MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • The Third Party Audit and Validation of the SureWaves Spot TV Network by Hansa Research will cover Random Physical Verification of Technology Deployment at Channel Studios

    SureWaves partners Hansa for Third Party Audit & Valuation

    By A Correspondent

     

    SureWaves MediaTech has announced an association with Hansa Research to carry out Third Party Audit and Validation of the entire SureWaves Spot TV Network.

     

    The association of Hansa Research with SureWaves Spot TV Network, which delivers the largest audience on television in the country, brings an additional seal of accountability to a new age media platform, fulfilling a long felt industry need and is likely to cause a major shift in media buying on television.

     

    The Third Party Audit and Validation of the SureWaves Spot TV Network by Hansa Research will cover Random Physical Verification of Technology Deployment at Channel Studios and Online Audit and Validation of SureWaves ADEX Logs with LIVE monitoring of channels.

     

    Commenting on the initiative, Srinivasan Raman, Executive Director of Hansa Research said, “We are very excited to be a part of this endeavor and we believe in the potential of new age media platforms. Coming from an audience research background we knew large audiences are available on Cable TV Channels and SureWaves Spot TV Network truly tries to address the industry level problem of adding to supply side of audiences for advertisers and media agencies. We are happy to be associated with this large format innovation and look forward to our work helping the industry at large.”

     

    Commenting on the association with Hansa, Rajendra Kumar Khare, Chairman and Managing Director of SureWaves said, “SureWaves Spot TV Network today offers large and diverse audiences across the length and breadth of the country in market based clusters and advertisers and media agencies alike have shown tremendous faith and commitment towards our initiative. To further increase the trust and confidence levels we felt that opening of the technology behind SureWaves Spot TV Network to third party audit and validation by a reputed research agency like Hansa is a logical step forward. The industry we operate in has many unorganized aggregators and we felt this could be one required step to create Gold Standard for our offering. This will also help our channel partners better understand our commitment and vision towards the industry.”

     

  • Starting January 31, Disney Channel takes the family route with clean, entertaining shows on weekends. A Q&A with Vijay Subramaniam, VP-Content &Communications, Media Network at Disney

    In the family way…

     

    Pardon our cheeky headline, but a channel like Disney doesn’t give you the liberty to do this ever. For, starting tomorrow (January 31), Disney Channel takes the family route. Kicking off its new credo will be five new live-action shows over weekends with a brand promise of ‘Shanivaar, Ravivaar only for Parivaar’. They are Kabhi Aise Geet Gaya Karo, Maan Na Maan Main Tera Mehmaan, Goldie Ahuja Matric Pass, Lage Raho Chachu and Zindagi Khattee Meethi featuring television veterans like Renuka Shahane, Mahesh Thakur, Sudhir Pandey, and Maninee Mishra. On the eve of the the change, Vijay Subramaniam, VP-Content and Communications, Media Networks, Disney India spoke with MxMIndia

     

    From a kids-centric channel to now a family one. Given your long association with the channel, how do you and the team feel about the transition?

    It feels amazing because it’s the journey we pretty much imagined for the channel and the brand in this country. We are a kids-centric family inclusive brand and our brand of entertainment will always be that. We are a young brand. When we came into the country, the first protocol was to connect with the kids which I think we’ve done consistently and successfully for a while. While doing that, we’ve also enjoyed a great deal of parental approval and participation. Now, we find we’re in a great place to complement our offering with the opportunity to entertain the entire family together. What we’re doing is adding one more offering or layer to our content offering.

     

    The kids’ domain was also getting a little cluttered.

    No, I’d say there’s always a marketplace for differentiated high quality programming. I don’t entirely believe there’s enough segmentation yet. The real journey for us is that the brand entertains kids and families together everywhere. That’s the uniqueness of the brand and there was a point in time where we too wanted to take the time to invite families to come and sit on the couch together and be entertained by the Disney channel.

     

    While the flagship Disney Channel turns ‘family’, your other kiddie properties continue

    Absolutely! I said it’s a compliment. It’s adding an existing layer to our entertainment offering. It’s stuff that kids will also enjoy. It’s made for the entire family. These are shows and stories that are not just uplifting and positive but are very entertaining.

