MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • Accelerates ambition to become a future-ready, people-focused organisation

    Dentsu appoints Unmesh Pawar as CPO, India & South Asia

    By Our Staff

     

    Speeding up its growth journey, Dentsu has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Unmesh Pawar as Chief People Officer (CPO) for India and South Asia. In his new role, Pawar will report to Luke Speers, Chief People Officer, Dentsu APAC, and Peter Huijboom, Interim CEO, Dentsu India.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Speers said: “We are delighted to have Unmesh joining us. His experience and performance over a long period of time perfectly align with the transformational nature of developing people strategies and products fit for the future. The path ahead for this great market is incredibly exciting and I very much look forward to partnering with him to enhance the way our employees experience Dentsu every day.”

     

    Sunil Seth, who has been supporting the network as Human Resource Director-South Asia, will continue to maintain his role in Dentsu India. He will report to Pawar and focus on the People function’s operations, making sure these are set up for success.

     

  • Launch the 'The Steel Of Oman' campaign 

    Jindal Shadeed Oman and W+K India collaborate for FIFA 2022

    By Our Staff

     

    Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel, privately owned integrated steel producer in the Persian Gulf Region (Gulf Cooperation Council) and Wieden+Kennedy India creative agency, have collaborated to bring alive Oman’s love for Football during FIFA 2022. ‘The Steel Of Oman’ campaign by W+K India celebrates Omani culture and sportsmanship.

     

    Said Santosh Padhi (PADDY) Chief Creative Officer, W+K India: “The whole Jindal Shadeed team and especially Mr. Venkatesh Jindal (Chairman) had massive faith in us and gave us full creative freedom to get this narrative right. This piece isn’t about selling more steel or chest thumping about being a market leader. Instead, Jindal Shadeed wanted to honestly celebrate the real steel of the nation i.e. the people, culture, their spirit and passion for the game. There was a conscious decision to pitch the film into beautiful arty non-ady-space, as we all were very clear we didn’t want another ad in the midst of celeb centric football clutter during this FIFA World Cup. We wanted this to be as authentic as it could get. It was a challenge to work with real people, non-actors, and a stunning yet daunting Omani terrain but thanks to Ayappa and gang, we went above and beyond to bring that alive.”

     

    Added Harssha Shetty, CEO, Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel: “Football has been a much-loved sport that has brought the country together. While our new campaign has football at its heart, our film is also a journey through the authentic traditions of the country, its rich culture, and its strong values. Most importantly, it celebrates the people of Oman. Through this campaign, Jindal Shadeed seeks to further weave itself into the social fabric of Oman. At Jindal Shadeed, we will continue to deepen our relationship with the Sultanate through initiatives that drive meaningful impact in society.”

     

  • Sanjeev Kotnala is very impressive with the work by ZAK, short for the Toronto, Canada-based Zulu Alpha Kilo

    On my Bucket List: Wish to work with Zulu Alpha Kilo

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaIf there is one creative agency I want to work with and spend some time with, it would be ZAK- Zulu Alpha Kilo. I have been hugely impressed by their culture, work and approach. No, I don’t know anyone in Zulu Alpha kilo, and I don’t think there will be an opportunity for me, but there is no harm in adding to your wish list- bucket list. Anyway, you don’t get to tick off everything on your bucket list like – my travel bucket list is still looking for sponsors.

    I share some old dated self-focussed work by Zulu Alpha kilo- and not their work for clients. Things make me want to be in Canada and work with them. At least hear them talk and work. Maybe we could get them at Goa Fest next year!

    To see some of Zulu Alpha kilo work, click here.

    And as the site says, REAL WORK- featured work– click here. The agency says to have created a Parody website that pointed out the sameness in agency websites. Featured on the site are fictional co-founders Frank Zulu – ‘chief executive, executive officer’; Marcus Alpha – ‘ultra-chief creative director officer’; and Katherine Kilo – ‘VP strategic strategy officer in charge of everything. Services at the ‘World’s fullest full-service agency’ include ‘cattle branding’, ‘calculus tutoring’, and ‘unofficial Cannes Lion trophy manufacturing’. How cool it is.

     

    The Wall at Zulu Alpha Kilo.

    I remember doing such an exercise at the Mudra management training programme sometime in 1987 in Ahmedabad. The programme had Naganand Kumar asking us to write about what the earthen horse in the training room would say, silently watching the sessions if it was to come to life. That was to transpose your perspective and speak from a different space. It is an excellent exercise to do.

