MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • The government asks TAM to withhold release of news channels data by two or three days

    No TAM data release today as MIB ask withholding news channel numbers for 2-3 days

    By A Correspondent

     

    There will be no release of data from TAM Media research today, as the Minister Manish Tewari-led information and broadcasting ministry has urged TAM to withhold release of data of news channels by two or three days.

    Late last night, TAM issued the following statement: “At the request of the I&B Ministry, the Government of India, and in concurrence with IBF, AAAI & ISA, we are delaying the data release to Thursday/Friday.The reason for doing so is that  the Government of India has requested us to withhold release of News channels data by two or three days.  The industry is meeting with the ministry to take a decision. Thank you for your cooperation.”

     

  • O&M Mumbai creates CSR initiative for Mattel Toys India along with a pub and a driver service

    Hot Wheels takes ‘Don’t Drink & Drive’ message to pub door

    By A Correspondent

     

    While Hot Wheels is known for epitomizing ‘thrilling vehicle experiences’, it wanted to also impart the message of ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’. O&M Mumbai studied the views and opinions of drinkers and from their discussions drew an insight – almost every drinker believes that it is absolutely safe to drive after a drink or even two drinks. However, the medical reality is that even a single drink can impair the senses of the driver and this fact is dismissed by most as trivial.

     

    Abhijit Avasthi, National Creative Director, said, “Drinking & driving messages can get too preachy. This is a fun way of reminding us of the consequences of drinking and driving. A simple idea with a strong message. Hot Wheels along with ‘The Little Door’ (a pub) and ‘Party Club Drivers’ (an after-party driver service) decided to do something unique to spread the social message  ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’. We wanted to impress this fact upon people but when they were least expecting it – this was the idea. So on a Friday evening with the support of our partner pub, The Little Door, we laid emphasis on this social message to people who were most likely to be casual about driving back after a few drinks.”

     

    When car owners arriving at the pub handed over their car keys for the valet to park, we attached specially designed key chains to the owners’ car keys. The key chain we attached had a damaged Hot Wheels car (depicting a car that’s recently been in an accident) with a message that read, “Even a Small Drink Is Enough”.  Attached with the keychain was a tag that had the phone numbers of the Party Club Drivers. When the car owners were exiting, they were handed out their keys with the attached Hot Wheels key chain that carried the social message.  This shocked and alarmed the drivers as the visual impact was powerful. “But most importantly, the reaction was positive. Many decided to call the driver service to drive them home and some called friends and family to pick them up,” Mr Avasthi shared.

     

    The Hot Wheels message was driven home: Drinking, no matter how less, should never be mixed with driving.

     

    Rahul Bhowmik, Director-Marketing, Mattel Toys India, said, “With this unique initiative we wanted to reinforce that pushing the envelope can be exhilarating, but it never pays to ignore the #1 rule of road safety: don’t drink and drive.”

     

  • This is what usually happens after crimes of rape. Another juicy story will grab the imagination, the trial of the accused will go on for years, and the nation will move on. The debates will re-start when the next attack happens. In short, a whole lot of sound, but of little value

    Anil Thakraney: Feeding frenzy over rape

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    And so, another horrific rape has happened in Delhi. And the media has gone into an overdrive, as the channels try to outdo each other on the frenzy scale. Panelists are shouting, anchors are hollering, and this has led to parliamentarians taking a break from FDI and quotas, and diving into the rape debate. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj has asked for death penalty for the rapists, completely ignoring the fact that India is reluctant to hang convicted terrorists. And of course, the activists can’t be left far behind. Morchas are being planned on the streets. Even Arvind Kejriwal decided to forget corruption for a day, and he’s joined in the act. All very well. But you know what? Nothing will come out of all this shor sharaba.

     

    One, because after the dust has settled, the media will forget all about this incident. This is what usually happens after crimes of rape. Another juicy story will grab the imagination, the trial of the accused will go on for years, and the nation will move on. The debates will re-start when the next attack happens. In short, a whole lot of sound, but of little value.

     

    Secondly, the main reason why rapes continue is the medieval mindset of the average Indian male. As long as we live in a patriarchal society, where the male head of the house sets the agenda, this crime will simply carry on. And for the hard-core buggers, even the possibility of life imprisonment won’t be a deterrent. It could take centuries for this mindset to change, we cannot allow rapes to go on. Our scientists, doctors and creative people need to figure out a way around this problem, we need lateral solutions. In South Africa, a medical technician has developed a product called RAPEX. It’s shaped like a tube and is embedded with barbs. The woman inserts it like a tampon, and any man who tries to rape her gets his organ stuck into these barbs. We need innovative ideas like this.

