MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • Former TV Today news anchor and RJ Akash Banerjee joins Radio Mirchi as programming head for the Delhi station

    Former news anchor and RJ Akash Banerjee is Radio Mirchi Delhi programming head

    Akash Banerjee

    Radio Mirchi today announced the appointment of Akash Banerjee as the Programming Head for Delhi station. Mr Banerjee’s first stint at Radio Mirchi was in 2002 as a Radio Jockey where he used to host the station’s popular late night show ‘Dil Chahta Hai’

     

    As the programming head, Akash would be responsible for conceptualising the station programming in accordance with the brand vision and Delhi’s pulse and flavour.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Banerjee said, “I am happy to be a part of the ENIL Group again. I am thrilled to be part of such an iconic brand and look forward to new challenges and responsibilities.”

     

    Prior to joining Radio Mirchi he worked with the TV Today network as Senior Special Correspondent and Anchor. He has also done a stint with Times Now with his book ‘Tales from Shining and Sinking India’ that draws from his experiences on the field (and has a foreword by Arnab Goswami).

     

  • Soon after making the acquisitions of MarketGate and Istrat public, Publicis Groupe's Jean-Yves Naouri and Bertrand Siguier spoke with MxMIndia

    Acquisitions will continue: Publicis

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    This is Jean-Yves Naouri’s third officially announced visit to India. As Chief Operating Officer of Publicis Groupe and Executive Chairman of Publicis Worldwide, he has been the group with 19 years and knows perfectly well that India is a very critical market for the network over the next five years. Soon after announcing the acquisition of well-known consulting firm MarketGate and digital shop iStrat, Mr Naori addressed the media in Mumbai. He spoke to MxMIndia and a dozen other business and trade publications before flying back to Paris soon after midnight.

     

    Jean-Yves Naouri

    We had made a conscious decision a few years ago that Publicis will work with two strategic pillars – one is digital and the other is e-commerce. This is a long-term strategy that we have drawn out. So we are not considering tactical investments, we are moving forward using our previously devised strategy.

     

    When you talk about slowdown,  many countries dream to have the kind of growth that India has shown this year. We are very confident in the potential that India seems to offer and have taken some measures that seem to be promising. So we strongly believe in the potential of India going forward and by making investments we are not looking at the GDP numbers vis-a-vis the year 2012 but the longer implications that it would offer.

     

    Don’t you feel it would have been apt for you to have a one digital agency servicing all other agencies?

    This is not the approach that we have. For us digital is an intrinsic part of our vision and strategy and we want to make Publicis group the numero uno digital company. We want every single operation to become fully digital. This is a change of approach in order to better service our client. You cannot expect one digital agency to service all our clients not only because of cost reasons but also sometimes they do not have all the capabilities required to cover all areas. So we have made a choice to have a different approach where we want every single operation to become fully digital. We are consciously strengthening and adapting our every single operation and that’s how you see Indigo joining hands with Leo Burnett and participating in this transformation. Also, iStrat joining Publicis and Resultrix joining ZO… Saatchi has a very different organic approach where it is hiring digital talent to transform itself from the inside.

     

    So wouldn’t hiring hiring talent have been better?

    I do not think one strategy can be better; strategy is a result of the approach that we are taking or the conscious analysis of the best way by brands based on their contracts and situations and sometimes we feel it is better to do it organically and sometimes through acquisitions.

     

    How would you rate the performance of Publicis Groupe in India?

    Firstly, we have made India our true area of focus. As we’ve said, in the BRIC countries we have doubled the size of our operations in Brazil over two years, we are on the verge of doing the same in China and we continue to accelerate our efforts in India.

     

    And if you were to compare your network versus the others operating in India?

    I do not look at comparisons rather I look at our clients – that is what matters to us. This has been the driving force for us. When we announce our strategic plans the first element that we take into consideration is: what do our clients need and how can we take them to the next level? So the acquisition of MarketGate on the one hand that brings in some strong expertise in consulting to the CEOs and CMOs with undisputed talent is one such message. Also, the fact that we have announced our partnership with IBM in the area of e-commerce and have presence in China and in India is also a strong commitment to this domain.