    So: What if the agency could talk? What would it say? ‘The Wall’ is a short video created by Zulu Alpha Kilo when it was honoured to be nominated for both ‘Agency of the Year’ and ‘Digital Agency of the Year’, and were asked to create a video to represent the agency. Here is the response of Zulu Alpha Kilo some 9-10 years back. The Wall at Zulu Alpha kilo is for mature audiences only.

     

    Mery Jingles From The Bottom Of Out Bottoms

    Watch this –  Zulu Alpha Kilo clip Mery Jingles featuring Spanish percussionist Jorge Perez performing the song with vocals by Alana Sinkey. And when as per reports, some complained the clip being misogynistic, the company denied it and said, “As ‘equal bum opportunists,’ both male and female bums were used,” and added that they have also made a generous donation to Colon Cancer Canada.”

     

    Scared Straight: Out Of Advertising 

    Scared Straight: Out of Advertising comes with a warning of EXPLICIT CONTENT and a rider that reads, ‘The following contains subject matter that may be disturbing to those hoping to enter the ad industry.

    It is humour laced and should terrify any new joiner to think again about their career in advertising. Here senior creative resources give the potential recruits reasons why choosing advertising, more so, Zulu Alpha Kilo, would be a wrong choice.

    Come to think of it, this video was the shirt-self-promotion video produced by Zulu Alpha Kilo when shortlisted for Strategy Magazine’s Canadian Agency of the Year Competition.

     

     

    Zulu ALPHA KILO Blank Canvas

    Simple project. Zulu opened its doors in 2008, and a blank white canvas was displayed in the office lobby. The agency encouraged employees and visitors to express their inner artist and colour canvas. A stop-motion camera captured every stroke creating a mini-documentary.

     

    Saying NO to Spec Work – Zulu Alpha Kilo

    Okay, it sounds unreal, but Zulu Alpha Kilo, a leading Canadian independent ad agency, does not do spec creative. In India, I know of few who hold a no-spec approach as an agency or consultant. But it is still rare to see some agency holding on to this for too long.

    Zulu believes in being a platform for change in the marketing and advertising industry. They not only say ‘no’ to spec work but are also known to pay candidates for their job interview time. Watch this talk where Mike Sutton – of Zulu Alpha Kilo talks about Say No to specs.

     

     

    Here watch the famous World’s Worst RFP.

     

     

    Zulu Alpha kilo’s recent take on AWARDS- the case of left-handed Mango Chutney. Yes, there are polarised views on this communication too- but it does make a point.

     

     

    And here is ZAK’s pitch for the Campaign of Clinton and Trump. Watch to know how not to take yourself seriously and make a point.

     

     

    ADDON

    While we are at the ‘Say No to pitches’ and ‘awards’ here is a video on appeal to the Cannes jury and spoof on social cause-based advertising. Does it ring a bell?

     

     

    While at it, you can watch one about the Award Case Video.

     

     

    I remember many other videos made for Abby in the nineties, but I have no access to them. Out of them, there were two I would love to see again. One was Durga Khote Production by Mudra- ‘Advertising Works it Works’ and the second was a tale on Sholay- ‘Pitch mai Kitni Agencies’- that ends with – ‘This year forget the Abby awards. However, here is a clip taking a shot at the ACCOUNT PLANNERS  show. I like it.

     

     

    NET-NET

    I may not get a chance to interact at Zulu Alpha Kilo, but if you people at Zulu Alpha Kilo get to read this- you know how much I respect your approach. Maybe you will think it over.

    The debate about whether advertising agencies should do speculative Pitches or not is not a new one. Someone has to bite the bullet. At least Charge for the time and effort that goes into it. At least ensure that the client does not go back to the same agency that was the reason for the pitch.

    Similarly, the Scam ads- Patli Gully ads- surrogate communication for awards ( not surrogate advertising) and Plagiarism  is a reality that needs close monitoring. Recently, we have seen some 2-3 works that have screamed ‘For Awards’ and will most likely win many awards. But who will bell the cat? Till then, keep debating.

