MxMIndia

Category: MEDIA

  • Hungama's musical CSR activity aims to hit the right notes

    Hungama partners with Kyoorius Designyatra 2015 for charitable cause

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hungama partners with Kyoorius Designyatra 2015 to raise awareness for a social cause while adding a musical note to the 10th anniversary of KDY. Hungama and Kyoorius Designyatra 2015 will create one of the biggest live-request playlists to raise the funds via a Twitter activity. By tweeting #HungamaKDY2015 and the name of the song, it will be played at the event. While the activity will contribute INR 100 per song streamed at the event it will also allow participants to actively contribute in the process to raise donations.

     

    With an interesting theme like ‘What pumps your heart’ Kyoorius Designyatra’s 10th anniversary edition aims to engage participants and guests alike during the event with a live music request Twitter activity in association with Hungama. The activity will be a means to raise funds for ‘Laadli’, a campaign that highlights the falling sex ratio of the country and their endeavors to correct the issue by making available relevant data, audits of documents received from Sonography clinics among other activities; of which the end goal is to stabilize the sex ratio difference.

     

    Neeraj Roy

    Speaking on the occasion, Neeraj Roy, MD & CEO of Hungama Digital Media Entertainment said, “It gives us immense pleasure to partner with Kyoorius Deisgnyatra 2015 to help raise charity and awareness for the social cause campaign ‘Laadli’. The campaign that aims to control female feticide has helped shed much light on the topic. With this association we are proud to leverage our platforms for this noble cause.”

     

    Rajesh Kejriwal

    Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO of Kyoorius said, “We are happy to have Hungama partnering with us at Kyoorius Designyatra 2015. Music is an essential part of the conference experience, it’s one of the things that gets delegates really ‘pumped’, so I’m sure Hungama’s Digital Jukebox will be a huge hit. And it’s for a great cause, which makes it all the more impactful.”

     

  • The channel incorporates a new look-and-feel with the positioning of 'Your Happy Place'

    Comedy Central goes for a new, happy look

    By A Correspondent

     

    Comedy Central, from the Viacom18 stable, has unveils a new positioning of ‘Your Happy Place’ along with a new look-and-feel. After over three years of asking viewers to look at the lighter side of life with “Laugh it off”, the channel moves beyond laughing out loud towards being the channel-of-choice for feel-good and humorous content, notes a communiqué.

     

    Said Ferzad Palia, Executive Vice President and Business Head, English Entertainment, Viacom 18:  “Since its launch, Comedy Central has been expressive and tongue-in-cheek while being irreverent and conversational. Now is the time to refresh our positioning to accurately reflect our programming and ideology, which is to be televisions premier destination where people find their #HappyPlace.“

     

    The channel offers a new line-up of diverse shows like Younger, Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, Your Family or Mine and The Mindy Project Season 3. A 360-degree marketing campaign has been unveiled to coincide with the refresh.

     

  • Founder CEO Rajesh Kejriwal talks on the 10th edition of Designyatra which kicks off in Goa today with the IAA Digiyatra

    Kyoorius with Kejriwal

     

    It’s tough interviewing someone who is always consistent in his views. For, Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO of Kyoorius, is very sure of what he wants to achieve as he speaks to Pradyuman Maheshwari. The tenth edition of Kyoorius Designyatra will only get better, with marquee speakers and a varied mix of delegates, he says.

     

    So it’s 10 years of Designyatra. How is this year going to be different from every other?

    I don’t think the conference should change just because it’s in its tenth year. We’ve been changing things every year anyway, depending on audience feedback and our own perception. This year, too, there is an inspiring line-up of speakers. We are doing a few surprise things – not because it’s our tenth year — but because we’ve learnt a few things at Melt. For instance, we’re trying to incorporate more experience zones than expo stalls.

     

    In terms of speakers, what’s special this year?

    From the perspective of content, the speakers are all good. In terms of ‘famous’ speakers, we have Jessica Walls, John Wilkins and such. This year, we have a lot of speakers who are not that well-known but have done awesome work.

     

    And Indian speakers?

    I think there are a few like Autowale, so we’ve not got from the fraternity but people who’ve used design knowingly or unknowingly to solve some problems.

     

    Given that digital is all over, is there a need for a separate IAA Digiyatra, which is in its third year?

    Digiyatra, it’s in the third year.  In a sense, digital has evolved considerably, digital has changed considerably.

     

    Yes, digital has become all encompassing. There is nothing which is not digital. We are killing it next year. At Designyatra, all our speakers use the digital medium. Today, you can’t get a conference in communication which does not use digital. So how can there be a separate focus on Digiyatra?!

     

    At Designyatra, ones see a lot of paper. Guess the fact that you are a paper company, you can’t wish it away. But today it is all about tablets and smartphones!

    It’s a lame attempt at me trying to keep my business alive! (laughs).

     

    Jokes apart, the paper is still the focus around design in India (and Designyatra), right?

    Paper still has its nuances. There are things that you cannot do without the medium being paper. There are things that are evolving for which digital makes more sense. From the paper perspective, if you see in 2000, 80-85% of our business was stationery. Today, stationery composes of may be 1% of my business. We are more into brochures, catalogues, then came your wedding invites which all of a sudden started becoming very expensive and very different. So, the medium has changed. The needs have changed. But paper is still used. I’m not sure how long, how much technology will take away paper but I feel if technology comes in, it also needs paper to promote itself. So, there is obviously going to be use of paper all the time. Yes, it’s coming down. What’s not coming down in terms of usage, China is bringing it down in terms of making it a commodity.

