MxMIndia

Category: COLUMNS

  • It could safely be said that had India won the Cricket World Cup, the AAP's event managers would have had to delay publicising their squabble, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Same old news on AAP

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Was it lack of news that made Indian news channels get stuck to the fighting within the Aam Aadmi Party or lack of imagination? Or was it true? Was there really nothing else of any significance happening in India or the world? The AAP, which took Delhi by storm, may have spelt hope to millions of Indians but in cold hard terms although it swept the Delhi Assembly polls, it has little presence in the rest of India. But it does have two former journalists in its upper echelons and they seemed to have ensured constant news coverage.

     

    So we got press conferences and counter press conferences and allegations and counter allegations. The problem as far as the viewer was concerned is that none of the protagonists was very charismatic and none of the allegations were salacious enough. The result was the same old same old being played over and over again.

     

    It could safely be said that had India won the Cricket World Cup, the AAP’s event managers would have had to delay publicising their squabble.

     

    **

     

    While on the AAP, it is also evident that they got stung by their own addiction to “sting operations”. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi chief minister, had asked members of the public to conduct their own sting operations to expose government corruption and wrongdoing. But much more than that, we have seen members of the AAP conducting sting operations on each other. A serious strategy bzzztake in the long run if you ask me.

     

    **

     

    The crash of the Germanwings plane into the French Alps seems to have stretched the international media. The story has emerged in a piecemeal manner. The facts however have been chilling. It is interesting to note however that the international TV channels have been bog-standard in their reporting. All the speculation and questioning that accompanied both the Malaysian Airlines tragedies – one plane shot down, the other vanished – are missing here.

     

    It is disappointing that Indian news channels have not gone further on the story. Some grilling of Indian companies on their safety and medical protocols would not have been amiss. One understands that an air crash is not as exciting as the quarrels within AAP and Virat Kohli’s relationship with Anushka Sharma, but still..

     

    **

     

    It is interesting to see that Times Now, in spite of the thrashing it got from social media on its appalling coverage of India’s loss in the Cricket World Cup, is sticking to its usual obnoxious style and to its employees, no matter how intolerable their behaviour. Jeremy Clarkson, recently sacked from Top Gear by the BBC, could try Times Now because it is clear that no matter how little you respect any sort of journalistic ethics, Times Now will stand by you.

     

    **

     

    Conversations with journalists who live in the national capital reaffirm the same conditions – fear of the current government at the Centre and in particular of BJP president Amit Shah. There is also the additional problem that managers of media houses face – all government ads now run through the prime minister’s office. Which means that one way or another, various Big Brothers are watching.

     

  • Stretch yourself and don't give in to constraints, even if it is always under the shadow of losing clients. The idea is to do something unexpected, says Sanjeev Kotnala about his learnings from the recently-held Adfest in Thailand

    Sanjeev Kotnala: ‘Be bad and don’t hold back when it comes to creativity’

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Adfest 2015, held recently in Pattaya, Thailand, was a like well-choreographed dance sequence. As session after session delved into the theme of ‘Be Bad’, the event stood out as a very region-focussed festival. A kind that is, surprisingly, not quite popular with Indian delegates yet. My take, though — if you get a chance, do attend it.

     

    It’s tough to try and repackage the three-day fest. But here are some key learnings from it. First, as the sessions showed, the theme of ‘Be Bad’ urges agencies and creative folk to not take things for granted, or give in to constraints. They should explore, question and stretch the boundary of possibilities. The idea is to do something unexpected; because you will never get marks for doing just what is expected of you.

     

    The fear of loss of business is a very real one. As is the question of lack of trust and honesty between the client and the agency. Clients will go to anyone who is willing to invest in, and understand, their business, and they see this as a lever to elevate them to the next level. But an agency ‘ivory tower’ attitude does not help either. Agencies need to get out in the field as well, and try to connect with their target audience, the consumers. Understand and draw on insights, and study consumer behaviour. What, for instance, are the threats and opportunities present in the situation? Then provide your client the best connect and understanding, and that will be the best service you can provide.

     

    Today, everything is about multimedia or cross-media, and now things are moving towards trans-media. Your target audience is no longer as patient with your brand message as they used to be — unless you serve up a story that both engages and involves them. The art of storytelling, therefore, remains the same but must take on a slightly different form. Every story has a beginning, an introduction of characters, some issues or problems that complicate the situation, and a twist in the tale and, finally, a satisfying end. This is how audiences define a story, and agencies must be mindful of this.

     

    In this age of dependency on technology, we have crippled the art of execution. The way out is to do better than your best. Plan things in detail, and then try to execute them as brilliantly as possible. Get the postproduction team synced and  involved in  the initial stage and you will get benefit a lot.

     

    As the agency, you are the people with the ideas. Remember an ‘idea’ is really big, if it can be carried out by just about anyone, draws on easily-available technology, does not need huge budget commitments and can be adapted across categories. For that to happen, you need to get in deep with the consumer and try to stay on top of ever-changing technology. The idea, to ‘Be Bad’, and perhaps also fail every now and then in the process, are a part of the job.

     

    Lastly, do not expect to be guided about skill upgrades or the changes one needs to make. The agency has to be the ‘hero’ and drive the change. But the first change should come from within you.

     

    Do attend Adfest with me next year. You will realise how a simple step of displaying all entries (as a mark of respect) amplifies experience many fold.  Be a part of the ‘Jury Crossfire’ sessions, where jury presidents defend and articulate their thinking behind selecting winning or special work. This is a highly educative exercise.

     

    ……………………………………………………………………………………..