     

  • Intended to equip brands, advertisers, marketing communicators

    WPP unveils new study into LGBTQ+ marketing and its future

    By Our Staff

     

    Unite, WPP’s LGBTQ+ community, and Choreograph, WPP’s global data products and technology company, has launched Beyond the Rainbow, a new study into LGBTQ+ marketing and its future. The study surveyed 7,500 LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ people in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada to better understand their perceptions and experiences of viewing LGBTQ+ identities in media and advertising. Note: not India. Beyond the Rainbow is intended to equip brands, advertisers, marketing communicators and others in the industry with actionable data and insights to help build a more inclusive future.

     

    Spearheaded by an all-queer team from WPP Unite with representation from BCW, Choreograph, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Hogarth, Landor & Fitch, EssenceMediacom, The&Partnership, VMLY&R and Wavemaker, the study releases insightful new data calling for more authentic representation of LGBTQ+ identities in advertising, the need for long-term support beyond Pride month and the role of queer media in culture and brand communications.

     

    Among young people, queer media has become truly mainstream: 93% of LGBTQ+ 18–24 year olds and 85% of non-LGBTQ+ 18–24 year olds actively seek out queer media, proving its universal appeal

     

    Despite widespread appeal, the quality and quantity of queer media needs improvement: Just 38% of those who seek out queer content are satisfied with the way LGBTQ+ people are represented, and 2 out of 3 LGBTQ+ people want to see more queer representation.

     

    The annual change of logo may be where communications start but shouldn’t end: 52% of LGBTQ+ people told us that they do like it when brands change their logos to the rainbow flag colours during Pride month. However, there’s a clear desire for more year-round support, as 3 out of 4 LGBTQ+ people and half of non- LGBTQ+ people think brands should do more to support LGBTQ+ people outside Pride month.

     

    Beyond the Rainbow explores LGBTQ+ identity, media, and communications today, and provides commentary on how that might evolve tomorrow. It offers actionable insights and suggestions from industry experts on how brands can succeed in what will be a more informed future of LGBTQ+ marketing.

     

    Said Michael Houston, President of WPP in the US: “In a world where the LGBTQ+ community continues to face discrimination and violent attacks – both in the workplace and in life – the power that our industry has to create change should not be underestimated. As a global company of over 100,000 creative thinkers and makers, WPP has a responsibility to educate and empower our people, our clients, and our allies to positively and meaningfully influence the cultural representation of the LGBTQ+ community through marketing, advertising and communications. Right now is an incredible moment and opportunity for brands around the world to use their influence to impact society for good.”

     

    Added David Adamson, Founder and UK Co-chair for WPP Unite: “Our goal in launching Beyond the Rainbow is to help shed light on opportunities to create inclusivity and broader acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community beyond just Pride month. As more people identify under the LGBTQ+ umbrella, being genuine and inclusive in everything we do is more crucial than ever for brands to be relevant. At WPP, we can help advise on the best approach for inclusivity and representation, reflective of today’s changing culture.”

     

  • E-sports in India has evolved as a new form of entertainment, notes the Dentsu Gaming Report India 2022

    Game on!

     

     

    By Our Staff

     

    Gaming in India has since, come a long way. In India, the gaming boomed in the 1990s with the adoption of liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policy and opened its doors the global economy, repots the Dentsu Gaming Report India 2022 released last week. A bigger fillip happened in the Covid pandemic-led lockdown where around 45% of India started playing games, the electronic variety essentially.

     

    Said Anita Kotwani, Chief Executive Officer, Carat India and Lead, Dentsu Gaming: “Gaming’s growing cultural impact, combined with the promise of the metaverse, has generated endless opportunities for advertisers. With the meteoric expansion of e-sports and streaming platforms, gaming has shifted from solitary play to spectator sport. Gaming platforms are now the main avenue for social connections and self-expression. One cannot follow the cookie-cutter approach anymore given the fluidity and dynamism of the industry. Dentsu Gaming offers the minds and tools necessary to create and develop strategies that are relevant to the culture, promote it and graduate the brand to be a cultural icon itself. Dentsu Gaming was created to deliver the tremendous expansion of gaming needs to our clients through creative partnerships, products, and solutions. We bring together enthusiastic, diversified expertise to help brands add incremental value through mutually beneficial relationships with game publishers and partners. Dentsu has access to in-depth gamer audience information via priority data and analytics. Our CCS (Consumer Connection Systems) data platform has been boosted by data fusions of unique bespoke gaming surveys as well as the GWI (Global Web Index) Gaming survey, providing us with advanced gaming audience data from across 24 markets.”

     

    Key highlights of the report:

     

    1. There is a game for everyone. In varying degrees, gaming is consumed across age groups as there is some or the other game available on some or the other device. People can choose their own devices, genre, and platform. The choices are virtually unlimited.

