MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Not really, say broadcasters, as they work towards bringing the newest seasons of popular shows

    Is internet killing viewership of English GECs?

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    Dying to watch the latest season of Big Bang Theory or want to know who’s going to win the current MasterChef Australia series? Then, you have two options: either download it or wait for a channel to telecast it here.

     

    Of course, many of us opt for the first option as Indian channels still lag in getting the latest seasons of these international shows to India . MxM India explores if the internet is indeed posing a threat to the genre.

     

    Internet, a menace?

    Anurag Bedi

    Consumer trends have changed over the past few years; and if one gets his dose of entertainment, it doesn’t matter it’s on which platform. “The viewer is platform-neutral. So, as far as one gets certain amount of entertainment quotient, it doesn’t matter even if he’s doing it illegally i.e. by downloading. And with the internet reaching out to every nook and corner of the country, it won’t be wrong to say that internet poses a threat to content owners or channels,” explains Karthik Sharma, managing partner, Maxus.

     

    The internet remains the biggest threat to the English general entertainment channels. Most of these channels are not able to telecast various popular international shows like Games of Throne, Weeds, Sherlock and others, hence viewers log online.

     

    Saurabh Yagnik

    “Today, the television audience is experimenting with content. They are quite receptive to exploring new, innovative and unconventional content. Considering the change in lifestyles and the impact of globalization, our audience is more aware than ever. Viewers have the knowledge of the scope of entertainment available on various platforms,” said Anurag Bedi, Business Head, Zee Cafe.

     

    Saurabh Yagnik, GM & senior VP, English Channels, STAR India Pvt. Ltd added: “STAR World’s constant endeavour has been to bring international shows to India , at the same time as their broadcast in US. We, in fact, had the World Television Premier of shows such as Missing, Touch on our channel. Even for Masterchef Australia Season 4, we are broadcasting the show very close to its telecast in Australia this time. This also becomes possible due to our strong and exclusive associations with international production houses such as Disney, Fox, and others.”

     

    Ricky Ow

    On an optimistic note, Ricky Ow, executive VP, Networks, Asia, Sony Pictures Television feels that though the internet adds to the competition, it helps one realize what the market is looking for: “If one studies the internet, then it can definitely turn out to be an asset as it gives us an opportunity to look at what the audience is interested in. For example, it helps us know what the India n audiences’ interests are outside AXN.”

     

    However, the newest entry on the block, Comedy Central’s Ferzad Palia, senior VP and GM – English Entertainment, Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd feels that internet should be seen as a complimentary asset rather than just as competition. “With technology, the social mindsets of people are changing too. And now people have become more accepting towards western culture. Thus, it’s good for us as more and more people identify with the content.”

     

    Ferzad Palia

    The buying game

    There is no doubt that the English-language general entertainment market is developing. Almost every channel is trying its level-best to keep the audience hooked on by getting more and more international shows to the living rooms. One question still remains: why are channels not able to show what their TG wants?

     

    “It is difficult to bring popular international shows to India , especially at the same time as their release in other markets. However, we have been driving our efforts to realize this for a long time with our property titled Torrentz, wherein we brought international shows very close to their release in other markets,” said Mr Yagnik.

     

    New channels coming up are giving a tough competition to the likes of Star World, Zee Cafe and AXN. Media professionals feel that, though the competition is good, it can become a burden on English channels as they have a limited TG. This has lead to rise in the cost of procuring rights. So, if a channel is paying more for an acquisition of shows which are popular abroad, they might not be able to recover money as mass channels do.

     

    Mr Ow added that though it cannot be categorized as easy or difficult, the onset of more channels has definitely risen the costs: “If we want a show, we try our level best to get it. AXN’s programming formula is simple – we are an action-adventure destination. Therefore, it narrows down the competition as we look for series, movies or reality shows which cater to that genre.”

     

    On the other hand, Mr Palia feels that though procuring rights is a complicated process, nothing is easy when it comes to running a channel. “It’s a part and parcel of starting a channel. What is more important is the selection process of the shows which will interest the India n audience. Demand for international shows has increased in the country of late and people have become choosy about what they want to watch.”

     

    Hence, many channels are now associating with production houses or producing their own shows as they feel it will help them grow their market without too much of a trouble.

     

    Vishal Rally

    “There could be 100 popular international shows, but we cannot telecast them all. So, a channel needs to choose what their TG wants. Thankfully, we are backed up with a studio and a JV which allows us to telecast shows simultaneously in India as well. We telecast shows like Survivors, NCIS at par with their international seasons. That’s our USP,” said Vishal Rally, business head, BIG CBS Network.

