MxMIndia

Category: BLOGS

  • Anchor | One Big Idea by Ravi Rao: Leading the way via convergence

    By Ravi Rao, Leader, South Asia, Mindshare

     

    The one big idea that will change the face of the newspaper industry in the coming years will be the effective use of ‘couponing’.

     

    Most newspapers have not exploited this successfully in India. Imagine a situation where the regional newspapers offer coupons 52 weeks a year, whose total value is 4x of the newspaper subscription. It is value for money for readers, great opportunity for trial build for brands, and this will kickstart the emergence of a new back-end industry to manage redemptions. Advertisers will also get to see which publication really ‘performs’ and can get a lot more data into the ultimate decision-maker to buy their products.

     

    The second big idea in the internet era will be the use of ‘paywalls’ – a few publications didn’t succeed with the revenue models as the final readership determines the success of any subscription or ad model. With TV digitization, imagine if there is a single aggregator like Zite in India offering news or specific titles online across multiple genres!. Exciting times for the ad industry to look at content generation that is relevant and appropriate and will surely be the money-spinner. Nothing excites me as much as the convergence of media.

     

  • This is an ad that will work, even if it isn't creatively brilliant. And that's because it's based on a good consumer insight: Today's moms find themselves under as much pressure as their kids

    Debrief: Bournvita Li’l Champs: Going after moms

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Makers of Bournvita, for their kiddies’ milk supplement called Li’l Champs, have roped in actress Kajol. While I am viscerally opposed to the use of celebs in advertising, in this particular case, Kajol works. Because, one, she is the mother of a young child, and two, she acts the part very well.

     

    The positioning is that Bournvita Li’l Champs is the choice of intelligent mothers, and therefore the focus is on the mom rather than the child, so there’s no pester power in this one. This strategy makes sense, as the lady of the house is most likely to be the decision-maker of this product (feminists please excuse!). The ad features Kajol conducting a whole lot of research to be able to deal with the thousands of questions her little lad regularly fires at her. And this, while struggling with the daily household chores. The VO says Bournvita Li’l Champs has the goods to improve your child’s brain power. In passing, there is a hurried mention of a special ingredient called ‘DHA’. (I say this claim needs to be verified by ASCI!)

     

    This is an ad that will work, even if it isn’t creatively brilliant. And that’s because it’s based on a good consumer insight: Today’s moms find themselves under as much pressure as their kids, not just because we live in extremely competitive times, but also because often the lady herself doesn’t know the answers. And, to appease my feminist readers, the ad would have worked equally nicely with Shri Ajay Devgn (his spelling, not mine). In fact, I suspect he would have struggled harder with the academic questions. 🙂

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs5SmxDozOY[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 3. Good insight, moms will connect

     

  • Anchor | One Big Idea by Madhukar Sabnavis: Digital will change the game, for advertisers and marketers

    By Madhukar Sabnavis, Vice Chairman, Ogilvy and Mather, India

     

    The One Big Idea that will be a game-changer will be in the digital space. Digital has transformed the business world, and it’s going to change the way brand-building will be done in future. We are just waiting for the tipping point.

     

    There are already over 800 million mobile handsets and over 150 million internet users. That’s enough hardware for software to be developed on. Print brought in the era of information in advertising, television drove emotional affinity. Digital will drive engagement – the highest level of brand connection.

     

    Whether through mobile applications or social networks or retail activations, digital is at the cusp of breaking free. All that is required is the creative firepower and ideas to emerge to show clients the way – give them the confidence to back it. It will then make branding a two-way conversation from the one-way communication that most advertising has been during the television era. It will necessitate new metrics of measurement and a mindset change from mass market thinking to more segmented, focused and targeting marketing. It will mean that marketers will have the opportunity to address both consumers and shoppers which traditional media didn’t enable.

     

    What final form it will take, one can’t tell today. There are exciting times ahead.

