352, MTS MTag 353, MTS MTag 401, MTS Pulse, Samsung Galaxy Y and Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos CDMA. The Company is working to expand the scope of this service by also launching it on Blackberry and BREW enabled entry level MTS handsets.

     

    According to Leonid Musatov, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, MTS India, “Innovation is one of the core values of MTS India. The launch of mAd service is a testament of our deep rooted commitment to the same value. MTS mAd is a unique service which enables our Smartphone customers to make free calls by just watching a video ad on their device. The service also provides an opportunity to leading brands to connect with their customers in a personalised manner. I am confident that the mAd service would find its appeal amongst both our customers and the advertising fraternity”.

     

    A slew of leading brands including Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mentos, Center Fresh, Fiat, Kellogg’s, Titan, Lenovo etc have associated for MTS mAd service to engage with customers.

     

    MTS mAd service requires no charges for activation, application download and for data transfer while watching video ads. The user will get a seamless experience with no buffering and video streaming hassle. Customers using this service will be able to make as many as 4 MTS mAd calls in a day.

     

  • Cisco has appointed Anil Bhasin to lead its Services division in India and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region

    Cisco appoints Anil Bhasin to lead services business in India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cisco has appointed Anil Bhasin to lead its Services division in India and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region.

     

    An industry veteran with more than 25 years’ experience, Mr Bhasin began his Cisco career in 2001, as the head of its Banking and Finance (BFSI) and Commercial business for the Western region, where he doubled the revenue for both businesses. Based in Mumbai, Mr Bhasin will report to Glen Cox, vice president, Cisco Services, Asia Pacific, Japan and China.

     

    As part of his mandate, Mr Bhasin will oversee the build-up of momentum for Cisco Services, driving smart services adoption and helping customers and partners plan, build, and manage Cisco technologies and solutions for success.

     

    “Continued momentum around our collaborative partner approach and smart service capabilities remain vital to the health of our Services business and Cisco’s growth overall,” said Mr Cox. “I look forward to Anil and his team’s success as we continue to build and evolve our Services business over the next year.”

     

    Mr Bhasin added, “Cisco Services is a critical component of our evolution from an IT product to a technology solutions company. I look forward to leading this team and ensuring that Services continues to be a strategic asset and a competitive advantage for Cisco.”

     

  • The Advertising Club, at its managing committee meeting following the AGM, unanimously decided to promote Bipin R Pandit as the chief operating officer of the club

    Bipin Pandit is now COO of Ad Club

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bipin Pandit

    The Advertising Club, at its managing committee meeting following the AGM, unanimously decided to promote Bipin R Pandit as the chief operating officer of the club.

     

    The club follows the ritual of holding a managing committee meeting immediately after the AGM every year, which was done this year too. Post handling the items on the structured agenda the committee under the presidentship of Shashi Sinha unanimously decided to promote Bipin R Pandit as the Chief Operating Officer of the Ad Club.

     

    Mr Pandit had joined the Ad Club in 1998 and during his tenure he has been successively promoted from executive secretary to manager, general manager, and now Chief Operating Officer.

     

    Mr Pandit said, “I am thankful to the entire managing committee and our president Shashi Sinha in particular for the promotion. They are not only supportive of the ideas and suggestions that I give, they encourage me to implement them. I have always loved doing new things or to do existing things in a new way. I love challenges and with this elevation there will be many in store.

     

    “We are not a club that does only awards, it has given a great deal back to the industry – from sending students to Cannes, Spikes etc, to holding case study presentations, organizing evening meetings with international speakers, and holding educational workshops.”

     

  • Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic

    Debrief: Havells Wires: Lacks spark

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Havells is back with a new commercial, this time for their wires. This brand usually does offbeat work and has set the benchmark for advertising on electrical products, so one looks out for their ads with great expectation.

     

    The commercial features Bollywood comedian Ranvir Shorey. Clad in a ganji and pyjama, he is seen meditating. He smells something fishy, and spends the rest of the commercial time sniffing around in his house. Till our man discovers that an ‘ordinary’ wire is burning because of excess load. Enter Havells. Problem solved.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXdzR_VEjFw[/youtube]

    Extremely disappointed with this effort. It’s a straightforward, boring, problem/solution ad, with none of the famous Havells magic. In fact, it’s so bad, even on the first exposure when you don’t really know what’s happening, you get busy yawning. I suspect the client and the agency knew they are putting out a weak creative, and therefore relied on Shorey to pep things up with his usual filmi antics. Well, poor Shorey, how much ever he might be brilliant at comedy, there’s nothing he can do when the script sucks.

     

    Poor show. The wires may or may not be burning, but I smell a creative burn-out here.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Message delivered. By boring you to death.

     

  • Barfi!'s pages are screaming with links on plagiarism stories and articles. There is no way the jurors will vote for a copycat flick, even if it's an excellent piece of work. Barfi!'s chances are as good as finished. They may as well withdraw the entry

    Anil Thakraney: Barfi! is jacked!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    There’s a heated debate going on in the media on the issue of the film Barfi! being sent as India’s entry for the Oscar awards. I haven’t watched the film yet (though must say the Twitter reviews have been quite flattering). So am in no position to comment on the merits of the film. Perhaps it deserved to be chosen.