     

    We also look at initiatives in the healthcare domain where India is very strongly placed.

     

    Is research something that you are looking at in a big way?

    No, we are not looking at research for some conscious reasons. We feel odd that a same company will be releasing a campaign and will also be judging its relevance through a market research company of its own. We see an ambiguity there and are not pleased with it. Secondly, there is a profound transformation of market research these days and it’s due to digital. It enables you to have access to the best sample of audience from around the world that can provide you immediate and more adequate reactions to your needs. So we do not feel comfortable investing in research.

     

    How active is Razorfish going to be in India?

    It is very likely that we will see some development of all our pure-play digital agencies.

     

    In 2010, you had mentioned that your revenue will double by 2015. Do you see that goal being achieved a bit earlier?

    If there is a surprise, I would announce it in due time.

     

    Any regrets on not bidding aggressively enough for Taproot India?

    We never look back; we look forward.

     

    Can we expect any more acquisitions in the near future?

    We will continue to explore possibilities and again, I use the word acquisitions in different ways. It’s a acquisition of talent, of companies etc.

     

    Are you looking at acquiring more creative agencies?

    We have no limitations in the areas that we are strong in. India is important for us and we will continue to strengthen our focus around it.

     

    ***

     

    The advertising business is not like Bollywood: Bertrand Siguier

     

    You could mistake him for a pensioner sipping his cup of coffee and reading the papers at the India International Centre or the Indian Merchants Chamber. At the media interaction at Mumbai’s Four Seasons Hotel last Friday, he was quiet looking around occasionally to figure what was happening.

     

    Bertrand Siguier has a rather long title: Special Advisor to Maurice, Levy chairman of Publicis Groupe. He was Executive Vice-President of the group till 2009. Mr Siguier has been overseeing India operations for a while and is familiar with the market here. Soon after the announcements of the twin acquisitions of MarketGate and iStrat, and as the mediapersons made a beeline for Jean-Yves Naouri (interviewed above) and MarketGate CEO Shripad Nadkarni or IStrat CEO Navneet Singh Sahni, MxMIndia caught up with Mr Siguier for a quick, freewheeling chat.

     

    Bertrand Siguier

    Wouldn’t it have been better if you would have had one digital agency that services various creative agencies rather than three that the Publicis Groupe has acquired this year?

    It is one of the ways to go about doing business but we have chosen to do it the other way round and that’s because of our agencies. For example, given that Leo Burnett is quite big and that it prefers to operate in a certain way, we didn’t want to twist their arms and force Arvind Sharma to follow a certain model. That’s one of the reasons that we acquired Indigo, which is one of the biggest and best digital agencies in this country. If you ask me whether Indigo would work with other companies in our group I would say, yes.

     

    Do you think the issue of fiefdoms or egos is an international trend or is it just limited to India?

    It’s an international trend I would say except a few countries. Like say India, which is a priority and a large market and has potential, we can yes. But in other countries that is not the case. It may be okay for India, Turkey or Germany.

     

    What about Saatchi & Saatchi? It’s still not up there in India?

    Saatchi will be back; we’re not going to let Saatchi go down. Saatchi has a huge history and we need to have a strong Saatchi in India, which hasn’t been the case for some time. It will be the case starting next year. There has been a change in leadership already last year with the coming in of Matt Seddon who is not Indian but has done a terrific job in restoring order in the organisation. It is not an easy job to do….

     

    What about Publicis – are you content with the way the agency is doing in India?

    Oh, yes, we are very happy with Publicis; altogether it is doing very well. If you ask me, I am not pleased with anything but given the overall picture Leo Burnett is doing well, Publicis has made a lot of progress but I still want to see more in terms of creativity and visibility. For example, we were not present enough in Goafest so, that is one area that we need to work on.

     

    But Publicis is not considered a sexy agency in India…

    You may be right but you have a very Indian focus. I do not know why this market is obsessed with stars – the advertising business is not like Bollywood. I know that in India some creative people are considered as stars. You see them in newspapers, you see them with beautiful ladies, you see them trying to film things for Bollywood…we are not in that league. I think we could do a bit more.

     

    With low margins, is it profitable to stay in the Media agency business these days?