    2. The Covid-19 pandemic has acted as the biggest recruiter in the gaming pool. Around 45% of the Indian population started playing games during this period. Cheaper internet and one’s need to kill time and connect with people were the biggest drivers.

    3. Gaming-related content is on its way to be mainstream content. Gaming-related web series, merchandise, fashion, and music are all indicators of gaming culture making its way into the day-to-day lives of people.

    4. Gamers are not media-isolated. They watch and follow a lot of content on TV as well as Online TV. They spend around 28 hours a week on the medium.

    5. Casual gamers make up the largest cohort in the gaming audience pool. They mostly prefer smartphones as their gaming device. They choose to play puzzles, trivia, 3match, and especially board games like ludo, scrabble, UNO, etc. They are not into spending a lot of money on gaming but are prone to In-App micro transactions to progress their game.

    6. E-sports in India has evolved as a new form of entertainment. The scope for brands to associate with E-sports is massive and the receptivity from the gaming community is also high. Gamers understand that brands & sponsors are vital for the E-sport industry to go big.

    7. AR/VR (Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality) in India is still at a nascent stage. The challenge in the market is due to high cost and lack of exposure & experience. Contrary to smartphone apps made in India, the apps and technology that employ AR&VR are also underdeveloped.

    8. The rapid rise of gaming in India has also affected the Education and Learning industry. A lot of education and coaching centres have now incorporated animation, game development, coding, etc. in their curriculum and offerings. Even the apps and education formats are gamified to engage the students and assist them in learning.

    9. Gamers are passionate about gaming-related stuff but are also quite interested in fashion, fitness, and food.

    10. Gaming as a habit is an expensive hobby. On average, a hardcore gamer spends approximately Rs. 6500 on accessories and peripherals to enhance the gaming experience.

     

  • These numbers are part of GroupM’s This Year Next Year 2022 Global End of Year Forecast

    2022: 15.8%, 2023: 16.8%

     

     

     

    By Our Staff

     

    India’s advertising revenue growth forecast for 2022 is 15.8%, with that figure further accelerating to 16.8% in 2023, reports GroupM in its much-awaited This Year Next Year 2022 Global End of Year Forecast.This growth is led by pure-play digital advertising, which accounts for the largest share (48.8%) in 2022 and is expected to continue rising above pre-pandemic levels. Retail media in India is forecast at $551 million in 2022 and is expected to nearly double by 2027. TV advertising, representing 36% of advertising market share, is expected to grow 10.8% this year and continue growing double digits, driven by strong growth in both traditional and connected TV.

     

    Here are some of the highlights of the report, published as is from the GroupM communique:

    :: We now expect global advertising to grow 5.9% in 2023, behind the IMF’s expectation for global inflation of 6.5% and a downgrade from our 6.4% June estimate.

     

    :: Retail media, one of the fastest growing segments of the advertising industry, is now estimated to reach $110.7 billion dollars in 2022, an upgrade from our September forecast of $101 billion.

     

    :: Television continues its recovery to pre-pandemic levels, albeit more slowly in 2022, with an expected global growth rate of 1.7% (excluding U.S. political advertising).

     

    :: Growth in global OOH this year will amount to 2.2% globally (excluding U.S. political spending), or 18.1% on an excluding-China basis.

     

    :: Audio is projected to grow 3.8% globally in 2022 (excluding U.S. political advertising) and decelerate to 1.3% growth in 2023

     

    :: After a brief respite in 2021, traditional print continues its decline of 7.4% in 2022. Print-based media will decline by 3.7% when including digital extensions, which are forecast to make up nearly half of total revenue this year and more than three-quarters of revenue by 2026.

     

    Top 10 Market Highlights (other than India):

    United States: Advertising on pure-play digital platforms, despite decelerating growth in 2022, continues to increase its share and will account for two-thirds of total ad revenue within the next two years.

     

    China: China has seen far greater economic impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 than was expected at the outset of the year. This acted as a drag on consumption and ultimately led to our lowered forecast of -0.6% growth of advertising revenue in 2022.

     

    Japan: For 2022, we estimate Japanese advertising revenue will grow 7%, with that figure decelerating to 4.4% in 2023. This growth is led by pure-play digital advertising, which accounts for the largest share (57.9%) in 2022 and is expected to continue rising above pre-pandemic levels.