     

    However, soon after the entry was sent to LA, knives, cutters and blades are out to kill the film’s chances. Deadly accusations of plagiarism are being flung around, it’s alleged that the director Anurag Basu has lifted many scenes from international cinema, in fact, they say he’s literally copied them. I don’t think Indian film journalists are behind these accusations, most of them don’t have the skill or knowledge to run such an expose. Clearly, these are Basu’s rivals at work, or directors of films that didn’t get chosen for an Oscar entry.

     

    All very fine, and rats do need to be brought out from under the red carpet. The problem is this: Oscar awards’ jurors aren’t a bunch of jokers (unlike the Indian cricket team selectors!), and once they have appreciated a foreign film, they will most likely Google it for reviews and other inputs. So that they make an informed decision. And Barfi!’s pages are screaming with links on plagiarism stories and articles. There is no way the jurors will vote for a copycat flick, even if it’s an excellent piece of work. Barfi!’s chances are as good as finished. They may as well withdraw the entry.

     

    What saddens me about this incident is the crab mentality that Indian creative people suffer from. Even for ad awards there have been constant accusations of rival creative directors deliberating sabotaging campaigns. That sick attitude of: ‘Main nahin jeeta, ab iski maaroonga.’

     

    I really don’t know when we’ll learn to be confident of our own work, and applaud those to do better work. The correct thing would have been to screw Barfi! and its maker AFTER the Oscar awards is done. So that an Indian film is allowed a shot at scoring a prize.

     

    Alas, it was not to be. We will win nothing at the Academy awards. Yet again.

     

    ***

     

    PS: While on the subject of cheating, here’s another one. Ad film directors often cheat while shooting to generate a dramatic effect. That’s quite usual, and no one bats an eyelid. But when the cheating is done to directly enhance a promise that the brand makes in the ad, then we go into the area of fraud. Here’s an alert soul who’s busted Nokia. This example is a warning for all advertisers and their ad agencies to operate within the ethical zone.

     

    Link: http://www.theverge.com/2012/9/5/3294545/nokias-pureview-ads-are-fraudulent

     

  • TVS Motor Company has announced that it has appointed Dentsu Communications to handle its Wego brand of scooters

    TVS appoints Dentsu for Wego scooters

    By A Correspondent

     

    TVS Motor Company has announced that it has appointed Dentsu Communications to handle its Wego brand of scooters.

     

    Commenting on the development, H S Goindi, President Marketing, TVS Motor Company said, “I must thank the earlier agency BBH for the award winning creative work in creating a differentiated position for Wego. Equally, I eagerly look forward to a very fruitful and long term association with Dentsu Communication. We are confident that the team at Dentsu Communication with its deep experience and understanding of automobile brands will make their presence felt on future Wego campaigns.”

     

    Commenting on the win Dentsu Communications CEO, Arijit Ray said, “TVS Wego is a great product and we are looking forward to working very closely with the brand team to carve out a distinctive communication position for the brand. Our team at Dentsu Communications Bangalore has the right mix of youth and experience, with significant exposure to the automotive category to help craft and build a robust integrated strategy, for Wego, going forward.”

     

    Dentsu will work on various campaigns for Wego and will be responsible for the account’s campaign planning and creative executions across television and print mediums.

     

  • New roles for Starcom MediaVest Group's Tarun Nigam, Sulina Menon, Sriram Sharma.

    Senior management changes at SMG Delhi

    By A Correspondent

     

    Starcom MediaVest Group has announced that three senior executives, Tarun Nigam, Sulina Menon and Sriram Sharma, have been given new roles as part of the restructuring.

     

    Tarun Nigam, ED Starcom North, is moving to a role with VivaKi Exchange by Januray 2013. In the past 6 years with the organisation, Tarun has handled critical roles like Delhi head and National Director Business Impact for SMG India. He is currently in the process of transitioning from the SMG role to a full time role with the group outfit VivaKi. In his new role, Tarun will report to VivaKi Exchange CEO Mona Jain.

     

    Sulina Menon, Executive Director and Head of Team Samsung and Dabur will be taking charge of Tarun’s client portfolio in Delhi, in addition to overseeing the Dabur account.  Sulina has been instrumental in scaling up Starcom’s services on Samsung over the past couple of years. This year the agency won numerous awards for outstanding work on Samsung.

     

    Sriram Sharma, VP Starcom South is moving to Delhi to Head Team Samsung.  Sriram has played a key role in developing Starcom Bangalore and Chennai. There would be a 3 month overlap between Sulina and Sriram on Samsung before they take independent charge of their roles in Januray 2013. In their new roles both Sulina and Sriram will report to SMG India CEO Malli CR.

     

    Malli CR, CEO, SMG India, says, “After a good run in the past 2 years, we are gearing up for an even more action packed future. Tarun, Sulina and Sriram have done exceedingly well in their respective assignments and have been great ambassadors of SMG. Their new roles with enlarged responsibilities are a testament to their performance. We wish them the very best in their new assignments”.