    Low margins on big business can produce some satisfactory results. If you play legally and in a straightforward way and if there are no funny things going around and under the table, it’s a low-margin business.

     

    Will the doubling of turnover for Publicis happen sooner than the prescribed timeline of 2015?

    I only have a guesstimate and I think we can achieve that before the set timeline. It would be good if that happened.

     

    Are you looking at hiring more talent across creative agencies here in India?

    Yes, there is a possibility. It is a question of opportunity; I do not want to make a big declaration. If we come across companies that we feel are exceptional and have exceptional talent then why not…

     

  • Star CJ alive, the home shopping channel from the Star group, has announced its 3 millionth customer

    Star CJ Alive celebrates 3 million customer milestone

    By A Correspondent

     

    Star CJ alive, the home shopping channel from the Star group, has announced its 3 millionth customer – an incredible feat for a channel launched in India only three years ago.

     

    Kenny Shin

    Commenting on this, Star CJ Network India Pvt Ltd’s CEO, Kenny Shin, said, “It has been an exciting and enriching journey for us. Star CJ alive has grown because of the incredible faith our viewers have in us and we always Endeavour to involve them in our celebrations. We say a big thank you to our customers and felicitating our highest shoppers is only one of the many celebrations we have lined up.”

     

     

  • Anurag Bakhshi and Gautam Jain will lead the TV and film verticals

    Ormax Media strengthens research team

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ormax Media have strengthened their research team to meet the growing needs of their business. Anurag Bakhshi has recently joined the firm as ‘Head, Television Research’, while Gautam Jain, who has been with organization since 2010, has been elevated to the position of ‘Research Head, Films’. Mr Bakhshi comes with nine years of cross-functional television experience, where he worked with Zoom, Filmy and Imagine TV, across various functions, including marketing, content and presentation.

     

    Shailesh Kapoor

    Speaking about these changes, Shailesh Kapoor, CEO, Ormax Media, said, “We continue to witness amazing annual growth of about 35-40% for the last three years. As a result, an expansion of the research team has been on the cards for some time. Anurag and Gautam have the relevant experience, passion and skill sets for the television and films domains respectively.  I’m happy to see them lead the company in its next phase.”

     

    Ormax Media works with more than 55 channels in India today. The television research department manages flagship products such as Showbuzz, CIL and True Value, besides bespoke research projects, including large-scale quantitative and qualitative research projects.

     

    Speaking about his new role, Anurag Bakhshi said, “I’m extremely excited to be a part of the revolution that Ormax Media is bringing in the media & entertainment industry in India. The company has done seminal work in helping broadcasters use consumer knowledge to take key business decisions. I look forward to being a part of what I believe will be some very exciting years ahead, both for the television industry and for us at Ormax.”

     

    Ormax Media’s film research work is driven by its flagship products Cinematix and Moviescope, which are used by all the leading Bollywood studios and independent producers. The firm is widely recognized as the first and only company in India to have built film research and analytics capabilities.

     

    Speaking about his new role, Gautam Jain said, “When we started in 2010, we were not sure of the potential of ‘film research’ in India. But the whole-hearted acceptance from the industry has surpassed our expectations. At Ormax, I’ve been a part of pioneering work in film research in India. Now that we have created a separate film research vertical, I’m sure it will propel us even further.”

     

    Besides television, Ormax Media also does extensive research & analytics work in the areas of print, radio and branded entertainment.

     

  • A unique initiative acknowledging the indomitable spirit showed by the common man

    My FM announces Jiyo Dil Se Awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    India’s local FM network 94.3 My FM has announced the Jiyo Dil Se Awards to recognize and acknowledge the work of the common man in bringing about a positive difference in people’s lives in various fields. The campaign has been rolled out in My FM markets covering the seven states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana. There are nine award categories: Education, Environment Conservation, Health & Sanitation, Public Service, Culture & Art, Sports, Women’s Welfare & Empowerment, Child Care & Development and Economic Development.

