Category: THE ANCHOR

  • 7 reasons all creative agencies must be at GoaFest

    By Dhunji Wadia

     

    #1 GoaFest is the most prestigious advertising festival in India, jointly hosted by the AAA of I and The Advertising Club Bombay.

     

    #2 It’s a wonderful opportunity to attend stimulating seminars and rub shoulders with the best minds in the business from India and overseas.

     

    #3 One gets to see the entire body of innovative work created in the last year.

     

    #4 The size of the organization does not matter – small organizations have as much a chance to win an Abby as big ones do.

     

    #5 Everyone wins – the people who create the groundbreaking work as well as the viewers who get to see all in one stretch. It’s a celebration of the work created by the industry.

     

    #6 The awards also spread good work globally.

     

    #7 They happen in Goa.  I rest my case!

     

    Dhunji S Wadia is President, Everest Brand Solutions.

     

  • The Anchor: 4 things I would like to change in Radio Programming

    By Sarthak Kaushik

     

    1. Programming differentiation

    Sometimes looking around can influence individual creativity, and far too often, the ‘mega’ goings on are mirrored across the airwaves, without a thought for its efficacy in grabbing eardrums of that particular city.

     

    2. Radio as a LOCAL medium

    What a listener in Mumbai would identify with is not necessarily what appeals to the listener in Bengaluru. Radio is an intensely local medium, with its geographical bearings – and the understanding thereof – being critical to its connect. And on radio, if the personal touch is missing, the biggest USP of the medium has been squandered. In trying to make a countrywide campaign, sometimes this attention to ‘local’ goes missing.

     

    3. Making the listener a star

    Far too often, celebrity endorsement overshadows the fact that radio works on a one to one, on-the-passenger-seat-of-my-car intensity. And when the listener feels a part of the station – the Star – the loyalty lasts for a long time. Attention to making the listener feel special could perhaps do with a little more focus. Everyone wants to be associated with a celebrity, but more importantly, everyone wants to feel like a celebrity, the nudge-wink “I Am on Radio” feeling could also perhaps be encouraged a little more

     

    4. Simplicity still rules

    The keep it simple rule still applies very much to radio. Being a medium with only one sense paramount, the message – both about the identity of the station and things attached with it – needs to be stylish, individualistic, and memorable. But, perhaps, the power of simplicity in ticking all these boxes gets dropped by the wayside. A flashy message might make the jaw drop open, but the simple elegance of a warm connect will invariably lead to a smile. And in the end, the smiles are usually more memorable in the long run.

     

    Sarthak Kaushik is Director, Programming, Hit FM

     

  • Anil Thakraney’s 7 Do’s and Don’ts for Goafest

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am not doing Goa this year. Though I did attend the fest some years ago, and noticed that the participants need to do a few things differently in order to make better use of the event. Here’s my list of suggestions, if you are en route to Goa:

     

    1. Carry a permanent black marker with you. And if you notice a scam ad pasted in the exhibition area, write in full caps on top of that entry: SCAM. Do it even if YOU submitted that particular entry. There has to come a time when the ad world outgrows this charade. So why not begin the shubh karya this year?

     

    2. If you are sloshed and hugely fed and have to attend a speech by one of those luminaries, I suggest you try and grab a seat at the rear. Don’t try to please your boss and diligently head for the front row. There are other ways to suck up. And I say this because if the presenter turns out to be too sleep-inducing, you can make a quiet escape from the rear without being noticed. This is much better than being caught yawning. I do this at every speech I attend, and it’s served me well in life.

     

    3. Gherao the organizers and demand that they find a way to break the ice with Lowe. Even better, do this after downing six large pegs. It’s critical that all leading ad agencies take part so that Goafest can become a truly meaningful awards event.

     

    4. Please don’t hang around the entire time with colleagues from your own office. That is stupid. You do that back home anyways. Here’s an opportunity to meet with colleagues from rival agencies and from other cities, to forge new alliances. And if you are really lucky, she may even slip in her room key into the sandy pocket of your Bermuda shorts.