    Sanjeev Kotnala is Head Catalyst at Intradia and believes the best way forward for an organisation is to enhance its interanal team’s potential and capabilities instead of depending on external resources. He is a Management, Marketing and Braand consultant and conducts specialised workshops in the area of IDEATION (Harvest and Liberate) and Innovation (InNoWait). To contact email sanjeev@intradia.in  or tweet at s_kotnala visit www.intradia.in  www.sanjeevkotnala.com.

     

  • As a journalist (or indeed as a citizen) you are free to call yourself what you want and criticise whoever and whatever you want, notes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Journos get hysterical on Twitter on Mihir Sharma’s religion

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Last week, Twitter went into frenzy mode over the religion of journalist Mihir Sharma, who writes a popular column for Business Standard. Let me amend that sentence: the Indian right wing of Twitter was most agitated. Apparently, according to the tweets, Mihir Sharma, whose name indicates he is a Hindu, is actually a Christian called Simon Mathew. Your first thought on reading this should be, so what? And indeed, it would have been even a year ago.

     

    But Sharma, you see, is often critical of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Narendra Modi-led government and that is reason enough to attack him. The logic, if you really don’t understand it, is clear: Mihir Sharma is hiding behind a Hindu name to criticise a pro-Hindutva government because he is actually a Christian minority. Or that is, no real and proper Hindu would criticise a pro-Hindutva government. If any do, then they are communists, liberals, naxalites, anti-nationals, secular and so on.

     

    Dig a little deeper and all you find is a reaffirmation of the Hindutva creed – that all Indians who do not embrace their Hindu origins are traitors. Underlying that is the other idea that religion determines your loyalty. So an Indian Christian automatically pays allegiance to the Vatican and so on. The idea that all Christians are not Catholics or all Muslims are not Sunnis and so on is irrelevant to your argument.

     

    The flip side is the reaction to Julio Ribeiro’s column in the Indian Express about his fears as a Christian as attacks on churches and Christian gatherings have gone up in the past few months in India. Ribeiro, one of India’s most respected police officers, was immediately dismissed as someone who was given to exaggeration and whose intent was to malign the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

     

    A tangential view of this defence is visible in the columns of Tavleen Singh, also in the Indian Express, where everyone else but the prime minister is to blame for the Central government’s shortcomings. Singh also called the reactions of Christian’s “hysterical” in her Sunday column.

     

    But at the bottom of it all, lies this: as a journalist (or indeed as a citizen) you are free to call yourself what you want and criticise whoever and whatever you want. There is no rule and there cannot be a rule which says that you have to belong to X religion to comment on Y government. Who cares if Sharma is a Christian? Why should that invalidate his opinion? Similarly, journalist Rana Ayyub is attacked because she investigates and writes about atrocities committed on Muslims in India. Her name becomes reason enough to question her journalism.

     

    There would be no need for this comment if the “hysterics” on Twitter about Mihir Sharma’s religion had been limited to those known as “trolls” and to BJP supporters. But when journalists themselves jump in, then you have a problem. As we do.

     

    **

     

    One problem that thinking editors face is how to deal with “source” journalism used commonly by all reporters. Veteran journalist and author Katherine Boo suggests doing away with it altogether and using freedom of information acts instead. Here, the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism makes it clear how dangerous “source” journalism can be. It tears apart a Rolling Stone report on rape through sharp forensic analysis.

     

    A strict lesson in how journalism should not be practised: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/business/in-report-on-rolling-stone-a-case-study-in-failed-journalism.html?smid=nytcore-iphone-share&smprod=nytcore-iphone&_r=2

     

     

  • It is Sanjeev Kotnala's 10th Goafest and here he offers handy tips to the first- and many-timers on how to max(imise) Goafest 2015

    Sanjeev Kotnala: How to max it at Goafest. A frequent Goafest Traveller’s Guide

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Goafest is in its 10th edition and I have attended each one that does make me carry the FGT (Frequent Goafest Traveller) tag. I have witnessed the initial euphoria, blatant cribs, complaints, boycott, free beer to paid beer to lovely parties that are very much part of it, and yes the knowledge seminars and the conclaves.

     

    The high expectations have been tempered through the years. The dream of high participation from neighbouring countries remains a distant dream. The template has been working and no one has really bothered other than minor cosmetic changes.

     

    Now we have foam in the rain dance, the beer is still free, the parties indoor and they do last longer, April becomes a bit tolerable by event being indoors. In spirit and in action, Goafest has retained its character in spite of living through umpteen committees and challenges.

     

    So, if you are new at Goafest or been a FGT read this now to Maxit at Goafest.?

     

    I will not duck behind the planner’s standard answer: ‘It depends on what you want from Goafest’. Nor I would claim that the experience and research has any scientific basis.  Yet, I will acknowledge that it matters to question; why you are there in the first place? Who is paying for the registration and TBL? Who are you accountable to? Are you single, single ready to mingle or in a group? What is your age and gender? Do you smoke and drink? Do you like seafood? Are you grass-dependent and can you hold a Glass?

     

    Kicking these possible permutations out, here is the simplified guide. A personal consultation for media brands to best utilise GoaFest can only be arranged by prior appointment.

     

    MAXIT at Goafest is simple- just keep these 11 things in your radar.

    1. PACKING FOR THE FEST
    a. Pack Disprin, ENO, Digene , Highlighter and suntan. Then according to gender, pack shorts, shorter tops, deep cuts, sleeveless t-shirts, three-fourths, t-shirts, crocks, after-shaves and mouthwash. Optimists pack protection, pessimists Google nearest Chemist. Do not pack alarm clocks, high heels and hairbands. Do not pack specialised camera unless you are a photo-enthusiast.