     

  • Anchor | One Big Idea by Dr. Subho Ray: Making the rural market a force to reckon with

    By Dr. Subho Ray, President, Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI)

     

    The big idea that can change the internet business in India is providing affordable broadband access to rural India. However, it is not the idea itself that is important, but its implementation. The digital future is being built as we speak. The government is committed to spending Rs 20,000 crores in reaching true broadband connection to all the 2.5 lakh panchayats through a fibre optic backbone. Usually, people are ignorant or sceptical of such government projects, but I am personally very bullish about this one. Even if half the project is completed within the next two years, we will have broadband connection reaching more than a lakh village panchayats.

     

    This will be like handing over a livelihood tool to the usually infrastructure-poor areas and similar to teaching a person how to catch a fish. Of course, initially the adoption will be slow at first, then there will be self-discovery of the potential of the internet, and then there will be the special India jugaad!

     

    This process in the next three to four years will change the face of the internet and also the face of rural India. The former will change because new content and services will have to be designed for a completely new market, the latter will change because commerce and information will be available at the tip of the finger. With that, empowerment and inclusion will not be far behind.

     

  • Party spokespersons interrupt and shout all the time when someone else is talking, rues Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Party reps also to blame for News TV

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    True confession: I have avoided watching television news for the past week. The result: grey hair count has come down, wrinkles have reduced and I sleep better at night. Well, all right, that’s the kind of hyperbole I normally accuse TV anchors of, but still. It has been some kind of an improvement on my life. On Monday night, I decided to try again. I got Karan Thapar and guests discussing Ashis Nandy and his “controversial” statement on caste and corruption on CNN-IBN. I got Arnab Goswami also discussing this controversial statement on Times Now and then I got Rajdeep Sardesai also discussing this on CNN-IBN. There was something else on Headlines Today by which time I was so confused by so many of the same people saying the same or different things on so many channels that I gave up.

     

    The problem is not just the anchors, it’s also their guests. The BJP people always look like they suffer from severe dyspepsia and 10 bottles of Digene have not helped. The Congress people look like they have advanced cases of extreme arrogance and are too superior to even be part of a discussion. The BSP people look puzzled that they’re actually there (it’s usually the same person, I admit). The SP person is unsure whether this TV is a good invention or not. The Shiv Sena chap is always smiling except when he has to speak – then, he’s angry. Most of them are lawyers, which makes you wonder… None of them has ever been taught that it is not polite to interrupt and shout all the time when someone else is talking. This makes you wonder only if you have spent all of the 63 years since we got that Constitution under a giant boulder.

     

    Rarely, has anything been achieved by these debates. The only person who made sense through the whole Nandy fight was Yogendra Yadav. I suppose though he is now a politician too, since he’s part of the Aam Aadmi Party and will soon get his own look for TV debates. Sigh.

     

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    The best part of the television I did watch last week was Kunal Vijaykar playing a desolate Nitin Gadkari on The Week That Wasn’t. A fine piece of acting! Also, a fascinating discussion on CNN about “catfishing” – people who get fooled into online relationships with invented online personas.

     

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    Meanwhile, kudos to Mid-Day for its story on vegetables grown in gutters in Mumbai and to Hindustan Times for its coverage of the Jaipur Literary Festival, minus too much aw-ing and ah-ing. The Times of India had a round up piece on the festival with two bylines but read like a PR press release.

     

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    Having ripped into ESPN-Star last week over coverage of the Australian Open, a slight scheduling course correction was visible and the final was telecast on EPSN despite the last ODI between England and India and the Ranji final being on the same day. Indian tennis fans are grateful and would be even happier if we weren’t taken for granted so easily in the future… Ah well.

     

  • One more 'Justice for Jessica Lal' moment has arrived for the Indian media. Now, only intense media scrutiny will put some pressure on the judiciary to follow the spirit of the law, and not its letter, at least in this case

    Anil Thakraney: Let’s go after Mr Juvenile

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Well, it’s pretty clear now that the man/boy who not only participated in the Delhi gang rape but played a key part in the torture will be out on the streets in a few years. Out to commit more heinous crimes. The Juvenile Justice Court has decided to treat his school certificates as gospel truth (the bone ossification test has been rejected), therefore as per the law, there’s no way this chap will get punished under the IPC.

