Category: MEDIA

  • DSC dedicates show to young entrepreneurs

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dr Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Essel Group and Zee dedicated a special episode of the Dr Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show to young entrepreneurs of India. Dr Chandra addressed over 200 budding and established entrepreneurs as well as Management students from Mumbai’s Welingkar Institute of Management Development & Research on Saturday, January 3.

    Dedicating the episode to the topic of entrepreneurship, Dr Chandra engaged in a lively and interactive session with the entrepreneurs. By sharing key insights and examples from his own entrepreneurial journey, Dr Chandra discussed several important facets of entrepreneurship including the traits required to become a successful entrepreneur, how to develop entrepreneurs in an organisation, risk assessment and analysis.

    Commenting on the special qualities that make an entrepreneur, Dr Subhash Chandra said, “Experience can be acquired, knowledge can be transferred but talent cannot be acquired nor transferred. Either you have it or you don’t have it.” He furthermore inspired the audience to pursue their dreams by encouraging them to “break all the rules, to follow new practices and to have self-confidence.”

    Besides entrepreneurship, Dr Chandra also touched upon various significant issues that affect an organisation like attrition, how to retain and motivate employees and corruption. While discussing these pertinent concerns, he also emphasized on “Better India” a dream seen by most Indians.

    The Dr Subhash Chandra (DSC) Show is aired every Saturday at 10 pm on Zee News and 7pm on Zee Business and on Sundays at 11 am on both Zee News & Zee Business.  This show is also aired on other channels of Zee Media.

     

  • Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards to be held on 9th January

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bloomberg TV India and Autocar India will host the Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards 2015 nest week. The seventh edition of the awards will be presented by Reliance General Insurance and will be held in Mumbai on 9th January, 2015. The event will host distinguished corporate leaders and personalities, who will come together, to salute achievers from the automotive sector.

     

    The Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards 2015 recognizes evolving needs of the industry and how the automotive companies are keeping pace with them, by innovating better, using technology more intelligently and creating designs that are customized for Indian roads.

     

    Lavneesh Gupta, COO – Bloomberg TV India said, “Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards are regarded as the Oscars of the Automobile industry. The Awards have become the benchmark of performance for the industry and with each passing year the bar has been raised by the players. We proudly salute the achievements of the sector as well as individual players who have strived hard to keep pace with the evolving needs of the fast paced Indian.”

     

    Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor – Autocar India Magazine commented, “These awards have unmatched credibility thanks to an exhaustive evaluation process and a jury that is the best in the business. Consumers can rely on these awards to make an informed car buying decision. We expect the 2015 awards to be a keenly fought battle across all categories and wish all nominees the very best.”

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Rakesh Jain, CEO, Reliance General Insurance, said, “Indians today are moving towards a smarter world, well-equipped with the latest technology and innovation. This year’s Award’s theme ‘Recognizing the evolving needs of the fast-paced Indian’ is a contextual theme. The needs and desires of the fast-paced Indian has evolved keeping in pace with any of the global citizens. We are mindful of these trends and have always endeavoured to provide customized products and solutions. We are proud of our association with Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards 2015 and through this Award platform we wish to promote the cause of on-road customer safety & protection with our valued motor customers.”

     

    The Bloomberg TV India Autocar India Awards 2015 will be given across following categories to the best and the most deserving contributors to the auto industry. The categories are: Car Of The Year, Bike of The Year, Viewer’s Choice Car of The Year, Viewer’s Choice Bike of The Year, Best Design & Styling, Premium Bike of The Year, Import Bike of The Year, Car Dealer of The Year, Best Value For Money Car, Best Variant of The Year, Car Manufacturer of The Year, Best Driver’s Car, Performance Car of The Year, Compact Sedan of The Year, Sedan of the Year, Luxury Sedan of The Year, Compact Luxury Car of the Year, Hatchback of the Year, SUV of The Year, Engine of The Year.

     

    The jury panel comprised of experts like Hormazd Sorabjee (Editor – Autocar India); Renuka Kirpalani (Editor – Autocar India show); Shapur Kotwal (Deputy Editor – Autocar India); Narain Karthikeyan (India’s first Formula 1 Driver); Kartikeya Singhee (Consultant Editor – Autocar India Show); Manvendra Singh (India’s leading Automotive Historian & Restorer); Rishad Cooper (Two Wheeler Editor – Autocar India); C S Santosh (Motocross Rider).

     

    The entire methodology and process is validated by knowledge support partners PricewaterhouseCooper.

     

     

  • Quick to Quickest: In next 6 months, Flipkart may deliver your packages in just 3 hours

    By Varun Sood

     

    Indian online shoppers would ideally like to push the button on their purchase and hear the doorbell chime immediately after, announcing delivery. That’s not going to happen anytime soon but e-tailers, led by Flipkart, are trying to get as close as they can. The country’s largest online retailer is figuring out how it can get goods to the customer’s doorstep in as little as three hours.

     

    Bengaluru-based Flipkart is evaluating which products and cities it can start with even as it considers pricing for the service, which we learn could be rolled out in the coming six months.

     

    “We have to figure out the technology, pricing for these services,” said Sujeet Kumar, head of WS Retail and ekart Logistics. “Such deliveries are necessity driven — say a thing a customer wants to gift or something he needs immediately.

     

    Mr Kumar, who joined Flipkart in 2008, declined to put a date on when the logistics arm, ekart, could start with this service. WS Retail, which used to be part of Flipkart, has since been spun off and is now the largest vendor on the Flipkart marketplace. “Flipkart has to offer a viable business model because it (3-4- hour delivery) will be expensive for the customer,” Kumar said in an interview last week. However, we learn it could start with some products in 3-4 cities as early as July.

     

    India’s e-commerce space has grown rapidly in the last few years since Flipkart first started operations in 2007, when most deliveries took a few days. Now, the three top online retail firms — Amazon India, Flipkart and Snapdeal — offer same-day delivery in big cities for a fee. They deliver the next day for free in the big cities but deliveries can take longer outside these areas

     

    Faster delivery could, therefore, prove to be a game-changer in the country’s fiercely competitive e-commerce space, reckon experts, and shortening the shipping time to a few hours may draw more users. This could also persuade Amazon India to bring the service to the country. Its parent ships goods, including detergents and shampoos, to consumers in Manhattan in 60 minutes for a $7.99 fee.

     

    To be sure, there are more than a few wrinkles that need to be ironed out, said experts.

     

    “There are two important things retailers need to get right to make this work,” said Karan Girotra, professor of sustainable development at Insead. “First, they need to select a small subset of their offerings which are available with these time frames. Second, meeting this delivery promise requires organisations to build very different logistics and operational systems than those necessary for traditional delivery route-based delivery systems For instance, retailers may need to have many more warehouses in central parts of the city to make these work.”

     

    Flipkart, which already offers users across 10 cities same-day delivery, says it has a strong logistics and delivery team in place, with 13 warehouses and over 12,000 people helping with last-mile delivery. “The kind of data we have is much richer than, say Google Maps,” said Kumar, adding that the company will start deploying more technology as it focuses on providing value-added services, including faster delivery, as it seeks to edge past competition.

     

    Mr Girotra also believes that the marketplace model may make it difficult to bridge the time barrier.

     

    “Players with marketplace-based models… will find it much harder to pull this off,” he said. “For such players, the delivery often involves picking up the merchandise from a third-party location and it is much harder to offer ultra-fast delivery.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Astro Forecast 2015: What the Stars Foretell for Media & Marketing Professionals

     

    It’s that time of the year when MxMIndia brings you astrological forecast for the year. We’ve been doing that since 2011, when we started ops.