     

    One of the highlights of Designyatra in large formatted writing board etc. Are you going to be switching to an app that we can just stick out there, I pads.. You still want people to put pen to paper?

    Of course, as designers people do love because I don’t think designers can make do without doodling. We are talking about the graphic community which irrelevantly even if they are sitting in a restaurant they take a napkin and start doodling. So, pen and paper can never be segregated from this community of designers.

     

    Do you see a change in the kind of the audience structure, the delegate structure?

    Of course, over the 10 years immensely.

     

    About the constitution of delegates, last year one saw a lot of clients attending. Do you expect it to be the same?

    It’s increased. Ten years ago, our focus was purely on graphic design and 80 per cent of the speakers had it as their background. Then came digital, and design started being looked upon more as a tool than an aesthetic way of doing things. Today, graphic designers are only 20 per cent of the speakers. Similarly, the audience has moved from pure designers to advertising and digital guys, to clients who come to Designyatra to check out trends and see how they can use design in different ways to communicate.

     

    But there are still some design companies who do not attend. It’s the same with some old-time designers some of whom come, while others don’t. Is there a specific reason?

    I don’t know. [With design companies] I think it’s a matter of trying to see if it helps their business. If some design studio does not want to grow beyond its comfort level, it may not come. [With old design hands] I think it’s more to do with their personal comfort level about which areas they want or don’t want to go into. The marketing communications industry has changed because of the internet; not all skill-sets have kept up.

     

    Is it also because you are very rigid and particular about not calling the big dads. At most conferences, you always call them to speak or give away an award or felicitate, etc. You don’t do that to people.

    It’s not about giving importance. Whether it is young or old designers, I will always call them if they’ve something which is content-worthy. If they don’t have what I think is content worthy for the audience, then I won’t call them. My focus is the audience out there and I’ve try and make sure that every speaker who comes on stage keeps that  audience occupied. If a speaker is not able to hold the attention of the audience for any reason, I’m not talking about maybe a small group of 100 designers or 100 people in the audience may not like a particular speaker because he or she comes from a different field altogether though they could take inputs from that field as an inspiration for something that they do. But it’s a larger quantity that should be occupied, should feel inspired being there, should feel that they’ve profited from being there.

     

    Are you happy with the way your D&AD-backed awards have happened?

    Very happy, and I think this year, the work has been far better than the last. The jury, and even the D&AD president, mentioned there has been a lot of good work here which could’ve won a D&AD. I think there is a lot of Indian work that could win globally.

     

    I did hear one jury member say the work was not all that great…

    Must be an Indian. If you [compare the entries from last year to this year’s] there’s a context, and you are able to see whether there has been any good work this year. In advertising, there wasn’t as much good work this year compared to the last. Next year, you’ll see much better advertising.

     

    More importantly, does it attract the best work done in the country?

    Fairly, yes. We’ve got a lot of new studios, though some of the old studios did not participate. But that always happens. We had a fair amount of work that was awesome, and one of them – the winner of the Black Elephant — was really good.

     

    So, you have a Black Elephant winner this year.

    Yeah.

     

    You normally never tell who is..

    I don’t.

     

    So, one or two?

    I don’t know, I don’t think even the jury members know. But I’ll tell you one more thing about the awards which I found very surprising. There are a fair number of design studios which have won but there are a larger number of advertising agencies which have also won. I’m not sure where the industry is headed.

     

    Are clients also sending in entries directly?

    Yes. I have a client who submitted an entry and won an award. Many clients have submitted entries, but this one, won.

     

    When Designyatra first started, many of us didn’t attend because we thought you are a paper merchant who is doing this essentially to attract designers so that they buy your product…

    It started off that way, as a purely promotional exercise for me. As a paper merchant, I wanted to be closer to the community; a friend rather than a vendor. In some ways, it was also about giving back to society. But after the first year, you could see the passion and the hunger that this built in the audience. And after 2007, it also became a passion for me, and had nothing to do with paper.

     

    So are you selling more paper because of this?

    I don’t think so. No.

     

    And you still you are a businessman?

    Yes, I am (laughs) but this is something that my family is not very happy about.

     

    I remember you once said that you were a not-for-profit thing and have converted yourself into not-for-loss…

    Yes. We are now at that stage where Designyatra is breaking even.

     

    Which is a bigger success, Designyatra or Melt?

    Melt, obviously. It’s going to become a bigger festival, overall, which has nothing to do with design or advertising. That industry size is bigger than [our] industry size.

     

    At Designyatra, you have people stuck in the hall, while that wasn’t the case with Melt. Is this a comment on the kind of crowd which attends?

    No, partly it has to do with the fact that we could’ve done things better at Melt. But it was the first year. You’ll see a lot of changes happening next year because we’ve learnt that a conference like Designyatra is good with content-rich speakers who keep the audience occupied. But [at Melt] there are advertising, media, marketing, digital and social media attendees and the knowledge they want to gain is specific. So while the main hall of Melt was not full, the breakaway sessions — of which 15 were happening at any given point — were always packed.