     

    You had a re-run of Shararat on Disney for a very long time

    That’s right. Those were the early days of experimentation on what kind of stories work and how do audiences respond. More recently, we started putting shows like, The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir and Best of Luck Nikki. We even piloted a DisneyQ in the Family Mastermind format. These are progressive steps we’re looking to take to add to our existing offering and bring families into our entertainment foray.

     

    What are your targets in terms of ‘Made for Family’ content? What’s it going to increase a year from now?

    In terms of number of hours, right now there are three hours and we’ve not really set an outer goal yet. It is a significant step that we’ve taken and our entire focus is on being able to do this and set out the high quality content we’ve set out to deliver. I think our focus is really going to be on those two areas.

     

    The family content also pits you against the existing Hindi GECs which in a different league altogether. Are you going to match that in terms of presence, scale and emotions?

    Our aim is and remains to entertain kids and families together on the weekend using differentiated stories and storytelling. It is organic. We believe, over time, our popularity, through the stories and the shows, will increase and grow. We’re very clear and independent in our view of how our journey is going to be for us. We believe the opportunity is there for great stories which families gravitate towards. If you were to draw a parallel, you can look at the movie industry. There are blockbusters and there are standout films – both equally successful. I think that analogy would apply to us as well.

     

    Surely you would’ve done a fair bit of research on this, but, in a market where kids are drawn increasingly towards detective shows like CID or funnies like Comedy Nights with Kapil, do you see enough of a pull for clean entertainment?

    Absolutely. I completely agree with you in terms of what they are watching but, equally, there is an opportunity that they would be, if given, delighted to watch not just them but their parents and their grandparents. That opportunity is what we are tapping into.

     

    From where you are right now, any targets in terms of how you would fair in terms of the ratings roster?

    Unfortunately I can’t share our targets with you. We continue leading the marketplace and we will hopefully continue doing that. We want to now start tracking strongly in the family measurement scores and I know in India you don’t have co-viewing as a measure, so if you were to interpret family as the 25 plus audiences, we want to start tracking pretty strongly there as well. That would be the first measure, really.

     

    Were there any worries that you would alienate your core viewer: children on weekends?

    No, again going back to Best of Luck and The Suite Life of Karan & Kabir. Those steps gave us enough insight into how you can actually entertain kids with live action content. Because it is the stuff that they watch. If anything, we were energised by the fact that we will be able to entertain kids and families together with a new dimension which is live action which otherwise isn’t coming from the genre. Secondly, it’s the unique storytelling style that we’ve chosen that we pride ourselves in. At the heart of everything we do, we are kid-centric and family inclusive. All our stories have to pass on that filter.

     

    Are you looking at films in the near or distant future? The Disney family in the U.S. have a fairly large film component.

    That’s right. The DCOMs (Disney Channel Original Movies), you mean. They’re not on the anvil right now. Our entire focus is to deliver consistently high quality wholesome family entertainment that, with finite fiction is what we’ve started with and moved down the path of…

     

    How has it been in terms of advertisers?

    The response has been very encouraging. The fact is that it’s two-fold. Firstly, we do have a legacy with our partners. Our journey has been progressive and it’s been for them too. We have a large roster of partners that are already engaged with us, both as a network and as a Disney Channel. This has only expanded their horizons because this allows them to target other segments which currently they didn’t have an access to from a Disney standpoint. Secondly, the response to the uniqueness of our stories and the fact that it’s wholesome and fun and uplifting and really the dil ko choo jaaye part of it has been tremendous. A lot of brands have seen the qualitative values besides the quantitative ones to want to be a part of this journey.

     

    I’m sure you’d have done your research. But, at one level, it’s good to talk about the fact that you want to be associated with the good things. But it’s another when it comes to ratings and alike.

    Absolutely! I do believe that, ultimately, high quality, differentiated stories with values stand out. They will stand out and they will succeed on both parameters. That’s our belief. It is a journey, it is organic, it takes time because you’re asking people to first come and sample the stories. We’re pretty confident that through that sampling, they will be first entertained and therefore, engaged. That journey done consistently well, we will be successful.

