Category: DEAR MxM

By Jaisurya Das

And this has been one really newsy month, hasn’t it?! Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, thank you so much for your words of encouragement week after week. We will continue to do our best to alleviate your industry concerns as well as hopefully entertain you with our topical introductions.

I was pleasantly surprised last evening when my fruit vendor preferred me paying through a digital wallet; For the first time in my life, I bought a dozen bananas and paid by scanning his QR* code. The bananas weren’t as exciting as this whole process that lasted less than a minute! He had just transported my life onto another orbit. I was now ‘socially relevant’ and #trending.

As is evident, my writing is now contemporary and these amazing chequered symbols are used #liberally. The #demonetisation has had its advantages with digital penetration and reach growing exponentially day after day. Today, it’s out of necessity and much like the stone-age, the barter system is back in our lives albeit in a new avatar.

Interestingly, every small outlet including my chai vendor at office has a Paytm account and bandies it around, much like the tea in his flask. It’s almost become a fashion statement with everything from bananas to spinach and even peanuts if you please, exchanging hands through digital gateways.

There is a certain sense of pride that I take from this entire new era.

The pride of being an integral part of the changing ethos of our country. Technology is for the masses and this one step has undoubtedly accelerated its acceptance.

‘Necessity is undoubtedly the mother of invention’ isn’t it?

*QR is short for quick response and is a brand name for a matrix like barcode that was incidentally first developed for the automobile industry in Japan.

And now ladies and gentleman, it’s time for our readers from Mumbai, Delhi, and hold your breath, Bristol (UK) to get answers for their concerns. Welcome aboard, Bristol! Read on…

Sir, you appear to have praised the demonetisation move and you seem to echo the government’s ‘no pain, no gain’ line, but the immediate impact on the media economy is severe. Already several campaigns have been withdrawn or rescheduled, and we are worried that our billings for November and even December will be severely hit. We are all for steps for checking black money, but was this the best route to take?

Thanks for writing in my friend. Yes, I think this was a good move and the core objectives are within sight. No, this isn’t the solution, nor is it a foolproof remedy to curtail unaccounted wealth but this yet one bold step in this direction.

I have, along with several million Indians, cried myself hoarse on the need to rein in all this hugely flaunted black money. I can’t be hypocritical and be carried away by logistical issues on this. A move like this is bound to have settling in time just the way it unsettled lakhs and lakhs of people across the country.

I have personally witnessed grown up men weeping uncontrollably at the thought of losing all the wealth that they strategically built on, day after day. It’s all gone. Yes, advertising revenues have dropped, so has trade and industrial growth but this isn’t for long.

Clean trade will not be affected by this. The slowdown is just another indicator of the unaccounted wealth that moved down every corridor with sniper precision.

Is this what you want? No, I certainly want to see a cleaner country, with people accounting for all their wealth and enjoying a tax free regime much like the UAE and other countries that have learnt to balance their budgets effectively. The choice is yours my friend. Invest in the future or live with the imbroglio of a corrupt economy.

I am doing my masters in public relations and find that in placement,the salaries being offered to us are so pathetically lower than the other MBAs in our institute and MBAs in regular business management programmes. Do you think I made a mistake by enrolling into to a PR/communications management and not general management programme?

I wonder why the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s almost akin to an optical illusion.

It isn’t the industry as much as our passion for careers. The larger picture is often forgotten. Careers don’t get you anywhere. It is craft that separates the wheat from the chaff and nothing will change this equation.

My honest advice would be to forget chasing salary packages and work instead on building core competence. Build on differentiators and USPs to unlock your prowess and the rest will follow.

Careers mean nothing and a bad boss can take it from you at the next appraisal but your craft is yours for keeps. Someone will always recognise it, and give you your due.

I leave you today with this thought and hopefully this will become the reality of your life ahead.

I want to be a fashion journalist. What course should I do to become one?

Go ahead, my friend. This is yet another industry that will never be out of work considering our tendency to pamper our vanity.

Having said that, it’s indeed unfortunate that there aren’t many schools worth their salt, teaching this specialisation. In fact the best fashion writers today are all self-taught or have worked in the industry in various capacities and have a flair for writing.

Yes, there are a few fashion institutes that do have some courses of this kind but nothing that is worthy of mention here. It may be prudent on your part to do some writing through a blog or online media and gain a foothold with your work.

Spend time reading and connecting with people in the industry and keep writing. If it’s good work, it will certainly find its space.

All the very best to you, my friend.

I am writing to you from Bristol in England. Due to some family issues, I need to relocate to Ahmedabad for 18 months. I have completed my media management from a leading university in the UK and would like to consider a job in the media or advertising. Any recommendations, Sir?

Thank for writing in to Dear MxM. To be honest giving you a recommendation would be fool hardy considering the volatility of this industry!

My suggestion would be to get here and sense the market, talk to people and then carefully decide on a shortlist of companies that you can apply to..

The market isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be and good resources are always in demand. I have personally seen companies creating slots for good candidates be it Mumbai, Delhi or Ahmedabad. In fact Ahmedabad is on a roll with infrastructure and single windows attracting much investment.

Having said that, go for established brands or very bright startups (with promoters who understand the business ) and its unlikely that you will go wrong. It’s important to be working in a company where the promoters have a long-standing reputation and will thus protect the firm from erosion no matter what.