     

    The forecast is being brought to you by GaneshaSpeaks.com, #1 astro forecast company in. It offers accurate, reliable and trustworthy services online and on premium rate telephony (55181) on all major telecom providers in India. Content syndication for print, TV, online, telecom and apps is one of the major verticals in GaneshaSpeaks.com. For more details, call +91-79-61604100 or send a mail to contact@ganeshaspeaks.com.

     

    This is the first in a two-part series. Look out for the forecast for creative professionals tomorrow.

     

    Aries (The Ram)

    (21st March to 20th April)

    With the Sun placed in the 10th House from your Sign, along with Venus and Mercury, expect to get plenty of growth opportunities. However, with Saturn turning to a retrograde motion by mid March, you may feel there’s plenty of struggle involved in everything. Your interest and inclination towards spirituality shall surge, thanks to Jupiter’s significant influence over Saturn. This is a good thing, says Ganesha, as you shall feel more in tune with yourself, and should also be better equipped to deal with roadblocks or failures, if any. Academic endeavours, higher studies, research and similar pursuits shall be highly favoured. The year’s beginning shall be pretty opportune, so keep your eyes open. However, you will need to be careful around June-July. Steer clear of legal battles and over-the-top confrontations. All through the year, it will be your health that will need careful attention. Be mindful of handling even minor ailments with due care; do ensure that you follow a good lifestyle. Spirituality will aid you in this sphere too, says Ganesha. Chant, breathe and follow your Yoga regimes religiously.

     

    Love and Relationships

    Strive for emotional balance, and things shall start falling in place thereafter, in your love life. You may start a new relationship with the new year. However, as always do not forge ahead at a break-neck speed. Go slow, and think things through, as your lay foundations and swear promises. This will be an excellent time for developing and nurturing a lasting relationship, but only if you are true to your heart. If you see anything amiss, don’t close your, just because your heady hormones tell you to do so. Listen to your instincts! Mid-year will be a critical time; any sort of nagging, complaining shall have the power to toss your relationship to either extreme. However, in a way, this intense period shall also be good, as it will clear the air. For the ones already committed or married, there are chances of distraction with the North node (Rahu) transiting through your House of Partnership. Watch out!

     

    Be Careful!

    :: You may get into disputes, due to your aggressive stand. Ganesha strongly advises you to stay away, particularly from the ones that may prompt you to take a legal course of action.

    :: From June to September, Saturn transits through Scorpio in a retrograde mode. Watch your health!

    :: On the career front, a major change in the overall direction is envisaged. A lingering sense of dissatisfaction may push you to change. Go slow, and measure the pros and cons. Avoid taking any major decision regarding your career during this period.

    :: Listen to your well-wishers’ advice. Deliberate well on your decisions; avoid haste.

     

    Taurus (The Bull)

    (21 April to 21 May)

    The initial stages of the year are not likely to be favourable for you, especially as Saturn would be transiting in the 8th Sign from yours. You may be brimming with dissatisfaction and may become impatient to usher in radical changes in your circumstances to make life more comfortable. Besides,  the Lord of your Sign transits in a trine with your Sign, along with Sun and Mercury – which indicates that you shall proceed with determination in your objective to make the desired changes. They could be as drastic as selling your present house and buying a new one, or even relocating to another city or country. However, don’t expect much to change before Jupiter gets direct from 9th April 2015. You are likely to develop a leaning towards spirituality, which is bound to calm your restlessness. In money matters, you must not be impulsive, or over-generous, which means don’t invest your money recklessly, and don’t lend it indiscriminately. To satiate your craving for change, Ganesha advises you to buy something special, maybe a new, more luxurious vehicle.

     

    Love and Relationships

    On the love and relationships front, Ganesha advises you not to rush ahead blindly. First try to gauge whether you and your beloved are on the same wavelength, find out about your likes and dislikes, and your long-term ambitions, and only then decide whether to get into a committed relationship. Once you have taken the preliminary precautions, then in the second quarter of the year you may take your decision about whether to enter into a long-term relationship or not. If you are already married, you are likely to feel that things are getting a bit stale, so you may have to do something exciting, such as going on an outstation trip together, to revive the spark. The period from May to July would be ideal for undertaking such a trip. Some of you may have to do more, in order to maintain the cordiality in your relationship, such as consciously keeping your foul temper in control.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: Keep a safe distance from speculation-based transactions, betting or extreme financial risks.

    :: Don’t lend money to anyone, but rather invest in some secure bonds.

    :: The time between the middle of June to the middle of September 2015 may not very favourable for you, leading to uncertainty and confusion. Avoid taking any major decisions.

    :: Don’t take impulsive decisions without considering the ground realities.

     

    Gemini (The Twins)

    (22nd May to 21st June)

     On the whole, Ganesha predicts that the positives will outweigh the negatives for you this year, but it sure is going to be a mixed bag of fortunes. You will face some really tough challenges, especially with Jupiter transiting in a retrograde mode, and success may elude you despite you putting in your best efforts. This may leave you a bit confused and discouraged. However, you shall gain clarity by and by, hints of which you may see as early as in the latter part of January, and you will get the desired results of your efforts if you remain patient and pragmatic. On the personal front, you may have to face much hardship, owing to the effect of Saturn transiting through the 7th Sign from yours. You must try to sort out misunderstandings amiably through discussions. Ganesha advises you to keep a tight fist as far as monetary matters are concerned. Unnecessary expenses could leave a severe dent on your reserves of savings. There is no reason to get disheartened, though, as Jupiter gets into direct mode from 9th April, which indicates that things will then start taking a positive turn.

     

    Love and Relationships

    During the first three months of the year, at least, you shall make your best efforts to spare sufficient quality time with your spouse with the aim of controlling the petty discords that may be simmering beneath the surface. Ganesha also advises you to flow with the tide and take the ups and downs in your stride. Though your marital life will be under tremendous strain, try to look at the positive side, and totally ignore the negatives. Around the middle of August be careful as some member of the opposite sex you like in your office could drive you to distraction, and the repercussion of it will be felt directly in your domestic life, so consciously avoid this. If possible, take your spouse out for a small vacation to strengthen your relationship. If you are a single and hoping to start a new relationship, you need to bide your time till the end of May, after which the planetary transits will be in your favour, and you may very well revive a childhood friendship to form a romantic relationship.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: Be positive; try to look at brighter side of things.

    :: On the financial front, you will have to be careful of not wasting money over unnecessary luxurious items, as it will dent your savings, something which you may regret in later.

    :: Some relationship problems caused by avoidable arguments may leave you feeling somewhat depressed, in the first half of the year; don’t depend too much on friends for support and help.

    :: Businessmen should brace up to face setbacks or disappointments, caused by missed targets. However, if you take precautionary measures and keep alternative plans ready, you may save the day, says Ganesha.

     

    Cancer (The Crab)

    (22nd June to 22nd July)

    Ganesha predicts that there will be some long-term changes happening around you in the first half of the year, owing to the transit of Jupiter, and the changes will be in your favour. Make the best of the favourable phase, raise your standards as well as targets, and plan your strategies accordingly. Saturn gets retrograde around the middle of March, and enters Scorpio from around the middle of June 2015.  Saturn re-enters Sagittarius, getting direct from 18th September. This indicates that around the middle of the year, you may reach a plateau, your progress will stall despite your best efforts, and you will feel frustrated. You need to be patient and wait for the good times to return. For property matters, this is a favourable year. If you wish to buy a house in your native place, Ganesha gives you the green signal. Health issues, especially related to your digestive system, will need keen attention. Consult your physician promptly, and ensure that you have a nutritious diet.