     

    Nevertheless, most channels agree that it isn’t an easy task to get good international shows to India , but to keep the competition at bay, they have to try to out-do internet but also each other by bringing the latest shows to their audience’s living rooms ASAP.

     

    Many broadcasters are also aware that the internet viewership of popular shows is small, and the public still prefers a bigger screen experience. As one broadcaster said, high speed broadband connections exist, but not with everyone. And the buffering is a pain. It’s a huge negative for the viewers who watch English GECs.

     

    But low broadband speeds and poor connectivity will soon be a thing of the past, right? Yes and so will dated soaps and old seasons be, says the broadcaster, requesting anonymity. “Right now, we are catching up with old seasons since most people haven’t watched them… For instance, how many people have watched The Newsroom, which has been receiving rave reviews?” There’s also an issue of copyright and picture quality. “Some of what you see on YouTube is pirated and is being yanked off the site when caught in the act. And if it is available somewhere, it appears to have been recorded on the microwave oven… Who wants to view Masterchef where a tomato looks like a potato!!!”

     

    Hmmm. Surely reason for us to wait and watch. Or in this case, watch and wait.

     

  • The core objective of the communication was divided into two levels. The first one was to inspire people to test drive Honda Brio and, second, that the dealers of Honda feel excited about the whole campaign

    Case Study: Honda Brio: Love Ka Connection

    By A Correspondent

     

    Campaign: Honda Brio: Love Ka Connection

     

    Aim and Objectives:

    The core objective of the communication was divided into two levels. The first one was to inspire more and more people to test drive Honda Brio and feel the experience of being loved back and, second, that the dealers of Honda feel excited about the whole campaign and are inspired to sell more.

     

    The Background:

    According to Honda Brio’s current brand positioning – there’s no happier feeling than being loved back and that’s what you get every time you drive Honda Brio. It always goes the extra mile every time to make sure the love story never ends.” Keeping this promise and idea intact, BIG FM came up with the concept to give an experience of loving and getting love back.

     

    Timelines:

    The campaign was spread across 30 cities and executed within 21 days, Touch basing more than 40 dealer outlets. Apart from the 23 92.7 BIG stations, the activity was also done on 7 non-BIG FM stations which was co-ordinated by BIG FM.

     

    How the strategy was implemented:

    The core idea was to promote the voice of Honda Brio where consumers test drive Honda Brio. RJ called up the customers who have taken a test drive and asked them to share their experience. The customer who shared the best experience was called on a show every Friday to co-host a show with the RJ. Also every weekend, RJs went to Honda Showrooms and promote the activity at the dealers shop through games and music.

     

    In addition to the Voice of Honda Contest, Dealer Delight was also taken into consideration as one of the main objective was to uplift dealers moral as well as making them feel good by sending them to the corresponding radio station and meet the RJ and thus get an opportunity go come on – air.

     

    The activity was executed in four phases with each one having its own level of communication. In the first phase, a 7 day on-air promotion was done with the help of On Air Promos and RJs informing listeners about the activity and the dealer. In the second and thirds phase the activity went on-ground at dealers shops where games were played for the contest ” Voice of Honda Brio.” In the last phase, the dealers were called to the radio station and did a one to one interaction with RJs on-air.

     

    Expectations v/s Outcome:

    Honda had two core expectations from the campaign- one, delighting the dealers about the campaign and the other, to increase the test drives of Honda Brio. 92.7 BIG FM met the expectations by delivering more than what was expected from the campaign which resulted in 24 per cent increase in footfalls at the dealer shop and an astounding 34 per cent increase in test drives. The Honda dealers were highly satisfied with the activity and were kicked out about the brand.

     

    Constraints and challenges in implementation:

    The biggest challenge of the activity was co-ordinating 30 stations and communicating the same thought in 9 different languages. Also that the whole activity was in 23 BIG FM stations and 7 non-BIG FM stations required a smooth running of the activity at Honda dealerships and engaging both consumers and dealers.

     

    Since the activity was planned for a time span of 21 days in 30 cities, the execution needed to be perfect in every way possible. Regional language creative needed to be updated frequently as per dealers requirement as well as taste.

     

    Challenges/Difficulties in Execution:

    As the creative were in 9 different languages, the same communication was scripted in different languages. With addition of dealer’s feedback, each creative was given a regional flavour, keeping in line the communication. RJs doing the activation at the dealers store were also aligned to the campaign and the core thought across 30 cities. Also daily consumer bytes from the activity were aired on a day to day basis.