The rest is always left to the individual. The good will more than survive no matter what or where the company.

I guess it’s time I move on from the prosaic to reality and hence for now, Sayonara and God bless. I will be back next week, same space, same day, only to enthral you with finer questions and incisive answers, for this is our calling. Dear MxM is for you!

Have a wonderful weekend, readers. Do take good care of yourselves and let those questions come in with renewed vigour. All it takes is a mail on editor@mxmindia.com 

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

It’s amazing isn’t it, how most Indian’s have turned economists overnight thanks to this public outrage and debate on social media. Yes, #demonetisation is precisely what I am referring to.

Ladies and Gentleman, welcome back to this fresh edition of your favourite online counsellor. I have taken great pleasure in joining some of the recent online debates and in fact sparked off some of them. It’s a different matter that I quietly exited soon after only to sit and watch the drama that unfolded online.

The topic of the discussion isn’t my focus for this intro as what interested me was really the persona that one takes on the moment you are on social media. It’s most often a careful thought off character, a know it all who has a view on almost everything under the sun. Now this is akin to being a humanoid version of the Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

From deep analysis of CRR ratios and the functioning of the RBI, most of us have had a view. Some have even had amazing details on how the note press at Nashik functions. I wonder why all this talent isn’t being leveraged for the better good of our country.

I am quite tempted to tweet some of these comments to the PM and PMO and inform them of the sheer wealth of economic knowledge that exists on a platform like FB. In fact, my next business venture should ideally be a huge consulting firm that specialises in niche analysis of the global economy. I am currently working on the feasibility study before I launch this venture in partnership with 1,14,311 others who have recently commented on economic debates on my timeline…

Till then, join us in our Q&A for the week from our esteemed readers in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Lucknow and Goa.

I am interested in television journalism want to be an anchor in a Hindi news channel. But I am balding, and I am worried that I will be rejected because of this. Would you know If channels have a view on hair on the head?

Ha ha, this is indeed a new one. But you have a point. I wouldn’t want to see a bald head on screen. Now this is precisely why I don’t look at the mirror!

Coming back to your question, while this is something that TV channels would probably not admit to, it is the reality. Bald and beautiful doesn’t work

here. But this doesn’t mean you cant become a good TV anchor and fortunately news journalism doesn’t require hair on the head!

May I suggest you consult a reliable trichologist who will be able to check on the nature of your baldness and suggest the best line of treatment. Hair weaving, transplantation etc are commonly practised across the world. This might set you back by a fair sum of money but can be certainly remedy this gap… oops patch I mean.

This is not a career question, but it is impacting a career in a big way. My colleague – a 22-year-old girl couldn’t hold her drink and passed out while she was in the company of another male colleague. Now she is very embarrassed about it and is wondering what to do? She is debating whether to stay in the same organisation. Please advise.

Ah! The famed Bacchus affinity. To be honest, I haven’t really understood the need for such over reaction. An excess of alcohol can get anyone of us to pass out and this isn’t a huge crime.

Yes, in a corporate environment and in the presence of colleagues (who you may not be great friends with) is something that is completely avoidable. Pass out but not at work, with work ! Having said that, the simplest thing to do would be to advise her to apologise for this incident and close this issue before it starts telling on her work and peace.

Everyone understands such situations and am sure this can be settled once for all. The greater the emphasis on this incident, the more complex it will get.

Apologise, forgive and forget. Amen.

And yes, before I forget do tell her that the consumption of alcohol can be seriously injurious to health. Tomato juice may be a safer option.  Orange is fine too.

I have been a journalist for two years with a leading film magazine but I want to get into the development sector. What is the career scope there?

Thanks for writing in to Dear MxM. To the best of my understanding, people join the development sector more for the passion of giving than making a career out of this.

Having said this, yes careers are made too. However it may be prudent to do your research into this segment, the organisations you are targeting, its trustees, founders, credibility etc.

Please do ensure that the source of funding, the methodology etc is checked as well since often these organisations are used merely as a conduit for money laundering. It would be advisable to actually visit one or two of the projects they have worked on independently and actually see their work on ground. First-hand information on their quality and commitment to purpose is critical.

Remember, one bad organisation or experience can leave you with a tainted curriculum vitae.

Go on, do your research and then step in, to serve the needy. May the force be with you!

Sir, I have working with a leading auto company in the marketing department. But I am interested in running an auto magazine – on the sales and marketing front. I am told that there is no future in magazines. True? But how come all the auto magazines are doing so well?

I have reason to agree with this reality. The magazine market is a rapidly declining one and the biggest of brands are finding it difficult to sustain and improve on bottomlines.

While some niche magazines can work, it is only the highly specialised one where unique researched content is the mainstay. A typical example of this are the exclusive high end medical journals. These niche brands carry actual research papers that are not available elsewhere and hence can boast of a loyal subscriber base.

Auto magazines are doing better than the rest since most automobile fans collect images and specs of their favourite cars and bikes. However, it may interest you that none of these auto magazines have been able to expand or grow exponentially. They survive and make some amount of profits by keeping their print run’s low.

The online world and its spontaneity has rendered this market almost non-existent. Personally, I would advise you against this space. Consider an interesting online product that is smart, quick and relevant to the audience of today. All the very best to you.