     

    While you parallel tracks at Melt, at Designyatra, there’s just a single track.

    No, we are doing some things in the evenings, like workshops, because we feel they are required to enhance learning. We can’t do workshops for 1,400 people but we can do them for 400 people. So we are incorporating workshops this year in Designyatra. Day time will be restricted to the conference. But we are taking some side sessions, like The Critic. This year, we are having intense, get-your-hands-dirty kind of workshops.

     

    Has the interest in design changed over the last 10 years?

    Of course. From design being looked upon as an aesthetic skillset, it is now seen as a tool to be used in business/ product/ communication and as a strategy as well. You look at example of a company like Apple, which has become hugely successful because of design. There are companies taking design more seriously now than before.

     

    As for Designyatra, when did you realise you were on to a good thing that could also become the mainstay of your business?

    For the first three years, it was about getting the best out of Designyatra, even for my paper business. After 2009, the year we moved to Mumbai, it was no longer about paper as much as it was about a passion for doing something. I was driven by passion, but also by the fact that this will help fuel a design movement in India. I’ve seen that happening, and even though I’m not the cause of it, [I know] we’ve played a small role in helping that evolution happen.

     

    When did you think it would become so big?

    I realised that it has become big when we were voted among the Top 3 conferences in the world.

     

    Given that digital is taking over the creative business, don’t you think you should now start evangelising paper?

    I don’t know. I would probably try to figure out how I can do a business in digital rather than in paper now. Off the track from Designyatra, we are into specialty papers, not commodity papers. The specialty paper business globally is declining rapidly, and the biggest specialty paper merchants have closed shop. The larger paper mills have all gone bankrupt in Europe and the US. I’m not sure how big this industry will remain. But India is at a very low base, so there is still ample growth possibility. But is it a business that will become a focus point for us? I don’t think so.

     

    In the last 10 years, were there any lows that you would rather forget?

    I did a design award in 2007 which was very shoddy. But I learnt from it, closed it down and only brought it back when I was able to professionalise it with the D&AD partnership. The winners [of 2007] might have loved it. I regret that I made it happen without doing much research.

     

    Then you brought it back in 2013. Anything else in the conference?

    In the conference, in the early years, I did not research the presentation quality of speakers. Some were good names but not great presenters. That was a low. In 2008, we decided we are going to see the speakers first, and also curate the talk that’s happening on stage. So we asked for the presentations ahead. Now we write to speakers telling them what we’d like them to speak on.

     

    Why is that you are able to do it so well in Designyatra, but not for the advertising folks?

    This year, Melt was done in too much of a hurry, put together in two months, which was a disaster. We were not able to have a dialogue with the speakers because of the time constraint, which was a loss for us. This year, we are already in discussions with speakers we want for [the next] Melt.

     

    Last year, you mentioned that you are looking at doing some other design conferences like interiors. Is that still on track?

    We are trying to do that and will probably launch it in November of 2016 or 2017. I don’t want to do two festivals and not do either well. I want to get Melt to the quality and level that I personally would like it to be, perhaps of the standard of Kyoorius. Once we’ve achieved that, I’ll move on to the next, but not before that.

     

    A shorter version of this interview appeared in dna of brands on September 7, 2015

     

  • Life becomes smoother…Expectations are managed better…when one equates Public = "Target Audience"

    Siddhartha Mukherjee: Define the ‘P’ of PR

    By Siddhartha Mukherjee

     

    There was a time when the Client Corporate Communication team and its PR Agency army would shudder to plan the delivery of the EAV/AVE target set by their CXOs. With the start and through the year, the duo would run helter-skelter trying to garner as much editorial coverage as possible…doesnot matter the print medium or television channel in which brand’s news exposure was achieved. Further, it certainly did not matter if the news quality actually helped the brand. The one and only objective was to get some editorial space anywhere and everywhere, somehow!

     

    No wonder, more than the Corporate Communications Team, this left the PR Agency team disoriented & disgruntled.

     

    The situation today is not drastically different from then. Gunning for thicker Clippings Folder and the cancer called EAV/AVE, both continue to exist even today within many parts of our industry. However, I do know of some industry corridors that have shelved this archaic, thoughtless approach and resorted to a welcome way of adopting the media planning activity. The starting point of this is very clearly ‘Asking and Understanding’ the ‘Target Audience’ of the Brand’s ‘Public’ before one starts building on the ‘Relations’.

     

    For this evolved lot of our Industry, their starting point from now on is PR = TAR (Target Audience Relations).

    What are the advantages of a well defined, clear definition of “P” in Public Relations?

    1. Client Corporate Communications Team feels “Included”: While there are exceptions, many a times, however, Corporate Communications team carry minimal or zilch details about a Brand and its Communications requirements. The definition, profile or description of its Target Audience being one of the key important missing links. Before commencing on the planning and execution, if the PR Agency asks for such details, it becomes a very constructive initiative for its clients. Corporate Communication Team and its PR Agency army are assured of a high probability of “effective” PR Planning & Execution.

     

    2. Client Corporate Communications team gets positively positioned within Organization- Irrespective of Corporate Communications Team reporting to CMO or the CEO, when Corporate Communications team asks for details of the Brand’s Target Audience, internal customers normally feel happy that their brand’s mandate is with safe hands – a good quality and scientific Communications Team. The measurability of PR Campaign Input, Output and Outcome, very importantly, becomes much more practical and seamless.