     

    Love and Relationships

    Life is not a bed of roses, and this fact may be driven home in no uncertain terms this year, foretells Ganesha. Your romantic life may be full of complications. If you are married or involved in a committed relationship you should avoid taking your partners for granted or becoming too possessive, as most of the problems in your relationship will be owing to your insensitivity. Besides, there may be distractions. You may be attracted to someone else. This could be mainly because of the sour relations with your existing partner. Giving priority to your profession over your personal life could also be a cause of the disharmony. The problem will be worse confounded, if your spouse also works. At times things may seem to be heading inevitably towards a break-up, and if you wish to avoid it, Ganesha advises you to go out of your way to please your partner. If you are single, and looking to mingle, the latter half of the year will be more favourable.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: Things may get a bit rocky on the personal front; stay calm. Married couples may feel that their relationship is growing stale. Be patient and make concerted efforts to cement these loving bonds.

    :: Overall, your relationships will require a lot of attention; avoid getting involved in arguments of any kind.

    :: You would do well to remain alert; try not to get too complacent.

    :: On the health front, take good care of your digestive system, follow a good diet plan, and don’t neglect medications.

     

    Leo (The Lion)

    (23rd July to 22nd August)

     In the initial phase of the year, retrograde Jupiter transits through your Sign, says Ganesha. You may start off the year with high expectations, but you will have to bide your time till the cosmos is more favourable for the execution of your plans. In the meanwhile, make the best use of the lean phase to keep up your spirits and stay motivated. Things may be somewhat tough, and you may feel that your efforts are not being rewarded, but don’t let it discourage you. After the first quarter, though, things will take a positive turn. You shall gain financial clarity from April onwards, and you shall be able to grab the lucrative opportunities that come your way. You will also be able to function to your optimum level and fulfil your creative instincts. Minor health issues will keep troubling you on and off, which makes it important for you to do yoga or meditation regularly to strengthen your immunity. Beware of accidental injuries.

     

    Love And Relationships

    On the personal front, especially for married couples and those in a stable relationship, Ganesha foresees a favourable year ahead. Your beloved shall give you lots of love and attention. Around April-May, you shall be able to enjoy your domestic life to the hilt. You shall have both the time and money to take a break from your work and go on a short outstation trip. Such a vacation is bound to bring you closer to each other. If you are on the lookout for that special someone, the planetary transits are likely to help you this year, except for the fact that around March, you may be a little confused for some reason or the other about whether to commit to a particular relationship. Ganesha advises you to relax, take your time to weigh all the pros and cons and make a sound judgement as to whether you are cut out for each other or not. At times, during the year you may feel that family members and friends are being too demanding; tackle them with tact.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: On the health front, there may be some concerns, caused mainly by burn-out, because of working too hard and for long hours.

    :: You may feel that things are too dull, and may feel frustrated. In your anger and frustration about your own situation, do not end up getting jealous of others, says Ganesha.

    :: Dwindling finances may keep you tense. Do keep a tab on your expenditure.

    :: Don’t try to force your point; draw a line between discussion and argument.

     

    Virgo (The Virgin)

    (23rd August to 22nd September)

     Saturn being in a Square aspect with your Sign will force you to keep a low profile in 2015, foretells Ganesha. You may prefer seclusion, and will cut down your interaction with people to the bare minimum. You would do well, though, to mind your words, and be very careful not to say things which are likely to hurt the sentiments of other people. On the professional front, you will have to learn new skills or adapt to new technologies to stay relevant in your industry. Your workload shall keep increasing, and you may not have much time for your domestic life. On the financial front, on the whole, you are likely to be comfortable this year despite the fact that your expenses will increase, because money, too, is likely to flow in from unexpected sources. The fact that you will not be able to save any money, though, may gnaw at your conscience and you may feel guilty at having spent too much on totally unnecessary things. Your health will be fine for the most part, except that elderly people will have to be careful about seasonal changes.

    Love and Relationships

    With Jupiter transiting in a retrograde mode in the 12th House from your Sign, things are likely to fluctuate in the extremes on the romantic front. You shall be indecisive, and unable to make any commitments. But in the second half of the year things will improve remarkably, and you are likely to find the person of your dreams, which possibly could be someone you knew as a child. Meeting after such a long gap, you shall develop romantic feelings with the person, and may even decide to take it the full distance by tying the knot. During the month of August, though, some of you may experience a lack of mutual trust, which may give rise to discords in your relationship, but if you be mature and give your beloved enough freedom, the wrinkles will soon get ironed out. The period between April and June is the most auspicious if you are looking forward to getting married. If you are already married, you will greatly benefit from taking a small vacation together.

    Be Careful!

    :: Some unforeseen expenses are on the cards.

    :: The fact that you will be unable to save any money may give you a cause for worry.

    :: Avoid getting into arguments or any such situation where you might end up saying things which may hurt others.

    :: The transiting Saturn may adversely affect your domestic life. Take care!

     

    Libra (The Scales)

    (23rd September to 22nd October)

    Ganesha predicts that the transit of Rahu through your Sign for mostly the whole year is going to make you very self-confident and assertive. You shall not let anyone take you for granted. People who had been looking down on you as being a weak and incompetent person, will be forced to change their views. However, at the same time Ganesha advises you not to become too arrogant, or else things may backfire on you. From around April, you shall come across new opportunities which will bring about positive changes in your life. However, take appropriate action only when the opportunities present themselves; until then just keep working sincerely, and as far as possible try to take on extra responsibilities, as in the long run it will only benefit you professionally. Your financial situation is likely to cause some anxiety. Although the monetary inflow will be satisfactory, your expenses are likely to rise steeply, and you may not be able to save, so try to cut out all unnecessary expenses.

    Love and Relationships

    On the romantic front, you may have to be a bit patient if you are looking to get into a relationship with someone you have been secretly admiring, as the auspicious period for it will only come around in the last quarter of the year. If you are already married or in a committed relationship, Ganesha advises you to be extremely careful around the month of August, as there are chances of your relationship developing a rift. However, if you maintain your cool and tackle all misunderstandings with maturity, things will smoothen out in due course of time. Around mid-September, you will greatly benefit from going out on an outstation trip with your beloved. Singles who are searching for their ideal soulmate are likely to be in luck this year. The chances of meeting an old friend from childhood and forming a romantic bond are quite strong.

    Be Careful!

    :: Despite cooperating with everyone, you may feel that you are not making any progress. This may make you a bit aggressive. But, you will also realise that you cannot be taken for granted any more.

    :: Be patient, maintain a cool temper and concentrate on your work. Be soft-spoken, take the initiative at your workplace, and you will make encouraging progress.

    :: Ganesha also advises you to carefully consider all the pros and cons, before you decide to change your job.

    :: Don’t jump to the conclusion that things will come easily.

    :: Your relationship with your beloved is likely to go through some rough time. Be tactful.