Vrrrrooooom Vrooom and its time for me to speed away now. Have an enjoyable weekend and take good care of yourself.  Remember, it pays to be good or so I am told.  Keep those questions coming in to us at editor@mxmindia.com with ‘Dear MxM’ and your ‘City’ mentioned in the subject.  Till next week then, Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

Dear MxM expresses its heartfelt condolences to the people of Tamil Nadu on the humongous loss of the exceedingly popular CM, Selv Jayalalithaa Jayaram.

To make things worse, the brilliant journalist, author and former MP, Cho Ramaswamy passed away a few hours later, in the same hospital at Chennai. I write this short piece today in tribute of these amazingly charismatic human beings who I have had the good fortune to meet professionally, during my Chennai days.

Selvi. Jayalalithaa’s infectious smile and fabulous diction floored me instantly and I was left gaping at her during the short interaction. Her calm and composed body language radiated power, confidence and immense belief in her ideals… Rest in Peace, Ma’am.

Tughlak Cho Sir as he was known in the media circles in Chennai had this amazing blend of sarcasm and humour that I wished I could learn. I remember him saying in his characteristic Tamil-laced, English: “Why this media line I say? So many better things to do. See what it did to my hair”..

Looking back, my inspiration may have been his bald pate and his amazing wisdom across topics. His magazine Tughlak was a no-holds-barred brand, where he criticised anything that felt amiss. He was probably one of the few people who had an amazing relationship with Indira Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Narendra Modi for that matter…

In fact, if am not mistaken Tughlak was the first media brand that bandied Modi as the ideal PM, even when Advani was ruling the roost. Cho Sir was a man who was fearless, much like Jayalalithaa.

Lived on their own terms, did what they believed was right and stood steadfast with their objectives. Much respect.

I tip my hat to these amazing human beings…

Straight to our questions for this week, Thank you readers from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

I finding doing creative work for outdoor advertising the most challenging. But is there a future in outdoor or OOH?

Thanks for writing in to us at Dear MxM..! Yes, the OOH medium is in serious need for creative re-invention and this is one of the less explored mediums in creative media.

Unlike most other verticals, OOH hasn’t seen earth shattering work here in India. Having said tha, I seriously believe that this sector offers tremendous potential, however this gets relegated to the bottom of the media plan..

Coming back to your question, frankly, as of now the future looks bleak and this can only change when we see more investment in this area. This is exceedingly dependent on the market dynamics much like retail and hence predicting this mediums future would be fool hardy.

Yes, as far as I see it, the current advertising slowdown has made it difficult for most media including OOH that is also at the mercy of the municipal corporations and others with respect to their sites. Personally, I would urge you to treat this with caution for a year till things stabilise.

Sir, I saw that journalist covering the Selvi J Jayalalithaa hospitalisation and passing away were in the constant fear of a mob attack. While I would like to be in the place of action when I get into journalism next year, does all of it require any special skills?

No, you don’t need to invest in a bullet proof vest to be a good journalist. These are those rare days when anything can happen, be it mob fury or terrorist attacks.
For god’s sake, don’t get carried away. Yes, you need special skills and foremost in this list for me, would be the ability to grip audiences with your journalistic abilities.

The ability to keep your ears on the ground and your head firmly on your shoulder. Read, talk and learn all that you can and yes, stick to your purpose of becoming a sound journo.

The rest is anybody’s guess. The media market is as volatile and any other and its the what that separates from the chaff that can make the difference and retain audiences of the future.

My agency won an award at a recent advertising function. However, I didn’t get due recognition even though I contributed immensely because I am a trainee. How do I extract some recognition for my work?

This is indeed unfortunate and yet very typical of a large setup and team work. Doesn’t speak well of the organisation and its leaders but, yes, this is the reality.

I completely understand how you feel and I think it’s important to have a chat with your immediate superior. Not to be aggressive but to share your feeling on being left out of this recognition. It’s important to place on record your displeasure after all the effort that went into it.

It may not have any effect but they will know and this is important. This is the mark of a good leader who is secure enough to be inclusive with all that he does. You don’t find them easy nowadays though. Pity.

For now, don’t worry yourself about it. Feel good that you work obviously won accolades and this is what is the larger picture. Stick to your craft and soon enough recognition will come to you.

Am sure you will see the day when you have the rest looking upto you in awe. Make you work inspiring and leave the rest to the Universe.

Sir, I work with a publication where my BFF and colleague has quit recently. And being a small team, I am worried about being alone and that impacting my productivity. Sir, what would you advise I do?

I see no reason for you to worry. You are not a rookie any longer and don’t need handholding. Why the diffidence in your ability?

Forget about this trivia and move on with your objectives at work. There is always time beyond this to interact and enjoy a great friendship. This doesn’t need to be at office.

In fact, this may be a blessing in disguise. You may just end up becoming far more confident with your skills and abilities.

Go for it! All good wishes to you.

On this note of promise, I take leave for this week. Do enjoy your impending weekend and take good care of yourselves… Please do feel free to write in with your concerns on editor@mxmindia.com superscribing your ‘ City’ and Dear MxM in the subject line. Till then, Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work, visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

Dear MxM expresses its heartfelt condolences to the people of Tamil Nadu on the humongous loss of the exceedingly popular CM, Selv Jayalalithaa Jayaram.

