MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • Expectedly, Star India has hiked World Cup 2015 ad rates after India's performance

    Star twinkles as India shines

     

    By Ravi Teja Sharma & Ratna Bhushan

     

    Star India, official broadcaster of the ongoing cricket World Cup, has lost no time in hiking ad rates for the tournament even further, riding on the two big wins India recorded and all-time high television viewership of the India-Pakistan match. Rates have shot up by almost 25-30% over the past two days, and are in the range of Rs 18 lakh to Rs 20 lakh for a 10-second ad spot, up from close to Rs 12 lakh, said two media buyers requesting anonymity.

     

    Sam Balsara, chairman and managing director at media buying group Madison World said it was usual for broadcasters to up rates on highly watched shows. “India’s performance has been unexpectedly good so far. So its natural to hike rates for any broadcaster,” he said. Media planners say rates may peak that of the last World Cup which India won.

     

    Anita Nayyar

    “The India show gives India more muscle to stick to its rates. Even if advertisers think the rates are too steep, they don’t have a choice,” said a marketing head of a top foods firm. “When the World Cup started, there was scepticism. In the last two matches India has done phenomenally well giving a lot of philip to the tournament. With viewership increasing, Star is increasing rates,” said Anita Nayyar, CEO of Havas Media, India and South Asia. She said there are clients who are waiting for quarters, semi-finals and finals to advertise as they know that people will watch these games irrespective of the Indian cricket team’s presence in the stages.

     

    Media buying firms say now even unconventional advertisers are looking to buy one-off spots, even at a premium, with India almost certain to reach the final league stages. Without specifying the rates, a Star India spokesperson said: “The pricing for the remaining matches is dynamic and depends on the inventory left. Most brands are interested in buying spots for a group of matches, therefore single game spots are sold at a premium.”

     

    Star claims it has over 100 advertisers on the tournament. “The final stage matches will definitely get Star a higher rate. With India doing well, they will get their desired rates for these few matches,” says Vinit Karnik, national director, sports and live events, at GroupM ESP.

     

    The India-Pakistan World Cup thriller on February 15 was watched by 288 million people in India – the most watched event in the country since the last World Cup final, according to data provided by World Cup Star India. In comparison, on the opening day of the World Cup, the Australia-England match was viewed by over 100 million people. The match, which India won convincingly by 76 runs, got a rating of 14.8 TVR among male viewers.

     

    With Star launching commentary on its regional channels, about 76% of the total viewership during the match came from regional and Hindi while the rest came from English, said Star. The India-Pakistan match had also created history on the digital front with Star India’s digital platforms garnering over 25 million views, the highest in the world for a single game.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

    All Rights Reserved, Licensed to republish

     

  • Their 'digital at core' philosophy was impressive and that translated seamlessly in their strategic approach and category understanding

    Havas Media wins digital mandate of Ranbaxy’s Consumer Healthcare brands

    By A Correspondent

     

    Subodh Marwah

    Havas Media Group India has started 2015 on a very positive note. They have won the digital marketing mandate of Ranbaxy’s Consumer healthcare brands post a multi-agency pitch which included the incumbent as well as all leading digital agencies.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Subodh Marwah, Vice President and Head-Global Consumer Healthcare said, “In Havas Media we saw a perfect partner- one who is equally innovative and passionate about building brands. Their ‘digital at core’ philosophy was impressive and that translated seamlessly in their strategic approach and category understanding.

     

    Anita Nayyar
    Mohit Joshi

    Speaking on the win, Anita Nayyar, CEO, Havas Media Group India and South Asia said, “We are delighted at the win. It’s a great way to start the New Year. We believe in creating Meaningful Brands and Ranbaxy is an excellent example of such brands. Look forward to a great partnership.”