     

    United Kingdom: Digital pure-play platforms, a medium set to account for 80% of total ad revenue this year will grow 11%, outpaced by retail media (a subset of digital), which we forecast will reach £6.5bn by 2027.

     

    Germany: Within digital advertising budgets, retail media will play an increasingly important role in 2023, with growth forecasts of 13% in line with the broader digital channel, while search will grow slightly faster at 15%.

     

    France: We anticipate a deceleration of growth in 2023 to 6.3% with a focus on media that delivers short term efficiency and return on investment. As a result, 100% of the estimated growth is expected to be in digital media, particularly performance-based media and retail.

     

    Canada: Advertising revenue in Canada is forecasted to grow 5.8% during 2022, with that figure further accelerating to 8% in 2023. This growth is led by pure-play digital advertising, which accounts for the largest share (72.8%) in 2022 and is expected to continue rising above pre-pandemic levels.

     

    Brazil: Retail media, a subset of digital revenue, is forecast at more than $170 million in 2022 and is expected to grow 18% in 2023, following 25% growth in 2022.

     

    Australia: TV will grow 3.7% in 2022 driven by connected TV. While linear TV will increase in 2022, it may be the last year of expansion as connected TV takes over a larger share TV revenue. Total TV in 2023 is expected to record a small overall decline of 0.2%.

     

  • To be called #TheOtherObituary

    Ogilvy & Hindu message on wildlife conservation

    By Our Staff

     

    On World Wildlife Conservation Day, The Hindu and its agency partner, Ogilvy Bangalore have renewed their resolve to save the environment. The Hindu featured ‘The Other Obituary’ grieves the loss of flora and fauna that were killed due to human intervention.  ‘The Other Obituary was released in the newspaper on December 4, 2022 and will be featured every week in ‘The Other Obituaries’ section online.

     

    Said Sharat Kuttikat, Group Creative Director, Ogilvy India (South): “Losing a loved one is an agonising experience; the loss of any member of our extended families from the wild should feel no different. In this context, ‘The Other Obituary’ is a provocative piece and the need of the hour. By reporting deaths of animals, birds and our precious natural resources, we hope the section brings into focus human cruelty and negligence that needs to stop.”

     

  • The soon-to-be-launched platform will empower people to proactively stop food from being wasted at weddings and other occasions

    Robin Hood Army & Dentsu Creative launch #ExtendedGuestList to prevent food wastage at weddings

    By Our Staff

     

    Robin Hood Army has collaborated with Dentsu Creative and conceptualised #ExtendedGuestList, a soon-to-be-launched platform will empower people to proactively stop food from being wasted at weddings and other occasions.

     

    Said Neel Ghose and Sanchit Jain, founders of Robin Hood Army: “Robin Hood Army was founded on the principle of enabling every person to give back. And the #ExtendedGuestList is definitely a milestone in that journey. It is amazing to see celebrities come forward and do their bit and we’re thankful to Hansika Motwani for leading the way! Not only were we able to feed children surplus food from the wedding, but we now have a platform where anyone and everyone can save food proactively. We only hope that more and more people make their own #ExtendedGuestList for their weddings. To those who want to join us on this quest, I encourage you to volunteer with us!”

     

    Added Shray Chawla, Senior Creative Director, Dentsu Creative: “When Robin Hood Army approached us, and explained what they do, we knew we had to spread the word. Food wastage at Indian weddings is something no one talks about and we wanted to make it part of the conversation, but in a unique way. I’m glad we were able to work together with the Robin Hood Army to bring this platform alive. And kudos to the entire team for bringing a fresh perspective to food wastage. Here’s hoping more and more people plan for an #ExtendedGuestList at their weddings, not just in India but also globally given the footprint of Robin Hood Army.”

     

  • He will report to Ketan Desai, Chief Operating Officer, Grey India

    Grey names Rahul Pahwa as Senior VP & Biz Head (North)

    By Our Staff

     

    Rahul Pahwa
    Rahul Pahwa

    Grey group India has announced the elevation of Rahul Pahwa as Senior Vice President and Business Head (North). He will report to Ketan Desai, Chief Operating Officer, Grey India.

     

    Said Desai: “Rahul will lead the development of Grey’s unified network offering, true to its borderless vision, with enhanced creativity, collaboration and speed to market. Most importantly, he will focus on developing Grey’s future-facing integrated agency offering in North region.”