To make things worse, the brilliant journalist, author and former MP, Cho Ramaswamy passed away a few hours later, in the same hospital at Chennai. I write this short piece today in tribute of these amazingly charismatic human beings who I have had the good fortune to meet professionally, during my Chennai days.

Selvi. Jayalalithaa’s infectious smile and fabulous diction floored me instantly and I was left gaping at her during the short interaction. Her calm and composed body language radiated power, confidence and immense belief in her ideals… Rest in Peace, Ma’am.

Tughlak Cho Sir as he was known in the media circles in Chennai had this amazing blend of sarcasm and humour that I wished I could learn. I remember him saying in his characteristic Tamil-laced, English: “Why this media line I say? So many better things to do. See what it did to my hair”..

Looking back, my inspiration may have been his bald pate and his amazing wisdom across topics. His magazine Tughlak was a no-holds-barred brand, where he criticised anything that felt amiss. He was probably one of the few people who had an amazing relationship with Indira Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Narendra Modi for that matter…

In fact, if am not mistaken Tughlak was the first media brand that bandied Modi as the ideal PM, even when Advani was ruling the roost. Cho Sir was a man who was fearless, much like Jayalalithaa.

Lived on their own terms, did what they believed was right and stood steadfast with their objectives. Much respect.

I tip my hat to these amazing human beings…

Straight to our questions for this week, Thank you readers from Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.

I finding doing creative work for outdoor advertising the most challenging. But is there a future in outdoor or OOH?

Thanks for writing in to us at Dear MxM..! Yes, the OOH medium is in serious need for creative re-invention and this is one of the less explored mediums in creative media.

Unlike most other verticals, OOH hasn’t seen earth shattering work here in India. Having said tha, I seriously believe that this sector offers tremendous potential, however this gets relegated to the bottom of the media plan..

Coming back to your question, frankly, as of now the future looks bleak and this can only change when we see more investment in this area. This is exceedingly dependent on the market dynamics much like retail and hence predicting this mediums future would be fool hardy.

Yes, as far as I see it, the current advertising slowdown has made it difficult for most media including OOH that is also at the mercy of the municipal corporations and others with respect to their sites. Personally, I would urge you to treat this with caution for a year till things stabilise.

Sir, I saw that journalist covering the Selvi J Jayalalithaa hospitalisation and passing away were in the constant fear of a mob attack. While I would like to be in the place of action when I get into journalism next year, does all of it require any special skills?

No, you don’t need to invest in a bullet proof vest to be a good journalist. These are those rare days when anything can happen, be it mob fury or terrorist attacks.
For god’s sake, don’t get carried away. Yes, you need special skills and foremost in this list for me, would be the ability to grip audiences with your journalistic abilities.

The ability to keep your ears on the ground and your head firmly on your shoulder. Read, talk and learn all that you can and yes, stick to your purpose of becoming a sound journo.

The rest is anybody’s guess. The media market is as volatile and any other and its the what that separates from the chaff that can make the difference and retain audiences of the future.

My agency won an award at a recent advertising function. However, I didn’t get due recognition even though I contributed immensely because I am a trainee. How do I extract some recognition for my work?

This is indeed unfortunate and yet very typical of a large setup and team work. Doesn’t speak well of the organisation and its leaders but, yes, this is the reality.

I completely understand how you feel and I think it’s important to have a chat with your immediate superior. Not to be aggressive but to share your feeling on being left out of this recognition. It’s important to place on record your displeasure after all the effort that went into it.

It may not have any effect but they will know and this is important. This is the mark of a good leader who is secure enough to be inclusive with all that he does. You don’t find them easy nowadays though. Pity.

For now, don’t worry yourself about it. Feel good that you work obviously won accolades and this is what is the larger picture. Stick to your craft and soon enough recognition will come to you.

Am sure you will see the day when you have the rest looking upto you in awe. Make you work inspiring and leave the rest to the Universe.

Sir, I work with a publication where my BFF and colleague has quit recently. And being a small team, I am worried about being alone and that impacting my productivity. Sir, what would you advise I do?

I see no reason for you to worry. You are not a rookie any longer and don’t need handholding. Why the diffidence in your ability?

Forget about this trivia and move on with your objectives at work. There is always time beyond this to interact and enjoy a great friendship. This doesn’t need to be at office.

In fact, this may be a blessing in disguise. You may just end up becoming far more confident with your skills and abilities.

Go for it! All good wishes to you.

On this note of promise, I take leave for this week. Do enjoy your impending weekend and take good care of yourselves… Please do feel free to write in with your concerns on editor@mxmindia.com superscribing your ‘ City’ and Dear MxM in the subject line. Till then, Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work, visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

And it’s Christmas week…! Ladies and Gentleman, welcome back to India’s premier counselling platform, Dear MxM!

One more month and India will celebrate its 67th Republic Day at the ramparts of the Red Fort, Delhi.  This day will also in all probability see the launch of Arnab’s Goswami’s new independent news channel, Republic.

Now this is hazarding a guess but with a name such, it would make marketing sense to pile on to the 26th January coverage for instant traction. What happens post that is anybody’s guess. After all, media isn’t an easy business, independent or otherwise.