     

    Take-homes:

    • Radio can be effectively used to support on-ground activation
    • Non-Metros have a higher inclination towards Radio

     

    Credits, Strategy & Execution:

    The Team: Praveen Pahuja, Neha Goel, Kinney Mishra (National and Local Programming team)

     

  • While there is optimism, the industry & planners are keenly awaiting how the music channel's switch to youth entertainment works in ratings & revenues

    Will switching to youth ent work for V?

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    Prem Kamath

    Launched 16 years ago as a music channel, Star India’s Channel V is now turning into a full-fledged youth entertainment channel. Starting July 1, V will stop airing music programmes in India and focus on fiction and non-fiction shows. The reason: “Over the last two years, there has been an explosion of ‘music only’ channels, but everyone’s playing identical playlists,” says Prem Kamath, executive vice-president and general manager at Channel V. “In order to grow as a channel and as a brand, it has always been critical to have an offering that is unique in our competitive space,” he adds on being quizzed on the decision.

     

    Many experts feel that it was bound to happen as more and more channels try to mould themselves to stay connected with what their target audience wants. But there many questions arise: could this mean the beginning of the end of music on TV? What is the future of music genre? Where is it headed?

     

    The beginning

    The scene for Indian music channels was set with the launch of MTV in the early 90s. Soon after, Channel V was launched in 1994, and since then there has been no looking back.

     

    The launch of these music channels also led to a boom in international as well as Indie pop culture. However, it was shortlived and Bollywood music took over, and the two channels, along with many other launched afterwards, started playing popular filmi songs. But over a period of time, these two channels moved beyond playing only music with shows like Roadies, Splitsvilla and Dare 2 Date.

     

    Hemant Kenkre

    According to music columnist Narendra Kusnur, somewhere down the line for these channels, music took a backseat: “I’m sure any channel would do thorough research while trying to change their gameplan. So, if a music channel shifting towards being a youth entertainment channel is proved beneficial – for viewership as well as revenue – then it wouldn’t harm them to take such a step.”

     

    He’s not alone in voicing this. Even Hemant Kenkre, a former music channel professional and a corporate and brand communications veteran, feels that channels are now branding themselves differently to reach out to their TG. He, however, does blame the availability of music on various platforms – radio, cellphones, laptops, iPods – as the reason for this shift. “Today, the youth is moving towards reality shows and they want it from the channels meant for them. As for music, they get their share of it from other mediums too.”

     

    Luke Kenny

    Former VJ, musician, actor and 9XO programming head Luke Kenny, on the other hand, feels that the channel (Channel V) decided to shift long back and has been moving slowly towards it, but there are still many who want music on television. “If music was dead on TV, then how would you explain other new music channels cropping up and doing well too?”

     

    He added: “Having said that, I do believe that with more channels showcasing Bollywood songs, music channels have lost their niche and have just became promotional channels. Therefore, if a channel decides to change colours, it might work. And you never know, Star India might come up with a new music channel called Music OK.”

     

    Industry talk

    If one takes a look at various channels, be it music or a GEC, they will find that, there is a great deal of music in some or the other. We have music trailers/songs aired across all channels. Award shows, too, have musical performances and talent shows like Saregama, Indian Idol, DID and even celeb dance show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa  are high on ratings.

     

    Mohit Joshi

    Therefore, according to media planners, the existence of specialised music channels is a difficult game. “Today, unfortunately for the masses in India, music equals to Bollywood. This is the challenge. This was not the case in the ’90s when there were a lot of private music albums that were launched -Silk Route et al, and the music channels were used for their amplification. So, there was something more than Bollywood, which is not the case today. In the current scenario, if music channels do not experiment with music or the content, then there is a fear that they will dilute their relevance over a period of time,” says Mohit Joshi, managing director, MPG India.

     

    Adds Carat Media India’s senior VP Himanka Das: “Channel V’s decision to discontinue music is a welcome change and would offer interesting opportunities to build engagement content with the youth, considering the very little content that is available to them in entertainment beyond music. Music as a genre gets 6-7 per cent share in the youth segment of viewers with Channel V contributing 24 per cent to this share amongst 20+ channels. Channel V vacating this space is someone else’s gain!”

     

    Punit Pandey

    Meanwhile, other music channels aren’t perturbed and are waiting to see how the channel is accepted in its new avatar. As per TAM (CS4+, All India market), there has been a consistent growth in the music genre. In 2007, the genre share of music channels was 2.02 per cent whereas in 2012 (till week 24) the share has grown to 3.62 per cent.

     

    Punit Pandey, senior VP and business head, 9X Media Group, agreed with Mr Das and added: “Music has, and will continue to, work on television. It is close to a Rs360-370 crore industry (in the HSM belt) and growing. More and more people are ‘watching’ music, so there is nothing to worry about for music channels at large.”