     

  • The nation's large political parties should be made to name their PM hopefuls in advance, and they need to be compelled to debate in front of India's janata

    Anil Thakraney: Badly needed: Prime Ministerial debates

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If we can freely copy ideas on television programming from the West, why not do ditto with the US Presidential debates? The Obama/Romney show was not just a hugely watched TV spectacle. It gave American citizens a very good idea of what these gentlemen stand for on various important issues. This helps them make informed decisions when they go to cast their votes. There is a view that politicians play to the gallery during such debates. That may be true, but we still get to read their minds.

     

    After all these years of his being India’s PM, I still have no fricking clue on what Manmohan Singh really stands for and what exactly goes on in his head. The nation’s large political parties should be made to name their PM hopefuls in advance, and they need to be compelled to debate in front of India’s janata. For example, I would love to watch a debate between Manmohan Singh and LK Advani. Also, Narendra Modi and young Rahul Gandhi. The nation needs to be made aware of their stand on important issues concerning the country. Like economic growth, terrorism, poverty alleviation, farmer suicides, communal conflicts, Kashmir, infrastructure development and so on. I am aware that a vast majority of Indians cast their votes for reasons not related to merit but still, we would at least get to know our bada netas a little better. If these people will decide the destiny of a billion plus people, we need to know their agendas for sure.

     

    Yes, the chicken-hearted desi netas will not agree to participate in such debates, because they will get exposed. And one single TV channel on its own won’t be able to persuade them. Which is why I think this needs to be a collective effort, a collaborative campaign. The various Indian media companies should, for once, set aside their rivalries, come together, and make this happen. They must put enormous pressure on the politicians to take part in such television debates. The media owes this to India and its future.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Do you blog on the latest gadgets in the market to win freebies and junkets? Well, be very careful. You could end up being turned into a slave by the sponsor. In a way I am happy about this story (hit the link below). Bloggers who don’t reveal they are being rewarded for their ‘opinions’ must be made to face the music.

     

    Link: http://m.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/sep/03/samsung-tech-bloggers?cat=technology&type=article

     

  • MSLGroup India, Publicis Groupe's flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced an expanded India growth strategy to meet the needs of clients and negotiate the complex communication dynamics in one of the world's fastest growing economies

    MSLGroup India expands growth strategy, unveils new flagship office in Mumbai

    By A Correspondent

     

    MSLGroup India, Publicis Groupe’s flagship strategic communications and engagement company, has announced an expanded India growth strategy to meet the needs of clients and negotiate the complex communication dynamics in one of the world’s fastest growing economies. MSLGroup India is the nation’s largest PR and social media network, made up of three leading national agencies – Hanmer MSL, 20:20 MSL and 2020Social – as well as a speciality content and creative unit, MSLGroup Creative+.

     

    To build upon MSLGroup India’s business, the firm has announced a series of expanded initiatives in line with its updated three-year (2013-2015) growth plan. The highlights:

    Enhanced Positioning for the Agency, Industry-leading Focus on Talent Development, Strategic Consultancy Approach, Social Hive, Content and Creative Services Across India, Integration with Publicis Groupe, and Infrastructure and Technology Enhancements.

     

    The group’s new flagship Mumbai office, located in the new Urmi Estate building in Lower Parel, will seat the existing 225 staff in Mumbai and provide room for expansion. The new office features a modern, international working environment, lounges and flexible spaces for creative discussions, videoconferencing capabilities, floor-to-ceiling natural light on all sides, and other amenities to create a fun and productive environment. Hanmer MSL and 20:20 MSL Mumbai teams will relocate to this space.

     

  • Behind every great commercial is super strategy. Every week, MxMIndia will bring you the brief and the strat as given by the client and whatever else that went into creating a winning ad

    AdStrat: Roma switches: The leader talks

    Raghu Bhat
    Manish Bhatt

    Raghu Bhat and Manish Bhatt, Founder Directors, Scarecrow Communications

     

    Name of the campaign/ad: Roma

     

    The brief: To make a point about Roma being the best-selling in the modular switches catgory in an effective manner.

     

    Research: Roma is the largest selling modular switch by a distance and yet, very few people know this.

     

    Key issues: The campaign uses foreigners as tourist guides and makes them speak Hindi, in their own distinctive manner, without tutoring them, and all of this adds to the enjoyment. Not many people know that Roma is from the Anchor Panasonic stable. This ad also seeks to address that.

     

    Media Vehicles: TVC led

     

    Differentiating factor: The TVC uses memorable casting, comic timing and interesting locales, such as the Wat Arun Pagoda, an underwater oceanarium and the lush green forests around Pattaya. There is a huge thrill in watching hi-funda foreigners getting bested by Indians. This is the layer that makes the ads even more fun.

     

    Market / Client feedback: To establish the leadership premise of Roma without being too serious. It’s a bit too early to gauge, but the commercials manage to convey this message effectively.