     

    3. Quantitative & Qualitative Target setting easier: Client’s expectations from its PR Agency is fixed basis the media plan the Target Audience requires. Secondly, Corporate Communication Team’s KRAs and KPIs for delivering an effective Communication plan become much easier and manageable. Lastly but importantly, the PR Agency doesnot waste unwanted time chasing unwanted editorial space that doesnot matter to the Target Audience of the Brand. Further, in many cases, dependence on stringers becomes selective not always…resulting in substantial savings of operational cost.

     

    4. Fast turnaround cycle: The time taken starting from Researching, Ideation of the Campaign, Implementation & Evaluation gets trimmed. Brand Custodians get faster evaluation opportunities and implement course correction if need be.

     

    5. Will lead to even better PR Campaigns: Our Industry has been acknowledging “Creative” PR Campaigns. No doubt, some of them have been brilliant! Hats off to those teams. However, I feel “Creative” should get fortified with “Effective” as well. This will further push the standards of our Campaigns. Our Industry has some amazing minds…it only needs a nudge to go for the best…those that actually move the cheese! This will only happen when one understands the “P” of Public Relations. A habit of regular Listening & Researching is required to understand the nuances of “P” or the Target Audience.

     

    A key reason behind Advertising Industry earning respect within India Inc. is because it has always worked with specific reference to the Brand’s well defined Public or Target Audience. No wonder, results have been monitored well, measured scientifically and is relatable for the Brand’s key internal Custodians – CXOs.

     

    Public Relations will need to quickly imbibe on this art and convert it into a science. We tend to waste unwanted energy in getting “Thick” Clippings Folder or “Potha” as some say, for our clients! Does that really help the clients…? Scientifically managed News visibility in editorial platforms which matter to the Brand’s Target Audience is what one should gun for.

     

    Understanding “P” in PR is the start of any sensible Communications process. Only by doing so, the perception of some that our PR Industry only deals with abstracts will be shattered to a great extent.

     

  • Reporting to CEO Anil Khera, he will be based in Videocon d2h's Mumbai headquarters

    Himanshu Dhoreliya appointed Content Head at Videocon d2h

    By A Correspondent

     

    Videocon d2h Limited has announced the appointment of Himanshu Dhoreliya as Content Head. Reporting to CEO Anil Khera, he will be based in Videocon d2h’s Mumbai headquarters.

     

    Himanshu Dhoreliya comes to Videocon d2h with an impressive track record and more than a decade of experience in content development, content management and channel distribution for leading media and entertainment companies.  Most recently, he was the CEO and co-founder of TelevisionPost.com.

     

    Saurabh Dhoot, Executive Chairman of Videocon d2h stated, “The expertise that Himanshu Dhoreliya brings to the table will definitely add to and strengthen our content management bandwidth. This is an especially vital role and I believe that with his extensive experience & leadership, he will bring the best for brand Videocon d2h.”

     

    Anil Khera, CEO–Videocon d2h added, “We are very pleased to welcome Himanshu Dhoreliya as Content Head, a role that will benefit greatly from his intuitive knowledge of the DTH industry. We are hopeful that he will help lead Videocon d2h in developing innovative content acquisition strategies while maximizing the use of our services to fulfil the needs of our valued customers – all, of course, keeping in sync with Videocon d2h’s goal of being the best in the industry.”

     

    Prior to TelevisionPost.com, Dhoreliya held positions with MSM Discovery Pvt. Limited, the joint venture broadcast distribution company owned by Multi Screen Media (formerly SET India and owned by Sony Entertainment Television) and Discovery Networks, as well as ESPN Software India Pvt. Limited.

     

  • With shows like PMS, Boyz and the like, Reliance Broadcast Network Creative Director Paritosh Painter knows he taking a risk with risqué, but his research shows that it will work for Big Magic

    Big Magic’s over-the-top comedy gambit will work: Paritosh Painter

    When in February this year, CEO Tarun Katial announced the appointment of Paritosh Painter as Network Creative Director of the Reliance Broadcast Network’s slew of offerings, friends and broadcast insiders had seen the path RBNL would take. For, Painter is known for being a specialist with comedy – whether it’s on Mumbai’s hyperactive theatre circuit or television and even cinema. He has done over 23 plays in Hindi and English with some 2500 shows across the globe. Besides this, he has scripted Bollywood films like Dhamaal (2007), Paying Guest (2009) (also directed the film), and All The Best: Fun Begins (2009). Being armed with an MBA, he has the much sought after combo of a creative mind who can think numbers and can crunch them with ease. As Reliance Broadcast’s flagship television channel Big Magic, has gone on an offensive in the comedy route, MxMIndia caught up with Paritosh Painter in his office for a quick chat.

     

    Big Magic has seen a recent change of look and positioning. What was the thinking behind that?

    When I joined Akbar Birbal was the No 1 show for Big Magic…

     

    In fact, it had become the driver for the channel. Just when everything was going right, you changed it.