     

    And this is the sort of stuff the media should encourage and promote. Screaming and shouting on prime time TV is of no use in this matter. By the way, I write this piece on the evening of Tuesday. And have consumed a higher dose of BP tablets to deal with Arnab’s rage on rape.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Speaking of rape, here’s an ad gone all wrong. Virgin Mobile is known for quirky work, but sometimes creative people can cross the thin line. A US ad has tried to make fun of rape. Even the otherwise edgy Sir Richard Branson was compelled to apologise following outrage in the social media.

     

  • I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And 'trendify'??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia's board members would coin

    Debrief: Nokia Lumia 510: The boring kiss

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Nokia, once upon a time the market leader, has been bajaaoed big-time in the handsets market by Apple and Samsung. Given the falling market share, one would have thought that the Nokia guys will not only unleash a slew of imaginative products, they would also back them with fabulous advertising. Well, going by Nokia Lumia 510’s TVC, that doesn’t seem to be happening.

     

    The ad features couples ‘kissing’ each other with their outstretched palms. Nokia calls it ‘to trendify’ kissing. There are several problems with this commercial. Strategically, it’s neither saying anything new (social media interactions have been done to death in advertising), nor does the communication address anything specific about the Nokia Lumia 510 in terms of tech. So it’s a total flop on that front.

     

    To make matters worse, the creative device sucks. Palms ‘kissing’ does not make for a visually appealing theme, in fact, it’s off-putting. There was no need to indulge in such a silly gimmick; they may as well have used air kissing as the creative idea, at least that looks aesthetically superior. I have noticed many advertisers forget that entertainment should be at the heart of television advertising, especially when the strategy is weak. And ‘trendify’??? It sounds like a slogan Nokia’s board members would coin. One expects better from creative people.

     

    I haven’t tried the Lumia 510, so I can’t comment on the product. But must say this sort of hopeless advertising discourages me from even sussing it out, leave alone wanting to purchase it. Nokia needs to get its act together very fast.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEdT3VHxV8U[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 0. Unimaginative and uncool

     

  • SBI Life has launched a multi-media educational advertising campaign, with the initiative also launched across social media

    SBI Life launches educational campaign for customers

    By A Correspondent

     

    Intensifying its customer educational efforts, SBI Life has launched a multi-media educational advertising campaign. Unlike the category communication, the seven ad-films TV campaign impactfully drives the point about paying attention to a few basics before buying a life insurance product.

     

    Chandramohan Mehra, Head, Brand and Cross Sell, SBI Life, said, “Indian consumers demonstrate evolution and high level of detailing when in shopping mode for other product categories. Unfortunately, there is high inertia towards understanding a few basics before subscribing to a life insurance product. Educating the prospective buyers of life insurance, the communication strengthens their trust in the brand as a category leader.”

     

    The educational initiative has been launched across social media platforms, SBI Life’s Facebook fan page ‘Celebrate Life’, Twitter and YouTube. Apart from this, the virtual CrossWords, E-life insurance dictionary, website in nine Indian Languages and insurance educational points at branches are all part of integrated communication efforts that have been rolled out recently. The communication plan is to extend these initiatives in high-traffic shopping malls to bring alive the educational message when the customer is shopping.

     

  • Why is it that we journalists don't bother to do rigorous, sustained follow-ups on such important stories, why do we quickly move on to the next one? (The Gujarat election result has already hijacked the Delhi incident.)

    Anil Thakraney: Amnesiac Indian media

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    How many of you remember the rape and brutal murder of the Dalit girl in Khairlanji? Am sure some of you do. How many of you are aware of the current status of that criminal case? Perhaps very few of you. And how many of you can recall the victim’s name? I would hazard a guess and say probably none of you. And this is just one example of how, as a nation, we quickly forget about such big tragedies. Sadly, the same fate awaits the poor girl who got viciously attacked inside the Delhi bus. And who’s to blame for this? The memory loss suffering desi media, of course.

     

    So then why is it that we journalists don’t bother to do rigorous, sustained follow-ups on such important stories, why do we quickly move on to the next one? (The Gujarat election result has already hijacked the Delhi incident.) The reason for that is the training our editors give us from a very young age. Right from the start it’s ingrained in us to always be topical, to always dig into the latest, hottest news, to always churn out fresh content. So that you remain one-up on the rivals. It’s also assumed that the public tires out from repeated coverage of the same story. I have personally witnessed editors striking down stories because they were too ‘old’.