     

  • Strengthens its leadership

    Famous Innovations elevates Mithila Saraf as CEO

    By Our Staff

     

    Famous Innovations creative agency elevates Mithila Saraf as the CEO. In her last 10 years at Famous, she has steered growth for more than 50 brands including Raymond, Mahindra, Titan, Van Heusen, Budweiser, Absolut, Jameson, Diageo, Unilever, etc. as well as for Famous as a brand itself.

     

    Raj Kamble, founder and CCO, of Famous Innovations said: “Mithila takes this role on the same day that she completed 10 years with this entrepreneur-driven company, and trust me it’s not easy working with an entrepreneur. She has been my partner since day 1, today she just gets the title. She joined the company with no salary as an intern and it’s incredible to see her journey today, leading 3 offices and our aggressive growth plans. In the last 10 years, I saw many Mithilas, but her signature is that she is always balanced, empathetic and very fair to everyone. Her work is her personal life and she makes people her family. While on the one side she’s been winning Young Business Leader of the Year, on the other she has represented India at Cannes as a Copywriter for 3 years in a row. This tells us about her sensitivity, insight and balance of the logical and the emotional. Everyone looks at Famous and thinks it’s all me, but that’s not true. Mithila and a few other people will now take this agency further than anyone imagined, we’re opening offices in Dubai and Malaysia soon and one day we will be in New York. My mandate for her is to make not just the most profitable agency, but the happiest agency. With this move, I get to focus more on doing what I am good at – the creative work – and I think the next decade is going to belong to us.”

     

  • … and seeing persons with disability as an integral part of life and society, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Dealing with Disability: It’s a question of mindset…

     

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Sanjeev KotnalaSeeing the videos of a differently challenged or differently-abled people or person with a disability (no longer called disabled) performing tasks forces one to question the term disability and look at the possibilities. It not only puts one in awe of the potential and demonstrated capabilities but also makes one wonder how much one has been able to achieve in life. At times, it makes one wonder who is the one who is differently challenged.

    Seeing the videos of persons with disability (no longer called disabled) performing tasks forces one to question the term disability and look at the possibilities. It not only puts one in awe of the potential and demonstrated capabilities but also makes one wonder how much one has been able to achieve in life. At times, it makes one wonder who is the one who is disabled.

     

    YOUR JUDGEMENT MY DISABILITY 

    So, it strikes a chord when one sees the Future Generali campaign #DisabledByYourJudgement sensitising people to the disabled community. There is no reason for one not to appreciate the skills and talents of persons with disabilities and realise how we tend to discourage them with our judgements and reactions.

    The film questions seeing every simple task, achievement, or action by persons with disabilities as magical and inspirational. Why can’t others see them as regular with the usual demands of life, emotions, relationships and things to do? Watch and then decide if it is not time to free disabled people from such perception.

     

     

    HIRING A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY

    My first direct interaction with a disabled person in the service industry happened at Lemon Tree Noida. He was a deaf-mute person from the housekeeping department. It took a moment for me to realise first the difficulty and then the ease with which he functioned. And then there was no difference. Still, a few corporates take that extra step in employing persons with disabilities. They hesitate and see it as charity or social obligation, which is wrong. The truth is that someone has to take the first step, and others can follow. This Hiring Chain film makes the point simple. May the tribe of corporates and businesses hiring disabled grow.

     

     

    It is a question of mindset. A question of opening your mind and seeing persons with disability as an integral part of life and society. With the enhanced new technology, some of the challenges are being addressed. Brands are working towards more inclusiveness. Here is a film: Accessibility by Apple. The film shows how technology embedded in a simple standard device like the mobile phone can help persons with disability by enhancing accessibility.

    Apple claims it takes on accessibility as a Human right. Hence, features like Door Detection, Sound Recognition, Voice Control, and more are designed to let the devices work in ways that work best for disabled people. 

    Apple accessibility is all about multiple solutions that help users with limited physical or motor abilities use your apps. Voice Control and Switch Control use the accessibility hierarchy to interact with elements within the app. The brand adds, Make Apple yours, make it big, make it clear, make it speak, make it listen, listen and make it simple. Here is more about Apple Accessibility and accessibility support, extending to even app development. Here are some of the innovative accessibility features.

     

    NET-NET.

    Disabled people are special, just like we are. Everyone needs one or the other in life to feel supported, respected, valued, and capable of better things. Needing support only makes us human beings. And that’s true, differently abled or people with disability.