     

    “Digital is the future and Havas Media Group’s ‘digital at core’ philosophy provides us the capability of driving this growth in the Indian market. We are proud of the win and look forward to working with Team Ranbaxy”, continued Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, Havas Media India

     

    Ranjoy Dey

    “Ranbaxy is a great brand to be associated with. Consumer Healthcare is today one of the most meaningful categories. We look forward to a great ‘Digital’ year at Havas Media”, explained Ranjoy Dey, Head of Digital, Havas Media India.

     

    Havas Media Group had recently won the integrated media mandate of OCM India, Assetz Property Group, Borosil Glass Works, World Kabaddi League, Yepme.com, retained MTS India and also took on the digital mandate and won the digital duties of XOLO Mobile and Businessworld magazine.

     

  • Toonami has a significant presence is Asia Pacific across 14 countries

    It’s ‘Toonami’ from Turner India!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Turner International India announced the expansion of its industry leading kids’ entertainment portfolio with the launch of Toonami, a channel dedicated to bringing high-octane animated action to kids, superhero fans and their families across the country.

     

    Toonami has a significant presence is Asia Pacific across 14 countries including Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. In India, Toonami complements Turner’s kids’ entertainment portfolio of genre leading channels – Cartoon Network and POGO. The channel is being distributed by Taj Television and is available on the country’s leading digital cable platforms across Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore.

     

    Commenting on the launch Siddharth Jain, Managing Director, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. said, “It is a real proud moment for Turner to bring in a channel like Toonami to our young Indian audiences – we now offer a robust entertainment experience for all ages and interests. A highly successful international brand, it will meet the growing demand for premium quality action-adventure and superhero content.”

     

    Siddharth Jain

    Toonami, which is based on the hit programming block of the same name on Cartoon Network in the US, is a 24-hour English action and anime destination designed for viewers seeking a full tilt, rollercoaster ride of adventure, quips, drama and a whole lot more. The channel is set to be the ultimate destination for the action-and-adventure enthusiasts in every family. Toonami is a dream come true for superhero fans featuring franchises such as Batman, Superman, Transformers: Robots in Disguise, Justice League, Inazuma Eleven Go, Dragon Ball Z and many more!

     

  • A campaign initiated to enable the viewers to see beyond the apparent

    NewsX unveils new campaign to highlight core positioning

    By A Correspondent

     

    Having repositioned itself to bridge the differences between augmented and ground reality of every story, NewsX has unveiled a new campaign advocating the same. The campaign will take the brand values to the next level and will be aided by the launch of a new campaign that will promote the channel’s philosophy at large. With the theme ‘See Beyond…’, the campaign will be a continuation of ‘News. Not Noise’, the defining value of the English news channel.

     

    Speaking on the launch of this campaign, Kartikeya Sharma, Managing Director, iTV Network, said, “NewsX is evolving. We are overwhelmed with NewsX success in such a short span of time. We are glad about our acceptance among the viewers. This campaign is a conscious effort to emphasize on facts, not on opinions, devoid of hysteria and sensationalism. This brand campaign will help the brand stand out as a catalyst of fair and unmolded news broadcaster.”

     

    Savvy Dilip, Group CMO, iTV Network, said, “We are delighted to introduce this brand campaign and continue our rich legacy of delivering quality news. This brand campaign will be promoted through 360O platforms comprised of on air, print, outdoor, digital and social media along with interactive viewers engagement activities. We are also optimistic about adding considerable value to all our stakeholders through this brand repositioning.”

     

  • With a Rs 350 crore budget, Askme could well make it to the largest advertiser among Indian online companies, ahead of ecommerce biggies Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon India

    Askme hires JWT, earmarks Rs 350-crore advertising budget

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    Advertising agency J Walter Thompson has bagged the advertising account of Askme-.com, a local search engine that provides information almost everything from restaurants to matrimony to jobs, following a multi-agency pitch. Manav Sethi, group head for marketing andigital products at Getit Infomedia that owns Askme.com, said the company has earmarked Rs 350 crore as its advertising budget for 2015.

     

    This could well make it the largest advertiser among Indian online companies, ahead of ecommerce biggies Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon India that spend anywhere between Rs 100-200 crore each on advertising.