     

    Scorpio (The Scorpion)

    (23rd October to 22nd November)

     You may have a rather bland beginning to the new year owing to Jupiter’s retrograde transit through the 10th House from your Sign, which will get direct only after 9th April’15. It is only after this that you will find things taking a positive turn. You shall feel pumped up to achieve your goals, but you will tread cautiously. Your efforts will fetch you some good opportunities in the second half of the year. You shall get enough support from your life-partner and other near and dear ones. It will not, however, all be smooth sailing. You will have to face setbacks and several hurdles in your path, especially around February, but your inherent ability to fightback will see you through. You will not get daunted by any difficulties under any circumstances. There will be another phase of adversity around June-July, especially for businessmen. Ganesha advises you not to take any major decisions this year. However, the adversities will not be too severe, and will have almost no effect on your finances, on which front you shall be comfortable.

     

    Love And Relationships

    The transit of North Node may cause some discord in your personal life in the first half of year. There may be misunderstandings with your beloved one. The reason is probably the fact that you may be paying too much attention to your profession, at the cost you your domestic life. Under the circumstances, if you feel that your partner is taking decisions arbitrarily, without consulting you, Ganesha advises you not to blame him/her. Try to squeeze out more quality time to spend with your partner, and everything else shall fall in place by itself. During the latter half of the year, things, anyway, will improve, much to your relief. Your partner will shower you with love and affection; and, you will automatically reciprocate. After April, the year is going to be very favourable for singles. You will look for a long-term relationship, instead of running after temporary flings.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: In the initial stages of the year, you may face some complicated times and tangled issues, because your guiding star Jupiter will be in a retrograde mode, and therefore the intensity of its positive influence on your life may not be very strong.

    :: Around mid-June till the end of July, some tricky situations may prevent you from giving your best.

    :: Ganesha advises you to postpone taking any important decisions in the phases, when you feel things are too dense (messy).

    :: Be careful of your diet, and avoid junk food, as far as possible.

     

    Sagittarius (The Archer)

    (23rd November to 21st December)

    From pretty early in the year, you shall get lots of opportunities – in job, business, studies or travel. You shall taste success in whatever you do, which will give you great self-confidence, which in turn, will lead to more success. Possibly the only danger is the temptation to boast about your achievements, which Ganesha advises you to control, or else others may become resentful of your attitude. Jupiter, which first influences the Lord of the 2nd House, related to finances, and later, the 2nd House itself, suggests that your financial situation shall be good throughout the year. The professionals amongst you shall get heavy pay hikes, but businessmen may have to struggle to increase your clientèle. You may have to travel extensively in order to increase your customer base. There will be distractions but you shall overcome them easily. You will have to be careful about health issues, and take proper preventive measures if you anticipate certain minor issues such as allergies. Maintain a healthy life-style and exercise regularly to stay fit.

     

    Love And Relationships

    With the South Node (Ketu) transiting through the 5th House, related to love, intimate or long-term relationships will not be favoured. However, if you Ganesha advises you to postpone making a commitment in an ongoing non-committed relationship. If you are already going steady, there may be difficult times ahead. The Lord of the 5th House from your Sign, Mars may create troubles for you. You need to give more space to your partner. From mid June, though, you may expect better times, as the planet of love, Venus transits through Leo. Things will take a positive turn, but there will again be a dull phase, from around the end of July. It is only from around September that things will become stable in your relationships; then you may go ahead and make a commitment. Married couples will have to be very patient and accommodative to keep things at home hunky-dory.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: Since Saturn transits through your Sign for the better part of the year, Ganesha advises you not to brag about your achievements, and stay humble and down to earth all the time.

    :: Businessmen may have to travel a lot to expand their clientèle and their turnover.

    :: Although no major ailment is foreseen for you on the health front, there may be niggling minor issues, which will need to be taken care of, failing which they may worsen.

    :: Do not avoid challenges at the workplace, and give your 100%.

     

    Capricorn (The Goat)

    (22nd December to 20th January)

    With Saturn transiting in the 12th House from your Sign, you may get tired of the monotony of your work. Even more than that, you may feel discouraged at the tedious pace of progress. However, you shall not be short on motivation, so you shall continue working hard with an optimistic outlook. There will be all-round stability in your life. Besides, you shall be so absorbed with your routine work, that you may not have any time to spend on planning for future. But, Ganesha advises you to be alert about unexpected expenses, and if you work, then your rapport with your superiors. Try to comply with their instructions, and try your best to explain things politely, instead of defying authority figures’ orders openly, which will only hurt their ego, and spoil your mutual equation. In the second half of the year, the work pressure on you will decrease considerably. Take care of your health, all through the year, though.

     

    Love and Relationships

    Ganesha feels that in the year ahead, you shall be in no hurry to take your romantic relationships to the next level. You will not reveal your innermost thoughts and feelings to your sweetheart readily, but will take your own sweet time to judge, whether you are on the same wavelength or not. You will be guided more by your intellect than your emotions. You will be pragmatic, and true to yourself and your partner. In the latter half of the year, with the planets not quite supportive of love and romance, your relationship may not be very smooth. But, given the vast reserves of patience that you have, you shall overcome all hurdles. Married couples will experience ups and downs. You shall enjoy each other’s company, but at the same time you shall also have petty differences, which may really test the strength of your relationship. After September, though, the cosmos will favour romance, and positive events will make you happy.

     

    Be Careful!

    :: You might witness a sudden rise in your expenses, during the year, which may become a tough task to handle, if you fail to give proper attention to it.

    :: You shall be less inclined to concentrate on domestic matters, because of your hectic schedule, but don’t ignore that aspect, says Ganesha, or you may be in trouble.

    :: Maintain a fine balance between your work and life. Stay calm and tactful.

    :: Your health may get affected adversely, if you do not take proper care.

    Aquarius (The Water – Bearer)

    (21st January to 18th February)

    Saturn, the Lord of your Sign, shall transit through the 11th House, which is related to gains, from your Sign for most of the year, which indicates, says Ganesha, that you are likely to reap the benefits of your hard work this year. But you shall not rest on your laurels, you shall continue to work hard and strive for perfection in everything you do. Your professional prestige will thus remarkably increase. People may start crowding around you for guidance and tips. With the stars so much in your favour, Ganesha advises you to make the best of this phase, even if you don’t directly benefit financially. You shall surely gain in other intangible and unquantifiable ways. Businessman will be happy with the increase in turnover and profits. However, partnership businesses may not have such a smooth ride. With markets likely to fluctuate wildly, avoid hoarding, because if you stock too much and the prices drop, you will end up making heavy losses. Later in the year when work pressure reduces, you may indulge in some socialising.

    Love and Relationships

    Ganesha predicts that the upcoming year is going to be favourable for love and romance. There are myriad possibilities. You could meet someone new and form and romantic relationship, or a childhood friendship my develop further into a romantic bond, or someone whom you have been secretly admiring may pop the vital question, and Ganesha assures you that there is no harm in saying yes. In short, this year is auspicious to start a new romantic relationship. You shall be happy and amiable, and will be like an open book for anyone to read, more specially with that special one. All this is thanks to the planet of love and relationship, Venus, which transits favourably from June to around the end of September 2015, and will give a boost to your love aspirations. Married couples shall share a great rapport. Even those of you who feel your relationship has grown stale will experience a new intimacy and your bond is bound to grow stronger.

    Be Careful!

    :: In your bid to enhance your individuality, you may miss out on some lucrative opportunities, this year.

    :: At work, you may face difficulties while meeting the desired deadlines, during the third quarter of 2015.

    :: In business, you should keep an eye on the market fluctuations and consequently handle your inventory to prevent unexpected losses.

    :: Finances and monetary matters may cause you some worry this year. Do keep an eye open for any financial lapses, says Ganesha.