     

    The way this nation is going downhill in many respects, I am beginning to feel there is an urgent change required in the ideology of ‘new, new news’. Editors need to reboot their strategies, they must encourage their reporters and deskies to keep a regular track of significant stories, right till the point they reach their logical end. Perhaps restructuring of the newsroom is required, so that one set of journos cover the topical stuff, and the others cover continuing stories. After all, readers and viewers have never said they don’t wish to consume ‘old’ news, the ‘latest news’ approach has become a default operating programme inside newsrooms.

     

    And sustained coverage will keep the pressure points alive. No criminal will ever rest in assurance with ‘mamla thode din ke baad thanda ho jaayega’. It’s time for some doggedness in the newsrooms. Let’s get stuck into these slime balls, and let go only after justice is served. We owe this to the nation.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Last week, the popular US TV comedy show, Saturday Night Live, took a break from their regular jokes, and opened with a touching tribute to the dead kids of Newtown school. It features the New York City Children’s Chorus singing “Silent Night.” Good thinking.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XGFiE536gg[/youtube]

     

  • After Taproot, Japanese ad giant Dentsu is in advanced talks to buy leading digital firm Webchutney

    Dentsu in talks to buy out digital agency Webchutney

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Japanese advertising agency Dentsu is in advanced talks to buy out leading digital advertising agency and consulting firm Webchutney.

     

    This will be Dentsu’s first local acquisition in the digital agency space. Network18, which holds 70.06% stake in the Sidharth Rao-promoted Webchutney Studios, is looking to exit from the alliance, two officials with knowledge of the development said. The deal size is estimated at between Rs 40 crore and Rs 60 crore for Network18’s 70.06%, which values the agency at roughly Rs 90 crore on the higher side.

     

    “Dentsu is expected to buy out Network 18’s stake in Webchutney. The promoters of Webchutney will continue to hold their stakes,” one of the officials quoted earlier said.

     

    Rohit Ohri

    Rohit Ohri, Dentsu India group’s executive chairman said: “We are looking to scale up our digital capabilities in India. Obviously, acquisition is one of the options. We are currently discussing the various options and putting together our plan.” Officials close to the development say Webchutney, which was ranked the No 1 digital agency in the latest Brand Equity Agency Reckoner, is the front-runner in Dentsu’s quest for inorganic growth in this space.

     

    Network18 had invested in Webchutney through its investment arms, Capital18 Ltd and Capital18 Fincap, in 2007. The agency, which services firms like Airtel, Microsoft, Hindustan Unilever, Marico and Titan, posted a profit of Rs 6.35 crore in the financial year 2011-2012 on revenues of Rs 21.55 crore. Network18 owns 49.42% of the shareholding through Capital18, Mauritius and 20.64% through Capital18 Fincap.

     

    Webchutney’s Rao said: “It’s very early to talk about any new alliance… nothing has been finalised as we are evaluating many options.”

     

    Sarbvir Singh, Capital 18 MD, too neither denied nor confirmed if Network18 was exiting Webchutney. “In the normal course of business, at any given point in time, we are approached by several interested parties and we speak to them as appropriate. We have no other comment to offer at this point.”

     

    Webchutney was set up in 1999 by entrepreneurs Sidharth Rao and Sudesh Samaria. The agency’s area of work includes online advertising, website design, mobile marketing and social media. Its employee strength is about 200.

     

    In July, globally Dentsu had acquired British media buying group Aegis for $4.9 billion. Back home, too, the Japanese agency has been on the prowl. In August, it acquired majority stake in creative hotshop Taproot.

     

    Founded by ad men Agnello Dias and Santosh Padhi, Taproot has created clutter-breaking ads including PepsiCo’s ‘change the game’ and Airtel’s ‘jo tera hai wo mera hai’.

     

    Denstu also has an indirect alliance with mobile marketing agency ad2c, a collaboration between Japan’s D2 Communications and Singapore-based Affle, led in India by Madan Sanglikar. In mid-August Aegis had acquired D2 Communications, a digital marketing and search agency. Indirectly, this deal gave Dentsu access to the digital space.

     

    Dentsu’s clients include car maker Toyota and electronic firm Panasonic whilst Aegis services brands such as Adidas and Philips.