     

    5. This is for the suits: Please DO NOT wear floral shirts. It’s much too pretentious, wannabe and desperate. Stick to semi-casuals. You will be appreciated for that.

     

    6. Please say a warm hello to Piyush Pandey. In Hindi, of course. And claim that you’ve just arrived from Etawah or Allahabad or Kanpur or Varanasi or Kumaon. You may land a job at O&M. On the spot.

     

    7. Please hang around in Goa (at your cost, of course) for an extra day. You could check into a seedy hotel and spend the day ogling at the Russian chicks on Anjuna beach. Not only will this be fun, it does not make sense for 3000 delegates to exit Goa on the same day. The Goa airport, even on uneventful days, is quite chaotic. Post Goafest, it becomes a bloody nightmare.

     

    Have a good time! Cheers!

     

    Anil Thakraney wrote this as part of his Hard Knocks blog. We thought it’s just right for the Anchor – Ed

    Click here to view all Goafest 2012 stories

    Click here to view all Goafest 2012 stories

     

  • The Anchor: 5 commandments for ad stardom

    By Amod Dani

     

    Some say stars are born. Others believe they are created. In advertising, however, stars are a result of both. Beautifully blended in a pressure cooker environment of tight deadlines, a dash of revealing briefs and a spoonful of client feedback.

     

    You must have it in you to become an Ad-guru, the zing, the X-factor, the mojo jojo. Call it what you may but this is the most important ingredient if you want to become an Advertising A-man.

     

    So once you’ve got your core competency (ability to conjure up fantastic ideas) and remarkable talent in place, follow the 5 commandments to become the Rajnikanth of advertising.

     

    And get ready to bask in the hot Goafest Sun, Don Draper style. Godspeed!

     

    #1 ‘P’seudonym

    What’s in a name, they ask? Everything. Take a look around at all the advertising biggies and you’ll see. The top guns have one thing in common: the letter ‘P’. According to Pandit Suryakumar, Onomsatics (the study of names) has played a significant role in determining the future of advertising in India. ‘P’ stands for Precision, Persistence, Perseverance, Positivity and above all Perfection. So ‘P’lease move over Ekta Kapoor, the days of ‘K’ are numbered. By the way how does ‘Pramod Dani’ sound? Naaah!

     

    #2 A.K.A

    Pops, Paddy, Balki, Aggie: A talent pool like that is truly unique. But what do all of them have in common? A nickname of course. Now that’s the second most important commandment.

     

    An alias, a shorter name or a unique nickname will truly put you in good stead for advertising stardom. But stay away from the names that your mother, grandmother and thousands of your relatives call you. Shontu, Monty, Bunty, Baby, Chotu, Bubbles, Pingoo and Vishambhar are not your ideal aliases. And yeah, do check for patents before you sign up for one.

     

    #3 Be the cover page

    Making a fashion statement plays a vital role in becoming an ad-star. So whether it is wearing all black or donning the latest top-hat, let your style be as unique as your work. Douse yourself into the pages of GQ or pester the daylights of your local darzi and dig out a style that defines you. From variations of facial hair to plain white shirts, from baldness to the badhti ka naam daadi look: ensure that you are a not just an ad-icon but also a style icon. Let caricature artists have a field day.

     

    #4 Bollywood, thy middle name

    Become a name frequented by the Khans and the Kapoors. Keep your feet on two rocks, one firmly placed in the ad-world, the other, nimble-footed, in B-town. Be associated with Bollywood in some way or the other. Music, Direction, Script writing, Screenplay, DOP, Spot, who cares, just make sure you are around a damn set. Flop movies or not, you being a part of Bollywood comes with a big plus: Dropping names!

     

    #5 Have your own Mnemonic

    Like the big brands they create, all the ad-biggies have their own unique Mnemonic. A brand property that is unique to their own personalities. From an exaggerated laughter to a short temper, from poignant hand gestures to exquisite catch phrases that remind you of your mother and sister, figure out what’s your Mnemonic.

