MxMIndia

Category: NEWS

  • The findings of the pre-phase of Ormax Trac20, a syndicated research being conducted by media insights firm Ormax Media, suggest that the sponsors of the sixth edition of IPL are expected to benefit significantly from the tournament

    Pepsi, sponsors set to score with IPL 6: Ormax Trac20

    By A Correspondent

     

    The findings of the pre-phase of Ormax Trac20, a syndicated research being conducted by media insights firm Ormax Media, suggest that the sponsors of the sixth edition of IPL are expected to benefit significantly from the tournament. In particular, the title sponsors Pepsi seems to have the ball out of the park even before the tournament started.

     

    As per the findings, the average number of sponsors recalled at an unaided level per respondent stood at a healthy 3.2, more than double compared to previous years. Title sponsors Pepsi contributed significantly to this performance, with an unaided recall of 82% even before the tournament started. DLF, the title sponsors till last year, scored less than 50% on recall in the previous seasons of IPL!

     

    Shailesh Kapoor

    Other sponsors with high unaided recall are Vodafone (37%) and franchise sponsors Nokia (32%). Commenting on the findings, Shailesh Kapoor – CEO, Ormax Media said: “This phase of the research was conducted in the fortnight leading upto the start of IPL 6. Such high recall levels are indicative of the strong association a brand like Pepsi has managed to build with the tournament, despite this being their first year of association. It is evident that the brand fit between Pepsi and the IPL has worked this year.”

     

    The Ormax Trac20 research is being conducted across 11 cities, in three phases, with a total sample size of 9,000: Pre-phase before the IPL started, mid-phase during the IPL and post-phase at the end of the tournament. The findings of the pre-phase have been released for the subscribers.

     

  • The Goafest 2013 Awards Governing Council has issued a communiqué saying on the basis of the superjury’s recommendations, all awards given will stand

    Creative Abby superjury junks plagiarism complaints

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Awards Governing Council of Goafest 2013 has issued the following communique:

     

    In response to the unprecedented situation arising due to complaints received post Goafest/Abby 2013 – the Awards Governing Council (AGC) had constituted a superjury comprising Chairpersons of all 11 juries to take a collective view on these complaints.

     

    The superjury comprising the following – Agnello Dias, Carlton D’silva, Josy Paul, K S Chakravarthy, Nitish Tiwari, Piyush Panjwani, Prasoon Joshi, Prashant Kalyankar, Rakshin Patel and Sonal Dabral – met on April 23. Senthil Kumar who was also a member of this jury could not attend as he was travelling.

     

    After due deliberations the superjury unanimously decided that they believed there had been enough time given between the shortlisting of entries and the final judging for feedback and objections of any kind to be raised. Indeed all such feedback was accepted and acted upon before the final awards were presented. The superjury felt that the sanctity of the award process needs to be maintained and all the deadlines should be respected and followed. Therefore any speculation after the Goafest/Abby Awards cannot be entertained.

     

    The AGC has always maintained that the Abbies are industry awards for the industry – and the final say must be that of the creative fraternity. In light of the above decision by the superjury it has hence been decided that all awards given will stand. In addition awards that had been rescinded due to similar complaints for DHL (agency BBDO Proximity) and Electrolux (agency DDB Mudra Group) will be reinstated. The AGC has also noted that for the future rules pertaining to reviews will be further clarified and strictly adhered to.

     

  • Most shoppers can't live without their mobile device, show interviews carried out with 7,500+ consumers across the age group 18-64 in eight Draftfcb global benchmark markets, including India

    Draftfcb study confirms mobile’s rise as a potent medium

    By A Correspondent

     

    A report released by Draftfcb titled “The Mobile Shopper: A 2013 Draftfcb Global Shopper Snapshot,” confirms mobile’s march to dominance as a medium of choice for consumers. The report is the outcome of interviews carried out with 7,500+ consumers across the age group 18-64 in eight Draftfcb global benchmark markets, including the US, UK, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Middle East (UAE and Saudi Arabia), India and China. The information collected shows that mobile has and will continue to have a profound impact on shoppers and shopping.

     

    The report looks at shopper behaviours connected to mobile devices, including but not limited to:

    Look for, receive, or use deals, offers, discounts or coupons

    Compare information other than price or store location

    Look for store locations and information

    Look for or receive reviews or advice from others

    Share opinions or write reviews

    Plan or organize shopping or ‘to do’ lists

    Track activity or redeem rewards in frequent shopper or loyalty programs

    Compare prices

    See what a product or offer looks like, including comparing.

     

    In addition, the report offers insight on shopper behaviours across seven major categories including grocery, apparel, health & beauty, casual dining, electronics, financial services, and insurance.