     

    Nikhil Gandhi

    Similarly, the view from UTV Bindass which started out as a Youth Entertainment Channel (YEC) and has been a pioneer in the segment is that though in the recent past music channels, especially MTV and Channel V, have started shifting focus from music to fictional and non-fictional shows, there is no reason for sleepless nights. “We have an advantage over other channels entering the YEC genre as we have already created a connect with the TG,” says Nikhil Gandhi, Disney UTV Executive Director – Youth Channels, Media Networks. And adds an alert: “So, I would like to tell other channels entering the YEC genre to work on their strategies well.”

     

    Apprehensive marketers?

    The change in positioning is due to the feeling that youngsters now have a strong spending power. And, hence, are targeted by various brands more than ever before. TV forms a core part of advertisement for these brands as youngsters also spend a lot of time in front of the television sets.

     

    Simeran Bhasin

    But what happens to youth brands if a channel changes its content strategy? According to the various marketing heads, the apprehensions will emerge if the channel isn’t clear about the shift and isn’t able to help a brand reach its TG.

     

    “If the TG of a brand matches that of the channel, it won’t matter if they decide to change over a period of time. However, if there is a shift in TG then a brand would think twice before advertising on that channel,” says Simeran Bhasin, head – Marketing and Retail, Fastrack.

     

     

    Harkirat Singh

    MTV’s latest show Sound Trippin was partnered by Woodland because the brand feels that youth oriented channels helps them reach their TG. However, the brand is clear that it get associated with channels or shows only if it feels there is a connect between the brand and the viewers. “Like any other brand, while media planning, the TG of a certain channel is important for us. We look for shows which are able to reach and connect with our TG. So, if a channel changes its content plan, we will want to go through their new strategy to figure out where do we figure and how it can benefit us,” says Harkirat Singh, MD, Woodland.

     

    Will the shift work?

    According to the industry professionals, the change in content plan by a channel is done after a lot of research and only time can decide if it will work in its favour or not. However, they believe that a channel should remain true to its philosophy because otherwise it will lose its identify as well.

     

    Samyak Chakrabarty

    Expanding on it, Samyak Chakrabarty, MD, Electronic Youth Media Group and Chief Youth Marketer, DDB Mudra Group believes that ‘youth’ is a very misunderstood word and youngsters cannot be defined in one category as all depends on the exposure and the background one comes from. “In their perception to become ‘youth’ channels, they are getting muddled up and don’t know where they are headed. Today, a youngster cannot associate MTV or Channel V with anything like they do for other brands. For instance, technology means iPad, connectivity means Blackberry etc. I think music channels should have remained with what they started as, instead of losing their identify to gain more TRPs. Such moves will only lead to their downfall, in the long term.”

     

    From being largely optimistic to one predicting a downfall, we received mixed reactions to the proposed change in Channel V’s identity. However, one thing is clear, no matter what Star India decides, there will be many who will wait to see what this mean for them and the genre, at large.

     

     

  • The show hopes to empower viewers to be better equipped to deal with criminal situations

    Big Magic ups ante by getting Amar Upadhyay as host

    Amar Upadhyay

    By A Correspondent

     

    Amar Upadhyay, last seen on Big Boss season 5, is all set to hit the small screen again with BIG Magic’s Police Files.

     

    The channel aims to feature local-relevant entertainment through the core Hindi heartland – UP, MP, Biharand Jharkhand. With the Hindi heartland known for crimes like drug trafficking, extortion, murder for hire, crime against women, homicide, burglary, theft, land mafia and more, the actor will be seen highlighting cases that the local populace can relate to.

     

    Anand Chakravarthy

    “Amar is a household name and rose to fame through a fiction show and then again through a reality show. He connects excellently with audiences and has a huge fan following in the heartland. His ability to connect with audiences is unique and a show like Police Files requires someone who is one amongst them, understands the true issues of the heartland and offers them solutions on dealing with situations, should they ever be in one. Amar does this beautifully as he discusses cases and helps audiences look out for possible signs through discussions with psychologists, real cops and more…” said Anand Chakravarthy, Executive Vice President, Marketing, RBNL and Business Head, BIG Magic.

     

    Speaking on hosting the show, Amar Upadhyay said: “BIG Magic is the newest entertainment channel that has swept the Heartland. With its specially created localized shows, the channel has been able to fulfill a huge entertainment lacuna in the region. I liked the concept of Police Files and its ability to help audiences deal with the growing crime rate in the region. I look forward to making this iconic show an ideal platform to fight crime and create awareness amongst public.”