    Pisces (The Fish)

    (19th February to 20th March)

     With Saturn transiting in the 10th House from your Sign, expect your workload and responsibilities to increase, which is going to put tremendous pressure on you. You will have to be very systematic in your attitude to work, and very sincere in its execution, or else you may lag behind and not be able to meet deadlines. Try to maintain a cordial relationship with the big shots of your company, as they may come in handy during stressful times. At home, things will not be too hunky dory. The transit of the South Node (Ketu) in the 2nd House, related to family and finances, from your Sign does not bode too well for you. There may be disharmony on the domestic front, and you shall make all efforts to resolve the disputes. There may be some embarrassing moments and you may be at your wits end about how to solve certain issues. Do not be negative under any circumstances, and accept the ground realities as they are. The transit of Rahu and Ketu may adversely affect your finances, so be careful and try to save for the future.

    Love And Relationships

    Ganesha predicts that on the romantic front, you are likely to be indecisive and impulsive, which will only harm your prospects, so you would be well advised to be cool and balanced. If you are single, you may find it extremely difficult to decide whether to take a particular relationship forward or not. And the worst part is that you will have so much work pressure that you will not have any time to even think of anything else. However, the planets indicate that this year is quite auspicious to form new relationships and strengthen existing ones. You will surely find the time to get intimate with your beloved, especially if you are married, which will improve your rapport and thus you will happy. April and May are the auspicious months if you are serious about getting married. However, if you are not ready to commit, you may experiment with your relationship from June to September and then decide whether you are cut out for each other.

    Be Careful!

    :: Your efforts at work may not be appreciated, leaving you confused and disappointed. Have patience.

    :: Plan a proper work schedule, and implement it carefully and sincerely to ensure you stay ahead of struggles pockmarking your way in 2015.

    :: Ketu is the transiting in the 2nd House from your Sign. This may adversely affect your family life and finances.

    :: The transit of Rahu and Ketu shall also have a negative effect on your finances, and thus increase your problems. Manage your finances well.

    :: Take a good care of your health.

     

    Look out for the forecast for creative professionals tomorrow (Tuesday, January 6, 2015).

     

  • #fame raises $10mn in round 2 financing from TTN Ventures

    By A Correspondent

     

    #fame, a talent-led digital entertainment network, has raised $10mn in the second round financing from TO THE NEW Ventures (TTN Ventures). This round follows the $3 Mn investment TTN Ventures had made when the business began in beta in early 2014.

     

    Since its launch in Sep 2014, #fame has emerged as one of the fastest growing digital entertainment networks in India. #fame shall use the funds to scale-up its original digital video business, grow its emerging talent network, invest in technology and expand regionally in Asia.

     

    Catering to mobile millenials through an integrated ‘talent-first’ strategy, #fame is building a pan-Asian digital video network that will straddle over 5,000 channels and 50,000 content creators over the next three years. Since launch, the network has seen rapid growth and traction for its original digital video content. With monthly produced content volumes exceeding over 150 videos, #fame is India’s largest original content creator for web and mobile platforms.

     

    Over the next few months, #fame will ramp up its monthly content output to over 1000 original videos and expand its emerging talent network to over 500 emerging content creators.

     

    #fame’s digital video network spans several digital and social platforms including YouTube, Facebook, WeChat, Daily Motion and leading content publishers. #fame strategically focuses on emerging and established talent to build digital video channels and communities around them.

     

    Speaking on this development, Puneet Johar, CEO, TO THE NEW Ventures said, “We are extremely bullish about video on mobile disrupting and re-defining entertainment and the opportunity is ripe to build an impactful consumer internet business. #fame is showing the trajectory of a market leader and we would like to back it to market leadership across India and South East Asia.”

     

    Saket Saurabh, CEO, #fame commented, “We are well-poised for the next exciting leap in our growth story as we scale-up our capabilities in original digital content, grow our talent network further and expand across markets.”

     

    As part of its ‘talent-first’ agenda, #fame has announced a slew of digital tent pole properties aimed at identifying and promoting emerging talent. This includes ‘Lakme School of Style’ with style and entertainment icon Karan Johar and ‘Websinger’ its music initiative to seek out promising young singing talent with renowned composer Pritam. It is also focusing on building technology-based solutions to aid talent in content publishing and monetization.

     

  • What the Stars Foretell for Creative Professionals in 2015

     

    The response we’ve received to the Astrological Forecast we carried yesterday has been phenomenal. Today, we bring you the second leg of the forecast – especially for creative professionals, done exclusively for MxMIndia readers.

     

    The forecast is being brought to you by GaneshaSpeaks.com, #1 astro forecast company in.

     

    Ganeshspeaks.com offers accurate, reliable and trustworthy services online and on premium rate telephony (55181) on all major telecom providers in India. Content syndication for print, TV, online, telecom and apps is one of the major verticals in GaneshaSpeaks.com. For more details, call +91-79-61604100 or send a mail to contact@ganeshaspeaks.com.

     

    Aries (The Ram)

    (21st March to 20th April)

    For the media, marketing and advertising professionals of the Sun Sign Aries, the year 2015 looks set to be pretty encouraging and progressive, overall. However, creativity is the foundation of these fields, and in the first quarter of the year, you may be slightly short on it. Thus, schedule more mundane or tedious tasks/ projects for the year beginning, and postpone important pitches/ shows/ plans, for the time being, specifically, if you haven’t yet prepared for them. Since Venus shall favour your creative pursuits mid-year, Ganesha feels that the time between June second week to July end shall be pretty favourable for any creative activities, or also for launching/ pushing any big plans, which you may have.

     

    Yearly Creative Curve – Average to Good

     

    Taurus (The Bull)

    (21 April to 21 May)

    Taurus natives working or associated with the media, advertising and content fields look set to enjoy a great run in the year 2015. The stars and planets shall be pretty supportive on numerous occasions, through the year, provided you remain active and ready to make good use of the opportunities, as and when they arise. Ganesha foresees you executing a plenty of your plans, this year. But, you shall need to remain flexible, in order to get along well with the demands of your organisation, peers or superiors, and also to keep in tune with the changing demands of times and clients. The time frame from 18th March to 12th April 2015 shall be especially good for taking up new assignments or executing big projects. You may also schedule major pitch presentations, client-side discussions or shoots, during this time window.

     

    Yearly Creative Curve – Good/ Rising

     

    Gemini (The Twins)

    (22nd May to 21st June)

    The Gemini media and advertising professionals may have to face distractions in 2015, feels Ganesha. These may derail you temporarily; you may find it impossible to concentrate or take your on-hand projects through completion. You may also keep digressing from your actual idea or the brief. Some of you also run the risk of getting unduly influenced by tertiary work fields. Thus, try, and remain focused only on your core competencies or area/s of work. For example, if you are a champion at story-boarding, avoid getting too far with your client acquisition ideas or photo-editing. In a nutshell, you may wish to experiment, and shall go out of your way to try out new things, but this may not actually work in your favour. In fact, instead of helping you further your career or skills, this may leave you confused. Nonetheless, the time from mid-April to mid-May shall be good for communication, meetings, new projects or even for a major creative activity or inspiration.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Average to Above Average

     

    Cancer (The Crab)

    (22nd June to 22nd July)