     

    2. HOTEL

    a. Ensure you are at staying at the fest venue. That will most likely not be possible until unless you have links, you are a speaker or a senior industry face. Then look at the next best option, places within easy distance. And if you fall in this category, dump all your formals.
    b. Reach there well in time. A day earlier is acceptable.  At your own pace get the registration completed. Suggest you do that on Day 1 afternoon when all the goodies are available.

     

    3. SESSION MAXIT

    a. Very thoroughly scan the schedule. Now ask if the sessions will add to your professional growth. Then highlight sessions you are going to NOT ATTEND. Use a highlighter (that you should have packed) to clearly visualise your own window of opportunities. Each session highlighted is a NASU (Not-attending-session-unit). If you have less than 12 such units: re-check.

    b. If you are diligent, you could take Step 4 now and pre-feed your Tweets in buffer. So that no one is wiser where you are. Do update in case sessions are cancelled.

    c. Attend few sessions and live-tweet with the right hastag. You can be super witty or foolish and the fraternity will understand.

    d. In the first session, you attend take lots of  selfies (no stage in frame) with different friends. Avoid PYT’s or the dude/stud in selfie unless you are looking at hitting like buttons and answer comments. Now you can up that whenever you want. The background will remain the same.

     

    4. OPTIMISE NAAU

    a. One NASU should be used to collect all free items by participating at the various brand stalls. Do it on the first half of Day 2. The stocks are available then. The stall guys still fresh and willing.
    b. Use 2 NASUs for seeing the entries displayed at the fest.
    c. Use a max of 4 NSAUs to go sightseeing. Do it on Day 2 and be back by lunchtime. On Day 3 there are chances you will oversleep and miss reporting time.

     

    5. NETWORK. Do some work? Target a certain number of new faces that you will meet and a number for of known ones. Check your count. Strategically stalk them to chase your targets

     

    6. BEER. Ask your friends to keep check on the number of beers you enjoy. Around 1-2 per presentation is considered par at Goafest. In case you feel otherwise just leave the venue. You don’t want anyone seeing you in that condition.

     

    7. Get some strange fashion statement dress. This helps to feature in newsletters.

     

    8. Q&A

    a. for the serious-minded: For you self-brand is very important. Go through the sessions you plan to attend (if any). Read the LinkedIn profile of the speaker. Read the first 3-4 Google hits on the topic. Prepare a mast question. Introduce yourself and ask that question during Q&A. Pace it to allow cameraman to pan and catch you in frame.

    b. For lazy ones. You have no questions to ask. Master the art of paraphrasing speakers thoughts and make an arbit contribution. Do it early in the Q&A or you risk the chance of being booed by the crowd.
    c. For uninterested. 99.9% of audience.  It’s your time to get yourself another beer.

     

    9. SMOKERS:

    a. Do not show that you carry any light.  Remember asking for light is a good way to start a conversation. If someone asks you for a light be helpful and when he/she is taking first drag to light, its time for you to start a conversation. No need to mention that smoke only in the designated area.

     

    10. SMARTPHONE MANAGEMENT.

    a. Start a rumour that your phone battery has been draining fast. It helps to escape unwarranted calls or ‘can I use your phone’ requests. Do not flash your smartphone at the awards nite. And never praise its megapixels and picture quality in dim light or be ready to become unofficial photographer for your team.

     

    11. AWARD NITES

    a. Do not be bogged down by the award nite unless you are one of the finalists
    b. If you are one of the finalists, check and cross-check which award nite includes your category. You don’t want to be sitting in a wrong award nite. Ensure your team has the right Noise Making And Amplifying Gadgets. Make one of team member reach early and block seats so that you can sit in groups.
    c. Join your gang on stage even if the only thing you did on the project was say congrats. You are a veteran if you could collect your trophy alone discouraging other team members.
    d. Ensure someone clicks your photographs with the trophy and you immediately upload that.

     

  • I would suggest that working journalists who feel so strongly about abhorrent media practices invented by the people who pay them their salaries need to take a strong stand and pay the price for their principles by becoming jobless, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: The curious use of the term “presstitute”

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    A little storm whirled around in the world of Indian journalism when former chief of army staff and a junior minister in the NDA government at the Centre General (retired) VK Singh put out this tweet:
    Friends what do you you expect from presstitutes. Last time Arnab thought there was ‘O’ in place of ‘E’ #TimesNowDisaster
    – Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) April 7, 2015

     

    This was compounded by former Supreme Court judge and current Press Council charman Markandey Katju who came up with this tweet:

    The vast majority of mediapersons wld certainly fall in d category mentioned by@Gen_VKSingh , as my experience in Press Council taught me.
    – Markandey Katju (@mkatju) April 9, 2015

     

    One could argue successfully that there is nothing wrong with criticizing or disapproving of journalists and their behaviour. After all, I do it twice a week in these columns. But the choice of language used by a prominent member of society and backed by another is certainly open to question. The term “presstitutes” is not new but it is derogatory. It is also, in today’s climate, deeply insensitive to those who are now known as commercial sex workers. There is a long ongoing struggle to phase out the word “prostitute” because of its obvious connotations.

     

    But when a former army chief and a former Supreme Court justice think they have made a clever joke then you understand the stranglehold of regressive patriarchy on our society.

     

    Then there’s the question of journalists. The term “presstitutes” was used through the 2014 general elections specifically for journalists who did not support the BJP campaign or Narendra Modi’s candidature. These journalists are also called “paid Congi agents” – that is the Congress Party pays them to attack Modi and the BJP.

     

    However there is a logical fallacy here. A presstitute by definition would do anything for money and would therefore switch allegiance without any problems. So here’s a further dilemma. Many journalists have switched allegiance to the BJP after Modi’s dramatic rise to prime ministership. Is Singh therefore addressing a support group within? Of course, the mistake is mine because the theory goes like this: All journalists who support parties other than the BJP are presstitutes and all journalists who support the BJP are patriots.