     

    The report notes that as one of the most highly adopted technologies of all time, mobile plays an important role in the evolution of shopping behavior. Shoppers worldwide are attached to their mobile devices for both emotional and functional reasons. The report further states that 72 percent of mobile shoppers indicate that they “can’t live without” their mobile device. As such, the mobile device is a shopping companion, and an indispensable resource and gateway to brands, ideas and retail.

     

    Mobile shopping prevalence in established markets like the US, Germany and UK is a strong global force, and in emerging markets like India, South Africa and China, mobile shopping shows the exuberance expected in markets where mobile technology has leap-frogged over more traditional internet service such as home-based online connectivity.

     

    Shifting Paradigms

    The report also notes how mobile shopping has impacted much of retail and brand marketing. By looking through the lens of human behavior rather than focusing primarily on technology, this global snapshot shows the “Now“ of mobile shopping. It is yet another strong nudge to marketers that the classic path to purchase has evolved often dramatically and will continue to do so in the future. From empowering a more male-centric vision of shopping as opposed to the female-centric traditional view of shopping, to other fundamental changes, this research offers marketers an additional glimpse of the future of shopping.

     

    “Consumers worldwide love their mobile phones. Mobile devices are an extension of the self, as both mind and body. Mobile is a global shopper lifestyle,” explained Janet Rose, PhD, SVP director of retail strategic planning at Draftfcb. “Mobile is often the first choice meta-retailer.”

     

    “This has huge implications for both brands and retailers,” said Debra Coughlin, global chief marketing officer of Draftfcb, who commissioned the study. “It means that retailers must step forward even more to deliver creative and satisfying multi-channel experiences. And, it means that brands have new opportunities to engage consumers in big ideas throughout the purchase journey.”

     

    Key Findings

    Globally, the mobile shopper is 25-34 years of age, with an average age of 33

    81% of people believe that mobile phones allow them to shop wherever they want around the clock, seven days per week

    Using a mobile phone to find a store location is more prevalent in the US than any other country

    73% of Brazilian mobile shoppers say that sharing a shopping experience while on their mobile phone is fun

    68% of mobile shoppers in Germany think that comparing prices on their mobile phones is effortless

    83% of mobile shoppers in South Africa say mobile phones eliminate the hassle of having to browse, shop or speak to salespeople in retail stores

    82% of mobile shoppers in the Middle East say that they’re always looking for new ways to use their mobile phone

    80% of mobile shoppers say that their mobile phone makes them feel like they’re always in the loop with friends and family

    61% of mobile shoppers in India are male, the largest shift from census in any market

     

  • Having won 20 new brands across diverse sectors, the Madison World unit has also begun operations in Hyderabad

    Madison PR expands India presence

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Public Relations, the specialist image management unit of Madison World, has rapidly expanded in recent months, working across five offices across the country. With new clients and brands in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, food & beverage and education to service, the firm is growing at a rapid pace to establish a sizeable presence in the industry.

     

    Recently the agency added a range of new businesses from various sectors into its portfolio. These include:

     

    In the Healthcare sector, the firm won the mandate for one of the largest global pharmaceutical and healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline’s Vaccines business in India and The Cradle, a boutique birthing centre from Apollo Health and Lifestyles.

     

    In the Food & Beverage sector, the agency won the PR mandate for Budweiser, the world’s largest beer brand, Garuda Foods, an Indonesian Food Giant bringing a tempting line of food & beverage offerings to the Indian market, Hokey Pokey, leaders of finest quality vegetarian ice-creams, Radikal Premium Rice, one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of premium basmati rice and Brbee Products Pvt. Ltd, into honey products from the Himalayan Range.

     

    In the Education sector, the agency won Institute of Finance and International Management (IFIM), a premier B School in Bengaluru and ITC’s Education & Stationery products business.

     

    In the Lifestyle sector, Madison PR bagged the mandate for sport lifestyle company Puma India and Skechers South Asia Pte Ltd, a global leader in the lifestyle footwear industry.

     

    The other significant wins were Go Air from the Wadia Group, Shenzhen State Micro Technology Co. Ltd (SMiT), Media Today Group, Hilton Hotel New Delhi, Wizzcare- Home Healthcare Specialists, Studio 169 in New Delhi, Panchantra Lifecare in Hyderabad, Meinhardt Infrastructure and McDowell Indian Derby in Mumbai.

     

    In the Construction & Aviation Sector, the agency won the mandate for Sany Heavy Industry India Pvt. Ltd from Pune and Deccan Charters Pvt Ltd. from Bangalore respectively. In the travel sector, the Agency bagged Fairfest Media Ltd, leading international tradeshow organizers and bC India Pvt Ltd.