     

    The key criterion is that it must benefit people or a community at large and should have been done for the betterment of the society. The individuals applying for the award will be judged on various parameters like innovation in their initiatives, the impact they created, scalability and sustainability of the initiative and the challenges faced while executing the initiative. My FM has signed on Ernst & Young as the official tabulations for the Jiyo Dil Se Awards. They will be assisting My FM right through the selection criteria up to identifying winners in each category. This will be a multimedia campaign with the impact of the My FM brand property resonating across radio, print and online

     

    Speaking on the initiative, Harrish M Bhatia, CEO, 94.3 My FM, said “We are proud to announce the Jiyo Dil Se Awards as it takes further our brand’s belief that every individual, or entity should also give back to the society in which it dwells. Jiyo Dil Se Awards is an effort to recognize the individual who has showcased immense dedication and passion for a cause bringing about a difference in peoples’ lives. These awards are also is a continuation of My FM’s efforts like the Ek Koshish-Ek Rupiya Abhiyan to do good while spreading happiness to further strengthen our bond with our listeners”

     

    To apply for the award, people can log on to the My FM website www.myfmindia.com and download the form. The forms along with supporting documents will have to be sent to the My  FM offices in the respective cities in hard copy. The last date for receiving the entries is December29, 2012. The selected top entries in each category will be put for public voting and jury and listeners votes will determine the winners.

     

  • The actress is coming on board as a personal grooming and beauty expert on the special segment 'Big on Style', and will share tips on attire, accessories, make-up and hair

    Karisma Kapoor debuts as RJ on 92.7 Big FM’s women-targeted show Big Memsaab

    By A Correspondent

     

    Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor will be on board with 92.7 Big FM as an RJ for its women-centric radio show Big Memsaab. Through a specially created segment, Big on Style, Ms Kapoor will play the role of a personal grooming and beauty expert who will share her fashion and style knowledge by imparting interesting beauty and style tips to listeners. The segment will air on Big Memsaab every day between 11am and 2pm across 31 stations of 92.7 Big FM beginning December 24, 2012.

     

    Speaking about her association, Karisma Kapoor said, “Having worked in movies and also television, I was extremely keen to try a new medium – hence I decided to do radio. The Indian media scenario is constantly evolving and radio is the perfect medium for me to be closer to my fans than ever before. I am very excited about my radio debut on 92.7 Big FM’s afternoon show, Big Memsaab. I am confident that my fans will continue to support me as I undertake this new journey and will enjoy the show even further.”

     

    Commenting on the launch of the new segment, Manav Dhanda, Network Programming Head, 92.7 Big FM, said, “Beauty and style are two topics which never grow old with women. We are extremely excited about presenting the ultimate style diva, Karisma Kapoor as an RJ to our listeners for the first time ever. With the show reaching  audiences across 31 stations, our association with Karisma Kapoor, who is already a household name, will enhance our reach and enable us to keep our listeners engaged.”

  • Food and food lifestyle channel FoodFood is now available on Tata Sky, channel no. 572. The channel has also increased its reach internationally by making an entry into Canada and Qatar

    FoodFood expanding in India, abroad

    By A Correspondent

     

    Food and food lifestyle channel FoodFood is now available on Tata Sky, channel no. 572. The channel has also increased its reach internationally by making an entry into Canada and Qatar.

     

    FoodFood channel’s content is a classic mix of cookery and food-based lifestyle shows such as Secret Recipe, Sanjeev Kapoor’s Kitchen, Roti Raasta Aur India, Turban Tadka, Style Chef and Mummy Ka Magic.

     

    The channel’s promoter Sanjeev Kapoor said, “FoodFood has ushered in a new wave in entertainment, that has engaged both men and women. The encouraging response has reaffirmed our commitment to offer enhanced value to audiences, partners and advertisers.”

     

    FoodFood has launched in Canada on Rogers Cable network. It is available in Qatar through the Asia Plus package on the QTEL Qatar Mosaic Platform. In India, in additon to MSOs across the country, the channel is available on all major DTH platforms. The channel also has a presence in the UAE.

     

  • Star Jalsha boss Kevin Vaz on what viewers can expect from the new Jalsha Movies, and why the channel is already a winner in the buzzing Bengal television market

    Jaldi 5 with Kevin Vaz: Blockbusters to boom Bengal

    Having gained an unmatchable reach and popularity with its brand Star Jalsha in Bengal, Star India is also set for the launch of a new movie channel titled Jalsha Movies. The launch is in line with Star Jalsha’s philosophy of Chalo Paltai (let’s change) that aims at delighting viewers through contemporary stories from their surroundings.