     

    However this commandment comes with a big caution. At times, your Mnemonic might not be the one you’d really want as an Ad-star. So the next time you scratch your behind, burp vociferously or drive your finger into those nasal corridors, be careful, the peering eyes might just make that your Mnemonic. And not a pleasant one to say the least.

     

    And if the 5 commandments don’t help you become a star, then Sorry Mate. Kind of like my Pre-Happy April fool’s day. Not like you didn’t see it coming. As for all us mere mortals, it is back to the tried-and-tested mantra of simple hard work and passion. That’s how Piyush did it, that’s how Balki did it, that’s how Aggie did it and that’s how we must to do it.

     

    To be a star or not, well, only our stars will tell.

     

    Amod Dani is ECD, Leo Burnett.

    Click here to view all Goafest 2012 stories

     

  • Anchor: 5 reasons why one must go for Goafest

    By Vishakha Singh

     

    Companies and people will very soon start talking about the Goa Fest, some media channels are already doing stories telling us what to expect, the controversies and so on. As usual some veterans will ask: “It is the same set of faces, same people, then why this Goa Fest Ji?” And I would reply with a ‘why not?’, after all, it is the only big way of celebrating being in a fun and energy-filled industry.

     

    Here are my five fabulous ‘Fs’ why you should consider going to theGoafest. (Or otherwise)

     

    5. Feel fresher, Feel younger

    When was the last time you did the rain dance? Wait, you just thought you are too old for it? Hah, so am I, and I’m itching to be forty. But that said, I love to watch people on the rain dance floor as I only feel younger. And that’s not the only reason, there is much more energy around in the air to make you feel young in your mind. Age doesn’t matter and will not matter for a while, if you attend Goafest!

     

    4. Fast Forward

    It’s not about celebrating what was good last year; it is more about trends that are emerging. Whoever says whatever; there is a lot to hear. Hear from both national and international minds who give a peek-a-boo in the future. Every year, without fail, the lineup is worth spending a few hours in the air-conditioned hangars. If you fall asleep, you get to recharge yourself, if you stay awake and stay alert; you are in a fast-forward world in a very different way.

     

    3. Facebooking

    Not the Mark Zuckerberg one, but more on face-to-face booking. Yes, Goa Fest is one helluva of social networking opportunity – colleagues, ex-colleagues, new flames, old flames, clients, agencies… there is not a moment you’ll be left alone, even if you wish for it! This is the best time of the year to get your own dose of social networking and that too right at the beginning of the financial year. So pick your choice and spend the year in that company. The company that you keep is what matters, make your choice here!

     

    2. Fire Fighting

    Not too many people will talk about this, but Goafest is the perfect furnace to make you a fighter. Year after year, organizers choose such dates that you will come out a fighter at the end of it. If you can beat the heat, you are an accomplished fighter, and would end up winning all deadlines!

     

    1. Fine tuning

    Um, this is quite secretive. This is not loud. This is absolutely to one’s self. With the amount of work displayed and the creativity in the air, you fine tune your mind, your thoughts, ideas, and keep it hidden – sometimes consciously and many times sub-consciously. This is the best gift that you could give yourself. Of being observant. Of people. Places. Work. Conversations. Of your own self!

     

    If you are convinced of these five fundas (or have some of your own), you must convince at least one more person. Preferably, your client, your agency, your people. See you at Goafest!

     

    Vishakha Singh is Executive Director, A Comms

    Click here to view all Goafest 2012 stories

     

  • The Anchor: 20 Amul ads that tell the IPL story

    By AN Chorrea

     

    There are many who believe that the Indian Premier League’s fifth edition is not as much of a rage as its earlier editions were, but there’s no denying that the IPL does dominate discussions in the advertising, marketing and media frat.

     

    Given the huge response to our feature tracking Sachin Tendulkar’s career via Amul ads, we dug into the archives to bring you these Amul ads on the cricketing league.