     

    Paresh Chaudhry

    Commenting on the new wins, Paresh Chaudhry, Chief Executive Officer, Madison PR said, “Madison PR has worked with iconic brands over the past 13 years and we will continue to focus on creating client delight. We are very pleased to sign on these new businesses from different sectors across our various offices. Our recent wins will help us reinforce our credibility as communication partners, as we continue to invest in infrastructure, talent development and establish our expertise across various sectors which will help clients to achieve their overall communication objectives.”

     

  • Mr Bhasin is also a speaker at Agency Jeopardy at Montreux, Switzerland

    Ashish Bhasin on Festival of Media Global Jury 2013

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ashish Bhasin, Chairman India & CEO South East Asia – Aegis Media, will be a part of the Final Jury Panel at the Festival of Media Global 2013 in Montreux, Switzerland. The final jury deliberations are slated to happen on April 27 and 28.

     

    In addition, Mr Bhasin will also be a speaker at the Agency Jeopardy event at the Festival of Media Global 2013, to be held on April 29. Mr Bhasin said, “I look forward to being a member of the final jury at the Festival of Media Global this year. It is a great opportunity for me to see the best of the media work globally and to interact with some of the best minds in our profession. I also look forward to speaking at the Agency Jeopardy event. I am sure it will be a great experience for me and a good representation for India in this global forum”.

     

    Mr Bhasin, who is also the Secretary and Executive Committee member of AAAI, on the Board of Governors of the Media Research Users Council, serves on the managing committee of the Readership Studies Council of India and Co-chairs the AAAI-IBF committee amongst other industry bodies. In the past he has served and chaired several national and international juries, including Cannes Lions 2007 Direct Jury and Dubai Lynx 2008 Direct & Interactive juries.

     

  • The Economic Times launched its 'Against Half Knowledge' campaign, conceived by Lowe Lintas + Partners, recently

    Economic Times stands up against ‘Half Knowledge’

    By Ananya Saha

     

    As part of its ongoing campaign against Half Knowledge, ET launched a unique activity targeting working professionals at tea stalls outside corporate parks. Called Tea with ET, it is an unusual tea-stall act over three cities. Nearly two lakh corporate executives who visited any of 120 tea stalls in and around corporate parks in the three cities over three days were greeted with a custom-designed tea cup. The messages included lines like ‘When it comes to knowledge, cutting won’t do’; adapted for Bengaluru as, ‘When it comes to knowledge, by 2 won’t do’ etc.

     

    The teacup activity was experienced by executives across tea vendors at major corporate campuses such as Peninsula Corporate Park, Express Towers, Kamla Mills in Mumbai; Global Business Park (Gurgaon), International Trade Tower, Statesman House in Delhi and IBC Knowledge Park, ITPL, Salapuria Infinity in Bengaluru. This was part of The Economic Times’ latest marketing campaign Against Half Knowledge. The objective of this particular activity was to engage with India Inc’s young workforce in casual settings with a whacky yet serious message.

     

    Conceived by Lowe Lintas + Partners, the campaign – ET Against Half Knowledge “seeks to connect with young corporate executives wherever we can find them – at corporate parks, in our newspapers, on TV, radio, in coffee houses, on Facebook and other Internet channels, on the road, in cinema houses. We are using all channels that connect them with us,” said Ravi Dhariwal, CEO, BCCL. The campaign uses humour, colour and illustrations in an otherwise serious category. Much of the campaign rides on media channels owned by BCCL and Group companies.

     

    Multi-media approach

    The print campaign exposes the various stereotypes of half-knowledge people, in office and outside. “With a compelling combination of colourful illustrations and witty lines, the ads bring out the reasons why we need to arm ourselves with relevant, continual knowledge and ward off half knowledge. Some of the lines include: ‘Half Knowledge is always very loud, never necessarily clear’; ‘A visit to the auto expo and Half Knowledge becomes an auto expert’; ‘Half Knowledge has an answer to every question, even before it is asked’,” said Mr Dhariwal.

     

    Lodestar handled Media Planning, Indigo Consultant & Technology for Website outreach, Windchimes was involved with Social media engagement and several other agencies such as Fountainhead, Hungama Digital Services, Elevate and Candid Marketing have executed on-ground activations.