     Kevin Vaz, President and General Manager – Star Jalsha and President – Ad Sales at Star India Pvt Ltd tells MxMIndia what viewers can expect from the new offering and why the channel is already a winner in the already buzzing Bengal television market.

     

    01. The third Bengali movie channel, and the second launch in close succession. From the sales point of view, is Bengal the new ‘hot’ market?

    I can’t comment on it being a hot market, but Bengal is definitely growing very fast. It has become a Priority One market for most brands today be it across telecom, consumer durables, FMCG etc. Most importantly, it is not the national clients but the retail business that is growing rapidly here. So whether it is jewellery stores or saree shops or biscuit manufacturers… a lot of local interest is gaining prominence here.

     

    As for the launch, Bengal is a huge consumer of Bengali cinema irrespective of the channel that it gets played on. Star Jalsha has always been offering quality movies to its audiences and has achieved a TVR as high as 12. Keeping these trends in mind we thought it was right time for us to launch a Bengali movie channel. According to us, there is nobody right now offering blockbuster movies regularly and that is what Jalsha Movies will stand for.

     

    02. Star Jalsha has been a huge success whereas at least one of the channels from a well-pedigreed media company has shut down. What’s the secret of the success with Jalsha?

    When we launched Star Jalsha, we were very clear that we had to be different. In fact within a few weeks of its launch it was a clear leader and has been so for the last four years with our GRPs totalling 500 compared to our closest competitor at 400 GRPs or so. More importantly we attained that position by redefining the market and the storyline that we do. With such a benchmark, we said that we clearly expect Star Jalsha to be leaders within the channel. I see that we have the necessary content that will help us deliver that promise.

     

    a. How fast do you hope to be on top of the pack?

    If we get into something we clearly look at become leaders at once. So the answer is: as early as possible.

     

    03. We see that you’ve stitched up quite a few alliances with film companies.  Will we also see any international/Indian movies dubbed in Bengali in future?

    We’ve got a great library of Bengali movies and the reason to launch a regional channel is for people to consume it in their own language. So we will be going ahead only with Bengali movies as of now.

     

    04. How has the response been from advertisers and media agencies?

    We’ve got a great response from them. Vivel has already come aboard as the channel partner. Going forward you will see a whole lot of clients who will be associated with us. In fact, most of these advertisers have seen Jalsha operate in the last four years and know the kind of mileage we offer to them. So most of them are excited enough to partner with us from day one of operations.

     

    A market like Kolkata is counted in as part of the extended HSM. Do you think with three Bengali movie channels, the Hindi movie channels will get impacted?

    I wouldn’t like to call Bengal as an extended Hindi Speaking Market and has rather reached a stage where it holds its own. At one point in time it was considered an add-on market but for most brands it has become a priority market. Also, if one were to see Star Jalsha delivers higher ratings than any other Hindi GEC or channel by a distance. So to reach out to the masses is our number one priority. If I may add here, Bengal is witnessing a huge surge in retail advertising and more and more brands are hopping on to be a part of the association with us.

     

    05. Tell us more about Vivel being the Channel Partner? The performance of this partnership could open the floodgates for many more?

    As I said, Vivel has come on board as the channel partner but it’s not we have closed our doors to the others. Probably as the numbers start to trickle in people will want to make bigger commitment to the channel. That will be an ongoing effort but a few brands have come based on faith and seeing potential in what we have to offer them. Jalsha has a very strong equity in the market with its advertisers and it is purely on that front that many have partnered with us.

     

  • Nick Jr is being positioned as an ecosystem for pre-school kids and their moms.. Balle balle to that!

    Tot’s the way ahead for Nick Jr

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Most parents are faced with a slightly amusing scenario almost every other day in their lives when their kid is stuck between choosing what programme to watch from an array of kids channels that are blasted across to them. From toddlers to tweens to even teens, children across different age categories have a tough time trying to watch an entertainment channel that amuses them the most. While some may blame this on the innumerable offerings that are available today, others may reason that the quality of content is so superior that it makes the task of staying loyal to one channel more demanding.