    Since that time Tarun (Katial) and I have been debating on the positioning of the channel.  What should the channel be? I come from a very strong comedy background. I have been doing comedy in my theatre and my films.  I was debating with Tarun about how we can explore the comedy space to the maximum extent possible in the Indian market. The biggest Hindi comedy channel in the market is Sab TV today. But again, we felt Sab is more on the Dramedy zone:  a mix of comedy and drama. So it is not like a hilarious out-and-out Comedy Central kind of comedy. We felt that there is a vacuum in that space. There was no point doing a regular GEC because it is already saturated. We thought we could do a lot more ha-ha comedy rather than the Dramedy. So, that’s how we decided to change the complete strategy and positioning.

     

    But this is the fourth time the channel has taken a new look. It started off as yet another GEC with a focus on the middle end of the market, then it moved to being a light-hearted channel, later more in-your-face humour, and now a kind-of over-the-top comedy channel?

    Yes, it has become over-the-top and edgy since the whole shift was towards youth. Then, we did a lot of research, in terms of watching loads of content available on the internet, watching international content. And, we felt that the edgy comedy or content works more for the youth. That’s how we got all the shows around this concept…whether it is Boyz, PMS, or Akbar Birbal to  Hazir Jawab Birbal. We need to target the youth, we need to do stuff that excites the youth. As per our research, we felt that the edgy comedy space was the space that we need to be in. That’s how we are now focussing and positioning ourselves.

     

    You mentioned over-the-top approach. Does comedy have to necessarily go over-the-top? You have been a practitioner of comedy for long?

    So actually, there is this thing about Indian audiences which I have seen. Fortunately, I have been doing theatre and tend to travel not only across the country but also abroad. And we do shows in the US, UK, the Middle East and all across the globe. What I have noticed that Indians somehow prefer loud comedy as compared to other parts of the world. In fact, within the Indian subcontinent also I find a difference in taste. For example, in Mumbai, when I do shows in the suburbs, folks prefer loud, in-your-face comedy; but the same loud stuff is not preferred by the townies; they prefer more subtle comedy. So there are a couple of jokes we keep reserved for the suburb audience as against the NCPA audience. Again, North Indians love the loud, insulting edgy kind of humour, When we do shows in South India they prefer a subtle, intelligent kind of humour. But since our audience is more from North India so that’s the space we are exploring for the moment. Most of them prefer loud humour.

     

    But edgy also means double entendre… risqué content.

    Yes. We do. People enjoy that. Not only youth, but a large number of men also. I feel shows like Bhabhiji Ghar pe Hain has given us a good start for the Indian television viewers. Or even Kapil Sharma, the kind of humour he uses, I feel it really works. We are looking at exploring that space.

     

    But television is still watched by families in single TV homes. Does the edgy humour work?

    In fact, that’s the reason why we have moved our primetime. On Big Magic, primetime will start from 8.30 pm all the way to 11 pm. That’s how we have planned our strategy.

     

    Some of this could see some problems with the content regulator

    We are ready to take this risk. And, we want to take that risk. We have debated and decided and that’s the way we want to go.

     

    With shows like Boyz, PMS, you seem to be going all out on that path.

    Yes, we are. And there is no point holding back. The AIBs and TVFs of the world are taking over internet by storm. Why should television not be delivering what people want? So we are targeting the TVF, AIB space. They are our direct competitors, not other television channels who have other different programmes. Our competitors are not Sab or MTV. We are the new internet television channel catering to the youth.

     

    AIB has intelligent, news-oriented humour…

    We are getting into that space. We are coming out with two unscripted shows by Diwali which will be unscripted, news-based and topical shows.

     

    For instance, Aktor Calling Aktor, does comment, or does have some suggestions on what’s happening.

    So Aktor Calling Aktor, are the short comedy-based formats. We are also breaking formats. We are breaking rules. That’s what we want to do.

     

    How is it working with potential advertisers?

    If you have the right content, advertisers will lap it up. They would love to be a part of it. And advertisers are looking for a different kind of content. So again, I am probably dragging the AIB and TVF comparison, it is because people want to align with them, because they are different. Today, I believe people are more attached to the shows than channels. I think channel loyalty is dying and show loyalty is coming up. If we can get people to be loyal to our shows, it is better than people just getting loyal just to the channel.

     

    The channel tagline has the word LOL? Would you go in for English or a mix of Hindi and English?

    Yes, we are very keen to get into the Hinglish space also. We want to get into late night comedies. We are looking at some of those formats also. We talk of things which people don’t usually talk on television.

     

    What about targets and TRPs?

    A lot of factors dictate TRPs. There is distribution, there is marketing, a host of other factors. Just because the TRPs meters keep moving up and down doesn’t essentially mean that the content is wrong. There are other factors which could influence TRPs. Right now our target audience is the urban youth.

     

     


  • Colors' media response on taking the top spot was restrained, in line with the BARC India advisory on what constitutes responsible use of data. However, the same cannot be said about many other channels, writes Shailesh Kapoor

    Shailesh Kapoor: Silly Point: Taking Trade Communication To Consumers

    By Shailesh Kapoor

     

    It’s been a week of very little action on-air, but there haven’t been too many dull moments behind the scenes in the television business. As the atmosphere around the release of the first rural ratings three weeks from now builds up, so does the battle for top honours in the Hindi GEC category.

     

    Last week, Colors toppled Star Plus by a single GRP (in Hindi-speaking markets), and this week Star Plus took back the top spot, but with an even smaller gap than last week. We may just be seeing the beginning of a very exciting battle for leadership.