     

    “The trio of TV spots is a fresh jab at short film-making and a creative introduction to three Half Knowledge stereotypes. “In just 30 seconds, we are introduced to a body-painted “Corporate Explorer”, who, in turn, introduces us to Half Knowledge stereotypes in the form of Last-Mile Repeaters; Elevator-Leeches; and Watering-Hole Hunters. The satirical narrative exposes Half Knowledge types that bump into us in our private and professional lives every other day. Those that are waiting to find the opportune moment to try and sound intelligent, offer suggestions that are mostly wrong, and feed off opinions that aren’t their own,” he said. The TVC is currently playing on Times channels (Movies Now, Times Now, ET Now), besides Star Movies, HBO and National Geographic Channel. Apart from this, three catchy jungles dedicated to Half Knowledge types were run on Radio Mirchi and additionally onRadioCityin Bengaluru, Big FM inDelhiand Red FM in Mumbai where listeners were invited to dedicate the Half Knowledge jingle to anyone in their office or peers. The campaign was launched with its own microsite – www.knowgrow.economictimes.com – and Facebook page – www.facebook.com/etagainsthk. Both sites also run a series of contests that invite consumers to win some cool merchandise by sharing their views and stories on Half Knowledge. Airports and some strategic locations were taken up in Mumbai,Delhiand Bengaluru for a period of a month to amplify the message.

     

    In a partnership with Cafe Coffee Day, 24 cafes inDelhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru carried tent-cards busting common Half Knowledge myths. Branded newsstands carried the day’s copies of ET for visitors to sample and read the newspaper and dispel other such myths. Media planners, Creative Directors, CMOs and CEOs of about 204 companies (creative agencies, media agencies, top marketers in FMCG, Auto, BFSI, Luxury), were sent a bright green box, which instructed them to prick a balloon (with an elegant pin placed inside) and burst a Half Knowledge myth – that ET is only about finance and stock markets.

     

    In the first week of April, over 80 percent of the 2,000-plus attendees at GoaFest were rapping at the ‘ET Against Half Knowledge’ booth. A graffiti wall invited them to doodle and have their say on the subject. A Balloon Wall was burst with darts and revealed ET’s depth of coverage such as Business of Brands, Worldview, Personal Technology etc. And a specially made song Against Half Knowledge saw people rap to the lyrics.

     

    Participation

    The campaign has witnessed over 1.6 lakh active participants on digital and on-ground media in a span of a month, besides the engagements that we have generated with millions of consumers in mass-media – print, TV, radio, outdoors. The thought behind this campaign was to start a dialogue with young corporate executives, but in an unconventional manner.

     

    “Everybody knows The Economic Times as a knowledge powerhouse and an essential catalyst for professional success. So just saying so would have gone unnoticed, elaborated Mr Dhariwal, adding, “At the same time, we found a growing trend of 2-minute experts (like 2-minute noodles) mushrooming everywhere around us, but being particularly disturbing in corporate life because of their potential for harm. This gave us the chance to experiment with a lateral thought – half knowledge and how it comes in the way of your growth, hence staying in touch with ET everyday for continual learning and professional growth.”

     

    The campaign, which has been rolled out nationally, will run in phases through the year.

     

  • Our media, thanks to the unbridled freedom given it, does a good job of reporting crime and making a hue and cry about it. But it has singularly failed in highlighting convictions, says guest columnist NN Sachitanand

    Guest Column by NN Sachitanand: Rape, Punishment and the Media

    By NN Sachitanand

     

    Punishment, as meted out by our courts, has two dimensions : retributive and deterrent. The first directly affects the convicted person. The second is supposed to impact society. Retribution can normally be executed by the power of the state without much of a problem, unless the sentence involves sensitivities which can cause security-related problems.

     

    Achieving deterrence is not that simple. In primitive societies, retribution and deterrence were closely interlinked. Punishments were openly executed for the public to see, whether it be flogging or incarceration in stocks or burning at the stake or decapitation. To enable more people to get the message the bodies of hung criminals swung on gallows and decapitated heads were placed on pikes for days on end. If we adopted those tactics today I am sure the number of dowry-related bride burning cases would go down drastically if the convicted husbands/in-laws were publicly burnt at the stake and acid throwing crimes would become very rare if the perpetrator was doused by acid as retributive punishment in front of TV cameras.

     

    But we live in more humane times where, despite the uncivilized nature of the crime, retributive punishment by the state is supposed to be more restrained and low profile. So, convicts spend time in jail away from public gaze and are quietly released at the end of their sentences while executions have become the “rarest of the rare” and are carried out almost clandestinely. That takes most of the sting of deterrence out of punishment.

     

    There is, however, another way deterrence can be given a fillip even within the limits of today’s “civilized” punishment system. And this is where the media comes in. To achieve deterrence, justice must not just be done but also seen to be done. Our media, thanks to the unbridled freedom given it, does a good job of reporting crime and making a hue and cry about it. But it has singularly failed in highlighting convictions. While the commission of ghastly crimes like rape and murder form front page news, the conclusion of a case against the perpetrators and passing of judgement merit only a cursory mention tucked away in the inside pages.