     

    JWT will be the creative agency for Askme and Askme Bazaar, an online marketplace that also offers services such as plumbing, painting and carpentry, replacing digital agency Ignitee. “J Walter Thompson India will help position Askme brand as a destination of choice across our target consumers in this category that full of clutter comprising competition with huge marketing budgets,” Sethi said.

     

    He declined to divulge the company’s past advertising budgets and spends. Rival search engines such as Justdial spend an estimated Rs 50-60 crore in advertising a year. According to a senior media planner, Google India spent Rs 100 crore in advertising in 2014.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

    All Rights Reserved, Licensed to republish

     

  • A look at how select newspapers displayed the Budget 2015 news on their front page

    NewsStand: How the Newspapers displayed the Budget 2015 news on their Page 1s

     

     

       
       
       
       
       
       

     

     

  • A cross-section of captains of media and entertainment companies tell us how they found Arun Jaitley's Budget 2015

    So what was the Budget like for M&E?

     

    A cross-section of captains of media and entertainment companies tell us how they found Budget 2015

     

    Punit Goenka, MD & CEO, Zee Entertainment

    This is indeed a futuristic and growth-oriented Super Budget presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. It has addressed both the overall tax concerns, and portrayed a positive picture for the investor. It is a Budget to remember for the common man as well, since it has addressed all key aspects, like housing, jobs and education. Congratulations to Jaitley for wonderfully addressing the nation’s concerns through the Budget, and for setting some key goals for 2022

     

    Tarun Katial, CEO, Reliance Broadcast Network

    The Budget is positive, realistic and progressive in nature. Overall, it seems to be well thought of, with a holistic approach, and some key announcements for the services industry. The proposed reduction in corporate tax over the next four years is encouraging, as it will result in higher investments, growth and more jobs. The move to increase the service tax, however, will put smaller advertisers under pressure, and hamper advertising spends. The move on CSR is good, and radio can be used effectively as a catalyst for social transformation in initiatives like Swachh Bharat, since it reaches even the remotest of the corners [of the country] where no other medium can. This will be especially true with Phase III and deeper reach in radio.

     

    Sudhanshu Vats, Chairman, CII M&E committee & Group CEO, Viacom18 Media

    Two words sum up the essence of Budget 2015: Balance and clarity. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley walked the tightrope by staying away from Big Bang announcements that might have strained the fiscal position, while taking substantial steps on matters of tax, social security and public investment (especially in infrastructure). On the reduction in corporate tax rates to 25%, the four-year implementation roadmap is a welcome addition. This is the clarity the corporate sector needs so far as tax policy is concerned. While personal income tax slabs remain unchanged, higher exemptions are targeted towards savings and would add to retirement income in taxpayers’ wallets. These ‘wallets’ too, will have a different connotation given the FM’s vision for a cashless society. The reduction in withholding tax rates (to 10%) on royalty and FTS payments to non-residents has finally been granted. The increase in service tax is probably to bring the rate closer to the rates expected under the GST regime. In that context, the step is the proverbial bitter pill for our industry.

     

    Smita Jha, leader, Entertainment & Media Practice, PwC India

    The Budget has many references to the entertainment and media industry though there are no large announcements. The GDP growth target of an expected 8-8.5% will provide fillip to growth in the advertising industry. Clarity in the GST timetable is also significant, as entertainment tax being subsumed into GST will not only help bring uniformity in taxes across states, but also bring transparency in box office collections. There are many small reliefs provided to the industry, like exemption of the film exhibition industry from service tax thereby removing the possibility of dual taxation with the entertainment tax. Reduction in customs duty on import of digital cameras and accessories used for film production, will also help curtail production costs. The removal of certain entertainment activities from the negative list may, prima facie, seem unfavourable, but this will bring uniformity in taxation and thus be beneficial to the industry in the long-term.