     

    It is fascinating to see how many pro-BJP patriot journalists have jumped in to support VK Singh. Some of these have been journalists who have become PR people (er, what term is one supposed to use for them given what they now do for a living?). Others work for media groups which practise the worst forms of selling editorial space without informing the reader. Since these people do not quit their jobs, it makes you wonder whether they are practising some form of self-flagellation when they call journalists “presstitutes” or whether they are only pointing fingers at other people. I would suggest that working journalists who feel so strongly about abhorrent media practices invented by the people who pay them their salaries need to take a strong stand and pay the price for their principles by becoming jobless.

     

    But you know and I know that these journalists are not just shameless but are also caught up in that old trap of left versus right and everyone versus the BJP. They see no irony in the fact that they are attacking people for doing exactly what they themselves do. So all journalists who criticize the BJP are abominable and yes sir, of course I will remake the page to fit in all those paid news, Medianet, private treaty stories.

     

    And how is anyone supposed to respond when well-known journalists and columnists who spend all their time on TV and in print supporting the BJP then agree to become board members of large corporate and at the same time applaud the use of the term presstitutes?

    http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/columnist-dasgupta-joins-l-t-board-115020901148_1.html

     

     

  • Shailesh Kapoor lists five expectations from BARC for it to emerge as not just India's unanimous TV currency, but also an industry favourite for years to come

    Shailesh Kapoor: Expectations from BARC on the Eve of its Debut

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    Finally, it’s happening. After two exciting years that were forever pregnant with possibilities, the first BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) ratings will be out later this month. While the original announcement on formation of BARC dates back to 2008, the lawsuit NDTV filed against TAM in 2012 was perhaps the momentum trigger, whose results we will begin to experience soon.

     

    So far, broadcasters, who are stakeholders in BARC via IBF, have been unanimous that BARC ratings should be the only operating TV currency in India in the future. We have seen with the new IRS in 2013 that things can take an ugly turn when the actual data is out, but chances of that happening in TV ratings is significantly lower, because of the nature of the industry and broadcasters’ wholehearted endorsement of BARC thus far.

     

    Yet, a lot will be expected from BARC once the ratings begin to roll out. Here are five of my expectations (in no particular order) from BARC for it to emerge as not just India’s unanimous TV currency, but also an industry favourite for years to come.

     

    1. Don’t let the pressure get to you: There are bound to high-pressure situations once ratings roll out. Broadcasters who are at the wrong end of the proverbial stick are bound to create stress in your lives, demanding explanations. There are bound to be comparisons to the TAM ratings, however unwarranted they may be statistically. Just take firm stands in such situations, and the rules of engagement will be set for the future.

     

    2. Stick to data reporting, don’t offer advisory services: Stick to reporting and do not offer advisory services at any time. The moment you begin to guide channels on what they can do to increase their viewership (TAM has done that for a while through S Group), you are essentially losing your status of a data reporter operating at an arm’s length. It is much like a critic who hobnobs with the studios during the week and then reviews their films on the Friday that follows.

     

    3. Offer an ‘elite audience’ service soon: The area of measuring the ‘elite audience’, the small fraction of wealthy India that many premium products target, remains an unfinished agenda. It may not be on your agenda any time soon, but do keep it on the task list. There is a large piece of the ad revenue pie that the television industry is potentially losing to print because TV ratings do not have meaningful measurement in this audience segment.

     

    4. Price and package innovatively: Remember, there are not just broadcasters and media agencies, but many other types of firms who would be served well with your data. This includes content producers, insights firms, digital agencies, film studios, etc. Be innovative in pricing, so that affordability is ensured without dilution of value. Get your data into the bloodstream of the media industry, not just in the broadcaster and planning world.

     

    5. Open up data bureaus soon, very soon: Do not delay the “licensing” (is there a better word?) of data to approved data bureaus, who can create their own products around the data, offering them as standalone services to the relevant target audience, e.g. a category of channels or advertisers. In the digital world today, third-party ideas that build on your data can be game-changers. The possibilities can be endless. Just open the gates!

     

  • In the eyes of the industry, the Creative and Media Abby became the main attraction of Goafest, writes Sanjeev Kotnala who has attended all 10 editions of Goafest. This three-day fiesta has fought many a battle, but lived to create its own niche and has only emerged stronger after all these challenges, he writes

    Sanjeev Kotnala:Destination #1 for ad,media & mktng pros

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Since its inception in 2006, Goafest been something of an annual pilgrimage for me. Its birth had all the excitement of a baby being born in the extended family of advertisers, media and advertising agencies. It was an event everyone was looking forward to.

     

    It took off in style at Cavelossim beach. My own introduction to Goafest was nothing short of shocking. When I checked into the hotel room at the venue in 2006, I found a mystery pouch from one of the sponsors (I think it was MTV). The pouch, kept next to the pillow, claimed to have the three most essential items one might need at the fest – a mouth freshener for managing foul, beer breath; an antacid to deal with the next day’s hangover, and a condom for the opportunities that may come. That was a trend being set. Since then, Goafest has evolved in many ways, but somehow the ‘beer and rain dance’ have continued as its brand identity.

     

    This three-day fiesta has fought many a battle, but lived to create its own niche. Goafest started as an independent property of the AAAI with an aptly-designed Dolphin trophy, to remind people about its roots. It got a boost when, in 2008, when ‘Ad Club’ came on board and the Abby moved to Goafest. The Dolphin trophy, sadly, became history.