    The stars promise a fortunate year for the advertising and media professionals with the Sun Sign Cancer. Almost all through the year, you will get favourable time windows, which will help you express and channelise your creativity to produce eloquent results. Being a Water Sign, ruled by Moon, any how you guys tend to be naturally imaginative. And in 2015, you can hope to use this prowess to your advantage. However, Ganesha foresees that you may remain somewhat preoccupied by your personal sphere. You may also be keen to enjoy your life in 2015, which may distract you somewhat, making you miss out on a few good projects or opportunities. Try and focus; keep your senses open and receptive. The time from 8th May 2015 till mid-July shall be pretty favourable. You may again come across a lucky streak towards the year end, in December, which will help you put a good foundation for the next year, promises Ganesha.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Good – Very Good/ Consistently Rising

     

    Leo (The Lion)

    (23rd July to 22nd August)

    Ganesha says that 2015 shall be a good time to take a career leap, if you wish. The stars spell ‘Change’ with a capital C for media, advertising and other creative Leo professionals in the year 2015. So, the change may be of any kind, but the bottom-line is that stars shall support you in that, propelling you in the right direction. If you have been looking for something, specifically a job-change, or, maybe some horizontal/ cross-department expansion, you have the luck on your side. Have you been eying that account management profile for some months now? Try your luck and use your creative expression! Chances are high that if you remain on the lookout, you shall come across better opportunities within your current company or in other organisations. The time period after 9th April 2015 till the year end looks good for you and your career pursuits from all angles. In a nutshell, this is a time to progress and expand your horizons, so you should make the best use of this favourable period.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Good – Very Good

     

    Virgo (The Virgin)

    (23rd August to 22nd September)

    The Virgo media and advertising professionals should be ready to rough it out this year – but with due charm and tact. There may be ups and downs in your career domain, through the year, and thus, you will need to remain careful and diplomatic in all you do. Nonetheless, August and December shall be the ‘happening months’ bringing your opportunities. But, other than that, rest of the year may be slightly challenging. Planning has rarely been an issue with you meticulous beings, but in 2015, you may feel that execution of your plans/ projects is getting hit by unexpected roadblocks, maybe owing to confusions or lack of commitment/ perfection, on your team’s part. On your own, you are advised by Ganesha to ensure that all your decisions are well-thought out, and not impulsive. Also, steer clear of offering unsolicited advice.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Average

     

    Libra (The Scales)

    (23rd September to 22nd October)

    The stars aligned for 2015 may pose problems for the Libra individuals’ career and professional domains. The way your career graph moves may leave you somewhat frazzled or anxious. You may remain divided between your personal and professional spheres, which shall further add to the confusion about, which of them should be given priority. Plus, you may feel that you will not be able to progress optimally in one of these, without sacrificing the other – to some extent. If looking for a new job or project, you may either not come across a right opportunity, or may get wired and confused about, where to go and what to do. Ganesha suggests relocation and some readiness to take risks. Both of these may be of good help, provided you stay ready and open for changes. January and December both shall remain active for you.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Average; Stagnant unless you are open to taking risks

     

    Scorpio (The Scorpion)

    (23rd October to 22nd November)

    The year may begin on a slow note, but that must not faze you. The opportunities, success and frenetic activity await Scorpio individuals for the rest of the year 2015. Overall, it will be a progressive year for the advertising, media and other creative professionals. Career progression or expansion are foreseen. You may be able to acquire a better position or may also receive an enticing offer. Taking it up or not shall be best left to your discretion, though, says Ganesha! Nonetheless, if you consider something major like this now, it may change the direction of your life altogether. February is going to be a very very important month for you, suggest the stars.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Rising/ Sustainable

     

    Sagittarius (The Archer)

    (23rd November to 21st December)

    The Sagittarius advertising and media professionals shall have to match their steps with their luck, in order to take maximum benefit of the opportunities thrown open to them by the stars in 2015, says Ganesha. In other words, you shall need to balance your Karma with your fortune, and be ready to act, whenever an opportunity strikes. Overall, career luck shall favour you largely in the second half of the year. But, a lot shall also depend on how you handle the first half of the year – when there may be some tight deadlines or critical projects, asking for your active and prudent participation. March, July and August shall be the favourable months. If you happen to bag a nice project/ job offer or are asked to make a client presentation, do give it all your best shot.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Above Average to Good

     

    Capricorn (The Goat)

    (22nd December to 20th January)

    Change can be unnerving and unsettling for the stability loving Capricorn individuals. However, change is the only constant in this universe! And, on a lot of occasions, this change can be very pleasant, helping you progress, even if after some initial adjustments and hard work. So, be prepared forward-moving Mountain Goats, says Ganesha! Major changes are likely in your career in 2015. This will be an excellent time for moving out of your comfort zones. Look at horizontal as well as vertical expansion; try getting new clients on-board, or try looking at your personal life in a new light. And, try for a career abroad, if that has been on your mind! The results shall be spectacular! In short, relocation and re-assessment of your goals will bring you your just rewards, provided you try. The period from 18th March till the end of June 2015 will especially remain very (very) vital for career and other related decisions, says Ganesha.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Time to plot a new, more exciting Career/ Creativity Graph

     

    Aquarius (The Waterbearer)

    (21st January to 18th February)

    Networking is crucial in almost all fields in today’s ever-changing world; media, entertainment, advertising and content writing simply thrive on it. And, for Aquarius individuals involved in these or related fields, 2015 shall be a perfect opportunity to expand their personal as well as professional contacts. Overall, the year ahead shall be full of hectic, frenetic activity. You shall be extremely busy, and may hardly have any time to think about anything else through the year. New shows or projects, interesting additions to your profile or team may also demand your attentions. However, given all the demands and a busy schedule, ensure that your creativity does not get diluted, especially owing to looming deadlines or performance pressure. June is going to be a very important month for your career, foresees Ganesha.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Average to Above Average; Expansive

     

     

    Pisces (The Fish)

    (19th February to 20th March)

    The initiative has to come from your side, if you are to succeed. This adage remains true for everyone, but in 2015, this shall be super important for you – a mantra, you will have to swear by! Your creativity is among the best in the entire Zodiac, and now is the time to show it to the world. You will get opportunities, but may remain somewhat confused, especially about new doors, which may open, but may seem too risky to venture in. During the first quarter of the year, you shall be able to give your best to your current organization and work profile, but August to October may not be a good time for you career-wise. You may see pitches meeting dead-ends, projects hitting unexpected challenges or opportunities drying up, in general. Good thing, nonetheless, is that your personal creativity shall be good through the year. However, career success may remain average.

     

    Yearly Creative Meter – Zig-Zag/ Above Average

     

    [Two-part series concluded]

     

  • YuppTV launches Colors, MTV and News 18 in Singapore & Malaysia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Focusing on providing premium content to subscribers and expanding its network in markets around the world, YuppTV announced the launch of Colors, MTV, and News 18 channels in Singapore and Malaysia region. With this move, YuppTV’s offerings have become stronger in Singapore and Malaysia regions, delivering 200+ Indian TV Channels worldwide in 12 Indian languages, as Live TV, 10 days of Catch-up TV, along with unlimited Movies.

     

    Gaurav Gandhi, Group Chief Operating Officer India Cast said, “With the launch of Colors, MTV India and News 18 on YuppTV in Singapore and Malaysia we have further strengthened our partnership with YuppTV. We are committed to deliver high quality Entertainment and News services to South Asian audiences across the globe and are confident that our engaging content will be enjoyed by audiences in Singapore and Malaysia.”