     

    The show hopes to empower viewers to be better equipped to deal with criminal situations. As part of the show, Mr Upadhyay will be seen engaged in discussions with psychiatrists, real lawyers and the real police, who discuss the reason, rationale, signs to look out for and more, when it comes to dealing with crime in the region.

     

  • For records, Vizeum is already the media AoR for Dalmia Cement in Chennai

    Vizeum bags media duties for Dalmia Bharat

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dalmia Bharat Group have announced the empanelment of Aegis Media’s Vizeum India as its media AoR.

     

    Dalmia Bharat Group – a diversified business group – has further extended its current scope of partnership with Vizeum India. For records, Vizeum is already the media AoR for Dalmia Cement in Chennai. It is believed that the client satisfaction in the cement business led to Vizeum being enrolled for the Group assignment.

     

    Confirming the same, BK Singh, Executive Director, Group Marketing and Corporate Communications, Dalmia Bharat, said: “It was a natural choice given our satisfactory partnership in cement business that we didn’t need to look beyond Vizeum for the media duties of the group.  They have a proven track record with Dalmia Cement. The team is proactive, extremely passionate and provides a good balance of thinking and doing.  We look forward to working with them.”

     

    Commenting on the win, S Yesudas, Managing Director – Indian Subcontinent, Vizeum said: “We are truly humbled beyond words in expressing our delight for the faith our clients are placing on us. I take this opportunity to welcome Dalmia Bharat Group into the Vizeum family. We are thankful to BK and his team for considering us worthy. This assignment will be handled out of our Delhi and Chennai Offices.”

     

  • RK Swamy BBDO, known for its insightful work, calls the bathroom "Apna sa Kona" (your very own space) in this new campaign

    RK Swamy BBDO relaunches Parryware with unique insight

    By A Correspondent

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYefcFAeuXc[/youtube]

    As part of its brand relaunch mandate, RK Swamy BBDO has created a refreshingly new campaign for sanitary brand Parryware.

     

    RK Swamy BBDO, known for its insightful work, calls the bathroom “Apna sa Kona” (your very own space) in this new campaign. This insight is based on special moments which one spends in a bathroom.

     

    Sunil Kukreti, Senior Partner, RK Swamy BBDO, New Delhi, said: “The insight of the campaign is that the bathroom is one place in the house where you can be yourself. You might cry, dance or just ponder in this one space, which is truly yours. The ‘Apna sa Kona’ campaign is created around this.”

     

    The current campaign comprises of Print and TV.

     

    Parryware with a brand heritage of nearly 60 years is now part of the Spanish Roca Group.

     

  • This shift follows a multi-year plan designed to ensure a seamless management transition at the highly successful agency

    Ketchum appoints Rob Flaherty CEO, Ray Kotcher becomes Chairman

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ketchum has announced that Rob Flaherty, senior partner and president, will also assume the role of chief executive officer, effective July 1. Raymond L Kotcher, senior partner and CEO, will become the chairman. This shift follows a multi-year plan designed to ensure a seamless management transition at the highly successful agency, which PRWeek recently named as its 2012 agency of the year.

     

    Mr Flaherty joined Ketchum in 1989 and was named president in 2008. He will continue to report to Mr Kotcher. Over the course of his tenure Mr Flaherty has been involved in all aspects of the firm including having successfully led its largest office (New York), one of its global practices (Corporate) and several of its largest client engagements. He has counseled client organizations and brands including IBM, FedEx, Philips and Pfizer.

     

    According to Dale Adams, President and CEO of Omnicom’s Diversified Agency Services group (DAS): “As CEO, Ray developed the Ketchum brand into one of the most successful in the DAS group of companies and in the public relations sector. I have great respect for Ray’s leadership and many accomplishments and am pleased to have his continued commitment and involvement as chairman. His ability to lead and plan with this group will ensure the transition to Rob will be seamless.”

     

    Mr Kotcher, started at Ketchum in 1983, was appointed president of the agency in 1992, and in June 2000 was named CEO. As CEO, he transformed and grew the firm. In 2009 Kotcher led one of the public relations industry’s largest-ever mergers when Ketchum and Pleon combined operations to create the leading communications consultancy in Europe.

     

    Under his leadership, Ketchum’s geographic client-service footprint also grew in developing markets through acquisitions in China, India and Russia and a joint venture in the Middle East. As CEO, Kotcher also led the development of a range of offerings in areas such as change management, sports and entertainment, and word-of-mouth marketing.

     

    “I am privileged to have served as Ketchum’s CEO through more than a decade of extraordinary change and opportunity in the communications industry,” said Mr Kotcher.