     

    In the eyes of the industry, the Creative and Media Abby became the main attraction of Goafest. It survived the 2014 boycott of the awards by some agencies. It withstood the high-decibel complaints about jury bias, internal awards trading and scam ads, like the JWT fiasco with Ford, the withdrawal of radio spots by Leo Burnett or the local politics. It outlasted the controversy of a business daily publishing the names of the winners ahead of the awards ceremony. Goafest has only emerged stronger after all these challenges.

     

    The beer had started flowing from the very first year. Indeed, Kingfisher has remained the one, stable sponsor for the event. Initially, with free beer being served between 10 am and 4 pm, the beach would be littered with empty bottles the following day. When people complained about too much beer being consumed, a Tughluq-like decision was implemented offering the beverage only with coupons. Fortunately, good sense has prevailed and the fizz is back at Goafest, though the beer is no longer as easily or widely available.

     

    The knowledge seminars have experimented with Indian speakers as well as speakers – legends in their field – from abroad. Now the fest seems to have acquired a touch of ‘spirituality’ and contemporaneity: The young start-up icons are now also invited to the seminars, alongside tried-and-tested creative and media speakers.

     

    To engage both the young and energetic, as well as the young-at-heart, water sports were introduced. An unfortunate incident in 2010 when a delegate plummeted 200 feet during a parasailing event has made the organisers stop this. In its new avatar, Goafest offers sailing and kayaking instead.

     

    The late-night parties at Cavelossim beach were one of the most happening, raucous and full of energy. But the heat, the need to set up hangers on the beach every year and some obliquely-referenced local issues have forced Goafest to move to a hotel instead. Parties now take place in relatively cramped halls, but they go for much longer.

     

    The move to relocate Goafest indoors took away the discomfort of walking in the blazing sun, but it also brought the curtains down on the lively, though informal, fashion and glamour quotient of the delegates that held a charm for some participants.

     

    One year, the India chapter of the International Advertising Association joined the Goafest gang. It held its debate and the first Olive Crown awards here.

     

    The industry conclave, which started out as an ‘invitee only’ event, has evolved into a more democratic meeting today, being now open to all delegates. But one might argue that that has made it lose some of its seriousness and importance. Goafest also experimented with a two-and- three-day delegate registration, but then reverted to the single-registration package. Thankfully, the hugely-successful ISA-associated, and the hugely-subsidised young advertiser registration packages continue.

     

    The awards have increased with Digital and Activation being added. In 2014, the Public Relations, Publisher and Broadcasting category was also added.

     

    Transport arrangements for the delegates, with buses plying between the main hotels, is a boon. It is well-managed and adds to the success of the fest. But when you sometimes see empty halls, it raises questions about whether there is a mismatch between the selection of speakers of what they would speak on, and what the delegates actually want.

     

    An industry event like Goafest is possible only because of its sponsors. Media companies have always acted as the prime sponsors. Hopefully, we will soon see brands taking on that role, and thereby showing their willingness to reach out to this hugely-influential prosumer population. Meanwhile, Goafest will keep evolving and remain a useful platform for media, advertising and marketing professionals to come together.

     

    Sanjeev Kotnala is a leading marketing and brand consultant and trainer. He is founder of Intradia. The views expressed here are his own. A shorter version of this appeared in ‘dna of brands’ dated April 13, 2015

     

  • Newspapers often waste space on some unknown person of Indian origin winning a municipal election in an obscure American town just because of the Indian connection so it was unfortunate to see Sania Mirza not making the cut, notes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Not enough on Sania!

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The world of Twitter exploded when Indian tennis star Sania Mirza became world number one in the women’s doubles version of the game. She is the first Indian woman to scale those heights; Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have both been number one in men’s doubles. Mirza and her partner, the uber-talented multiple Grand slam winner Martina Hingis, won three titles on the trot to claim the ranking.

     

    So congratulations were in order, except for a few well-known internet dyspeptics who dislike Mirza because she’s female, a Muslim, married to a Pakistani or not a singles player. I have not been able to find similar bile directed at Paes or Bhupathi, who also did not reach number 1 ranking in singles either. Hence, my conjecture at the reasons for the hatred of Mirza.

     

    But loons on social media aside, how did traditional media respond? Sunday, April 12, had also seen two Indian Premier League matches and two English Premier League matches. That is, cricket being played in India and football, being played in England with not a single Indian player in sight.

     

    Here’s a roundup of some of the newspapers I looked at on Monday. The Times of India reduced Mirza to the middle of an inside page, after the IPL stories which get the first sports page. TOI though is notoriously skint when it comes to tennis stories. The Hindustan Times, which has much better tennis coverage usually, stuck Mirza on that annoying front page jacket but had a Manchester United player above the masthead on the, er, real front page. The story was relegated to the inside sports pages.

     

    DNA and Asian Age carried the picture on page 1. Mumbai Mirror also had a front page mention. The Economic Times did not mention Mirza at all. I gather from tennis fans across India that major language papers were no different.

     

    Anyone who works in a newspaper understands the pressures and pulls of a newsroom at deadline. But it is still intriguing, especially when we have become so collectively jingoistic about India, Indians and their achievements. Newspapers often waste space on some unknown person of Indian origin winning a municipal election in an obscure American town just because of the Indian connection. But Mirza clearly did not make the cut.

    Ah well.

     

    **

     

    The other big stories of the week were obviously the prime minister’s overseas trip, the declassified files on Subhas Chandra Bose’s family being under Intelligence Bureau surveillance and the Indian purchase of Rafale jets. I am ignoring the twitter squabble between some journalists and Modi fans over the shawl the prime minister has been wearing in Europe because it is so silly.

     

    But if you ever want to get really confused, you could concentrate on the Nehru-spied-on-Bose’s-family and why-did-we-buy-the-jets stories. For those who are not obsessed with Indian contemporary history or India’s defence deals, these are veritable minefields which are impossible to traverse safely with mind and body intact. My point is, the media don’t help!