It would be interesting though to sit on the fence and watch all the action pan out. I am particularly keen on figuring how this new independent , or independent (?)  channel will get marketed. On one hand, we have Rahul Shivshankar ( Formerly in NewsX )  who has quietly moved in to Times Now, and on the other, we have this behemoth of sorts, Arnab with this new offering.

Mohandas Pai and Chandrasekhar are both people that have been able to significantly change that way business works, They are now rumoured to be the force behind Goswami and his Republic. Now, this is really independence of the highest order. I wonder what will become of their political ideologies when they power an independent media house. Hmmm, yet another interesting scenario to watch..

 

For now, the scenario we need to focus on are our esteemed reader concerns. This time around from the cities of Jaipur, Chennai, Pune and Ahmedabad…

 

I can understand if government organisations have such archaic rules, but why do private media companies also adopt rules which force people to take their leaves by the end of the calendar year else they lapse?

It’s not really archaic. It’s just practical and also helps companies rationalise staffing. Encashing leave has long gone now and most companies do not offer this facility any more. The few who do, allow this only when you are leaving the services of the company or retiring from service. This also comes with a maximum number of days you can accumulate which in most cases — 90 at best. For the record, Indian companies are among the few across the world who give so much of leave in a given year ranging from casual leave, medical leave and earned/privilege leave.

Most international firms offer only earned leave of around three weeks in a given calendar year and there is no other leave permitted. Medical leave is given in cases where there is prolonged leave that is necessitated by a prevalent medical condition with the concerned employee.

Moreover, efficiency is known to be optimal when you take your annual breaks without fail and hence discerning employee friendly companies encourage taking a break once a year. Often the misuse of the other leaves lead to major discontent and any excuse is used to take a day off. One of the reasons companies introduced WFM (work from home) with logins etc was to circumvent these frequent short breaks that employees took.

 

Sir, my brother works as head of marketing at a leading organisation and he keeps cribbing that save a few exceptions, the overall standards of talent in adsales has dipped considerably. Fair assessment?

I have reason to agree with your brother on this. It’s often very depressing to see the current breed of ad sales professionals going out into the market without being equipped with skills or proficiency with the subject.

As I have said, several times over in my columns, mentors have long gone out of the system and today’s leaders are more concerned about protecting their own chair over employee performance. The young breed one meets today have several gap areas starting from basic communication, presentation skills to domain knowledge. They rarely get any training and are sent out with their sales kits to bring in the revenue. One sharp question and they have no answers to offer.

Soon all of them can be seen visiting only the ‘comfort stations’ as I call them, where questions are replaced with a chai and discussions on everything that circumnavigates the globe!

Pity really, but this is the reality. I seriously wonder where these young kids will go as the years go by and the revenue pie shrinks in favour of dynamic mediums who require almost no sales intervention…

 

What according to you is the necessary qualification to be a copywriter?

Passion for writing above all. The ability to see things in a different light and the observation skills of a leopard going in for the kill.

To me, these are the most important skills and very little will change this  imminent skill set. The rest can be taught and learnt with ease.

 

Sir, why is it that our standalone digital agencies aren’t able to measure up to the creative agencies  when I comes to creative work?

I don’t think that is entirely true. I have seen some excellent creative work being done by digital agencies. Quite recently, I was on the jury of the Big Bang Awards at Bangalore and had the honour of judging some phenomenal work in digital among other things.

It’s just that the mainline creative agencies are better known. They spend more on marketing themselves while the digital agencies are immersed in their work. It’s important to rememberer that the digital agencies are most often small and have less manpower in comparison and hence there is little time spent on effective marketing or branding of their own property.

To me, it’s not about creativity as much as ‘shouting from the rooftops’ on the quality of creative. Give these small agencies a chance to grow and am sure you will see much more out there in terms of super creative campaigns.

Till we meet next, here’s wishing all my readers a Heavenly Christmas !

Make the most of it, ladies and gentleman, enjoy yourselves to the hilt but don’t drink and drive!

Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also the Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work, visit www.xanadu.co.in

 

The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

So long, farewell, my friend…

No, this isn’t an obituary written in memory of a human being I knew. It’s more an ode to an interestingly different period of time we call the Gregorian Year 2016.

It breaks my heart to see this year go by. I know it’s been bad in several respects and has caused many a heart to skip a beat, but for me, the start of an interesting journey into the vast world of a smarter time. Yes, this is debatable but don’t get me wrong here. This is my life, my opinion and my belief that this so-called horrid year is actually a blessing in disguise.

It may take me the next 36 months to prove my hunch right, but something tells me that the year ahead will hold promise, much promises and this has been made possible by the experience of pain, ceaselessness and belief in the objectives we live and work towards.

A year that has seen some of the most profound personalities of the country move on to a better world; Jayalalithaa, Cho Ramaswamy, Dileep Padgaonkar and many more, less known, less bandied, less revered but human.

Demonetisation and the agony of dealing with penury brought us closer to the reality around us. It taught us respect for small change and less fortunate.

It taught us economics like never before, or so we believe. Social media peaked at an all-time high with everyone becoming spokesmen for the entire population of the country, rural and urban. Mudslinging and political abuse was it its highest and interestingly came from people who probably didn’t recognise one party from the other.

Rhetoric and emotional oratory became mainstay and the eternal “volume boost’ amplifier aka Arnab Goswami wasn’t there through and through to do it justice. Pity we missed an infinite opportunity to test our television sound capabilities.