     

    Colors’ media response on taking the top spot last week was restrained, and we did not see any press announcements or electronic mailers. It’s also in line with the BARC India advisory on what constitutes responsible use of data in trade communication.

     

    However, the same cannot be said about many other channels. In a silly trend, we are seeing more and more channels promote their “leadership position” on-air, on their own platform itself. Then, there are ads in mainstream print, not just the pink papers, on a certain channel beating others in its genre. The target group, time bands and the period of reporting are selected to suit the output. Even after that, some of these ads promote “leadership” where the gap is less than 5%. And these are genres where total viewership is so low that even a 20% gap won’t constitute real leadership.

     

    This flow of ratings information in the mainstream media is something we could have done without. The usage of the term “TRP” by consumers has gone up significantly over the last two years. When “iski TRP sabse achhi hai” becomes the reason to like a show or a channel, you know there’s a problem.

     

    The problem is not very different from what happens in Bollywood. Box-office figures are central to a lot of communication around films. Consumers speak about the 100-cr club with a lot of false confidence, emanating from truckloads of media information but no perspective on how to read it.

     

    However, there’s a reason why the TV problem is worse. In films, at least the numbers being discussed have a physical meaning. They are in Indian Rupees after all. In TV, no one outside the media industry (and some would say, many within it too) knows how to read the ratings data. It’s just a notion, and hence, it is easy to be misdirected by what one sees and reads.

     

    Once in a while, you see a genuine e-mailer based on ratings data that makes you go: “Whoa, that’s some achievement”. But in the clutter of many claims and counter-claims, they just become one of the many things being said.

     

    But while one can debate the idea of good trade communication vs. poor trade communication, there cannot be much debate against the merits of sparing the end consumer of information on TV ratings.

     

    They, the end consumers, are the ratings themselves. If they start watching something because it rates well, we can be caught in an infinite loop of silliness.

     

  • The campaign will primarily focus on CashKaro's product offering and benefits of using the platform

    Enormous to handle CashKaro creative

    By A Correspondent

     

    CashKaro has appointed Enormous as its creative agency on record, after a multi-agency pitch. CashKaro will be looking at strengthening its market leader position in the cashback & coupons space and is embarking on an aggressive marketing campaign to create awareness among the online shoppers and deal hunters. The campaign will primarily focus on CashKaro’s product offering and benefits of using the platform.

     

    Enormous will be working on a 360 degree advertising campaign which will focus key markets across the country.

     

    Swati Bhargava

    On the development Swati Bhargava, Co-Founder CashKaro.com said, “We are delighted to have Enormous as our creative agency. For a young and growing brand like ours, it is important to communicate with the target audience across touch points. In Enormous we have found the right partner, who has the requisite knowledge and experience in the space. They will help us reach our potential target base in the most creative manner.”

     

    Ashish Khazanchi

    Ashish Khazanchi, Managing Partner Enormous commented, “We’re proud to be appointed the agency for CashKaro.com. It’s a dynamic organization with not just an innovative product but vaulting ambition. Always a delight to partner with people who look at not just selling a product but bringing added value to people’s lives. They are also mature advertisers and we aim to scale up the game with them.”

     

    CashKaro offers real cashback which is paid over and above existing discounts and offers on partner sites like Amazon.in, Paytm, Snapdeal, Shopclues, Jabong etc. The savings offering has expanded to cover basics like giving Cashback on mobile recharge, paying electricity, phone, mobile bills, DTH recharge – something almost every individual needs!

     

  • The new channel will be a unique destination for content and information on the property market

    Times Network launches 24-hr real estate channel ‘Property Now’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Times Network, the broadcast arm of India’s largest media house Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. announced the launch of India’s first 24X7 realty and property news channel, ‘Property Now’. The announcement was made by M K Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network at the inaugural session of FICCI’s The Big 5 Construct India 2015 held in Mumbai recently.

     

    Announcing the launch of Property Now, M. K. Anand, MD & CEO, Times Network said, “The Real Estate & Construction industry is a key contributor to the Indian economy today. Poised for an unprecedented growth boosted by the Government’s Smart city and housing-for-all projects, the sector commands investments from over 60 per cent of Indian Household Savings. We felt the industry needs a cohesive and powerful platform, where all the stakeholders can exchange their views, communicate with each other, influence the policymakers for the up gradation of the sector and better the life of the common man. Hence, we are delighted to announce the launch of Times Network’s 24-hours dedicated Real Estate and Property channel – Property Now. The channel will aim to address all needs related to real estate, property and infrastructure.”

     

    The new channel will be a unique destination for content and information on the property market, offering viewers unbiased information that makes the home-buying process simpler and more efficient. The channel will be a combination of news, debates, advice and analysis on real estate and allied aspects focusing not only on the buying decision but also on interiors and home improvement. The channel’s mandate is to provide relevant content and accurate information on the real estate market, home loans, the tax and legal aspects of buying a home and as well as advice on home décor in all price brackets.

     

    Faye D’Souza, Editor, Real Estate and Personal Finance, ET Now, while discussing the programming of Property Now, shared, “The channel will have news bulletins that will share the industry and pricing trends and put into perspective any development happening on the day. It will have debates wherein we will get guests who are accountable to the customers to come and talk about what’s happening in this segment. There will be a show wherein viewers can call and address their queries related to properties, and panellists will be demystifying those queries. Besides, there will be features on various subjects like how to decorate your house, how to make it safe for a child etc. The channel will have a broad spectrum of content related to legality of buying properties, financing related to properties, and so on.”