     

    **

     

    What is more easily accessible is the online and now offline fight to protect “net neutrality” or that is, to stop mobile and internet service providers from allowing access to websites that pay them. And make you pay for the sites you want to go to.
    Get into it!

     

  • Sanjeev Kotnala on the Excellent, the Good, the Not-so-Good and the Ugly at the three-day fest last weekend

    Four Shades of Goafest 2015

     

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    Goafest is in a time warp. Not much has changed in design and yet it seems to be evolving in the right direction to become a destination fest in more ways than one. The shades I share are reflections of various delegates. So before we go ahead, the shades cover the places and pieces of GoaFest I personally interacted and experienced.

     

    SHADE 1- THE EXCELLENT. Something that was paisa vassol and made attending at 10.30 AM  the late morning sessions, that too  after late-night parties and free-flowing beer.

     

    Arnab Goswami (Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief, Times Now ) played the classical debate trick. Pleaded guilty to expected area of suspect like playing up a story, being an activist, getting too involved in the story and not allowing others to speak. Then systematically attacked, broke down charges and ruthlessly crushed them. He craftily leveraged selective pieces of delegate memory moments like the Prince borewell story, the Rahul interview, 26/11 and other stories to draw attention and reflect on his passion.  In the process, justified his actions and get absolved of the charges.

     

    He left few thoughts for the audience to reflect upon. Vehemently voicing his passion for what he does, he reiterated his stance: ‘Neutrality is a crime, when something is wrong’, ‘Journalism of neutrality is a waste, it has no impact’,  ‘There is nothing like a story for a Hindi or an English channel; a story is a story’. And he majestically added:  ‘I am here neither for a PR job or be part of the cocktail circuit or be gratified… I am a journalist’.

     

    He did interject some humour and here’s are a few samples: ‘I have the propensity to go for 2.5 hours, I hold the record for the longest one-hour show on TV’, ‘It became a news not because of content but because PM decided to speak’, ‘Once I have given someone a chance to speak and that was Rahul Gandhi and see what happened’.

     

    The one I liked best was ‘Rahul is like a submarine, he surfaces and then does the deep dive and disappear, he has beaten my best team of investigative journalism an we don’t know where he is’.

     

    Playing the  ‘Chamatkar’ game of 3 Idiots, I contextualised his speech in reference to brand and communication. And it made sense. Sample: A neutral campaign that creates no impact is a waste’. ‘I am not in advertising and marketing to just sell the product, I am there to ensure that the product is safe and creates an impact in the life of its users’.  Suddenly Arnab started to make more sense.

     

    DEVDUTT PATTNAIK (Leadership Coach, Consultant, Mythologist) was a different league. He banked on Santosh Desai’s definition of ‘Brand is a pattern of expectations’ and that Shiva, Vishnu and the temple system in Hindu religion were not too old. Everyone then wanted to be a monk and these were introduced 2000 years back to help the ambitious rulers to find soldiers. Devdutt took delegates through a journey in iconography and symbolism in Hindu mythology. He restricted discussion to Vishnu and Shiva in poster art form (visual form) and temple art form (experience form) and slowly built the case for deliberate planned consistency in brand messaging. He presented how brand message and its consistency flowed through out the elements in the garments, ornaments, body application, location, dance, weapons and even the animal associated as their vehicles. The net result of messaging by hermit Shiva said that it is not essential to leave worldliness and that completeness is only possible with the female form. The householder Vishnu, never seen with his children, pointed that progressiveness. Vishu is seen with his wives in the human avatar form but is never seen with the children.  He is the one who participate and escape, enjoys and breaks heart, is never complete. That is how life is. Vishnu in Krishna avatar gives hermit message: ‘Keep doing your karma and responsibilities- do not fear or desire rewards’. How complex the things are and yet the messaging of not leaving but fulfilling the roles remain alive. All mythological branding has happened without any media or intended push, it impacted us, as the brand message is hugely consistent across time and form. And that is what brands must follow.

     

    THE EASE of registration, movement. The ever helpful crew and the organising committee members working round the clock on their toes to deliver a seamless engaging experience

     

    SHADE 2- GOOD. Things that made other incidents and sessions bearable.

     

    CHETAN BHAGAT (Bestselling English Author) attempted a forced demystifying of his work. He agreed that he might not be the best author but pointed out that he definitely was the bestselling author. And in his own way that proved that you need not to be the best to be successful.

     

    He impressed that his main agenda is change. To make impact. To show progressive way to the Indian youth.  And hence he is using diverse transmedia, multimedia and newmedia opportunities at zero budget to amplify and be everywhere. His engagement runs from books, TV shows, films, digital, writing articles, social media and much more.

     

    EAST INDIA COMEDY performed twice, once during the knowledge session and second during the awards function. In the knowledge session, the group shared ‘how the brands could use the new wave of Comedy and Comedians’. Making relevant points they said: ‘Comedians are influencers and brands should consider tapping into their fan following’, ‘Comedians can make anything funnier, almost anything’, ‘You need to find the best-fit comedian for the brand- so that their core value as and content design does not conflict’ and the best advice ‘Internet audience is smart and takes very less time to decide what to watch and what to trash and hence the rand associations should be subtle. Content remains the king across formats. People may willingly watch a shabbily produced video if the content is funny and good’.  And a warning that ‘Low self-esteem and desperate need to seek attention is the prime requirement to be a comedian’

     

    SUHAS GOPINATH (Founder CEO Global Inc) mesmerised the audience with his story of passion and focus in a candid talk. The sheer enormity of his stature, approach and success made an impact. He proposed starting early but also to complete education. His advice is being seriously passionate about what you want to do and have higher goals.