     

    While in any other space (under the realm of television), players would think twice before venturing with a new channel if the space is too cluttered, that is not the case with the kids genre that saw the launch of a new and challenging entrant in the form of Nick Jr. Said to be the third such launch from the Nickelodeon stable, Nick Jr. is being positioned as an eco-system for pre-school kids and their moms. With world-class content on-air, backed by a comprehensive consumer products range at retail, Nick Jr. aims to become the preferred destination for kids from the age group of 2-6 years and their moms.

     

    With history by its side, Nick Jr. is known to be successfully beamed around 125 countries and across 25 different languages with the tag of being a kid-friendly channel that airs safe and edutaining shows. The content is so devised keeping in mind curriculum goals and a child’s growing needs – be it motor, cognitive, creative or technical skills. In fact properties like Dora the Explorer, Go Diego Go, Team Umizoomi, Bubble-Guppies and Blues Clues, amongst many others, Nick-Jr shows are well-researched and proven to aid learning amongst pre-school kids.

     

    Nina Elavia Jaipuria

    Sharing her excitement with MxMIndia on the latest entrant and on the positioning being adopted, Nina Elavia Jaipuria, EVP & Business Head – Kids Cluster, Viacom18, said: “It just isn’t education per se as that would be very boring and that’s what children do anyways at school. The focus for us is edutainment – a combination of entertainment and education. The focus is a result of the multiple choices that are available for parents and children today.” Given her own example, Ms Jaipuria added, ” As a parent, I can tell you that there are some choices that a parent has to make for their children and as one moves forward one realises that there is a time for everything – both education as well as entertainment. Today, in most houses television has become inevitable and is on switch-on mode for most part of the day. At such times, kids become passive viewers to a lot of content that adults watch. So to bring back the focus on development for children through entertainment was what our objective is.”

     

    According to Ms Jaipuria, “There is too much pressure on kids today to perform well be it at school dance, sports etc. As a result of which they get stressed out easily. So the focus here is development of the child which is not rigorous in nature but which is helpful for the growth of kids.”

     

    Along with most experts who agree that the edutainment segment is still unexplored and in a nascent stage in India, Jaipuria too has a similar sentiment to share. Says Ms Jaipuria: “The whole concept of parents wanting their kids to be competitive has been there from the start but what has changed today is the offering. We didn’t have much choices or offerings when we were young but that aspect has changed today. So while edutainment offering is in a nascent stage in India the need was always there. Today there is content available that is bridging that gap.”

     

    Packing a punch

    To begin with, the channel would be airing content daily between 6am to 7pm in the evening and would be followed by Nick Teens. Elaborating on the channel’s approach to content, “The content would primarily be in English and no other language as yet. That’s because in India, English is an aspirational language. Most parents want their kids to learn English whether from SEC A, B, C or D it doesn’t matter. We will play our content only in English so that it helps create another language skill for children,” she explained.

     

    On whether the channel will be open to incorporating indigenous content, Mr Jaipuria said, “We don’t plan to launch Indianised shows as yet on Nick Jr. as the shows are very well researched and need a lot of pipeline time as well. Since we have Nickoledean as our mother brand we know that we have invested in three more shows as we go along – they take years to make and we are waiting for them to launch in the US and then bring them here. Having said that, we know that kids are universal in their appeal and therefore every content targeted towards them works today. You do not have to make desi content to cater to local needs; at least not for this genre.”

     

    Sandeep Dahiya

    Sharing his plans on the retail front, Sandeep Dahiya, SVP, Consumer Products – Viacom18, said, “Given the line-up of iconic characters on Nick Jr., we’re ready to give wings to kids’ imagination, through a product range that’s comprehensive as well as interactive. As part of our plan to create an eco-system around Nick Jr., we will not only further strengthen the Dora the Explorer franchise, but also bring to life some of our other internationally acclaimed properties like Go Diego Go, Bubble Guppies, Blues Clues and Team Umizoomi, in categories that are both, conventional as well as unconventional.”