     

    Distributed pan-India, the channel is targeted towards 1mn+ markets initially. In phases, it will reach the target markets currently being served by ET Now. Property Now is expected to grow further because the subject is of interest to a larger set of audience as it will cater to investors, property buyers, builders and infrastructure industry et al.

     

    The channel will be helmed by Faye D’Souza who is also the Editor – Personal Finance & Real Estate, ET NOW and comes with a wealth of experience in the sector. President-News Times Network, Arnab Goswami will guide the new channel and lead the editorial team.

     

  • Guerrilla Art and Design’s entry involving India’s best-known prison and TBWA/India's conservation message grabbed the top awards at the 10th edition of Kyoorius Designyatra

    Tihar Jail & Save Aarey creatives win big at KDY15

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    If you thought a conference in Goa would just be an excuse to celebrate, then Kyoorius Designyatra (KDY) was the wrong place to be. For, it’s certainly not an event where people go to spend time in the lobby, drink away at the bar or head to the beach. Designers, creatives and a mix of marketers and brand practitioners, flock here for their annual dose of gyaan and stand-out creative thinking.

     

     

    In-book: Work that stands out above the rest and meets the three judging criteria, ie 1) An original and inspiring idea, 2) Well-executed, and 3) Relevant to its context. Among the best pieces of work in the year, In-book winners are the nominees for Blue Elephants.

     

    Blue Elephant: Checks off all three criteria and reaches the Kyoorius Awards benchmark of creative excellence. Recognised as a symbol of the very highest creative achievement.

     

    Black Elephant: Best of Show. The ultimate prize. Work that is truly ground-breaking among all the judged work.

     

    For ad industry honchos Ravi Deshpande (Whyness) and Anil Nair (L&K Saatchi & Saatchi), a visit to Designyatra is like an annual pilgrimage. Well, almost. Both underscore the great attention paid to the content of the conference. And what they may not say in so many words is that the stuff dished out elsewhere doesn’t raise the bar and that perhaps a comparison of KDY with Goafest is incorrect given that that their target groups are different, even though both celebrated their 10th anniversary this year.

     

    The interesting news for Indian adland is that its constituents have done rather well at the third D&AD-governed Kyoorius Design Awards. Of the 29 Blue Elephants and two Black Elephants awarded, eight were won by Ogilvy, and three each by JWT and Alok Nanda Company. But the biggest awards of the night – the Black Elephants, and there were two of them awarded – were bagged by TBWA\India and the Delhi-based Guerilla Art & Design.

     

    A total of 488 entries were submitted across 10 categories: Branding & Identity, Design for Packaging, Design for Communication, Design for Space, Design for Books, Design for Editorial, Design Craft, Writing for Design, Product Design and Design for Good. The 29 Blue Elephant winners included Thought Blurb, Out of the Box, Sisterconcern, Open Strategy and Design, J. Walter Thompson, Ogilvy & Mather, Landor, MuseLab, Studio Lotus, TBWA/India, TenArt Private Limited, Star India Pvt. Ltd, Godrej Properties, Open Strategy and Design, Guerilla Art and Design and Ek Type.

     

    Guerilla Art and Design’s Black Elephant-winning work ‘Tihar Jail’ had the design firm working with local sign painters to illustrate an emotional poem written by one of the inmates, on the four walls of the prison.

     

    TBWA/India was awarded a Black Elephant for ‘Rakhis from Aarey’, where the agency created letters on behalf of the trees and rakhis made from discarded material of the same trees, which were sent out to 2,000 influencers.

     

    Said Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO of Kyoorius, on the awards: “Our winners can confidently stand up against some of the best international work, thanks to the rigorous standards and judging criteria laid down by D&AD and Kyoorius. We are committed to nurturing and stimulating Indian creative talent through the awards, which help to fund our educational initiatives.”

     

    About the three-day conference, Kejriwal was ecstatic. “We were blown away by the creativity, passion and dedication on display,” he said. In a session entitled ‘10 Years of Designyatra, 10 years of Design’, that followed, Designyatra regular Harsh Purohit of Cognito, did a survey of 10 years touching on the things that have changed and those that have stayed the same.

     

    There were several speakers who were standout on the three days. Nick Law of R/GA, Lydia Winters (Mojang/Minecraft), Satya Raghavan (YouTube) and John McHale (SapientNitro) on Day 1; Jon Wilkins (Karmarama and, earlier, Naked), Morihiro Harano (Mori), Dave Trott (Author), Armin Vit (Underconsideration) and Max Weisel (innovator) on Day 2, and Jessica Walsh (Sagmeister & Walsh, who has done the new Frooti identity) and Neville Brody (Brody Associates) on the last day.

     

    Meanwhile, work has already begun on the 11th edition of KDY. Planning ahead and with uncompromising rigour with regard to curating content, are the key to Kejriwal’s success with Designyatra. Indeed.