    We have branded these people earlier as handicapped and then as differently challenged, differently-abled, Divyang and Persons with disability. Every time making a minor adjustment based on the new term and implied empathy. The time has come when we are inclusive in the best possible way and no longer see them differently. However, they are willing to accept the cards life has dealt them and eager to work around it to the best of their abilities.

    We can at least normalise our behaviour and reaction when we meet a person with a disability, interact with and see doing things we assume will be tough.

    So, it will be nice and polite if one asks before offering help. It is wrong to assume that disabled people always require assistance leading their lives, and the first step is treating them as equals. It will be good to see the Corporates and the Government working on accessibility across Information & Communications, Employment, Transportation Standards, Public Spaces Design and Services.

     

    MFPA

    I regularly contribute to MFPA– Mouth and foot painting artists and get beautifully painted cards and envelopes. MFPA works with over 800 artists across more than 78 countries with the simple motto “Self-help, not Charity’. And I have found that most people with disability demonstrate- reflect this attitude in life. Do visit their https://imfpa.org/paywebsite and if interested buy some product.

     

    ADD-ON

    Maybe you would do good and watch this video. You Are More Disabled Than Me by Nick Vujicic and another one for Amrita institute for the differently abled.

     

     

    An earlier version of this article had a few usages which are not considered kosher when one writes or talks about persons with disabilities. Like differently abled and differently challenged. We’ve made the corrections. As a publication which has been highlighting the need for using the right descriptors, our apologies.  – Ed

  • …of Fifa World Cup-related communication for Indian consumers. A review by Vikas Mehta

    Agony & Ecstasy…

     

     

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

     

    Vikas MehtaThe Fifa World Cup is now reaching its crescendo. My social media feed is full of comments on football and I can see lot of angst as the traditional superpowers like Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Brazil have been eliminated. Teams like Morocco or Croatia do not have the same universal appeal and at best are seen as outsiders. But football fans in India have one more angst. The patchy and glitchy coverage of the event in India on the Jio Cinema OTT channel.

     

    I am surprised at the criticism as I was watching the matches on the Sports18 TV channel and the coverage seemed pretty good. But what really got me puzzled was why were most of the people I know, watching the matches on the OTT channel and why not on the traditional DTH channel?

     

    Subscribing for a month or even a quarter was very cheap and no connectivity or downloading speed issues to tackle. Turns out from my limited friend circle that not many knew about the TV option and the addiction to OTT is so great that many have actually given up on DTH TV. The reality had hit home.

     

    Now that I am travelling, I too have started watching the matches on OTT, mobile screen. And to me all seems fine. The glitches about buffering etc have not affected me even though I am in the interiors of Tamil Nadu with some Mandous-related weather issues.

     

    My biggest disappointment with the Football World Cup, as indeed it was with the T20 World Cup is the lack of interesting World Cup-related commercials. On a global scale, Nike, Coke, Pepsi have launched some interesting commercials. Pepsi has brilliantly used its global stars like Messi Ronaldinho, Pogba etc and weaved in the lingo and feel of the Gen Z with slang like nutmugged etc. It also has a flashes of irreverence, chutzpah and of course football. Living upto the expectations of what Pepsi calls “Generation Thirsty”, the ad is about being thirsty for more. The commercial has got a strong backlash too as it seems to have adopted a lot of Moroccan locales and cultural icons which could be interpreted as Qatari. But I guess with the Moroccans having knocked out Spain and now Portugal and having advanced to the semi finals, this anomaly will be overlooked. Watch the Pepsi World cup ad.

     

    Expectedly, Coke, which is the official sponsor of World Cup, has come out with a simple yet strong film which stays true to Coke’s global sign-off of ‘Believing is Magic’. Depicting a young girl swept away in a carnivalesque celebration of football, the film stays true to the brand personality of Coke. Watch it here: Coke World Cup

     

    But Coke has been breaking new grounds of late and it tries to go beyond just advertising. I was therefore not surprised to come across a whole digital campaign which captures a wide range of fans’ devotion for their beloved teams. The ads show the outlandish promises many fans would make if their team could win the World Cup; from getting a tattoo, to shaving their head, to running to work every day—while inviting viewers to share their own promises for possible inclusion in Coca-Cola packaging, digital content or outdoor creative. And Coke is also issuing NFT’s associated with this world cup. Digital Memories that will be for the buyers to own. Watch this: Coke World Cup promise