     

    1. On outstanding performers of Rajastan Royal Cricket team (Apr 2012)

     

     

    2. On the commencement of Indian Premier League 5 (Apr 2012)

     

    3. On BCCI terminating franchise of Team ‘Kochi Tuskers Kerala’ for default of payment (Sep 2011)

     

     

    4. On Chennai Super Kings winning the finals of IPL 4 (May 2011)

     

    5 .The West Indian cricketer in top form in IPL 4 (May 2011)

     

    6. Hype around the relationship between Shane Warne and actress Elizabeth Hurley (Apr 2011)

     

    7 .Preity Zinta’s cricket team winning an IPL match (Apr 2011)

     

    8. SRK performs after his team wins an IPL match (Apr 2011)

     

    9. At IPL auction last year, Saurav Ganguly was not bid for (Jan 2011)

     

    10. On the auction of cricketers ahead of IPL 4 (Jan 2011)

     

    11. On the termination of two IPL franchises from IPL 4 (Oct 2010)

     

    12. On the victory of Chennai Super Kings over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 3 final

     

    13. Controversy surounding IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi (Apr 2010)

     

    14. Several cricketers drop out of IPL due to injuries (Mar 2010)

     

    15. On the glamorous women being co-owners of some of the IPL teams (Mar 2010)

     

    16. Rain plays spoilsport during the IPL2 matches being played inSouth Africa(Apr 2009)

     

    17. Venue of IPL shifts fromIndiatoSouth Africa(Apr 2009)

     

    18. IPL cricketers in race for top positions – Delhi Daredevils batsman Gautam Gambhir top run-getter, Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne leading wicket-taker & Chennai Super Kings captian M S Dhoni bastman for the most boundaries segment (May 2008)

     

    19. Shah Rukh Khan sings for Indian Premier League (IPL) music video ‘Run Just Run’ his franchisee IPL Kolkata Knight Riders cricket team – (Apr 2008)

     

    20. Indian Premier League (IPL) franchisees ranging from Indian business tycoons to Bollywood stars bid for top Indian & International Cricketers during an amazing price auction (Feb 2008)

     

  • 6 Reasons why tonight’s the Big Night @ Goafest

    By A N Chorrea

     

    Yes, Balki doesn’t care an eff about it and the folks at Cag have serious issues about the innumerable fakes that come in as entries, but the Abby is the Abby is the Abby. So why’s it the Badi Raat?

     

    1. Because the Creative Abbys will be presented tonight

     

    2. Because even as some of the Creative Abbys were given away last night (and the Media Abbys too!), the meaty, glamourous ones are happening tonight.

     

    3. Because it will be interesting to see how many metals Agnello Dias nets tonight. Yesterday, wifey Nandini Dias’s Lodestar UM bagged several honours. Tonight could well be Aggie’s. Total domination by the Diases!

     

    4. Remember Bobby quit Mudra half-way, just as Sonal quit Bates half-way… It will be interesting to see the mix of emotions as their ex and current agencies walk away with honours (If it was a television event, I am sure the camera would focus on Bobby every time Mudra gets an award or on Colvyn when Aggie gets it for Pepsi… quite like they do in the film awards where you see Rekha’s expressions on Amitabh, Vivek Oberoi on Salman. Etc etc etc)

     

    5. It’s the last day of Goafest. May as well live it up!

     

    Click here to view all Goafest 2012 stories

     

  • Anchor: Rahul Jauhari’s 5 must-do’s on the Web

    1. You Be You:

    Having five different aliases won’t help. Sooner or later you’re going to go nuts trying to consolidate them. It’s easier being your own self. And while you’re at it, avoid the Alpha Male 97 kinds. It may be cool when you’re a kid. But try mailing your CV from Alphamale97@gmail.com and see if you get a response. Unless you hate your own name, a NikhilKapoor@gmail.com is perfectly fine.

     

    2. Look before you like:

    “RIP Dad. You will be sorely missed.” – 75 likes.

    Sheesh. I mean I do hope you know there’s a thin line between liking a statement and liking a sentiment.  The same rule applies to “No water in the loo for the second day in a row.”