     

    A shorter version of this report first appeared in dna of brands dated September 14, 2015

     

  • Since the beginning of the year the journalists of Khabar Lahariya have consistently and frighteningly been harassed on their mobile phones by a man who calls himself "Nishu". Neither the police nor the phone company, Vodafone, have been able to help. The reactions of the police are reprehensible. The horror is not just about journalists not being able to work. It is also about how you can be harassed to such an extent that you cannot work

    Ranjona Banerji: Journos of Khabar Lahariya need our support. Despicable harassment must stop

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    This is a horrifying story from the editor of Khabar Lahariya, an independent journalism effort from Uttar Pradesh, which has done commendable work. The reporters in Khabar Lahariya are all women. Since the beginning of the year they have consistently and frighteningly been harassed on their mobile phones by a man who calls himself “Nishu”. Neither the police nor the phone company, Vodafone, have been able to help. As the editor’s article shows, pasted below, the reactions of the police are reprehensible. The horror is not just about journalists not being able to work. It is also about how you can be harassed to such an extent that you cannot work.

     

    As journalists, this is one case where we need to put our collective heads together and pull out all the stops to help Khabar Lahariya. Sexual harassment is one part of this story but more than that, it is an effort to push you into utter helplessness. It must not be allowed to succeed.
    http://theladiesfinger.com/the-policeman-said-why-dont-you-tell-me-what-gaalis-he-whispers-in-your-ear/

    **

    Both these clips caused a lot of laughter on social media, but… to have panellists on televised debates slapping each other? You might argue that this was inevitable. News channels push for “debates” on controversial subjects and allow (encourage?) participants to get as vicious as possible with each other. Usually though this animosity is verbal.

     

    On a discussion on Radhe Maa, a Mumbai-based “guru” who has got into a little trouble for dowry collection and her predilection for dancing to Bollywood songs in miniskirts, two contestants – also “holy” types – decided that hitting each other was the only way out. IBN7, the channel on which this happened, has this stern, terse comment on its website, IBNLive: “We didn’t expect this kind of behaviour from our guests and we strictly condemn this.”
    One is sure they didn’t but you have to wonder about the direction which these “debates” are going in general.
    http://www.ibnlive.com/news/india/discussion-on-radhe-maa-turns-violent-during-live-discussion-on-ibn7-1095504.html

     

    The second such incident was on a discussion on India News when an Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson was slapped by a former Aam Aadmi Party member. The anchor tried to be very strict and headmistress-ish but the guests were beyond taking a ticking off seriously. Violence went very quickly from verbal to physical.

     

    We go on and on about the greatness of Indian culture but clearly we have very different notions of what culture means. Where does hitting people during a televised debate fit in? I have only seen this before on the Jerry Springer type of show where it is actively encouraged of course. Perhaps news channels need to put some of their studio guests in cages so that they do not attack each other?

     

    **

    Why do we still have an Information and Broadcasting ministry? Is the Government of India so weak that it needs a whole ministry to protect it from the media exercising its rights? Surely trolls on social media are enough?

     

    But jokes aside, they’re all the same. The UPA went after cartoonists and people who criticised Sonia Gandhi. And the current government has been using show-cause notices to new channel either for someone to prove their loyalty or because someone genuinely believes that free speech is a hindrance.

     

    GSTV, run by the mammoth Gujarat newspaper Gujarat Samachar, has received a show-cause notice from the I&B ministry for a programme it carried on Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination in which the motive behind an unnamed politician’s “Clean India” or Swachh Bharat initiative was questioned. The charge sounds ludicrous almost, but here we are. Of course, Gujarat Samachar has an intriguing relationship with the powers-that-be and this could be an old grouse coming to the fore.
    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/media/for-swipe-at-swachh-bharat-leader-gujarati-channel-gstv-gets-the-broomstick/articleshow/48963465.cms

     

  • One amongst the many reasons for dittoTV to break the record was also because it offers its viewers an engaging content mix from Sports to GEC to Music to News to Movies

    dittoTV makes it to the record books for latest achievement

     

     

    dittoTV, the OTT platform from the Zee Group has created a new record in the Limca Book of World Records as the only OTT platform to present its subscribers content offering for most number of registered channels across 13 languages. dittoTV is the sole OTT platform to be conferred with this recognition. The platform is best known for innovation ­when the OTT space is still in its germination stages in the nation. dittoTVshowcases TV Shows,  movies and videos in various languages alongside having specially designed video content which is available on Android, Windows and iOS based phones, tablets and computer systems.

     

    One amongst the many reasons for dittoTV to break the record was also because it offers its viewers an engaging content mix from Sports to GEC to Music to News to Movies and also presents an incredible experience through its live broadcast from 13 famous religious shrines of India which include Siddhivinayak Temple,Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Iskcon Temple, Vrindavan, DargahHazrat Sheikh Salim Chistito name a few. dittoTV has transcended boundaries by being the solitary platform to have 8 Pakistani channels along with featuring international news channels like BBC, Al Jazeera CNN amongst others across the globe in more than 130 countries. With the breakthrough of technology with every passing day, the platform also offers HD channels for its subscribers

     

    Speaking on this achievement, Manoj Padmanabhan( Business Head – dittoTV) says, “It is a proud moment for us since this record further reaffirms our aim to creating newer benchmarks in the category. We have always strived to push the boundaries and be innovators in every endeavor that we set forth. With the bouquet of content that has earned dittoTV the laurel of being honored by the Limca Book of Records team, we envision more such laurels, keeping benchmarks at the helm as we aim to grow aggressively in this financial year.”