Much excitement, much drama and more… and yet for some strange reason, this year isn’t being given its due. For me, the year 2016 is epic and will remain a unique example of all that can be wrong, right and most certainly

exciting… 

Farewell 2016, I for one, will miss you.

Last week, I went to Ranthambore and spotted a tiger. I notice that every time there is a long weekend break, I head to a wildlife sanctuary. My question is not for travel tips, but if there’s a future in journalism or photography tracking the wildlife in India and elsewhere.

Wonderful! This is one passion that has its own charm that never goes out of style. Of course there are options available but not so much within India. Wildlife tracking, photography and adventure-based content hasn’t got the attention it deserves. This is a huge segment and there is great work happening in most countries and hence the opportunity can be huge.

It will take some amount of research and networking on your part to get the right training ground and work thereafter, but yes, am sure it’s workable.

There are several International media brands that feature a lot of adventure

tourism content offering immense scope.

Niche magazines in the segment is yet another area that you can target. I take this opportunity to wish you all success !

If people are saying the impact of demonetisation is huge on the economy and consequently advertising spends, how come we have so many ads still there in the papers? Or do we see a downturn this year vis-a-vis the last year?

Am not sure which paper you are referring to my friend, but the situation is far from robust. Yes, there is a clear downturn over 2015 and a visible reduction in advertising spend in some of the major markets of the country.

I must however add that the downturn started well before the demonetisation announcement and hence it would be unfair to place this as the main reason. The demonetisation has impacted advertising but more so with the retail, real estate and education segments.

The advertising and media industry in India is known for its resilience and hence I don’t believe this downturn will last beyond the next six months. Business will happen for sure!

The owner of my media company has found an investor and if would say has struck gold. But he’s not parting with any of his fortunes with us employees who have slogged it out. All we got was a boondi laddoo. Of course our service contracts didn’t mention anything on stock options etc, but do you think I shouldn’t have reasons to feel cheated?

Not at all! Enjoy the boondi laddoo and forget about the owner’s fortunes. If he’s giving you whatever has been promised, there is no reason to complain.

Am sure he will value good work done and at some point of time reward the team as well, if he’s a discerning entrepreneur. But sitting there and crying over sour grapes isn’t a great way to perform!

My honest advice to you would be to stop being greedy, enjoy what you have and go on and prove your mettle. The fortunes will follow if you have it in you.

All the best, my friend!

Is there any government rule on working without consuming alcohol or is it a rule that is administered by individual offices (for instance, there is a ban on smoking in offices and office buildings)

Yes, there are several rules on the consumption of alcohol but they are essentially regulated by the government when it comes to industry and factory staff.

For the others, there is something even better that I call professional decorum. The use of intoxicants like alcohol and narcotic substances  at work isn’t a great idea, as they can get you sluggish and affect your performance.

Consequently, no sensible company will allow its people to consume alcohol in the normal case and if at all, it would be at a special occasion and will be limited to a very minimal quantity.

And yes, for those who wish to enjoy this privilege, my advice to them would be to start their own enterprise and drink merrily! Amen.

Thank you ladies and gentleman for all the warmth and affection you have given week after week. It’s indeed heartening to know that Dear MxM has been able to help several hundred people in the fraternity by resolving their concerns.

I take this opportunity to wish you and your families a wonderfully Happy New Year! May 2017 bring you all that you wished for. See you next year! Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also the Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

Ladies and Gentleman, Welcome to this edition of Dear MxM, the first of the year 2017! Happy New Year and much good cheer to all of you…

This was certainly an exciting year for all of us, demonetisation notwithstanding and I honestly believe this excitement must continue.

Be it success at work, the unplanned trip or the unexpected fall; Its heady to take a new tomorrow in your stride.

Do it, ladies and gentleman and in the process, be that powerhouse that nothing can beat! As I have always believed, in the race of life, falling is an expected eventuality but the challenge remains, getting up and running the fastest !

All good wishes for the year. Amen.

I was recently sent for an assignment to Delhi, and I almost froze there as I am not used to the cold out here in Chennai. Do you think my office should’ve given me a ‘warm clothes allowance’? Or am I expected to have the woollens?

Certainly not, in fact I think your company should be buying you heaters for the house and an insulated suit to wear at work! Wonders will never cease will they, my friend!?

There is a limit to expecting your employer to provide…! At this rate, expectations will soon include food, beverage and more. Am afraid there is little option for you but to buy your own woollens.

All of us do it and there is no reason why you can’t open that fat purse and fend for yourself. And yes, for God sake, don’t even mention your desire for company-paid warm clothing. You may just lose your job on grounds of mental instability.

My new year resolution is to quit the media and switch to another profession. An MBA from MDI Gurgaon earns more in corporate than an advertising agency. I know you will say “it’s not all about money, honey” but, sir, it’s a difference of over 75% and finally all work is a mix of creative, challenging and boring. What is your view, Sir?

Go ahead, my friend. I can say little more than that. It all depends on what you expected from media and your future plans.

If money is your ambition, corporate roles may not be appropriate at all. You can try trading or some such other entrepreneurial venture which may give you access to higher earnings, provided you have your onions right!

But do remember, the grass will always be greener on the other side. All good wishes to you for the year ahead. May you rake in the riches !