     

    Uday Reddy

    “Meeting the high demand for Indian television in Singapore and Malaysia, we are pleased to take popular channels, Colors, MTV and News 18 to TV viewers in these regions. We are confident that TV viewers from Singapore and Malaysia will be delighted to watch their favourite shows in the comfort of their home,” said Uday Reddy, CEO of YuppTV.

     

  • Interface Communications unveils new campaign for Oreo Choco Creme

    By A Correspondent

     

    Oreo Choco Crème has unveiled a new TVC starring brand ambassador Ranbir Kapoor. The campaign created by Interface communications keeps the product at the core of the communication as it lands the key chocolate variant in Mondelez India’s Oreo portfolio.

     

    This time, Ranbir plays the role of a young naval recruit who is leaving for duty. On seeing his teenage sister visibly upset about this, he decides to cheer her up in his own unusual way; with an Oreo. The TVC delves into a brother-sister relationship once again to show us an endearing new side of it which is sometimes sweet sometimes crunchy exactly like the Oreo Choco crème combination. The message has been integrated and cued in really well, ending the TVC on an interesting note where Ranbir compares his sister to the Oreo wrapper indicating how she blabbers all day.

     

    Joemon Thaliath, Chief Operating Officer at Interface Communications, said, “Oreo commercials have always highlighted special moments and relationships. In this TVC we have depicted the brother sister relationship, where the Oreo becomes a catalyst to brighten up the sister’s mood as the brother leaves for his duty.”

     

    Speaking on the campaign, Chella Pandyan, Marketing Head (Biscuits, Mondelez India) said, “The chocolate flavor is the most popular one amongst crèmes in India & a key strategic priority for us. Our endeavor in the communication is to build consumer preference & desire for our lead Choco-crème variant. We have tried to communicate the delightful combination of a chocolatey Oreo cookie & chocolatey crème with the classic Oreo touch.”

     

  • Are we free to write & draw on whatever we want?

     

    There has been outrage over what happened in the attack on French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Twelve people were killed including four of the most celebrated humorists in France.

     

    Charlie Hebdo has been attacked in the past for poking fun at Islam. It may be noted that the magazine has also taken off on other religions in the past. We don’t know how other religious leaders and followers reacted when that happened, but we are sure the response to lampooning of Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist beliefs or leaders would be damned, if that were to happen.

     

    Cartoonist Hemant Morparia, who has spent some quality time with Georges Wolinski, one of the 12 killed, writes in the Mumbai Mirror: “The French are different from the rest of us. They take their satire seriously, as seriously as they take their, well, wine,” and adds: “The world of today is getting increasingly censorious. The right to not get offended is not (just) yet a fundamental right. Political correctness rules.”

     

    But what Dr Morparia (oh,yes, he doubles up as a doctor at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital) says is a little worrying, though for many of us in the media a reality for over a few decades now: “We can think it but we can’t say it. Not even for fun. Not even among friends. Intolerance rules everywhere.”

     

    There are many who believe Charlie Hebdo had taken its freedom too far. Especially since it was warned not just by the fundamentalists but even by former French President Jacques Chirac who asked media organisations to avoid provoking Muslims.

     

    So are we saying Charlie Hebdo asked for this? “Yes, the magazine took things too far,” notes Dr Morparia, who has spent time in France a few times over as part of a cartoonists’ exchange programme.

     

    Well, from the reports that we’ve read, they were indeed asking for trouble, but that this “trouble” would be such a vicious attack, one hadn’t imagined.

     

    Various Indian political leaders have expressed shock at the incident. But, as we know, lumpen elements in India too take law in their hands.

     

    Thankfully, this doesn’t mean them using guns. But, we’ve seen enough cases where our political parties damn journalists, ransack newspaper/ TV channel offices if the news entities have upset their sensitivities. The dispute is never really settled across the table.

     

    There’s also fear in our country that the government could ban you using the anti-social handle. Since the 1993 Mumbai riots or possibly earlier, journalists tend to refer to Hindus and Muslims as majority and minority communities. While the objective is never to fuel a riot, there is an unwritten self-censorship employed by most publications.

     

    After this incident, cartooning will never be the same again. Sad.

     

    See also: NewsStand: How Indian newspapers covered the Incident

     

  • NewsStand: How Indian newspapers covered the Paris attack

    And this is how leading Indian newspapers covered the Paris attack on satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo

     

     
       
       
       

     

     

  • Global Communication Conference focuses on new horizons

    By A Correspondent

     

    The race for TRPs among some private television news channels has come into a sharp focus at the two-day conference of the Global Communication Association (GCA) that kicked off in Bangalore.

     

    Communication professionals from across the world gathered for the conference with the theme of “Breaking Barriers – Creating new communication horizons”.

     

    In his opening remarks, Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash described the chase as more of “Blood Pressure Raising Points (BRPs)”  as certain news channels keep having eight to panelists debating at the top of their voices. No other country in the world seems to have this kind of a Maara Maari on TV news channels, he said and called upon the viewers switch over to Doordarshan if they get fed up with the private channels.

     

    “We do not ape the West, we are very much Indian,” he remarked describing the ethos at Doordarshan.

     

    Pointing out that mass media in general has been experiencing an exponential boom in the country, Surya Prakash called for “our own solutions” to meet the challenges of growth.

     

    Echoing the same sentiments, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah, who was the chief guest, said some electronic media channels appeared to be in a great race to meet deadlines. This was why, he said, sometimes the viewers might not see anything big in the so-called breaking news.

     

    He suggested that steps should be taken to curb monopolies among media houses and even private treaties. The role of the Press Council should be redefined to cover TV news channels as well, he said.

     

    Dr Vinod Nowal, Deputy Managing Director of JSW Steel Limited, who was the guest of honour, said there was a huge barrier between what people at the helm say and what they do. India needed to improve a lot on infrastructure allocation of natural resources if it has to emerge as the global manufacturing hub. He pointed out that the interest rates in the country are very high at 18 per cent as compared to the developed countries which enjoy a rate of 3 to 4 per cent.

     

    Conference curator and organizing secretary Krishna B Mariyanka said the two-day event will focus discussions on Faltering Media social responsibilities, Communication CSR through media, news distribution in social  media, communication for PPPs, sustainability communication, branding, new digital journalism, challenges in multi-cultural communication, political communication, digital privacy, healthcare communication, and so on.

     

  • The Most Annoying Buzzwords of 2014

     

    We asked the industry’s finest for buzzwords they grew heartily sick off in 2014. Big Data and Viral were the big losers. Read on for the rest:

     

    Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands

    1. Talent

    2. Compensation

    3. Digital

    4. Television measurement and

    5. Analytics were annoying as the more people spoke, the less they did anything about these things.

     

    For 2015, for starters, I have high hopes from the new TV measurement which Barc will put out, media agencies getting into content production, collaboration between all constituents of the ad ecosystem, budgets which will hopefully be at landmark levels and the World Cup which we should win again.

     

    HALL OF SHAME 

    Viral – Most of the time it is just an ad that runs way too long. Get some scissors, people

     

    Big Data – The ultimate Brahma Astra for the advertising charlatan

     

    The only viral I know of is the one that requires the intervention of a doctor

    Perhaps the most, abused & misused terminology in the year. Runs the danger of being called ‘Pig Data’.

    It’s just analytics. People have been doing this ever since humankind stepped on this planet.

     

    Malvika Mehra, National Creative Director and Executive Vice President, Grey

    The 5 most oft used words in 2014 were 1. Guys 2. Let’s 3. Make 4. A 5. Viral.