     

    Zafar Rais, CEO, MindShift Interactive

    The new government’s maiden budget proposes to levy service tax for online and mobile advertising, which we believe will adversely affect the industry’s growth. It reflects differentiated treatment, as traditional print media remains unaffected with respect to the tax purview but the new, digital media that is actually driving innovation, will have to bear the brunt. Currently, India’s exponential mobile penetration and app consumption patterns are driving the growth of the mobile advertising industry, and this tax could hamper the innovation efforts of the entire ecosystem comprising mobile development startups, advertisers and publishers. We would have preferred a more future-focused policy regarding this particular aspect.

     

    Sumit Jain, Co-Founder & CEO, CommonFloor.com

    The move to allot Rs 1,000 crore to tech start-ups is only a reiteration of the government’s intent and purpose. The corpus, as such, is not substantial and we can only hope that there will be a fast and efficient disbursement of this fund. Jaitley also referred to a more liberal system of raising global capital and the ease of doing business, which are encouraging and would eventually create employment opportunities in the country.

     

  • At the risk of being dramatic, there is no part of a journal or a broadcast which is not for sale, writes Ranjona Banerji

    Ranjona Banerji: Journalism touches new low with Essar leaks expose

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    As the Indian media was trying to cover the Union Budget in as dramatic and in some cases as unbiased a way as possible, it was being hit by an internal crisis. The Indian Express has published internal correspondence between employees of the industrial giant Essar which reveals that favours were done not just to politicians but also to senior journalists across media houses. The result is that at least two have lost their jobs and others will follow.

     

    So far, Sandeep Bamzai has resigned as editor of Mail Today and Anupama Airy as energy editor of Hindustan Times. The other people named in the leaks from Essar include Meetu Jain of Times Now, Mayur Shekhar Jha of News24, Dev Sharan Tiwari and Shereen Bhan of CNBC.

     

    There are also allegations that Tehelka attempted to spin stories in favour of Essar since Essar was a sponsor of the magazine’s “Think” festivals. Other journalists in Jharkhand seen as “sympathetic” to Essar also got various favours.

     

    Interestingly, most of these favours as seen from press reports seem to consist of offering cars and cab services, hosting parties for journalists and allowing them to use Essar facilities like guesthouses. By any of today’s standards when it comes to freebies, these are small cheese. But judging from the way top journalists have resigned, one suspects that the actual transgressions are much bigger.

     

    Indeed, as anyone in journalism knows, ethical standards when it comes to accepting favours and junkets have practically vanished. It more or less depends on the personal value system of every journalist. For the past 15 years at least, managements have even encouraged journalists to accept particular favours, if it cuts down on their newsgathering costs. In the worst case, the hand-over-fist bartering of editorial space in newspapers by journalists led to Bennett Coleman introducing Medianet, so that the company could take over the sale of news space.

     

    As the fight between Airy of Hindustan Times and her bosses shows, the lines have become very blurred in media houses, over what is acceptable and what is not. At the risk of sounding unbearably self-righteous, when I started working in journalism in the 1980s, nothing was allowed. Colleagues who were caught accepting favours lost their jobs. Within 10 years, all that had changed. Managements encouraged journalists to go on junkets. Business press conferences were all about gifts which were flaunted around offices. Senior editors openly wrote puff pieces about politicians and were rewarded with flats.

     

    Just about every media house which raised its eyebrows when the Times of India started Medianet has since succumbed in one way or another. One very senior journalist who wrote very strong pieces against Medianet was exposed by the Radia tapes. If Medianet is restricted to glamour news, the phenomenon of “paid news” refers to the pages once seen as sacrosanct. Business sold out long ago. At the risk of being dramatic, there is no part of a journal or a broadcast which is not for sale.

     

    The Radia tapes dented the credibility of all of us. The Essar leaks have pushed us to a new depth. Or rather, Indian Express has exposed to the public what we within the profession already knew. Contrarily, I can only hope that this is just the opening of the can of worms. For a profession that is so sanctimonious about corruption in other fields, if we cannot clean our own stables then we deserve all the opprobrium placed on our heads. I can be even more self-righteous and say that if we do not take heed then we are doing not just ourselves but democracy a disservice.