     

    Digital agencies are increasingly being wooed by traditional ones. Earlier this year, Publicis Groupe bought out digital and performance marketing firms Resultrix and Indigo Consulting in two back-to-back deals. And in mid-June this year, WPP Group bought out a majority stake in Hungama Digital Services through its agency JWT Singapore.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • 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: Fastrack makes hell cooler

    Dave Banerjee, CEO & Strategy Head, Fisheye Creative Solutions Pvt. Ltd

     

    Name of the Campaign/Ad: Fastrack, Make Hell Cool

     

    The Brief: Increase mind share of Fastrack among young Indians during the holiday season without announcing the standard festival Sale.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwNjLu2lwjc[/youtube]

    Research insights:

    Kids prefer fire and pointy tails to clouds and wings. Dave Banerjee, CEO & Strategy Head, Fisheye Creative Solutions Pvt. Ltd, says, “Doomsday predictions are a fabulous way to draw attention. If it were not for their doomsday prediction, how many of us would be discussing the Mayans right now? Or their forgotten calendar? So when we at Fisheye saw the impending apocalypse as an opportunity, we were just following in the footsteps of the Mayans. Here was a moment that a youth brand could seize to cock an irreverent snoot at beliefs and predictions (and our obsession with them). When it came to irreverence and youth, we could think of no better brand than Fastrack.”

     

    The thought process behind the creative:

    As there already was social media chatter about the Mayan calendar and the end of the world, Fastrack decided to use the trending topic to launch ‘End of the World Gear’. The integrated campaign centers around the website, www.makehellcool.com, that assumes everyone’s going to hell, and those with Fastrack gear can make hell cooler. The website seeks confessions, obituaries and last words from Fastrack customers to make them eligible to join ‘Hell’s Finest’.

     

    Media vehicles chosen:

    Television, Billboards, Radio, Retail, College Festival, Digital, Social Media

     

    Key issues kept in mind while executing the ad:

    Time. The entire campaign was conceptualised and executed in 10 days! Definitely an incredible feat by both agency and the client.

     

    What is the differentiating factor about the ad?

    It’s the daredevil approach by an adventurous brand.

     

    Client comment:

    Simeran Bhasin, Head, marketing and retail, Fastrack, said, “We were looking for ideas to make Fastrack relevant for the end of world, as youth seemed interested about the prophecy and it had become a buzz word. Besides, our target group is not the squeaky clean, goody-two-shoe lot and so, the campaign fit in perfectly.”

     

  • So if the battle of 2014 is going to be fought between these two brands, simple marketing logic tells us who's the favourite one to win

    Anil Thakraney: Brand Modi versus Brand Rahul

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Human beings are brands too. The same principles of product quality, marketing effort, positioning and consumer image apply. Which is why we must evaluate them in terms of pure marketing logic. Today, let’s take up the case of Brand Gandhi Junior and Brand Narendra Modi.

     

    Brand Modi is a powerful brand, and we already know that. Consumers are crystal clear on the positioning, and the brand consistently delivers what it promises. Brand Modi primarily appeals to the emotion, and backs that up with rational logic. The ‘Hindu Fighter’ image appeals to the majority in the state of Gujarat. And for the fence-sitters, it’s the ‘development’ platform that works. In that sense, Brand Modi is perceived to be a complete brand. Therefore even if the rest of India does not favour the primary image of this brand, the saleability increases on account of the secondary promise. This dual positioning will be of immense value for Brand Modi in 2014. What makes this brand even stronger is its charismatic personality, which is supported by aggressive marketing and promotion. Consumers like to be associated with the brand, and this further strengthens saliency.

     

    In short, a clear market positioning, consistent delivery, powerful brand values and a huge consumer connect. Clear winner.

     

    The case of Brand Rahul is the exact opposite. There is no perceptible brand positioning, therefore the consumer is unclear on what it stands for. What makes things worse is that the house from which this brand emanates, its USP, has lost saliency over the years. In addition, Brand Rahul seldom gets promoted in the market place, therefore consumers are kept in the dark on its efficacy. And no one puts money on an ‘enigmatic’ brand, unless it’s a top-end perfume. In addition, on the few occasions Brand Rahul has been made visible in the market, its performance has been a disaster. Therefore, the brand connotes negative values.

     

    In short, vague brand imagery, lack of product performance and poor marketing effort. Clear loser.

     

    So if the battle of 2014 is going to be fought between these two brands, simple marketing logic tells us who’s the favourite one to win. Unless, of course, Brand Rahul does a complete turnaround in the coming period, and I doubt that’s going to happen. It’s a hopeless brand.

     

    ***

     

    PS: Incredible stuff. It’s impossible to believe these are illustrations, not photographs. Now this is art I truly adore. Hope to find such talent in India… imagine the millions of rupees advertisers can save by avoiding over-paid photographers.