     

    And so, one more ‘Justice for Jessica Lal’ moment has arrived for the Indian media. All journalists and proprietors of media companies will have to get after Mr. Juvenile with jihadic fervour. Now, only intense media scrutiny will put some pressure on the judiciary to follow the spirit of the law, and not its letter, at least in this case. Television debates and news reports have been done. The social media is active. But we need sustained, continuous, 360 degree pressure. Till full justice is done to the unfortunate girl, and till all the six criminals get their just desserts. I am convinced the destiny of this young rapist/killer is now in the hands of the Indian media. People, we have to rise and shine.

     

    And by the way, no, I don’t believe Mr. Juvenile wasn’t old enough to know what he was doing. Here’s what I was up to when I was 17 years plus.

     

    Furiously (but unsuccessfully) pursued a girl in my junior college class.

    Dabbled in stocks with my pocket money to earn some quick (albeit tiny) profits.

    Took a train ride to Nagpur all by myself for a med entrance exam. And successfully negotiated a deal with a low cost hotel.

    Went on a road trip to Jaipur and Ajmer, all by myself.

    Had beer with college pals. Many times.

    Stole dad’s cigarettes. Many times.

    Got involved in a street brawl.

    Got an ageing neighbour admitted to a hospital.

    Lodged a written complaint against a BEST conductor for refusing to give me change.

    Cheated in my chemistry exam.

    Cheated in my physics exam.

    Screamed at a driver in our residential apartment, because he would habitually ‘eve tease’ the maids.

    Argued with a professor at a private tutorial class on his faulty teaching methods.

    Learnt to ride a Bajaj scooter.

    Had heated discussions with dad on the Partition.

     

    And these few memories are still fresh in the head. Yup, I knew exactly what I was doing, as also the ramifications of those actions. And would have felt enormously insulted if someone called me a ‘juvenile’. Hope the Indian law makers are reading this post.

     

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    PS: Speaking of the rape and murder, we simply have to quit this ‘Nirbhaya’, ‘Damini’ and ‘Amanat’ nonsense. Perhaps a PIL needs to be filed in a court for this. We must remember, respect, honour and cherish the girl by her real name. She’s sparked a massive change in this nation, and history needs to record that.

     

  • One Big Idea by Keertan Adyanthaya: Using technology to revolutionize television

    By Keertan Adyanthaya, Managing Director, Fox International Channels India

     

    Technology, ever-evolving, has brought about a radical change in our lives. Every activity, inane or important, is governed by technology, giving us limitless choices. Perpetually time-starved, we prefer to pick up our tablets or smart-phones to access information instead of reading the newspapers or quickly record our favorite shows to watch at a time convenient to us. What’s more, with increased internet penetration consumers have access to their choice of content at the click of a button.

     

    The world around us has undergone a massive revolution. The TV hardware that consumers use is quite advanced with micro-computers that can adjust the picture quality, level the sound and allow you to access the web straight from your TV set. The distribution mechanism has changed – from analogue to digital – and now gives you a wealth of information about the exact programme that you are watching. New-age set-top boxes allow you to pause, rewind and forward live television. They allow you to set up recording for entire series of shows that you like. At the same time, the television universe has also exploded with 700+ channels vying for the attention of the viewers. Broadcast companies are making efforts to cater to changing audience interests and desires by providing close to bespoke channel offerings – regional TV in more and more languages, golf channels, wildlife channels, action movie channels, education channels, etc etc.

     

    However, one area where there has not been much technological advancement is the area of audience measurement. We still depend on the 9,000 people-meter homes to tell us what people are watching. This data is still delivered to its end-users on a weekly basis. Both the sample size and the frequency of reporting are woefully inadequate.

     

    Why can’t we install a tracking chip in every set-top box which can report viewership data? There are an estimated six million boxes that will be deployed in the next 12 months; even if we get the tracking chips into 1% of these boxes, its 60,000 boxes that will give us the data. That’s six times the current sample size.

     

    A key aspect that can help fill the gap between content and viewer interest is a robust measurement mechanism. By using the technology in the STB, we could bring back the data from each television set to the tracking agency; it could prove to be an effective and accurate means of measurement. This would be a more robust measurement mechanism than the 9,000 people-meter boxes that we depend on today. What finally goes on air is largely dependent on the research data that comes from measurement agencies, and a technology like this might just be the next big thing that revolutionizes the process of designing content according to consumer interest. In addition, it will also help advertisers to have sharp focus and decide their media spends as per what their core TG is watching. Technology can help us to improve measurement in the broadcast industry, but are we willing to embrace it?