     

    The Indian Express expose: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/essar-leaks-2-journalists-resign-third-put-on-notice/

    http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/wooing-politicians-with-high-end-phones-journalists-with-cabs/99/

    The Tehelka angle: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-essar-links-take-its-toll-on-media-2064909

    The Airy-Hindustan Times fight: http://www.newslaundry.com/2015/02/28/allegations-and-counter-allegations-at-hindustan-times-after-essar-leaks/

    **

     

    After this, are you really interested in the Budget? You haven’t had enough of it? I have!

     

  • The Association of Business Communicators of India has presented Pankaj Mudholkar, MD of Aakriti Promotions & Media Ltd, with the Communicator of the Year award for 2013-14

    ABCI confers Communicator of the Year award on Pankaj Mudholkar

    By A Correspondent

     

    L to R Mr. Yogesh Joshi President ABCI Mr. HN Nerurkar Chairman TRL Krosaki Ltd. Mr. Pankaj Mudholkar, MD, Aakriti Promotions and Media Ltd Mr. Madhu Chandurkar Guest of Honour.jpg

    The Association of Business Communicators of India has presented Pankaj Mudholkar, MD of Aakriti Promotions & Media Ltd, with the Communicator of the Year award for 2013-14. This was conferred at the ABCI’s 54th annual awards nite in Mumbai on Friday February 27, 2015. The Association promotes excellence in business communications and the first awards nite was organised way back in 1960.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr Mudholkar, said, “This recognition is for the hundreds of backroom boys in communication. They work tirelessly sacrificing their personal lives and are the stars behind the stars.I dedicate this award to my extended family members at Aakriti, my clients who believed in me and our associates including friends in media.”

     

    The ABCI also felicitated Ram Mohan, regarded as Father of the Animation Industry in India and Dr Ram Tarneja, former publisher of The Times of India, besides many other professionals.

     

  • An Assoc of Indian Magazines-IMRB study throws up interesting findings on magazines vis-à-vis other media

    Mags 2x more engaging than Radio & TV

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), the apex body of magazine publishers in India, commissioned leading market research firm IMRB in 2010 to conduct a large survey, covering a sample size of 3,600 over 10 cities. The study released at the Indian Magazine Congress held in Chennai on February 23 and 24, has shown high engagement scores for magazines on all key parameters like ad avoidance, information seeking, purchase intent and such.

     

    Mitrajit Bhattacharya

    Industry leaders urged AIM to take these findings forward and create an index as a composite score, which would clearly demonstrate the extent to which magazines are engaging, vis-a-vis other media. “That’s exactly what we did,” says AIM President Mitrajit Bhattacharya, adding: “We ran a regression analysis on the same data and came out with weights for individual indices like Mind Measures (weight .59), Ad Avoidance (-.32) etc. and then we created a Composite Index.”

     

    A two-step process was followed to create the Engagement Index. The first step entailed running a regression on a key dependent variable and evaluating the hierarchy of each of the partial engagement indices. The second step required evaluating each medium on the partial engagement indices and arriving at a final Engagement Index.

     

    The study demonstrates that magazines are twice as engaging as television and radio (239 indexed to 100 of Radio).

     

    The Engagement Index Findings

     

    Statements which constitute Mind Measures (Weight: 0.59):This medium matches my personal interests/ personality

    This medium shows how I can approach problems

    This medium is trustworthy and reliable

    This medium helps me stand out and create an impression

    This medium is like an undemanding companion

     

    Statements which constitute Escapism (Weight: 0.20):

    This medium is relaxing and a good escape

    I can consume this medium anywhere and at any time

     

    Statements which constitute Information (Weight: 0.20):

    I am always discovering something new with this medium

    This medium keeps me updated with latest styles and trends

    This medium helps me in expanding my knowledge 

     