     

    “The appointment of Rob to CEO has been long planned for and he is distinctly qualified for this role,” he continued.

     

    As chief executive, Mr Flaherty will work with Mr Kotcher and other leaders of the firm to guide agency strategy. He also will remain focused on providing clients with breakthrough ideas and the agency’s talent with clear opportunities for growth.

     

    “Having called Ketchum my home for 23 years, I am deeply honored to assume the role of CEO from Ray. Ray has been an outstanding leader, mentor and friend. I tremendously value our partnership and am looking forward to it continuing,” said Mr Flaherty.

     

     

  • This game captures the vivid and beautiful Scottish Highlands

    UTV Indiagames launches official mobile game for ‘Brave’

    By A Correspondent

     

    The gaming company, UTV Indiagames, has launched the official java mobile game for Disney Pixar’s ‘Brave’.

     

    This game captures the vivid and beautiful Scottish Highlands. Based on the protagonist of the movie -Merida, the user has to use his/her archery skills to unfold the mystery and save her family.

     

    “Disney Pixar’s Brave has an excellent storyline which has all the elements – adventure, mystery, action – that lend itself into an engaging game, deepening the fantastical movie experience. With this Java game we want to reach out to 60 per cent of India’s mobile phone population,” said Samir Bangara, Managing Director – Digital, Disney UTV.

     

  • Digitas will conceptualize, design and manage Axis bank's presence online across the bank's verticals and practices

    Axis Bank appoints Digitas India

    By A Correspondent

     

    Digitas, the digital marketing agency, has been appointed by Axis Bank as their digital AOR. Digitas will conceptualize, design and manage Axis bank’s presence online across the bank’s verticals and practices.

     

    On the association, Manisha Lath Gupta, Chief Marketing Officer at Axis Bank said; “At Axis bank we believe that digital media is an extremely important channel to engage with and have meaningful conversations with consumers. Over a period of time, a good digital strategy will go a long way in creating preference of one service provider over another. We believe that Digitas India is the right strategic partner to help us achieve our aspirations. Digitas will be handling all social media and online creative work for Axis Bank.”

     

    Working with Axis Bank is extremely exciting and challenging said Kanika Mathur, President, Digitas India. “We will be using some of our worldwide learning’s and best practices to create and implement best in class strategies and consumer experiences for Axis bank. These will include helping position new and current services online as well as in social media,” she added.

     

    Digitas India has a full service offering across ‘paid, owned and earned’ media. Today the India team has over 160 team members.

     

  • HUL's Sudhanshu Vats will be Group CEO of Viacom18 a position left vacant since Haresh Chawla moved on earlier this year

    Viacom18 Appoints HUL’s Sudhanshu Vats as Group CEO

    Sudhanshu Vats

    From the MxM Infodesk

     

    Viacom18 Media has announced the appointment of Sudhanshu Vats as its Group CEO. Joining in August 2012, Sudhanshu will report to the Viacom18 board and will be responsible for the growth of all Viacom18 brands/businesses, comprising Colors, Comedy Central, MTV, Nick, Sonic, Vh1 and Viacom18 Motion Pictures. The position was left vacant since Mr Haresh Chawla moved on earlier this year.

     

    Mr Vats is an HUL veteran, having worked with Unilever in India for more than 19 years, in various capacities. He is currently the Vice President – Laundry, South Asia and Global Brand Radiant (Rin in India).

     

    Announcing the appointment, Raghav Bahl, Founder – Network18 Group, said, “Given Sudhanshu’s rich experience, his ability to lead large businesses and his acute understanding of the Indian diaspora, he is well poised to lead Viacom18 into its next phase of growth.” He further added, “Sudhanshu also brings with him an intense and interesting perspective on the entertainment business and that is sure to add a new dimension to Viacom18.”

     

    Speaking on the development, Sai Kumar, Group CEO – Network18 and TV18, added, “Viacom18 comprises some of the most dynamic brands in the television and entertainment space that cater to a wide spectrum of audiences. Given Sudhanshu’s vast experience and an extremely successful track record with multi-brand portfolios, we’re confident of him driving each of the Viacom18 brands to its deserved place in the category.”

     

    Commenting on Mr Vats’ appointment, Bob Bakish, President & CEO – Viacom International Media Networks, said, “With Sudhanshu on board, we’re confident that Viacom18 will continue to redefine the many spaces it operates in.”