     

    Are you looking at any regional feeds of this family format?

    Not at the moment. Again, singular focus, we’ve made a conscious choice of entertaining the Hindi speaking markets first.

     

  • WATConsult will become part of Isobar, Dentsu Aegis Network's global digital marketing agency and will be referred to as 'WATConsult – Linked by Isobar'

    Dentsu Aegis Network acquires majority in social & digital media agency WATConsult

    By A Correspondent

     

    Left to Right: Ashish Bhasin, Heeru Dingra, Nipun Kapur Dingra and Rajiv Dingra.

    Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the acquisition of WATConsult, a leading social and digital media agencies, with over 160 professionals in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. WATConsult will become part of  Isobar, Dentsu Aegis Network’s global digital marketing agency and will be referred to as ‘WATConsult – Linked by Isobar’.

     

    Founded in 2007, WATConsult, which is led by CEO Rajiv Dingra, has evolved from being a social media agency to a full-service digital agency. WATConsultalso provides its client base with creative and technology services across mobile, digital and video. Clients include the Godrej Group, Nikon, Tata Chemicals, Bestseller Group, Bajaj Allianz and more than 70 other national and global brands. According to a newspaper report, the valuation of the company is in the region of Rs 180 crore, a figure dismissed by a few industry professionals MxMIndia spoke to as way too high even for a future-ready digital agency.

     

    Said Nick Waters, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific: “The acquisition of WATConsult marks another significant step for our group in India.  This is a high quality award winning market leader specialising in one of the fastest growing and critical segments of the market.  Alongside Isobar, iProspect, and WebChutney we have created the largest and highest quality digital services capability in India.  We view India as a priority market and will continue to seek scaled and quality investment opportunities here.”

     

    Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO South Asia Dentsu Aegis Network added: “Having WATConsult, a leader in social media, as a member of our family will further enhance our digital offering to our clients and support our growth in the market. WATConsult, will join iProspect, Isobar and Webchutney in making our digital offering the most comprehensive in India.”

     

    Said Rajiv Dingra, CEO WATConsult: “We are delighted to join hands with Dentsu Aegis Network, and our entire team are looking forward to taking WATConsult – Linked by Isobar to even greater heights. We are confident that by becoming a part of a digital focused network like Dentsu Aegis Network we will gain a competitive advantage in the fast consolidating Indian market. As an agency we see huge growth opportunity in digital advertising, particularly social media, digital video and mobile, and we are geared to capitalising on it.”

     

    Rajiv Dingra will continue as CEO ofWATConsult – Linked by Isobar, reporting to Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia. His key management team, including Nipun Kapur, COO of WATConsult and HeeruDingra, CFO of WATConsult, will also continue in their respective roles. Mr Dingra will also join the Digital Council of Dentsu Aegis Network India, alongside the CEOs of Isobar, iProspect and WebChutney. This ensures that digital specialists at Dentsu Aegis Network in India now exceed 600 professionals.

     

  • The Barack Obama trip notwithstanding, the News Entertainer of the Week (also the Month) Award was snatched away by the ever-so-incorrigible Kiran Bedi, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor: The Kiran Bedi School of Entertainment

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    The week that went may have only been above average on its news-worthiness, but it was one of the best weeks in recent memories on its news entertainment quotient. The Modi-Obama trip provided ample light moments, both on-field (the ‘chemistry’ between the two leaders themselves) and off-field (the reactions on social media and the hyperventilation on television). But the News Entertainer of the Week (also the Month) Award was snatched away by the ever-so-incorrigible Kiran Bedi.

     

    For almost two weeks now, she has been finding innovative ways of providing us daily entertainment. The Ravish Kumar interview for NDTV India is one of the most exciting news interviews in India in a while. If you watched the entire 20-minutes of it (important, because the most entertaining parts are packed in towards the end), you would agree that Bedi can get the best out of journalists. Kumar was in fine form, tongue-in-cheek at times, politely sarcastic at others, and outright brazen on a couple of occasions. I don’t watch much Hindi news except when work requires me to, but I know audiences rate Kumar very highly. Sir, you had me at “Excellent”.