     

    The piece de resistance for me was definitely the Nike Multiverse campaign. It has a simple global insight of fans’, in this case two scientists in a lab, debating the greatness of their favourite player, across different eras. And then the whole campaign turns into a science induced multiverse universe where players Mbappe and Ronalidinho (he seems to be getting into an advertising renaissance), are zapped into a multiverse universe to have them play against each other. Soon other employees at the lab weigh in with their favourites, present and past, like the Brazilian Ronaldo, Ronaldo CR7, Alex Morgan, Kevin De Bryun, Virgil Van Dijik etc and the film gets into some crazy football shots with a nice touch of technology. Nike has again outdone itself. Watch the ad. World Cup Nike

     

    All this makes me wonder why brands like Coke or Pepsi who have a strong presence in India and who splurge a lot on advertising, not show any world cup related ad. Coke is a global sponsor of the World Cup and yet it has no presence in either the TV or the OTT telecast. I understand the winter months low soft drink consumption issue but seriously, the world cup is a brand building exercise, not just an increase in sales time. The winters in Europe are much more severe. I also believe that initiatives like the outlandish promises, will work very well in India. Just yesterday I saw a post from a Bengali friend, who, while moaning the exit of Brazil was also depressed that he will have to go non vegetarian till the end of the world cup. Some outlandish promise or wager, is my guess. So why total silence by the brand during world cup football is beyond my comprehension.

     

    I did see a Pepsi ad on TV during the matches but it was a rerun of an old “more fizz” ad featuring the more older Salman Khan. Nothing to do with football.

     

    Byju’s has hired Messi as a brand ambassador for its social cause of education for all. Hyundai is one of the official sponsor of the world cup. Visa is another global sponsor. And Amul is the regional sponsor (whatever that means) of Argentina and Portugal teams. So, let’s look what these brands, who have a strong presence in India, are doing around the world cup in India.

     

    Byju’s had an ad which I saw a month or so ago which announced the partnership with Messi along with Byju’s being an official sponsor of the world cup. A very forgettable and predictable piece of ad which featured some stock footage of Messi and a few supers announcing from India to the world (whatever that means, again) and Byju’s sponsorship. Shoddy, poor quality and unimaginative. There is a separate long video which uses Messi to talk about the importance of choosing the right coach not just in football but in education too. Interestingly done but it’s a long video which is expected to go viral and not being telecast during the matches. Byju’s Messi Ad

     

    Amul has gone the same tacky route. Some stock shots of players of each team with a milk splash effect added on. Mind you, these are still shots, not even video footage. There is a bit of a generic milk benefit lyrics added on which rhyme with the name of the team. Sample this. Go go Portugal. Doodh se mile bal. Tasty har pal. Daud aur uchal. Or this one. Amul Khana peena tasty aur proteina. Cheer Argentina. Some really corny stuff with absolutely no production values. It has an interesting thought in its tagline of being the original energy drink. But it has been relegated to just a tagline. Amul had a budget for sponsoring the teams. Amul has a budget for buying media time. But Amul kept hardly any production budget. Go figure. Amul Argentina Regional sponsor

     

    The auto brand, Hyundai, has followed a global diktat. They are using a global film which is very high on tech with a message of “Beyond Mobility”. The ad is more manufacturer speak rather than consumer benefit or language. Leaves one cold. Watch here. Hyundai beyond mobility

     

    And Visa is re-unning some old ads which showcase the advantage over paying cash by using Visa cards. Tap to pay with Visa. A network that’s fast, secure and convenient. Seriously? In a world dominated by UPI payment that’s Visa’s competitive advantage? Watch here. Visa India

     

    Definitely the World Cup ads in India are a huge disappointment. Rather, these are a case of missed opportunity. The brands have missed out on a chance to use the world cup in a creative and engaging way. The plethora of similar looking automobile ads or RBI ads or Mutual Funds sahi hai ads featuring cricketers and film stars are just using world cup as another event where the brands are throwing good money but not creating any impact. It’s just an item ticked off. And that’s really a pity.

     

    P.S: Ok, I now understand the furore about the Jio Cinema glitches during live telecast. While writing this, I am watching the Morocco vs Portugal match and at half-time for two-three minutes there was nothing happening. Just some shots of the stadiums and some graphics. No commentary, no explanation. And then after 2-3 minutes the match centre came on with a half time report. Very shoddy and unprofessional indeed.