     

    Mr Vats has about 21 years of experience, of which 19 have been with Hindustan Unilever across Sales, Customer Development, Marketing and General Management with P&L responsibility. In his previous assignment as VP Soaps and Detergents, HUL (the largest Business segment in India), Mr Vats aggressively grew the Laundry and HHC categories leading to sustained market share growth. He is equally at ease setting up Businesses from start and launching new Brands. He has worked across different categories (Home & Personal Care and Foods) in FMCG leaving his mark on many popular household brands like Surf Excel, Rin, Vim, Wheel, Lifebuoy, Lux & Lipton. Sudhanshu has also worked with Castrol for about two years, where he headed the Marketing function and was instrumental in the Castrol Master Brand re-launch. Under his stewardship, South Asia was the fastest growing cluster globally in Laundry during 2011.

     

  • Spurred by brand activation spends, such non-advertising spends, called below-the-line (BTL), are gaining share over advertising spends at several leading consumer companies

    HUL, LG etc look beyond regular advtg

    By Bhanu Pande & Ratna Bhushan

     

    PepsiCo is organising seven-a-side soccer tournaments in neighbourhoods, LG is showcasing its durables in residential complexes, Cadbury is standing outside super markets with its cookies, Hindustan Unilever is standing with a shampoo to assess the state of your scalp… These are some of the biggest companies, with hefty advertising budgets. Yet, to market their wares, they are increasingly looking beyond conventional, passive advertising and spending more on marketing activities where the connect with the target consumer is active and direct.

     

    In marketing lingo, such on-the-ground events and promotions are called ‘brand activation’, and they generally form the largest chunk of a company’s non-advertising activities. Spurred by brand activation spends, such non-advertising spends, called below-the-line (BTL), are gaining share over advertising spends at several leading consumer companies.

     

    According to LK Gupta of LG Electronics, 60 per cent of the company’s marketing

    budget is going towards BTL activities, against 35-40 per cent three years ago. “With increasing choices, the consumer has become more discerning,” said Mr Gupta, vice president-marketing. “Therefore, ground activations are gaining traction due to the added impact they give beyond the media clutter.”

     

    Elsewhere, Homi Battiwalla, category director, PepsiCo India, labels the increase in his company’s BTL spends as “significant”. “Today, consumers have started saying, ‘show me something real’,” he added. In April, in its advertising, PepsiCo India switched from cricket to soccer, and launched a campaign, ‘change the game’.

     

    Alongside, it hit neighbourhoods with ‘T-20 Football’ – a seven-a-side, 20-minute soccer tourney. “We realised plain advertising wasn’t enough,” said Mr Battiwalla. “We wanted to build the idea, and create an experiential engagement that is grassroots with our target audience.”

     

    All this is translating into more business for firms like New Delhi-based Candid Marketing, which helps companies with their brand-activation strategies. Its managing director Atul S Nath says its business is growing 25 per cent a year. “Clients are questioning the delivery from plain advertising,” he said. “Delivery from brand activation is almost immediate, though the latter has its limitations.”

     

    Mr Nath predicts that, in the next five years, the split between BTL and ATL (above-the-line, or advertising) spends will be equal. Currently, companies spend more on mass-media advertising than on events and promotions. He, however, feels, advertising budgets will not fall in absolute terms, but more of the incremental allocation will be to BTL activities. “Overall spends on BTL will significantly rise as people begin to see its impact,” he said.

     

    Mr Gupta of LG agrees, and attributes it partly to the rise of online marketing and social media, which conveys details of a product quicker than conventional advertising. “The influencing touch points are shifting,” he said. “The customer comes armed with his own research. So, conversion with demo and explanation has become an area of great focus.”

     

    It’s also the current tight business environment, said brand consultant Harish Bijoor, who sees advertising symbolising ‘theme’ and BTL representing ‘sales’. In a tough market, cash flows are an imperative. “So, they are putting their big bucks on BTL, and money is certainly moving from theme to scheme,” he said.

     

    Mayank Shah of Parle Products says the idea is to engage with the consumer despite the higher costs. “In case of traditional advertising on television or print, cost per contact is very low,” said Mr Shah, group product manager. “BTL activation is costlier, but it’s the quality of engagement with the consumer that makes a lot of sense. He feels, it is very important to generate trials in food products, which is the company’s main product category. “Sometimes it’s necessary to make consumer sample your products,” said Mr Shah. “And where there’s a big rural and semi-urban opportunity, we need to go BTL.

     

    Dabur India too has been relying heavily on BTL activities in tier-II and tier-III towns. “With rural consumers increasingly moving towards branded products, just leveraging mainstream media is not enough to connect with them,” said George Angelo, executive director-sales, Dabur.