     

    3. Take care when you share:

    Content rules. And the content you put out, original or shared, pretty much defines the kind of person you are. Online reputation is built over time, destroyed sooner. Pretty much like in the offline world. Tweet crap and in no time you’ll be on lists that go ‘avoidlikeplague’

     

    4. Check out before you check-in:

    So it’s cool to be all over Foursquare. So cool that your boss is on it as well. Right? So think twice before checking into Blue Frog the same evening you killed your best friend for a bunk. Nothing is as private or personal as you’d like to believe. Especially with the likes of Twitter, FB, Linked-in, Foursquare, cross-sharing data/updates etc.

     

    5. Do unto others as…

    Hate spam? Don’t spam. Detest daily pokes? Don’t poke daily. Hate being stalked? Don’t stalk. And so on and so forth. Yeah. It sounds preachy and biblical, but it’s true. A good citizen of the online world will be liked, respected and tolerated longer than others. Patience runs thin here. No one likes to suffer jerks. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself.

     

    Rahul Jauhari is National Creative Director, Everest Brand Solutions

     

  • The Anchor: Madhu Trehan on 5 things on TV that must be washed out quick

    By Madhu Trehan

     

    1. Remove all partisan propaganda placed by party in power from Doordarshan

    This is a television channel funded by tax payers’ money. It is used as a private channel by all parties in power, promoting themselves and their self serving “news”. It has the largest reach and must be used for public benefit, not for any political party’s propaganda.

     

    2. Remove soap operas that promote women who are subservient to in-laws and husband.

    Kill the demure, sly intrigue and show strong women who stand up for themselves and call the shots.

     

    3. Remove ads that show speeding cars and motorcycles as cool.

    Make it hip to drive slow and carefully.

     

    4 .Remove ads that require “Don’t try this at home”.

    Warning is flashed so fast that you can’t read it and many are too young to read. Too many incidents where kids have tried stunts at home and died.

     

    5. Remove ads which show you can buy affection by giving gifts of diamonds, cars, etc.

    It inculcates a distorted image of what relationships require and degenerates into propaganda that promotes crass materialism. Creates shallow values instantly.

     

    Veteran journalist Madhu Trehan is now Director, Newslaundry (www.newslaundry.com)

     

  • The Anchor: Rajan Narayan on 5 reasons why ‘Digital’ isn’t the only way forward

    By Rajan Narayan

     

    1. Data says so

    Yes, digital advertising is growing rapidly at 28 per cent but then its base is small at Rs7.7 bn and surprisingly despite print and TV being more than 13 times the size of digital advertising, both are clipping at 14 per cent growth rates with Radio matching digital advertising in size and growth. The traditional media will still account for more than 75 per cent of the industry in 2015. (Source: The PWC report on India Entertainment and Media 2011)

     

    2. TV and print still reaches out to many more people than digital

    TV/Print/Radio reach 57/20/18 per cent of India’s total population. Internet is at just 3 per cent. Even in urban India penetration for TV/P/R/I is loaded against digital at 82/36/22/9 per cent. (Source IRS 2011 Q4)

     

    3. Every medium plays a unique role that is irreplaceable

    Try reading from a laptop on your hammock, or keep your family glued for 3 hours around your tablet. And we won’t discuss what to read in the loo here. Got the picture? Our habits are so deeply entrenched within us that changing it would mean re-ordering the entire process. Much easier to stick to the habit. Digital is creating new habits but not at the cost of others. Digital is very personal: It’s you and your pc/tablet/laptop/phone connected to the world. By that very reason the sender is made physically lonely. On the other hand, a theatre or your TV is media that bring the world to you and your dear ones to share simultaneously. Here your happiness is multiplied by the shared joy of your close ones. A sensation digital can never replicate.

     

    4. People consume digital differently from other media

    The big plus about digital is its interactivity. It’s the place where you put out your ideas and share things. But where do you get the stuff in the first place? From other media! The songs you like you first hear over the radio, the films you watch on the big screen, the game and contest you follow on TV. You then download or share this on the digital platform. So there are these two roles of media: one that gives you the information and another where you put out what you like. Put in which will remain largely traditional and put out media which is and will largely be digital.