     

    Consequently, most convictions and associated punishments do not catch the attention of the public, thereby dissipating their deterrent effect. It is a short step from this to the belief that the state is either not serious or incompetent to bring evildoers to book. For those inclined to commit a crime, this is a green flag to take to lawlessness, whether it be chain snatchers or rapists or bride burners or hit men.

     

    Admitted that the media is constrained from highlighting each and every conviction because of the limitations of space, time (in case of electronic media) and competing items of public interest. But exceptions can be made when it comes to serious social crimes like rape, paedophilia, bride burning and the like. Convictions and punishments in such cases should be given prominence, particularly by those local publications and TV channels which cover the region where the crimes were committed, so that at least the local folk feel the deterrent effect.

     

    The regional media should not only convey news about the convictions but also include details of the convicted persons such as their photographs, backgrounds, criminal history and other relevant information such as their professional positions, membership of associations and parties etc. This will impress upon the viewer and reader the fact that even well-connected persons cannot escape the long arm of the law.

     

    Speaking about the well-connected, it is only after the recent horrific rape-cum-homicide incident in a Delhi bus that such startling facts came to light that several legislators and parliamentarians are charged with rape. Even if they have not yet been convicted, the very fact that such lowly specimens were selected by their respective parties because of their “winnability” discredits the loud demands of the party leaders that the Delhi rape perpetrators should be handed the severest punishment.

     

    This is a golden opportunity missed by our media to expose the duplicity of these political leaders. The national press should have gone to town with this information, publicizing each and every one of these tainted legislators with their photos, background, the details of the rapes they are charged with and aggressive interviews with their party leaders demanding explanations about why such anti-socials were even selected as candidates in the first place. This was an occasion for an unrelenting campaign against the tendency of our political parties to cynically compromise with evil in exchange for electoral advantage.

     

    It is not that the Indian media is ignoring the incidents of rape. The problem lies in sporadic, episodic and uneven coverage. One of the ways the media can prod a lethargic administration and judiciary to shed their indifference is to maintain a structured data base of reported rape incidents and, off and on, keep publishing prominently such information as state/district/city -wise incidence, historical statistics like timeline of cases reported, being pursued in court, convictions obtained etc. It will take a bit of hard work to gather and organize such data but there are NGOs, women’s organizations, police and court records which can be tapped. The idea is to expose those administrations which are the most deficient in pursuing rape cases, shaming the respective political parties in government to perform better. This has to be a sustained campaign in which every newspaper, magazine and TV channel should participate.

     

    Finally, although it is true that newspaper space and TV time are prohibitively costly, if our media is sincere about their anxiety about the welfare of women in this country, they should devote a regular amount of space /TV time every day for women’s issues, problems, accomplishments, news etc. If whole pages can be devoted to cretinous stuff like the fulminations of politicians, vacuous remarks of celebrities and nauseating overdose of cricket, perhaps half a page a day devoted to the better half of the population would not be asking for too much!

     

  • 500 staffers incl 400 astrologers and 5mn consultations/month help Hemang Pandit make his astro forecast firm India's #1 & the world's #3

    The stars are shining for GaneshaSpeaks

     

    By Ananya Saha

     

    The brainchild of Hemang Arunbhai Pandit, GaneshaSpeaks.com was launched in Mumbai, India, on April 25, 2003. As it completes a decade, the website has come a long way to operate five call centres in India on a 24×365 basis providing personalized horoscopes guidance in more than 10 languages including English. The website employs more than 500 people including over 400 astrologers.

     

    Areas of Operations
    :: Online astrology services and mobile portal.

    :: Apps on iOS, Android, Windows & Samsung Smart TV’s.

    :: Astrology guidance on the phone:: Astrology Books.

    :: Content Syndication Services: Astrology.fm -Horoscopes radio station.

    :: Specialized forecasts for the stock market - Trends and personalized forecasts in advance.

     

    The Journey

    Mr Pandit, a keen believer in astrology himself, is a Gold Medallist in Bachelors in Engineering from Gujarat University, India. He has worked as Head – Product Development Group with Vodafone India (then Hutch India) and is an expert in Mobile VAS, GSM, 3G & related technologies. The website – Ganeshaspeaks.com – provides customized content for media entities and provides content to Sony TV, Star TV, Times of India, Lokmat, Samaj, etc. in India. It has also associated with Indian language publications in USA, Australia, Singapore, UK, etc.