     

    The company has the Dabur Amla ‘banke dikhao rani pratiyogita’, a rural beauty and talent hunt where rural women are groomed by trained beauticians. Another of its recent BTL activity was the Dabur Gulabari Miss Rose glow contest – a regional model hunt from state capitals, with the eventual winner receiving a wildcard to the Femina Miss India contest. “A BTL initiative involving Vanya Mishra (a wildcard who was one of the winners at the Miss India contest) resulted in Dabur Gulabari reporting its highest ever monthly sales in April,” said Mr Angelo.

     

    Source: The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • The jury at Cannes is a mature set of people, so one cannot pass off mediocre work and fool the judges

    Road to CL2013: The way to win at Cannes is by not aiming for a metal

    The Cannes metal wins for India has been disappointing. There could be various reasons for it and the metal tally definitely doesn’t point that the work coming out of India is of inferior category. However, it does point that there is something more required from India n agencies to gain attention of the international jury. Who better that people on the Cannes jury this year to show us some light on where the agencies could improve and what really went behind the judging. We spoke to a few on the jury this year to understand where India went wrong and what can be done to reclaim some of the lost ground this year.

     

    Rahul Jauhari, National Creative Director, Everest Brand Solutions

    Rahul Jauhari

    I don’t think you can aim at Cannes by doing something that can win at Cannes . Most winning entries at Cannes are brilliant solutions to one business issue or another. “Let’s do something like that one” ­ is not going to get you anywhere. The point is to solve the business issue facing your brand with a wonderful idea and execution. If it is that wonderful, it will win.

     

    And yes, the glorious part is in doing it in a way that is relevant to the India n audience. The jury are not fools. They can see through scams, in most cases. They ask relevant questions and give a lot of importance to the logic of the communication. They reward ingenuity, but not at the cost of authenticity.Brazilwins a lot of awards at Cannes . But their work is unmistakably Brazilian. The same goes for other countries. So, the language of your entry is not a minus point, as long as you send in a good explanation.

     

    The jury at Cannes is now well represented by different countries. And that shows in the selection of work. “Let’s do something that integrates social media” is not the answer either. More Facebook likes is not equal to higher chances at a Cannes metal. If the idea is loved, people will spread it on social media. A print ad can lead to online furore or fan-following. The same goes for a TV ad or a radio spot. The consumer builds in social media integration without asking you. So there.

     

    Simply put, the way to win at Cannes is not by aiming for a metal at Cannes . Aim for a brilliant solution or idea. Execute it brilliantly. Even the simplest of ideas can win. There is that little bit about the packaging, though. When a jury member has to sift through a thousand plus entries, he or she will not suffer a poorly packaged entry. Keep it simple, keep it to the point. Sure make it enjoyable. But remember, the jury wants to know how you did it, why you did it and what it achieved. Inform them, but don’t bore them to death. And don’t try to con them. Most are highly experienced and can tell a fake from a real. Instantly.

     

    Sunil Gautam, Founder, HanmerMSL

    This is the fourth year for Cannes PR Lions which saw 1,130 entries from 61 countries, the highest number of entries received by Cannes Lions in this category ever. 134 entries were short listed. India had 19 entries, 1 was short-listed.

     

    The composition of jury was very good and it represented the cross-section from the world over. There was a lot of interaction and discussion before finalising the winners. According to me, it was very professional judging and the experience was awesome.

     

    India had 19 entries in this category, and many of them came up for lively discussion. Of these, one entry was short listed. Unfortunately, this entry didn’t get any metal. But the overall effort by the India n agencies was excellent. All the campaigns that were reviewed were very imaginative, with good strategy, execution and measurable impact and results.

     

    My advice to the India n public relations industry is to focus on innovative strategies, immaculate execution and measurable results in such a way that the campaigns that they implement for a client are a huge success. And not to plan campaigns from the short sighted of just winning awards. Good campaigns are appreciated everywhere and they may end up with the awards. The client comes first and they will get awarded if they deserve.

     

    Vikram S Gaikwad, Partner & Executive Creative Director, Creativeland Asia

    Vikram S Gaikwad

    I think there are three simple yet significant aspects to any entry. The idea, its execution and the category in which it is entered. A brilliant idea can miss out simply because it is not entered in the right category.

    With the number of entries running in thousands even in each category, each panel has a unique criteria while judging entries. So, the chances are that a great entry submitted in a wrong category might fail to even get a shortlist.

    Also, we should look at the new categories introduced at Cannes every year.I was disappointed to see little or no work in categories like Mobile, PR and Brand Entertainment & Content categories. With the size of the Indian
    market, number of brands, consumption etc, we are very much capable of capitalising on various opportunities and entering more quality work in the future.

    This year the number of metals that India won has gone significantly low. This definitely is disappointing. So, I am hoping we will make up for it
    next year.