     

  • Perhaps the viewers will enjoy one show a day based on this theme, but if Headlines Today wants to make this a core strategy, then they could be headed for trouble

    Debrief: Headlines Today: Interactivity won’t bring in freshness

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    ‘Right to be heard.’ That’s the positioning Headlines Today has zeroed onto. I suppose they want to pitch it as an interactive news channel, where the viewers can take part and air their grievances. I don’t regularly watch Headlines Today, mainly because I don’t think the channel offers content that’s significantly different from the rest, so I suppose that’s the problem the owners are trying to fix. And interactivity is what they want to promise as the USP.

     

    The commercial reflects the junta’s ire with uncaring, insensitive, useless politicians, who make false promises during the elections, win the votes and then quickly disappear. One portly neta is seen being put under pressure by all sorts of people (including his missus), till he hides himself inside a room, totally frustrated. While the entertainment value is low, the treatment will establish a connect with the audiences, because it reflects the popular perception of Indian politicians. So that’s fine.

     

    My problem is with the promise: Active viewer participation on the channel. This will prove to be very tricky to handle, since interactive content can get a tad tiresome, as people shoot out their assorted grievances. Perhaps the viewers will enjoy one show a day based on this theme, but if Headlines Today wants to make this a core strategy, then they could be headed for trouble. In short, I don’t think this positioning is correct. Far from providing freshness, it may lead to boredom.

     

    One other thing on the creative front: Our netas are die-hard buggers. Not one, repeat, not a single one has the conscience to get flustered by angry voters. So quite ironically, the segment that would find the ad entertaining is the politicians.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”220″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifSqr5y5rQ4[/youtube]

    Rating: (On a scale of 1-5): 2. Okay creative, weak product positioning

     

  • One Big Idea by Sanjay Pareek: Outdoor requires systematic improvement to become a media of choice

    By Sanjay Pareek, President, Percept Out of Home

     

    In these tough economic times, for every rupee a brand manager spends, they want to know how much have they received back from the media in terms of sales or brand recall depending on the objective of the camping.

     

    The out of home industry in India requires systematic improvement to become a media of choice, used across the industry category. Honestly, I don’t think there is a big idea required to propel the industry in the growth phase. Everything required is common sense.

     

    All media gives a ROI for the money brands invest in them, except outdoor and therefore it is a must that the industry stakeholders should invest in a measurement index, which will offers ROI to the brands. This will help brand managers and media managers to justify the investment in outdoor media.

     

    Second common sense, is that Outdoor media should be looked as an independent media, and not an extension of TV or Print for creative strategy. The brands who have used a different creative strategy for outdoor has gained far better results from this media than the brands which have used the creative strategy that are an extension of their creative strategy from TV and Press.

     

    Once these issues are addressed then we can look at technology in outdoor, which will allow a dialogue with the consumers, instead of the current monologue form of communication. This could be a “BIG IDEA” which will offer wow factor to the brands, but the hygiene factor has to be addressed first and sooner than later.

     

  • One Big Idea by Mitrajit Bhattacharya: How print can buck the trend and last forever

    By Mitrajit Bhattacharya, President & Publisher, Chitralekha Group

     

    Print is thriving in India and will continue to do well in the near and distant future. India is a complex market and often “one formula fits all” does not work here. However, there are some learnings, which if applied as needed, could make the medium take maximum advantage in future.