    Statements which constitute Stimulation (Weight: 0.18):

    This medium helps me understand the opinions of others

    This medium touches and inspires me

    This medium helps in better social interaction 

     

    Statements which constitute Ad Seeking (Weight: 0.14): 

    Ads provide useful information new products/ services

    Ads add to the experience of consuming the medium

    Pay more attention to ads as I find them more useful

     

    Statements which constitute Ad Avoidance (Weight: -0.32): 

    Ads appear at inconvenient moments in this medium

    Ads in this medium should be eliminated

     

     

  • The agency-client relationship is highly interdependent and thus the assessment system must be able to measure the performance of both partners in the relationship to achieve the above

    ISA to host seminar in Mumbai & Delhi

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) is organizing a session on the ever-debatable subject of client-agency relationship.

     

    Billions of rupees are spent every year by clients through multiple marcomm agencies. It is vital therefore to have afair and measurable assessment methodology that can not only determine the strengths and opportunities for improvement in these relationships objectively and consistently through clear metrics and benchmarking, but also offera plan for continuous and measurable improvement in the performance and ROI of that relationship. The agency-client relationship is highly interdependent and thus the assessment system must be able to measure the performance of both partners in the relationship to achieve the above. So what is it that can become a challenge to a robust relationship?

     

    The evening program on “Enhancing Client-Agency relationships for continuous and measurable improvement in their performance” followed by a panel discussion amongst advertiser and agency senior leaders will be held on March 10 in Mumbai and on March 12, 2015 in Delhi.

     

    The speakers at the event include Jeremy Caplin, CEO of Aprais Limited. He is a senior communications professional with over 25 years of experience in both client side and agency management. He has worked at some of the world’s most high-profile companies with a strong record in measurement and strategic Marketing & Communications. Jeremy has operated as Global, European and Local Marketing Director at Companies such as P&G, Reckitt Benckiser, and monster.com and has been Head of Marketing Solutions at dunnhumby.

     

  • Yet another digital innovation by the brand helps one realise that one's world is more beautiful than the World Wide Web

    Cinthol takes to social media with #AliveIsOffline

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cinthol has released its latest digital campaign #AliveIsOffline on social media. The campaign took off with a teaser on twitter and is now reaching millions through a refreshing video which inspires the viewers to take some time off to travel and connect with the world around sans the internet.

     

    The inspirational video strikes an emotional connect and leaves one with a thought of how we are slowly getting strangled by the spider of the thriving World Wide Web. The video transcends the viewers to a forgotten world which can be logged into without a password. It is a wakeup call that urges you to switch to your offline mode once in a while. Weaved in with beautiful lines and picturesque scenes the video is an effective reminder of the breathtaking offline world that should be revisited.

     

    Sunil Kataria

    Sunil Kataria, Chief Operating Officer, Sales, Marketing and SAARC, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, shared, “In a world which is getting sucked into digital and where the youth of today is by default a digital native, this campaign idea of Alive is offline takes the Cinthol brand philosophy of Alive is Awesome forward in a very interesting way. Today we are so addicted to the world of social media that we take pictures only to post them, we check-in before enjoying the beauty around and make conversations only so that they trend. The meaning and beauty of travel to soak in the calm or appreciate a scenic view is lost while we are busy clicking pictures.

     

    #AliveIsOffline is a brilliant effort that urges addicted netizens to take away ‘media’ from ‘social media’ and leave one to only be social, to be social with nature, fellow companions and more importantly, with themselves.”

     

    Apart from the digital video, Cinthol plans to spread this thoughtful philosophy of #AliveIsOffline through online content partners and sought after tweeters. The brand hopes to touch the minds of as many as 10 million viewers through online content experts and Twitter influencer partnerships respectively.

     

    The video is the brainchild of Cinthol brand team and Creativeland Asia. Captured amidst the scenic forests, valleys and breathtaking waterfalls of Kerala this digital video is an eye opener and a thought starter.