Sir, why does our media write so much about start-ups, when they should actually be writing about all those who have thrived for over five-plus years… why leave them out?

Simply because media is giving these startups a chance to last that five years. A little fillip to amplify their work can help a great deal in the first few years.

A small enterprise/ startup can’t afford huge marketing expenses and thus hope and pray that the media around them recognise their effort and give them a head-start.

Personally I am biased since I have been much part of the initial years of severe companies and I know what it takes to build sound companies. I am glad that Indian media is waking up to the realisation that smaller entrepreneurs must be given a fair chance.

As for the companies who have lasted 5 years and beyond, I would think it’s time they learn to stand on their own feet and not expect publicity gratis from media or anyone for that matter.

Sir, can you also request MxMIndia to publish Dear MxM in Hindi as there are many of us who would like to gain from the advice.

Good suggestion indeed. I shall most certainly highlight this suggestion to the principal shareholders of MxM. After all, this is our national language and all the growth we see today is from regional players.

Thanks once again on behalf of my colleagues at MxM. Jai Hind! Thank you once again for staying with us through 2016 ! Have a wonderful weekend ahead and take good care of yourselves. As always, Sayonara and God Bless.

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also the Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

Thank you Ladies and Gentleman for coming back to this all-new edition of Dear MxM, Week 2 of the year 2017.

This week hasn’t been too encouraging for print media, what with news of the impending layoff of over a 1000+ from the fraternity. Heart of hearts, am hoping this report is just another hoax of the world wide web; Yet I know this is the brutal reality that stares us in the face.

Informed decisions no longer happen with print. I demand the minutest detail, the horrid review and the unbiased comment each time I need to make a decision and only the digital world can deliver this experience…

Purchase decisions are no longer governed by the ‘Front Page Solus’ ( the only ad that appears on a front page of a newspaper ) advertisement or the ‘Top of Column’ page 3 ad..

We buy only what is publicly bandied on digital. To be in line with the rest of the world is in our bloodstream…Its a tough road ahead for print and the others who still believe that being everywhere works.

Mindspace and Neurone capacity will become the clincher, when it comes to separating the wheat from the chaff.

What needs to be watched however is the sieve itself…

The audience as I call it !

 

Well, for now it s time to get to our readers from Bengaluru, Kolkata and Pune

and respond to their queries… Read on Ladies and Gentleman.

Sir, I just got my CAT scores and fared miserably in it. Would you recommend the MBA in Communications/Media Management programme… I have heard starting salaries are much lower than a full-blown general MBA?

Hi and thanks for writing in to us at Dear MxM. That’s not entirely true and it really varies greatly basis the university of college you are graduating from. For instance, MICA graduates get a significantly higher salary in comparison to smaller media institutes across the country. XIC, Symbiosis, Christ College etc also see decent starting packages that are in line with other MBAs.

As you’re probably aware, even a broader MBA package greatly fluctuates basis the college you are doing it from so this situation isn’t really very different. Its just that there aren’t any top of the heap IIMs offering a media/ communications specialisation and hence the stark comparison of salaries.

Finally, all this boils down to what your academic objectives are. If media and communication is the focus, then stop thinking and get cracking on seeking admission with a good institution.

Do you think it’s fair to expect women to work till late in the night without arranging for adequate facilities for their drop back home or to the train station evening if it’s safe(r) here in Mumbai?

It’s the obvious dichotomy that is omnipresent here. The woman is considered an equal in all respects and certainly within the corporate system. In the light of this giving any special treatment would be debated.

However, personally I would advise transport arrangements if staff are expected to work late and often. I think, it’s only fair that this is provided to all. Yes, companies do permit taxi fares etc but finally its about travelling back late night and often for over an hour to get to their respective homes in large cities like Mumbai and Delhi.

Given what we have seen off late in most metros, I think it’s quite unsafe for women to be traveling alone and companies must provide for company escorted transport if timings cross anything beyond 10pm.

If not anything, this will prompt smarter work and higher efficiency in order to ensure that people don’t have to work overtime too often !

Sir, this is not a career-related question but it’s something that is possibly going to have me change my career choice. I had heard about standards having fallen in journalism, but I was shocked to read a report on Karan Johar’s sexual orientation on the front page of The Times of India. Agreed he’s a popular name, but why this on top of Page 1?

Well, the medium is the message isn’t it ! Hence if the medium has morphed into being an infotainment one, this bit of news is certainly front page material.

Consumers have the choice to decide what they want to read and hence its for the audience to flip brands like they would dominoes..!

Journalistic standards are all norms that the audience has set. There is no good journalist unless he/she has a loyal and relevant audience. This isn’t about lofty ideals. Its about being there and read or watched by discerning people..

Good journalism would normally attract decent audiences but what is good or bad is finally for the public to decide. Nothing will change this paradigm ever.

Sir, almost all radio stations air similar music. First there was only one playing retro, now there are three. Too much of the same is not said to be good, but here everyone appears to be thriving!? Your comments.

Why not? Why go about reinventing the wheel when someone has done this efficiently… I have always believed adopting a great idea that has been tried and tested works provided the challenger has the ability to tweak it well to generate fresh interest.

How is this any different from a pizza or a burger chain. All incumbent brands have seen challengers and some have done it far better. The best marketing cases have emerged from ideas that have been adapted better by a new player.