     

    I’ve grown up in Delhi to the legends of Kiran Bedi. I was too young when the PMO car was towed, but I remember being told that Crane Bedi could take a crane anywhere, anytime, and pick up any vehicle. It was a personal story for my family. Our family two-wheeler had been towed (craned?) once as well.

     

    There were some not-so-positive stories from Mizoram and some fairly progressive ones from Tihar, over the years. But largely, Bedi was out-of-sight and out-of-mind. In 2008-09, she found mass audiences in her TV show Aap Ki Kachehri Kiran Ke Saath. Star Plus dared to give the show a primetime slot, and it turned out to be a good decision. Bedi was her natural, policing self, solving family disputes of people from lower socio-economic groups. She could talk down to them, with many being illiterate and most seeking desperate help.

     

    The show worked and made Bedi a popular face in a generation that may not have known much about her till then. The second season didn’t find much favor with the audience, for both content and time-slot issues. But if Bedi indeed ends up achieving anything significant in her political career, she has enough reasons to thank Aap Ki Kachehri (and hence Star and Big Synergy).

     

    My respect-for-Bedi bubble burst when she did that one ghoonghat act at the Ramlila Maidaan in 2011. I was least offended by what she said. What irked me was that it was just not well performed. She did that act in the same Kachehri policing tone, much like she gives all her interviews these days (before the ‘voice rest’). It’s like an actor who impresses you in her first film because of her unique style, but then goes on to perform every character in the exact same way thereafter.

     

    Style apart, her content has not much going for it either. If BJP can pull off the Delhi elections with Bedi at the helm, it would be their toughest win in the last two years. Much as I’d like to be entertained for the next five years by her, I’m tempted to think of my original home Delhi first, and wish that this entertainment ends on February 10. Side-actor Kejriwal can take over then.

     

  • The beleaguered Hindi Channel is going in for a content revamp and will be up for a relaunch

    Sony Pal not shutting yet, set for a revamp

    By A Correspondent

     

    There have been many rumours about the status of Multi Screen Media’s second Hindi general entertainment channel Sony Pal over the last few weeks, months possibly. The channel hasn’t fared too well in terms of television audience ratings ever since it launched on September 1.

     

    Despite boasting of shows from well-known production houses, the channel ratings were even lesser than some of the re-run channels of the established networks. Yesterday, as there was buzz that the channel is going in for re-runs of old Sony Entertainment Television properties, MSM issued a statement:

     

    Sony PAL was launched five months ago subsequent to which the channel carried out extensive research. Basis the research channel is in the process of realigning its content strategy. Sony PAL has achieved extensive distribution as a pay channel and will continue to be an important asset for the MSM Network.”

     

    A media agency veteran who MxMIndia spoke to was unimpressed and felt that the going is going to be tough for Pal if the changes initiated are not dramatic. “Remember, Zee is launching &TV from March, and all the other GECs are not sitting pretty in the meantime.”

     

    Indeed. But, then, like in the various soaps and tele-dramas, one can always expect a twist somewhere. Let’s wait for the revamp.

     

  • The channel has launched a series of hard-hitting, issue-based films to reiterate its repositioning

    Times Now unveils campaign focusing on new positioning

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Now has always believed in taking a tough stand against issues that affects the nation. Raising the voice for ‘Positive Provocation’ and asking ‘The Right Questions’ that lead to action has always been the core of the channel’s philosophy. With the conviction to shape a better tomorrow, the channel further strengthened its core philosophy of through a sharp-focused positioning – Action Begins Here. The channel has launched a series of hard-hitting, issue-based films to reiterate its repositioning.

     

    M K Anand

    MK Anand, CEO & Managing Director, Times Television Network said, “’Action Begins Here’ truly articulates what Times Now stands for, it explains what we are really doing. As india’s leading News brand, we are well aware of the power our voice has in society. And we constructively use that power to give voice to issues that affect our nation and raise the right questions that lead to Action. Action that leads to concrete solutions, to change for a better India. The re-positioning will be reflected in the overall brand communication coupledwith intense & engaging content.”