     

    5. The idea of the brand is what people connect with; the medium is created to serve this end

    The start of the American War of Independence was spread to hundreds of thousands of people in the course of one single night. The medium? Word of mouth. The medium had nothing to do with the speed at which the message spread. It was the message itself that was galvanizing enough to get people to ride and walk hundreds of kilometres to spread it. The message was Liberty. WOM is still what sells iphones and ipads in a single night!  Never confuse the medium for the message. ‘Let’s do a viral!’ is the wrong way to begin digital activity. Choose digital if it is the most cost efficient or most penetrating of media among your consumers. Keep in mind that no medium can help a weak message.

     

    These views have a current context and a three-year horizon. It is possible that Digital in India may follow the West and completely overtake traditional media. It is also possible that like Retail inIndia, it may never take off beyond a limited scope. Or India may yet surprise us by evolving an entire new method of consuming media unlike anything the World has seen. Wait for the magic to unfold.

     

    Rajan Narayan is President, Quadrant Communications

     

  • Narendra Nag on 5 reasons why no marketing campaign can do without social

    By Narendra Nag

     

    1. Your audience is online: 58 million Indians are on Facebook and half of them log in everyday. Younger people, usually the most attractive demographic for brands, spend more time on Facebook than they do reading the newspaper or watching TV.

     

    2. People don’t easily believe what brands tell them any longer – but they do trust what they hear/read about from real people. So, a blogger or someone of Twitter has more influence on purchase decisions than an ad on TV.

     

    3. Apple, mobile phones, health and wellness products/services, luxury brands and car/bike brands have it easy – people like to say nice things about them. For everybody else, pretty much the only time somebody mentions their washing machine or microwave is when it isn’t working. To combat all that negative sentiment, your marketing campaign needs to be social in nature – connecting with people over something they care about.

     

    4. Social stretches out each marketing rupee to the max. That event you’re doing at the mall, promote it on social and you’ll get a lot more people involved and engaged. That ad campaign on TV – don’t just show the ad on YouTube, create a social campaign that goes on a lot longer than the four weeks your ads on TV.

     

    5. If you’re not social, you’re dead. Brands no longer get to tell consumers what to make of them, audiences who’ve never bought the product are defining what a brand stands for. If you’re still thinking communication, your brand is dying a slow death. Start listening and participating in conversations to get a handle on what your brand truly means.

     

    Narendra Nag is Co-Lead, MSLGROUP India Social

     

  • Aditya Swamy on 6 Gen X facts brands must know

    Aditya Swamy

    By Aditya Swamy

     

    Youth today are coming together to bring about social and cultural change

    Besides the social change, for instance the Meter Down campaign or the Anna Hazare’s anti corruption movement. The youth are also bringing about a cultural change in terms of their influence in advertisements, films, music, television, web  and others.

     

    The generation gap between parents and children is breaking down

    For this generation it is the family which is first over friends. In fact, young people today see their parents as role models and know that it is their parents who will stand by them in both good and bad times.

     

    Warm is the new cool for this generation.

    This is the generation which is in touch with their emotions as they want to make the world a better place, and they want to be a better person. This generation is also very quick to help those that seek their help whether it’s about finding a new home, a restaurant, a job and so on.

     

    This is truly an empowered generation

    Because most of them believe that they can bring about a change in the society or their country. Therefore for a brand to give the youth a platform where they are able to display their empowerment becomes a very powerful tool for brands to engage with their audience.

     

    Technology is equal to life

    The youth today are born into a world where iPhone, iPad, tablets and other mobile platforms are just part of their life. For brands to connect with the youth they must look at how their content can evolve around the four different environment i.e. television, mobile, web and the real life screen. Therefore bringing the four together to engage with the youth.

     

    This generation is already inspired

    So they are not looking at brands to inspire, but they want the brands to engage them. Gone are the days when a Shahrukh Khan is seen as an inspiration, today their role models are those people that brought about a change in their surroundings or country and so on. So brands must start having a two way conversation with their audience and once a brand initiates a two way dialogue that’s when it builds a connection with their audience.

     

    Aditya Swamy is EVP and Business Head – MTV India