     

    Talking about the journey, Mr Pandit said, “When we started out, there were hardly any organised branded websites for astrology in India or abroad. Given that astrologers are default psychiatrist in India, we started out with 72-hour order fulfilment guideline. It was a promise that we began with.”  And the promise has worked well for the website. Its specialized forecast for the stock market, which serves 1000+ paid customers, has been generating revenue of $100,000 on a monthly subscription. According to Mr Pandit, GaneshaSpeaks.com provides branded astrology independent of an individual astrologer, more like a trusted platform for astrology guidance. The current unorganized horoscopes market in India estimated at $10 billion/year with close to two million professionals practicing astrology in top 600 cities and towns of India.

     

    GaneshaSpeaks.com operates in areas such as online astrology services & mobile Portal; apps on iOS, Android, Windows & Samsung Smart TV’s; astrology guidance on the phone; astrology books and content syndication services. Its Astrology.fm boasts of being the first dedicated horoscopes radio station. GaneshaSpeaks.com apps are live on iOS, Android and Windows Phone platforms and over one million apps have already been downloaded. Nokia India is preburning GaneshaSpeaks.com apps on its phones and Samsung is developing and preburning six apps from GaneshaSpeaks.com on its Smart TV’s worldwide. Talks are also on with globally renowned phone and tablet manufacturers for pre-burning deals. Currently over five million subscribers have subscribed to Ganeshaspeaks’ daily alerts in India on SMS.

     

    Online Astrology Services 
    :: GaneshaSpeaks.com – India’s #1 and World’s #3 Astrology Portal available in Web and Mobile Versions

    :: More than 5 million visits per month (India’s Broadband Penetration is just 8%) with 30% traffic coming from Smartphones and Tablets

    :: 55 million page views per month

    :: Partners Yahoo India, MSN India, Rediff.com, Indiatimes.com, Sify.com, etc.

    :: Astrology guidance on the phone – Live Astrology:: 400+ astrologers provide 24X7 guidance.

    :: Premium Rate dial in services on 55181.

    :: Does 5 million consultations per month.

    :: Zero cost remedies.

    :: Tarot, Numerology, Vastu, Feng Shui, etc.

    :: Guidance in English and 9 Indian languages.

    :: Partners with Vodafone India, Tata DoCoMo, Airtel, Idea, Aircel, etc.

     

    Challenges

    Even as Ganeshaspeaks.com has provided structure to how astrology is done in India, Mr Pandit said, “Internet in India has grown and changed, but not as much as we had expected. As penetration increases, we are expecting a far bigger influence in India.”

     

    The revenues have grown, according to Mr Pandit, and fall in a good range, especially as the website has a pay-per-use business model. He said, “Well, we have typically grown over 100% year-on-year. The operational profits did begin from the second month of existence.” The website delivers SMS alerts, both sunsign-based and personalized in a daily and weekly format in various languages. The Voice IVR Portal is also operational with all astrologers providing zodiac content, sports and stock market forecasts and other interesting content in English and nine Indian languages.

     

    But have a safe business model did not mean that the website did not face challenges. “We faced the same challenges as any other entrepreneurial business in the first three years. We were typically hand-to-mouth. We were not a funded business, and still aren’t. While there was accrued income, there were payment delays from telcos. But once this phase of the first three years was over, we stabilised the revenues and started growing.” The growth also came from areas that the website expanded in, such as predicting political flashpoints, forecasting the Nifty Index a week in advance; forecasts that were generated intra-day for each day of the week; personalized daily and hourly ratings indicating good and bad days to trade for customers.

     

    The branded astrology website is still not on the same growth path as an online retail or a matrimonial website; but the subscriber base is growing.

     

    The way forward

    Ganeshaspeaks is working on daily Video alerts in English and Hindi. After launching books on Kindle, and thus becoming the first astrology portal to do so, the website has taken a cautious approach when it comes to promotion and marketing. Mr Pandit elaborated, “There are many fly-by-night operators who advertise on various channels. That is making people lose trust. That is why we have stayed away from that kind of marketing.” To attract the uninitiated, the portal has invested in strong Search Engine Optimisation. “In a scenario where 38 million searches are done online on astrology-related queries, SEO helps. Secondly, we are very active on social media,” explained mR Pandit. The website has grown its subscriber base organically.

     

    With the help of its Astrology.fm, the website runs educational programming aimed at creating a more informed audience and clearing popular myths related to astrology. The dedicated horoscope radio station receives 1 million+ unique users every month. It provides six hours of fresh programming in Hindi on a daily basis, according to Mr Pandit.