     

    Arnab Goswami

    Arnab Goswami, Editor-in-chief, Times Now said, “Times Now has been the popular choice for more than 7 years as the number 1 channel. We have changed news delivery from deadpan to passionate; from uninvolved to journalism that steps forward to fight for the citizen. Action Begins Here is a campaign that reflects this new age journalism, and showcases our fundamental strength of direct reporting to viewers across the globe.”

     

    The channel has launched a 360 degree marketing plan that includes extensive Print, OOH, Cinema, Digital and Cross-Channel Promotions. The creatives are extremely insightful and thought provoking.

     

  • This move helps Big Magic to gradually fortify its space in the comedy genre in India with original differentiated content

    Big Magic now available on Tata Sky

    By A Correspondent

     

    We don’t normally carry news on channels expanding their distribution footprint or inking deals with Direct-To-Home (DTH) operators. But given its recent rise in its viewership and the changes expected to be ushered in by the BARC-administered audience measurement system, this announcement could have a bearing on the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) landscape, albeit in the second tier of GECs. The news: Big Magic has strengthened its distribution with leading  DTH player, Tata Sky. The channel will be available from February 1 on Tata Sky channel 138 for subscribers across the country. This move helps Big Magic to gradually fortify its space in the comedy genre in India with original differentiated content.

     

    This announcement enables Tata Sky to offer its viewers a differentiated content around comedy with Big Magic’s programming mix targeted to a relevant and discerning audience base across relevant markets. The channel’s original programming mix includes a comical line up of hilarious sitcoms, a side splitting historical comedy; laugh out loud weekend specials, festive specials and comedy blockbuster films.

     

    Paolo Agostinelli, Chief Content and Business Development Officer, Tata Sky said, “For Tata Sky, catering to consumers across age groups with the growing preference towards comedy, Big Magic as a channel would be a rather unique offer suiting the needs of our customers across the country. We will finally showcase the range of offerings from BIG MAGIC on our platform.”

     

    Lavneesh Gupta

    Speaking on the occasion, Reliance Broadcast Network COO Lavneesh Gupta said, “We are happy to announce our availability on Tata Sky, which allows the channel to immediately grow its reach across the geography. We are confident of our product with differentiated comedy content and designed as per audience needs for the entire family. Strengthening our distribution spectrum is a strategic move towards focusing on growing the channel with additional new content that is expected soon.”

     

  • The mandate covers all aspects of the brand's media planning, advisory and buying across print, TV, Digital and Outdoor

    ZenithOptimedia wins media duties of Jungleegames.com

    By A Correspondent

     

    ZenithOptimedia has bagged the media duties for Junglee Games in a multi-agency pitch conducted recently. The mandate covers all aspects of the brand’s media planning, advisory and buying across print, TV, Digital and Outdoor.

     

    Hari Krishnan, Managing Director ZenithOptimedia said, “This is a significant win for ZO with the tech and mobile sector gaining momentum in the overall advertising space. It is indeed a matter of pride for us to be partnering with Junglee Games.”

     

    Satya Mahapatra, CMO, Junglee Games said, “We are glad to partner with ZenithOptimedia who have demonstrated excellent understanding of the Internet & Mobile audiences. I am sure this will go long-way in the success of our brands.”

     

    The high-intensity multimedia campaign will break in February 2015.

     

  • The Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline

    Entry deadline for Olive Crown Awards extended to Feb 15th

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neeraj Roy

    The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has announced deadline extension of the Olive Crown Awards that salute excellence in communicating sustainability.

     

    Neeraj Roy, Chairman, Olive Crown Awards Committee said, “The response to the Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline, and so we have extended the last date to receive entries to February 15th 2015.”

     

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    IAA President Srinivasan Swamy said, “The Olive Crown awards are our contribution to Planet Earth. They are run as a cause and we do not charge any entry fee. The awards ceremony is also an exclusive “invite-only” show. Last year Sri Amitabh Bachchan was the Chief Guest and Smt Maneka Gandhi received the Green Crusader Award. Further, Hindustan Unilever and Mathrubhumi Group of Newspapers shared the Corporate Social Crusader Award and McCann World Group bagged the Agency of the year award.”