Where would have Burger King or Amazon have been without McDonald’s or Barnes and Noble ? Simple ideas that changed the way the business was done. Adopted, perfected and taken ahead as the challenger.

The smart got smarter and stayed on. The rusty moved out and shut shop.

I leave you with this thought for now; Dear MxM will be back next Thursday, with new Questions and newer Answers. Keep mailing us on editor@mxmindia.com and we will give it our best and alleviate your concerns. Till then, it’s me Jaisurya Das saying Sayonara and God Bless!

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also the Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.

By Jaisurya Das

‘I want to break free!’This highly charged number from Queen echoed in our ears during our college years. Today, it seems to have returned and caught the fancy of a lot of senior media professionals across the country.

From Arnab to Barkha and many more have moved on from their comfort zones to don new roles as entrepreneurs. This bug has caught on across markets and most people have hit the glass ceiling at their present companies and are faced with imminent stagnation.

Media houses aren’t complaining either as all they seek now is lower costs and a stable bottom line, both of which are exceedingly difficult in the current times of competitive media.

But is there room for more in our already crowded media market?

This will be interesting to watch. Only the discerning few who can create a wining brand will survive. Its important for them to work towards consistency in brand message and back it with an organisational culture that befits the brand they are portraying.

Often this is ignored and even brand messages are not consistent. Branding isn’t just about getting the right logo there. There is a lot more and your people, culture and work ethics is a very significant part of the brand message that goes to the audience.

I am appalled often at the sheer depth of nonsense that is put out by some of our media brands.. Each message different from the other and most often completely unnecessary information taking centrestage.

The audience of today is flirtatious but know their basics well and brands that do not have meat in their brand imagery, will fall flat on their faces. It’s already happening…

Ladies and Gentleman, time to take our reader questions for this week. Interesting ones, so do read on!

A friend found that she had to quit her contractual job because she was found to have contracted TB. It was low-grade and would have to just take a 45-day break, but surely organisations need to be more considerate when a person takes ill. She had to resign finally, but all of us friends – within the organisation and outside of it – are so very ragged with our bosses. Sir, what is your view?

Thanks for writing in to us. I understand how all of you fell about this but its also important to understand this from a company perspective. Contract staff are not entitled to long periods of leave and any exception would mean setting a precedent for all.

The 45-day rest that your friend requires warrants a long break from her official duties and the organisation would need to fill this up with some other resource. This in turn means an increased staff cost and with the business climate what it is now, a fairly significant dent.

I am sure she would find suitable employment elsewhere or possibly in the same organisation once she is fit to resume her duties. As of now, the focus should be in containing this infection and regaining her strength with complete rest and medication.

Sir, you wrote about major retrenchment in some newspaper organisations. I saw one of the announcements/ internal letters, and was dismayed to see that demonetisation is being attributed as the cause for this. Any business that is not able to withstand sudden extraneous changes shouldn’t be in business. Am I not right?

I completely agree with you on this. Any solid business is meant to withstand market forces to a great extent and using the demonetisation as an excuse is certainly not acceptable.

Yes, it has further lowered advertising spends but the downturn had started well before the demonetisation.

There are various reasons that can be attributed to lower revenues and cost-cutting implementation and the cash economy is certainly not solely responsible for such retrenchment.

Publishers are seeing no or negligent growth in most markets now with audiences clearly verging towards digital news and information. To add to this, they are saddled with huge teams, often loaded with complacency and dead wood.  Radio and Digital have taken away large categories of advertisers from most mainline newspapers including the likes of retail etc.

In my opinion, publishers are just sensing the heat now and mass retrenchment and salary cuts are imminent across significant markets over the next 12 months.

I have read that Arnab Goswami’s proposed channel – Republic – has attracted investors who are linked with some political formations. How can the channel be truly independent then…. as it claims to be?

As I have said in my recent columns, there is no such thing as independent when you have to have an organisation to back you. The moment there is business interest, you have investors, principal shareholders and other constituents that are people you have to carry along.

Your fiercely independent thinking and approach can be reflected in the brand but the company that owns the brand has to to toe the line, be it with shareholders, authorities or advertisers.

Independence is relative I guess when it comes to doing business and more so in developing economies like ours. Having said, this I take this opportunity to wish Arnab and the Republic all the very best ahead. He is a fine journalist albeit the intentionally irritating noise levels.

My cousin is doing his anthropology in a leading liberal arts course. Is there a future for him in advertising?

Ah, this is interesting indeed! It would be interesting to check as to how many anthropologists exist in advertising today.

Yes, logically he should find a place in advertising. All of us in media and advertising are self taught anthropologists after all.

You can/t succeed in an audience-led business if you don’t understand how human beings and societies work. But its not going to be easy for him to get past the human resource departments and their million young recruiters who don’t see beyond the cv…

If he/she is able to access an interesting top management resource, his qualification may just get him an interesting break. I do hope your cousin gets a break!

The industry needs fresh minds who come equipped with qualifications such. Anthropology, Neuromarketing, Behavioural economics etc. It’s time our industry starts looking at their crop of people differently.

On the promise of a break, it’s time I take mine… Have a lovely weekend my friends and take good care of yourselves. Till we meet next week, do keep writing in to us at editor@mxmindia.com. Sayonara and God Bless!

Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also the Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.