     

    Mr Pandit concluded, “It has been a fantastic and rewarding journey so far where we have established GaneshaSpeaks. We wish to continue the growth rate and become a giant force in astrology globally in the coming years.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • For its November issue, Maxim India joined hands with TELiBrahma to take the print editorial to the next level by using intARact app

    Maxim India creates augmented reality experience through TELiBrahma

    By A Correspondent

     

    The November issue of Maxim India decided to bring the Cover Page to life by using the most successful augmented reality technology of TELiBrahma. It enables Augmenting the real world with digital engagements in order to deliver unique and interactive experience for the readers.

     

    Maxim India joined hands with TELiBrahma to take the print editorial to the next level by using intARact app – World’s lightest augmented reality browser available across iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Symbian and Java mobile phones.

     

    When users scan the cover page of the Maxim India from their camera enabled feature phones, smartphones or Tablets using the intARact app, the cover page editorial comes alive into an interactive experience. Through this users will be directed to exclusive videos and slide shows of Lisa Haydon. Users would also be directed to mobile site; social media connect and watch the previous cover page videos of Maxim.

     

    Commenting on the tie up Piyush Sharma, CEO, Maxim India said “Maxim being the ultimate celebration of being a guy, and being young at heart blends seamlessly with a strong personal medium such as mobile. And our alliance with TELiBrahma is a natural alliance of two leaders in complementing industries. We definitely are expecting great results for both our brands and above all the end users. We strongly believe that going forward our association will go beyond providing robust and measurable engagement and ultimately together we will be able to deliver our advertisers a total performance oriented return on their investment. I would like to congratulate entire TELiBrahma team for their great foresight and perfect first execution with the augmentation of our November 2012 issue.”

     

    Narasimha Suresh

    “We are happy to partner with Maxim India. Augmented reality allows traditional forms of media to life by driving them into exciting fresh digital content. It also offers a unique opportunity for media houses to integrate static print communication with the digital content, thereby making print as the real spring board for Digital ++.It also allows the publisher to retain continued interest in the print product throughout the shelf life of the product,” said Narasimha Suresh, CEO & Founder, TELiBrahma.

     

     

  • The 360-degree brand and marketing campaign features themes of 'Personal Achievement' and 'Business Achievement' to connect with consumers & enterprise customers respectively

    Dell’s Inspiron ‘can do Kuchh Bhi’

    By A Correspondent

     

    At Dell, the sole purpose is to create great user experiences, where customers’ passion inspires the technology, which gives them the ‘Power to do More’. This was the thought that forms the basis or foundation of the ‘Achievement Campaign’. The integrated marketing campaign focuses on real customer experiences, highlighting how Dell enables customers to ‘achieve’ their personal and professional passion. The 360-degree brand and marketing campaign features themes of ‘Personal Achievement’ and ‘Business Achievement’ to connect with consumers & enterprise customers respectively. The campaign is an extension of our strategy to strengthen brand leadership in both the consumer and enterprise space.

     

    The Dell TVC has been conceptualised and developed by the Dell India team and Grey Worldwide, directed by Koushik Sarkar and Carlos Catalan (DOP). Amitabh Bhattacharya’s lyrics and Mikey McCleary’s music power the TVC. The TVC talks about how the youth of today have dreams bigger than a canvas can hold; they know no boundaries; have no fears and dream big. The TVC captures this spirit of conquering the world and making the world their stage.

     

    Ritu Gupta, Director, Marketing, Dell India said, “Inspiring customers by providing them with technology that gives them “the power to do more” has always been one of Dell’s biggest goals. Building an emotional connection between our customers and technology is integral to Dell’s branding strategy. It’s our customers’ passions that inspire our technology and their stories of success through our technology are our own achievement stories. Our new ‘Personal Achievement’ campaign emphasizes our belief that technology can help anyone realize their dreams and the new TV commercial is a reflection of this belief.”

     

    With the theme “I can do kuchh bhi”, the campaign sets out to celebrate triumphant journeys of the creative, motivated, free spirited youth, who are confident of achieving anything with the guiding hand of technology. From youngsters transforming a neighbourhood using their paint brush, to a girl honing her boxing skills, to a rock band nervously preparing for their first gig, the commercial depicts how people from varied backgrounds and interests are using the Dell Inspiron Notebooks as their partner in pursuit of their passion.

     

    Hari Krishnan, Vice President – South, Grey said, “This new campaign is based on stories of ‘Personal Achievement’. However, ‘Achievement’ in this context is not a measurable benchmark in that sense but a passionate pursuit of a personal goal. The youth are driven by various passions from social activism to music other mainstream or offbeat pursuits. Dell Inspiron is an enabler in all these stories of achievement, partnering them in their pursuit.”