     

    • Learn from Bollywood to contemporize: Do you recall Amitabh in Lal Badshah or Govinda’s yellow pants? Bollywood, in the 80s, was exactly what the thinking class abhorred. It did things to cater to mass through single-screen theatres. With multiplexization, Bollywood has gone through a sea change in how it shoots, edits, promotes (both AV and print) and finally uses its PR machinery. Print medium needs to contemporize and go beyond. Even the small-town readers expect the best both in terms of content and production, and I am sure the regional biggies are geared to take up this challenge of the hinterland.
    • Customize: Print has this amazing quality of customization which TV does not. Eventually, there will be technology to deliver customized products to key audiences. And even before customization, one needs to know the reader beyond his/ her SEC/ MHI and other demographics.
    • Growth in literacy: The world example does not work here at all. Most of the western world is 100% literate whereas large parts of India still gains substantially in literacy in the coming two decades or so. This will continuously add newer readers in the hinterland. Regional media will reap the rewards even more.
    • India resides in Tier II and III cities: Look at the growth of India in smaller towns. They are adding more consumers than the metros for most product categories. Traditionally catered to by TV, these markets can be effectively reached by local editions/ splits tailor made for them.
    • Growth in luxury market: India is booming. The next decade will belong to growth of the luxury brands’ market in India. No one covers luxury better than print. Still concentrated in the metros and largely capitalised on by the English press, this trend will also move to the Top 10 cities in the near future. The print medium is all geared up to take maximum advantage of this boom.

     

  • Using the social media, is it possible to create huge groups of supporters of arts and free speech in different cities and towns of India?

    Anil Thakraney | Needed: Creative people’s vote bank

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Don’t go by Kamal Hassan’s threat to quit India. It’s the same ‘hool’ which Lata tai gave us over the Peddar Road flyover, but didn’t mean it. These creative types can get a tad emotional, so let’s ignore that bit.

     

    What we cannot ignore is the continuous harassment of creative people in this nation. And they are soft targets because they end up as one individual against a powerful state machinery. Naturally, this becomes a one-sided battle. And this situation is highly depressing; each you time you try to push the envelope, you run the risk of ‘offending’ one fringe group or another. It’s simply not possible to think differently in such a scenario, mediocrity like ‘Dabaang’ will rule the roost.

     

    The main issue is this: Politicians react to what the fringe groups say only because, in the eyes of the netas, they either constitute a vote bank, or they represent one. The number of such protestors can be very few, but in politics, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Therefore the government (state and central) takes an easy way out, and clamps down on the creative work. And artists, movie makers and writers are powerless because they don’t constitute a vote bank, they are dispensable.

     

    So I thought of an idea: Using the social media, is it possible to create huge groups of supporters of arts and free speech in different cities and towns of India? (Of course, no support for dolts who create illegal stuff, a la that cartoon called Aseem Trivedi.) Whereby, each time a creative person comes into strife, massive protest marches and dharnas are held all over India. As these numbers swell, the government will have to take these groups very seriously (as we saw during the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape), and would most likely treat them as a potential vote bank. This effort can thus help nullify the mischief created by fringe groups.

     

    In short, as the proverb goes, to cut iron, you need iron. We have to start thinking of these things from now on. Because Kamal Hassan is neither the first nor the last creative person who’s being made to face the music. Social media is mainly used for time pass. Methinks it’s time to put it to some good, creative use.

     

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    PS: Wonderful traffic safety posters dug out from the UK archives. These ran in the forties, but are more needed in current times. Especially in nations like India, where the junta gives a rat’s ass for road safety. Our government should import these posters and use them here. Because they are visual in nature, even the uneducated sods will get them.

     

    Link: http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013/01/16/vintage-road-safety-psa/

     

  • If the industry is able to adapt to the changing consumer culture and technology, it might be able to deliver more value to its clients, says Bobby Pawar

    One Big Idea by Bobby Pawar: Advertising has to adapt to changing consumer culture and technology

    By Bobby Pawar, Chief Creative Officer, JWT India

     

    I think that there is no one idea that can bring about a change in advertising. In fact, that, I think, is part of the trouble – that we are looking at one big idea to bring about a change, whereas one has to look at a suite of solutions that can help us in doing our business better.

     

    Everybody has an opinion on what is wrong with the advertising business today, and ready with a cure, but I think it’s this mindset we need to change. We need to have a holistic view of the situation we find ourselves in today.

     

    We need to understand that the world around us is rapidly changing and there is a need to adapt to these changes at a similar pace at which it is changing. Like with technology being liberated there is a need to come out with client centric solutions using advances in technology.

     

    If we are able to adapt to the changing consumer culture and technology, we might be able to deliver more value to our clients.