     

    Also ‘Take your time (4-5 minutes is great), but please don’t take my money. No budgets this year. And while you are at it, make it so stunning that it is ‘organic’ (unpaid distribution)’. Ji Sirji. ‘But ultimately make me a TVC. And I want a ‘BIG, LAUNCHY’ feel for our product in 30 seconds or less. Chal, paanch second aur le lo’. Ji sirji.

     

    The Pitch Bitch: ‘Of course we love you guys! We are just opening it up to 10 other agencies to inject some freshness into the brand (and test how much lower will they drop their price vis a vis yours for the same or more amount of work)’. Par Sirji?

     

    Femvertising: From soap brands, to makers of shampoos, sanitary towels, watches to home appliances and mobile network providers, everybody suddenly wanted to ’empower the woman’. I get the noble intent, but wish the brands would really ‘walk the talk’. Else it’s just a ‘token’ gesture. And consumers see through that inauthenticity.

     

    Interactive Pre-rolls: With stern warnings of ‘If you skip this ad, I will have to kill not only Jack and Jill and Mary and her little lamb, but also Old MacDonald along with all the cute animals on his farm’.

     

    Research: Gut instinct is officially dead. It got replaced by the R word. Heard about ‘No guts. No glory’? Not lately.

     

    Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Executive Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather

    Native Advertising: I imagine people wearing grass skirts and clapper boards singing jingles.

     

    Vlog: At times we Bengalis mix up our Vs and Bs. That’s what I thought this was all about!

     

    Content: As in, ads vs. content, content marketing. Like ‘traditional’ advertising has no content? I’m content to pass on this one.

     

    Social: Yeah, why not? Let’s party. And get paid for it! That’s what I say.

     

    Seamless: Every element has to seamlessly work with everything else. Imagine if our clothes were like that too! Now that would be some fashion trend.

     

    Santosh Padhi, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Taproot India

    Pitch: If you do not respect yourself nobody will.

     

    Research: Like sex determination, it should be banned

     

    Low Budget: Instead of 300 insertions can we do 280 and improve the quality of the creative?

     

    Urgent: Premature babies forcefully welcomed will always run a risk

     

    Celebrity: They are the super highly paid creative directors, why do you need one more creative agency?

     

    Rohit Ohri, Executive Chairman, Dentsu India and CEO, Dentsu Asia Pacific (South)

    Integrated: Integration is the process, co-creation is the magic.

     

    360: 360 degree campaigns are consumer conversations in bursts, 365 is everyday relevance.

     

    Alignment: Alignment is passionless, belief runs deep.

     

    Structure: Structure constrains, open source liberates.

     

    Procurement: Vegetables are procured, ideas are partnered.

     

    Meenakshi Menon, Chairman, Spatial Access

    Big Data: That has to be on the top of my list. It’s just analytics. People have been doing this ever since humankind stepped on this planet.

     

    Twitterati: Everybody has become an instant expert on Twitter. I’d replace the term with ‘scum.’

     

    ISIS: ‘Isis’ is supposed to be the goddess worshipped as ideal mother and wife. Our vocabulary keeps evolving, sometimes not in the right direction. I’d call the group as a distortion than assigning them the name of a goddess.

     

    Homechef: Where mothers cooking for their families had some dignity to it, now we have a whole new concept of women cooking for complete strangers that they invite at home. The food is charged, of course. It’s just a little pretentious a term. Just call them plain old cook, maybe?

     

    Climate Change: It only gets talked about. Never acted upon. Perhaps replace it with – learn to breathe under water? Or ‘Grow gills?’

     

    Anil Nair, CEO and Managing Partner, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi

    Integration: The term liberally used when you don’t have a clue of what to do with your brand. It’s been institutionalised now. We will have Chief Integration Officers everywhere in no time. Put an end to this painful word. Replace it with ‘We need to have an idea,’ Sirjee.

     

    Social Listening: It’s something that our good old researchers have been doing for ages. It’s nothing more than trend analytics, only instead of taking a dictaphone out to record voices, you’re recording them off Facebook and Twitter. Just call it ‘consumer understanding’ and do not make an unnecessary tool out of it, please?

     

    Viral: The only viral I know of is the one that requires the intervention of a doctor and loads of medicine to go away. I don’t care where this term came from, it needs to disappear. It’s an epidemic that needs an antidote.

     

    SEO, SEM: Why are we making a mountain out of a molehill? Can we not get caught up in the process and its terminology and revert to a simple non-jargonised world?

     

    Big Data: For God’s sake, the database just got bigger. But it always existed. The most successful political campaign of this year was based on pure emotional advertising and not big data. Let’s stop jargonising information. Call it what it is (read: information).

     

    Mallikarjun Das, CEO, Starcom MediaVest Group (India)

    Big Data: A phrase bandied too easily and too much, especially by those who pay scant regard to rationality. The ultimate Brahma Astra for the advertising charlatan.

     

    Programmatics: A term used in context with media buying, especially on digital, when what they are doing is just using the optimiser.

     

    Fragmentation: The only problem with using the said buzzword is that it’s often used in a wrong way to strike some sort of terror in a client.

     

    Storytelling: Need I say more?

     

    360 degree: This term is like that sugarcane that’s passed through the machine 300 times. There’s no juice left in it and yet it’s being rolled one last time.

     

    Dhunji Wadia, President, Rediffusion Y&R

    Big Data: Perhaps the most, used, abused and misused terminology of the year. It runs the danger of being called ‘Pig Data’. There are questions regarding the implications of the approach and also the way it is currently done. It needs to look at data holistically – Total Information.

     

    Digital Evangelists: Don’t need them as you cannot preach to the converted.

     

    The ‘Selfie’ Contest/Promotion: Replace it with better imagination.

     

    E-commerce ‘Discount for the Day’: That runs for years together.

     

    Free App Download: With more and more retailers and brands reaching for e- and m-commerce, there is an explosion of apps to be downloaded. Begs the question, ‘Why would anyone pay to download such an app?’

     

    Ajay Kakar, CMO, Aditya Birla Group – Financial Services

    “Isse viral kar do!”: Which is what every client says. It’s content, not viral, please.

     

    “Facebook has 50 million visitors!”: So what? VT station has more people visiting, does that mean we put all our ads there?

     

    New media: Let’s just say ‘customer’ as opposed to new, old, traditional, or any other kind of media. Creative awards: Awards should be for creatives that work.

     

    Pitches: Here a pitch, there a pitch, everywhere clients flirting. Serial pitching must end. Let’s call them ‘Brand Custodians’ and not pitchers, shall we? Clients and agencies must stop playing the blame game. If one is the crutch to your success there’s no way one should let go.

     

    Bobby Pawar, Director and Chief Creative Officer, Publicis Worldwide

    Viral: For the love of likes, it’s just a video until lots of people see and share it. Most of the time it is just an ad that runs way too long. Get some scissors, people.

     

    ATL/BTL: It implies a caste system of ideas. The good ones go above, the so-called ‘hard working’ ones slide under. It shouldn’t matter where the idea lives, it must be good enough to move your audience. People don’t care, therefore you must.

     

    But: This is phaasi ka phanda for ideas. It is crueler that a blunt ‘no’. Why? Because it is preceded by some waffling words that give hope to the creative, then ‘but’ shows up and yanks the handle.

     

    Deadline: Nothing induces a creative butt-clenching moment like this word. Yes sir, three bags full sir, our work is time bound, but does it have to sound so, erm, deadly?

     

    Purchase: It’s the leading cause of hair-loss among agency CEOs.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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