     

    While the kids genre is increasingly being viewed as being cluttered, that may not necessarily be the case, feels Ms Jaipuria. In fact, according to her the kids genre contributes around 8 per cent to the overall television pie and is second only to GECs in India. The space has also being seeing good response from advertisers with the ad spends pegged at around Rs 250-300 crore. According to Jaipuria, what will further incentivize players to do well is the digitization wave that will bode well for all players. “With digitization having come in, there is a lot of segmentation that is now possible for us to do. Digitisation has enabled us to segment and provide offerings to viewers in a manner where business also makes sense for us. I guess it’s a wave of digitisation that we rode on with Nick Jr. particularly,” she said.

     

    As for launching the channel in a slowdown phase, Ms Jaipuria said, “Slowdown has had no effect on our channels so far. In the past six years that I have been here, we have launched three channels and each one of them has being throwing up good viewership numbers so far. In fact we’ll be launching more Indian content as we move along.”

     

    On solid ground

    With its plans around content firmly in place, the channel would be complementing the offline initiative with a little help from online too. Added Ms Jaipuria: “We will be focusing on digital around Nick Jr. And will especially be targeting the mothers. As we’ve said, mothers will be a very important subset while we promote this channel. Also, I am imagining that it will be the mother that will lead the channel on to the digital platform; and mothers today are present on the website – let’s get real about that fact. There are a lot of activities that the mother can do with the child on our digital platform.” According to Jaipuria, the idea is to stay ahead of the curve as kids today are becoming screenagers and they want to consume content across various screens. “We want to make sure that we are present across various screens and therefore the idea of engaging outside of television,” she affirmed.

     

    When asked about the viewership numbers expected from the newest entrant, Jaipuria expressed a feeling of caution as she said, “It is difficult to predict what viewership Nick Jr. will throw up because the slicing of TAM doesn’t even capture this segment; the whole rating system starts from the age group 4. So I do not know they will manage to capture our TG. Ideally Nick Jr. will be like any other niche channel that not necessarily depends on GRPs but has a whole lot of connect with the TG audience. We are trying to figure out if TAM can do anything about the slicing of the kids genre but till then we will live with what we have.”

     

    Presenting a robust outlook for the various channels under Nickelodeon, Ms Japuria sounded content as she said, “Sonic has a 3 per cent market share and is riding high on digital. If you know the kids category you will know that it is a very slow category as you have to build loyalty with children over a period of time. They are so in love with their favourite character that it takes time for them to like another. As for Nickoledean, it occupies anywhere between 18-22 per cent market share and competes for the top spot. With digitisation taking off, we expect our market share to only grow further.”

     

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    MxMIndia spoke to top media agency captains on the launch of Nick Jr 

     

    Mohit Joshi, MD, MPG India

    Yes, definitely there is scope for more kids channels in India. Kids consume a lot of television and are most loyal viewers of shows – ‘appointment viewing’ in the true sense happens in this TG. On a personal note, my daughter is very upset that ‘CBeebies’ is not available anymore. Point being made – this TG is hungry for more content and ‘good’ content.

     

    Also, we as parents and as media experts, would love to have an edutainment channel option in this country.

     

    Shashi SinhaShashi Sinha, CEO – Lodestar UM & IPG Mediabrands

    I have not seen the content on the new channel and would therefore not be in a position to comment much on it but the fact is that the kids genre is at an exciting phase in India. With edutainment as their core focus, the channel has made a good segmentation move that will ensure that kids come and watch their channel. Moreover, more than half of India’s population is young and anything that is catered to or centered around them will eventually do well in the long run.

     

  • Ten Sports has extended its support to the 18th edition of Aircel Chennai Open as the exclusive official broadcast partner

    Ten Sports is official broadcaster of Aircel Chennai Open 2013

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ten Sports has extended its support to the 18th edition of Aircel Chennai Open as the exclusive official broadcast partner. The channel has bagged exclusive rights of telecasting the tournament in India. Ten Sports will bring LIVE tennis action as the world’s best tennis players converge in Chennai to display their talent and win the coveted title. Ten Sports’ comprehensive coverage will be telecast from 31st December 2012 through to 6th January 2013.