     

    ASHISH HEMRAJANI (CEO, Bookmyshow) presented the challenges and the changing landscape in e-commerce bsiness amid often shared annecdotes from his own life that helped delegate relate to the lfe and expectation in entrepreunial e-commerce service  space. He predicts a bubble burst in the e-/m-commerce industry.  Hope he is wrong about it.

     

    Alan Moseley (President & Chief Creative Officer, 180 Amsterdam) said there is a need for us to have a different perspective to the things and that the best way to find solutions is to face it.

     

    The SHUTTLE SERVICE had decent frequency connecting few of the associated hotels. The THREE POST AWARD PARTIES were simple and good. They were rocking late in the night. The SAILING experience that few enjoyed during the fest was also good.

     

    SHADE 3- NOT-SO-GOOD. Being polite but they were not bad either.

     

    Film-maker VIKAS BAHL’s interaction with Sonal Dabral was a decent feel-good session. The chemistry between the speaker and the moderator was clearly visible but what is tough to understand is why they chose the path they did for their discussion.

     

    Guy Abraham (Global Strategic Planning Director, ZenithOptimedia Worldwide) moved around the thought that it is about continuously thinking about the brand and called that a 365 degree thinking. In his vie, this minor (to me a major) shift in thinking could make all the difference in brand health and returns. He asked the industry to look for Longer Ideas that can last long. The most valid point shared was that ‘use the paid media to catch them in a moment of connect and not to change the habit’. He complimented Lifebuoy’s ‘Clean and wash hand’ efforts and how they now own the thought.

     

    NEIL STEWART (Head of Agency, APAC, Facebook ) true to Facebook style focussed in sharing what was happening at facebook and what could be expected, how the brands could leverage it, why ‘likes’ were never and now are definitely not the currency to go after. He was worried that the agencies are on the way to kill the golden geese by over-empthasising advertising in digital sace and this may cause disconnect. He said and pushed at the thought that facebook=reach and that is how the brands should be approaching it,

     

    Johny Stark (SVP, APAC, Razorfish ) emphasised the need of great content and adapting to a fast paced working and campaign concept cycles to really take advantages of opportunities in real-time marketing.

     

     

    ONLY TWO BARS to pick beer during the day. They were many times non-operational. The FOOD during lunch and dinner.  RAIN AND FOAM PARTY, seems it is loosing its charm.  The music and infrastructure was excellent but participation going south.

     

    SHADE 4 – UGLY. Things that have their own reason to be the way they are. But something that one would want rethought.

     

    Starting on time. Waiting for the hall to fill… Goafest needs to set example. What stops us starting on time like the rest of the international awards and seminars. The gap between lunch and dinner extending to 8 hours. Would supose that is bad and disturbing for a lot of people. Many laptops at media centre not working

     

    The post-lunch session on Day Three (Ted Lim of Denstu Asia) was cancelled for some reason.  I am afraid that no announcenet was made or if it was made the delegates were not aware of the same.

     

    Bronze winners called on stage on award night on Day 1, but denied the pleasure of picking the trophy on Day 2 and 3. I propose that there should be consistency in Goafest approach.

     

    The incident involving a habitual interrupting delegate during Arnab Goswami’s session. There was a clamour for his eviction, but graceful Arnab said he was okay with him being in the hall.

     

    No comment on Industry Conclave with Anand Kripalu, D Shivakumar, R Chandrasekar and Sanjeeb Chaudhuri in sessions moderated by Arunabh Das Sharma. I could not attend it. Most who attended found the Conclave  useful, relevant and well-presented. Session not attended but comments are  basis delegate feedback – Ashish Hemrajani Jonny Stark , Niel Stewart and Guy Abraham

     

     

  • We are indeed lucky the news channels did not tell us what Rahul Gandhi was eating for breakfast and so on, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Rahul G is back. Yawn

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Given that the prime minister and chief newscatcher of India is away in foreign lands, Indian TV media found its dose of breathless excitement in the return of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi from… somewhere. He’s back after 56 days or 57 days or eight weeks or six weeks or the Indian Express told us this morning, 53 days. Many days obviously, but we are short on detail even there.  We don’t know where he went, we don’t know for how long and we just about vaguely know why: Introspection or some such political excuse. So much for all the Ws and Hs, once essential in the practice of nuts and bolts journalism.

     

    What we got was a moving picture of a car window through which I at least could see nothing. In one newspaper this morning, there was a shadowy face worthy of a Dan Brown conspiracy theory but two very cute little doggies. The doggies were not named or identified so the reader is none the wiser on pointless trivia.

     

    Some Congress party members burnt fire crackers in celebration and provided some anodyne sound bytes. Some BJP people sniggered. In short nothing unusual or newsworthy was on offer apart presumably from the fact of Gandhi’s return. With nothing to say, reporters egged on by anchors, speculated on what Gandhi was doing, could be doing, should be doing, might not be doing, would do if he was the reporter or the anchor or another person. We are indeed lucky they did not tell us he was eating breakfast, having a bath and so on. Or who knows, maybe any facts would have been more interesting than this piffle.

     

    So there we are. Rahul Gandhi is back in India. Yawn.

     

    **

     

    There is an intriguing difference between city coverage in newspapers in Delhi and Mumbai. Mumbai newspapers are obsessed with crime, civic issues (this covers just about everything), infrastructure development (whatever’s left) and the green narrative. Politics takes a backseat. Delhi newspapers are obsessed with politics and its colleges. I read a whole page on some childish little fight in St Stephens College that was neither spicy nor exciting nor even that interesting. Who woulda thunk that the Dalliwallahs were so big on education? All right, I apologise. Having spent most of my life in Mumbai, I do know that when Mumbaikars speak education, they’re talking money. Not: my principal is so mean.