     

    Link: http://www.creativebloq.com/illustration/realistic-pencil-drawings-11121172

     

  • This is the third time that Gutenberg Communications has won the PR mandate for Ad:Tech

    Gutenberg wins PR mandate for Ad:tech New Delhi again

    By A Correspondent

     

    Gutenberg Communications, a global full service strategic communications firm, announced that it has been selected as the official public relations partner for ad:tech New Delhi 2013, the India edition of the digital marketing and technology event. The third edition of ad:tech New Delhi will be held on 20-22 February 2013 at The Leela Kempinski. Featuring eminent speakers and industry leaders hailing from the global digital marketing landscape, the three-day event aims to empower brands, agencies, publishers, advertisers, VCs and service providers to network, share knowledge and experiences that will help business transform and bolster their marketing strategies in the growing digital environment.

     

    Rammohan Sundaram, Event Chairman, ad:tech India, said, “Gutenberg Communications has been our steadfast partner ever since we launched ad:tech in India, and we are pleased to extend our association with them for this third edition as well. From building up momentum to supporting through the event by being the communications bridge between the speakers, delegates and the media, the Gutenberg team, with its firm grasp of the digital marketing & technology space, has played a pivotal role in helping us take ad:tech New Delhi to newer heights each year.”

     

    “The world is moving rapidly to digital communication and we see this trend across our clients from Technology, Healthcare to Education space as we continue to build on their external communication in offline as well as the online space. ad:tech has been a key catalyst in bringing digital change into the mainstream corporate boardrooms and we are delighted to be partnering with them in the third consecutive year to amplify India’s contribution in digital marketing space”, said Sonali Madbhavi, Country Manager and Vice President for Gutenberg Communications in India.

     

  • Madison Media has announced the appointment of Amit Duggal as Digital Director to head its Delhi and Kolkata Digital business

    Madison Media appoints Amit Duggal as Director Digital

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media has announced the appointment of Amit Duggal as Digital Director to head its Delhi and Kolkata Digital business. Mr Duggal joins Madison from Mindshare, and will report to V Achuthan Kutty, overall Digital head of Madison.

     

    Mr Duggal has about 10 years of experience in advertising and digital, having worked with agencies like Indiatimes.com, Yatra online, Travelguru.com, Geodesic, Attano.com on the digital side and Rediffusion DY&R, Leo Burnett and Percept on the agency side. His last position was with Mindshare where he was Partner Invention, leading the Digital practice for Pepsico.

     

    Said Gautam Kiyawat, Group CEO, Madison Media, “We are delighted to have Amit lead our team in Delhi and are confident that he will be able to add a lot of value to our digital clients and help them make Digital a significant driver of their business and also win new business”.

     

    Mr Duggal said, on his joining Madison, “I am excited with this new opportunity and looking forward to contribute to an impressive roster of clients that Madison has.”

     

  • The 'truth serum' approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn't for a fast food item

    Debrief: Domino’s: Pizza hai ya truth serum?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    An interesting promise by Domino’s Cheesy Boloroni Pizza (wow, what a mouthful, the brand name). You can make new discoveries about each other when you consume this cheesy snack together. Now, I understand a pizza is a pizza so they can’t really belt out technical USPs, you do need wacko ideas. But this one is much too corny.

     

    The TVC features a young honeymooning couple in Goa. They are about to step out of the hotel room for some sightseeing when the young lady expresses a desire to consume the cheesy pizza. The taste of which makes this shy gal open up to her brand new hubby, as she freely shares secrets from her past life. No, not that she’s indulged in kinky sex before marriage, only the sweet stuff. These ‘discoveries’ make the chap forget all about Goa, and he wants to hear more from her. In short, the pizza offers ‘rishton ka time’.

     

    All very fine and dandy, but there’s a crisis of credibility out here. It’s a cool idea but for an entirely incorrect product. Pizza is a fast food item, it’s what you order when you are pressed for time or are too pooped to enter the kitchen. It’s hardly a meal over which a couple would spend quality time with each other. Therefore this approach makes you laugh out loud rather than look forward to new ‘discoveries’ in your own partner. The ‘truth serum’ approach may work for a laboured seven-course Indian meal, but it doesn’t for a fast food item. Also, a newly married couple ordering pizza on their honeymoon? That too in Goa? This tells me they are either broke or are headed for trouble.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmn16YwK1Rk[/youtube]

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 1. Good idea for the wrong product