     

    Announcing the tie-up, Atul Pande, CEO Ten Sports, said, “We have enjoyed a strong and fruitful association with the Aircel Chennai Open and are very excited to be strengthening it further. Once again, we have kept our promise to bring the finest international events to Indian audiences. Tennis has a huge fan following across the region and our association with the Aircel Chennai Open will give a fantastic opportunity to millions of tennis fans to experience thrilling tennis action from the comfort of their homes.”

     

    Speaking about the tournament’s association with Ten Sports, Ashu Jindal, COO, IMG Reliance said, “In taking tennis to millions of homes across the world and giving aficionados a brilliant opportunity to enjoy the action live, Ten Sports has played an important role in popularizing the tournament and the sport in different markets. We are pleased to continue our partnership with Ten Sports as official broadcaster of the 18th Edition of the Aircel Chennai Open.”

     

    M A Alagappan, President of Tamil Nadu Tennis Association said, “We are glad to welcome Ten Sports as the Official Broadcaster of the 18th edition of the Aircel Chennai Open. Ten Sports definitely enjoys wide reach in the region and we are sure their exclusive LIVE coverage of the event will help tennis fans to witness the game from start to finish”

     

  • ESPN Star Sports (ESS) capped a successful calendar year with a total of 14 awards for its in-house on-air campaigns when it clinched two Gold and two Silver awards at the recent Promax Asia Awards

    ESPN Star Sports ends 2012 with a record haul of creative awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    ESPN Star Sports (ESS) continued its creative leadership, capping a successful calendar year with a total of 14 awards for its in-house on-air campaigns when it clinched two Gold and two Silver awards at the recent Promax Asia Awards that honours the industry’s best communications campaigns.

     

    The recent success comes at the heels of ESS’s most memorable performance at Promax International USA where it won two Gold & two Bronze awards, beating stiff competition in sports from across the globe. Likewise in the highly competitive Indian market in May this year, ESS scored another record haul of six awards at PromaxBDA Awards India where it not only swept off the entire sports category, but also won two more awards in other highly competitive categories.

     

    Said Peter Hutton, ESPN Star Sports’ Managing Director, “It’s excellent that our creative team have received further recognition for their consistently high level of original work.”

     

    Conceptualized in-house, the achievements for these projects highlight ESPN Star Sports’ Marketing & OAP team’s single-minded focus to engage the diverse audience through the most memorable, relevant and effective communication campaigns, while building and promoting key properties and events in line with its business objectives.

     

    Awards won in 2012:

    Promax International Asia – 4 (Spanish BBVA La Liga, Barclays Premier League, ESPN Player)

    Promax International USA – 4 (Barclays Premier League, Wimbledon, Champions League T20)

    PromaxBDA Awards India – 6 (Formula 1, Barclays Premier League, Wimbledon, Champions League T20)

     

  • Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd, manufacturer of leading brands Go and Gowardhan, has appointed Mahesh Israni, a 25-year marketing veteran, as Chief Marketing Officer

    Mahesh Israni, the ‘Go’-to guy at Parag Milk Foods

    By A Correspondent

     

    Parag Milk Foods (Pvt.) Ltd, one of the largest private dairy player and manufacturer of leading brands Go (cheese, Yoghurt etc) and Gowardhan (Milk, Ghee, Paneer etc) has announced the appointment of Mahesh Israni as Chief Marketing Officer.

     

    Mr Israni, who has over 25 years’ experience in sales and customer marketing in FMCG, will lead Gowarhan and Go’s global Sales and Marketing functions including marketing strategy, brand development, marketing communications, S&D and RTM Strategy

     

    Devendra Shah, Chairman, Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd said, “Mahesh is a vital addition to our leadership team and is a proven communicator and evangelist for rural marketing. This is a strategic appointment for Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd and signals the next phase in our evolution as a global business. It’s a pleasure to have such an experienced professional in place and leading this critical part of our business.”

     

    Prior to joining Parag Milk Foods Pvt Ltd, Mr Israni was Chief Rurban with Pidilite Industries Ltd, responsible for building up the business structure and creation of RTM strategy. Prior to Pidilite, he has worked with Hindustan Unilever Ltd in various roles in sales and customer marketing where his last assignment was as regional sales manager for Pureit business in the West.