     

    And for an outsider, it seems like crime should be a big Delhi thing…

     

    The Delhi obsession with St Stephens College is odd, though. Why?

     

    **

     

    Prime Minister Modi is away of course but not forgotten. His tours of France, Germany and Canada have been covered extensively by all the new channels. If you think there has been any shortfall, blame it on the time difference. The Canadian media has also covered the visit, especially the uranium deal. Time Magazine has got US president Barack Obama to write a profile on Modi, surely a coup.

     

    Indian newspapers however, have been more on the deals struck than the hoopla around the visit. I must here admit that I am sorely disappointed with the NRIs of Canada for not providing a song-and-dance show like their counterparts in the US and Australia.

     

    Or maybe the evil media didn’t show it?

     

  • Replicating existing success stories through variants (called 'formula' in our industry) is fine to a point, but when that becomes the only way of working, you are in for long-term trouble, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor: Wake up to a World beyond Formulaic Entertainment

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    We are 12 weeks down in 2015, and it’s not been the most action-packed year on the entertainment business front. If you discount the Cricket World Cup, which just happened to be scheduled in this period, and the cautious excitement around BARC, there’s little that the TV industry has to show at the end of the first one-thirds of 2015.

     

    &TV’s launch has been one of the highlight events, but the channel has subsequently stabilised around its launch numbers, now waiting for the next push that could take it into the big league. There have been the regular show launches on Hindi GECs, and some of them have emerged as financially-sound propositions for their channels with above-par ratings, but none of them have made an impact that could fundamentally change the nature of programming in the category.

     

    Ironically, the most exciting programming news of the year so far was around foreign content. HBO brought Game Of Thrones Season 5 to India at the same time as the rest of the world. Despite catering to a niche, it was a move big enough to be taken note of.

     

    But look for other such moves and you would struggle to find much in these four months. The news, the regional, the movie and the kids genres continue to dish out their regular fare. No ideas have been powerful enough to shine through and make an impact.

     

    Star’s immensely successful launch of the Hotstar app is perhaps the biggest television success story of 2015 so far. But if content innovation goes missing, no platform would help over time.

     

    The story is not very different on the Bollywood front. In fact, it’s worse by a margin. Four months down, no Hindi film has crossed the 100 crore mark, which was being seen as ‘too easy’ till a year ago. The only film in line to achieve that benchmark is a foreign film, Furious 7, which has opened and sustained better than any Hindi film this year. And with the next Avengers movie lined up for April 24, we will soon have Hollywood taking the top two spots, while Hindi releases struggle to stay afloat in what is turning out to be the worst period for the industry in about a decade.

     

    At the heart of all these symptoms is the problem of not innovating enough. Replicating existing success stories through variants (called ‘formula’ in our industry) is fine to a point, but when that becomes the only way of working, you are in for long-term trouble.

     

    The audience taste, and exposure to content online and worldwide, is evolving faster than ever before. So while mainline channels struggle to innovate, we have TVF’s Permanent Roommates clocking more than a million views per episode. Before we know it, another couple of online ideas work and we could be talking of a potential dent in television viewership that’s visible on the left side of the decimal point.

     

    Wake up, people. Show us something new, something that stands out as original and exciting, something that truly breaks the clutter, as you like to say.

     

  • If your place of employment has taken a policy decision to ignore the sort of stories that you feel strongly about, protest or even better, quit, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: The new, sloppy world of Indian journalism

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The Prime Minister of India is apparently upset that the media targeted his minister VK Singh for his “presstitute” remark, while ignoring the good evacuation work that the former chief of army staff had done in Yemen.

     

    In these media-obsessed times, where we are given more importance than we are worth, perhaps the PM’s comments are understandable. What I find intriguing is the number of working journalists who agree with Narendra Modi about the lack of attention paid to India’s exemplary role in evacuating people from the dangers in Yemen. If you work in a newspaper or a TV channel or a website, then you have a say in what goes into your paper or appears on your channel or on your website. To come on Twitter and start ranting about “the media” as one entity which ignored events in Yemen is childish and exposes your own irresponsibility. What were you doing? Does your job have no value or meaning? Can you not make your voice heard in your newsroom? In that case, what sort of a journalist are you? The best newsrooms after all are those in which there is healthy discussion and that is a euphemism for a fight!

     

    And if your place of employment has taken a policy decision to ignore the sort of stories that you feel strongly about, take a stand. Protest or even better, quit: that way you will show the world the depth of your beliefs and your ideals.

     

    But no, you have that loan, your child’s education, your weakness for shoes or whatever. So much easier to do a sloppy job at work and then come to social media to slam this entity called “the media”. Imagine how good a journalist you are when you pretend that there is such a thing as “the media” which thinks and acts as one. I use the word “sloppy” deliberately because if you are a job-worker then you have no business being a journalist. I find this category of journalist more repulsive than those who openly support a political party. At least they take a position openly in their professional life, whether you agree with them or not. But these say-nothing-at-work-and-rant-on-social-media journalists are nothing but snivelling cowards who pretend to have principles but only care about their pelf.

     

    But given the state of media managements today and the general standard I see around me, I give thanks that I have been unemployed for five years now and counting. And thanks to this column, unemployable as well!

     

    **

     

    Since I wrote about how no one knows what Rahul Gandhi did when he was away from public life for two months or what he did, this joke on Twitter after his speech at a rally and in Parliament seemed appropriate: apparently, he’d been learning to speak Hindi!

     

    **

     

    Other political parties in India must be either tearing their metaphorical hair out or hugely relieved that the national media’s obsession with AAP means that this Delhi-based parties regularly wins newsprint space and airtime over even the prime minister of India. One of those bane and boon situations…