     

  • Zee HD League is aimed at giving an enriched viewing experience to the affluential viewers

    Zee rolls out HD League for the affluential

    By A Correspondent

     

    ZEE has announced the launch of network’s new brand identity – Zee HD League.

     

    Zee HD League is a complete bouquet with the best of Hollywood and Bollywood blockbusters, cutting-edge entertainment and best-in-class sporting action. A comprehensive 360 degree marketing campaign across affluential touch-points such as airports and multiplexes along with special emphasis on digital is being rolled out to promote the Zee HD League. As part of the HD campaign – Zee TV HD will showcase the World Television Premiere of the critically acclaimed and award-winning movie The Lunchbox on Sunday, 8th February.

     

    Sunil Buch, Chief Business Officer, ZEEL says, “With close to a 40 per cent increase in the sales of flat-panel TVs coupled with an aggressive push by DTH and Digital Cable players, HD channels continue to gain consumer traction. Zee HD League is aimed at giving an enriched viewing experience to the affluential viewers. Our approach will be two pronged – Adding width in terms of new HD channels and depth by looking at HD exclusive offerings from each of our channels.”

     

    Ashish Sehgal, Chief Sales Officer, ZEEL said, “There is a clear opportunity for advertisers to sharply target the elusive affluent audience segment. HD subscribers have a high skew towards the premium 25+, SEC AB in 6 metros and are growing at a whopping 50% per annum. By adopting a network approach, we will further strengthen our monetization strategy by offering advertisers a suite of advertising options across multiple genres.”

     

  • The channel is also available on leading cable operators like DEN, Siti Cable, Hathway and InCable to name a few

    Tata Sky adds MAX 2 to its bouquet

    By A Correspondent

     

    Multi Screen Media’s second Hindi movie channel – ‘MAX 2’, will now be available on Tata Sky. The channel will reach out to millions of households across the country further to its association with Tata Sky thereby expanding its viewer base via the DTH platform.

     

    Besides Tata Sky, MAX 2 is available on other DTH platforms comprising Videocon d2h, Airtel, Dish TV and Reliance Digital TV. The channel is also available on leading cable operators like DEN, Siti Cable, Hathway and InCable to name a few.

     

    Speaking on the association with Tata Sky, Neeraj Vyas, Sr. EVP & Business Head, MAX & MAX2 said, “We are pleased to announce the availability of MAX 2 on India’s leading DTH platform – Tata SKY which widens the channel’s reach. We have received numerous requests from Tata Sky viewers for showcasing MAX 2 and are convinced that our association will help us reach out to a larger audience. We are sure the subscribers will love the channel and will enjoy savoring the timeless films of Indian cinema.”

     

  • For the record, the agency already handles the SEM and SEO domains for the life insurance company

    iProspect Communicate 2 bags AEGON Religare’s social media account

    By A Correspondent

     

    iProspect Communicate 2 has won the additional mandate to optimise social media platforms (SMO) for AEGON Religare. For the record, the agency already handles the SEM (search engine marketing) and SEO (search engine optimisation) domains for the life insurance company.

     

    Yateesh Srivastava

    Speaking on the win, Yateesh Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer, AEGON Religare notes, “As an organisation we truly understand the impact that social media has on our brand and on our reputation. It is a very powerful way to engage our customers and prospects in an authentic and useful manner. In iProspect we believe we have found the right match since the agency has been doing very well on our performance campaigns and we are sure they will do the same with Social Media, as well. The holistic approach will ensure uniformity in messaging across the digital space and will engage customers in a manner that creates maximum impact.”

     

     

    Vivek Bhargava

    Vivek Bhargava, CEO of iProspect Communicate 2 said, “We are glad to deliver our expertise to AEGON Religare in the social media domain, after a successful stint in both SEO and SEM. We have some extremely ambitious plans for the SMO activities of the account and look forward to strengthening our business bond by executing these plans and exceeding all expectations.”