     

    The commercial will be released on April 26th on all leading entertainment channels. The TVC will also debuted on Dell India Facebook and Twitter pages on April 25. It has been supported by a Twitter contest @Dell_IN. While the ‘AchievewithDell’ micro-site is for users to share stories on how they have used technology to achieve their dreams, the Twitter contest will invite users to share tweets which tell the story of their inspirations (be it people or things) who embody the spirit of #icanDOkuchbhi and their achievements. The winner will receive a Dell Inspiron laptop.

     

    The campaign is also supported by print. The print campaign was launched last month and it showcases stories of achievement by profiling youth and their passions. For the Print ads and on the digital front, stories of Priya’s passion for ‘Yoga’ and Aditya’s ‘Bike restoration’ journey were featured. Web videos were created and seeded on the platform of ‘Personal Achievement’ showcasing multiple stories of achievement on a special interactive microsite that was created to enable followers to share their stories of passion. In addition to this, through contextual targeting the brand is reaching out to forums, bloggers and influencer groups amongst youth across social media.

     

    Ram Jayaraman, Group Creative Director, Grey said, “Today, passion is power. The youth believe they’re invincible, but there’s a charming innocence in the way they wear this belief. Hopefully our film – with its lovely track – speaks not only of them, but for them too.”

     

    Credits:

    Agency: Grey

    Vice President  & Business Head: Hari Krishnan

    Creative: Ram Jayraman, Sham Ramachandran, George Sebastian

    Account Management: Amarendra Singh; Kevin Thomas

    Account Planning: Dheeraj Sinha; Neha Bansal

    Production House: Apostrophe Films

    Director: Kaushik Sarkar

    Producer: Hamesh

    Music: Mikey McCleary

     

  • Hindi news Channel Aaj Tak recently crossed the one-million-mark on Facebook

    Aaj Tak upbeat on social media

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hindi news Channel Aaj Tak has crossed the one-million mark on Facebook. The channel boasts of more than a million fans in the digital world. Aaj Tak on Facebook has been actively engaging with the audience by using various tools and mediums such as debates, polls, issues & news. Social media is a high interaction platform where the communication is between both the parties. The channel has been raising issues on the digital platform.

     

    The digital platform at Aaj Tak is currently managed by the in-house team. Salil Kumar, CEO – India Today Group Digital said that it is critical for a news channel to be present on social media. He said, “In today’s environment the audience we cater to is always on the move, their content consumption devices and hence the patterns have evolved and will continue to do so. He is connected to the world, almost 24 X 7. He not only is someone who consumes content (consumer), but has also become a contributor (social editor) and a disseminator (publisher / share), and a critic (feedback / dislike).  He seeks news not only through hard core news sites / channels but also through his social network. Hence FB and its community is a critical part of our overall strategy.”

     

    Aaj Tak is also monetizing its FB page, though Mr Kumar did not divulge further details.

     

    Going forward, the channel plans to leverage the social media connect aggressively. “The social media connect will always remain an integral part of Aaj Tak. Going forward, I would like to leverage the social connect to build a large collaborative community helping us interact and  stay connected with our audience and will be a permanent place holder on the second screen,” concluded Mr Kumar.

     

  • DDB Mudra Group has been awarded the first India Innovation Award 2013 under the Enterprise Mobility category

    DDB Mudra bags India Innovation Award for Enterprise Social Networking

    By A Correspondent

     

    DDB Mudra Group has been awarded the first India Innovations Award 2013 under the Enterprise Mobility category for Enterprise Social Networking initiative.

     

    The award was received by Sebastian Joseph, Chief Technology Officer, DDB Mudra Group from Milind Deora, Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology and Shipping, Government of India. India Innovation Day 2013, a joint initiative of NetApp & Network18, mobilizes India’s leading CIOs, and CXOs to felicitate their innovation, determination and pursuit of business excellence using technology.

     

    The main objective of the first edition of the NetApp Innovation Awards 2013 was to recognize organizations that are leveraging technology, innovatively, to improve the efficiency levels of the organization and to enhance business value. The award serves as a benchmark for the industry to identify leading innovative practices implemented by Indian organizations through the use of IT products, services, projects, processes, procedures or methodologies.

     

    Commenting on this, Sebastian Joseph, Chief Technology Officer, DDB Mudra Group said, ¿Our mission is to create infectious ideas that influence behaviour.  In today’s social media world, we use creativity, to develop ideas, people want to play with, participate in and pass on. We call this ‘Social Creativity’, ideas that connect people with people, not just people with brands.  Our Enterprise Social Networking initiative helps address this. It is a great honor receiving the first India Innovation Award 2013.