MxMIndia

Category: THE ANCHOR

  • Anchor:K Vaitheeswaran on 6 reasons why this is the time for e-commerce in India

    #1 Big market

    When we started Indiaplaza, India’s first online shopping company in India in 1999, the internet population in India was just 3 million. Today, this number has crossed 50 million and by 2015, it is expected to cross 350 million, which will make India the world’s second largest internet market after China.

     

    #2 Growing comfort with the medium

    Millions of Indians are now comfortable with buying tickets online, paying bills, internet banking and other such transactions which is increasing their comfort with online transactions and also reducing their security concerns. And for the remaining skeptics, there’s always cash-on-delivery

     

    #3 Penetration of the web in smaller towns

    In large metros, organized retailers provide reasonable selection and good shopping ambience which is absent in smaller towns. As the web becomes popular in tier II and tier III towns, consumers in these places are realizing that internet retailers provide them with astounding selection and low prices across categories that were not available to them till now.

     

    #4 Infrastructure challenges in large metros

    As the pace of daily life in metros gets more challenging and driven, gone are the days when families could casually drive to stores, park in comfort and shop with time on hand. Online shopping and the associated convenience is really a boon for such money-rich-time-poor class of consumers.

     

    #5 Product standardization

    Online shopping is well suited to standard products and brands. As Indians shift their purchases to global brands like Apple, Nokia, Canon, Sony, Acer with detailed product information available online, it is so easy to simply research and order online, in most cases at lower prices also.

    #6 Investment

    There is a positive climate today with many investors willing to put up serious capital for e-commerce companies. This capital availability is sure to result in more e-commerce players launching and offering better service levels to consumers which will further fuel growth and demand.

     

    K Vaitheeswaran is Founder & CEO, Indiaplaza.com

     

  • The Anchor: Dhunji Wadia on 5 reasons why it’s gr8 2B an A-Lister

    On Tuesday evening I was delighted to receive an A-List invitation from Campaign India. The function was at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai and I had a grand time traversing through the Bandra Fair crowds as I made my way to the event. It was not a long journey in terms of distance, but getting there took a couple of hours.

     

    I have spent a long time in advertising now, where one has seen a lot, and learnt more than a little – most of it, probably too late. This was a great time to reflect on ‘What’s behind an A-Lister’.

     

    In any field of work, you might as well be the best you can be. There’s no point be a D-Lister or being further down the alphabet track. So also in Advertising, being an A-Lister says a lot.

     

    #1 People Pay Attention To Your Work

    It’s a great way to prove that your work makes people pay attention – which is very important in our business. If the work doesn’t get noticed, then we’re not doing our job.

     

    #2 Brick-By-Brick

    In addition to recognizing the work that is happening Right Here, Right Now – it also is a good measure of the effort that has gone in brick-by-brick – throughout the years.

     

    #3 Awards and Rewards

    Awards are a great way to demonstrate that our work gets noticed. Having said that, the greatest reward is seeing effective results delivered from our programmes for our brands. That’s what happens when agency and client are working together.

     

    #4 The Final Grade

    Through school and college there is consciousness on the scores and grades that one gets. But this is real life – it is the final grade that counts.

     

    #5 Above All – Teamwork

    At the end of the day, being an A-Lister means you are part of a team that has worked together. Throughout the decades, teamwork has always been an important part of the working culture inside the ad agency. Your team makes you look good. They are truly the people behind the making of an A-Lister.

     

    Epilogue

    Like many others in this profession, I have had the good fortune to parlay a minimal talent into a long career. So thank God for advertising which tolerated me for all these years, or else I would probably have written this as the world’s first MBA guitarist, playing in one of Mumbai’s nightclubs. And thanks to the industry, the Campaign India A-List and my beloved team for the recognition.

     

    Dhunji S Wadia is President, Everest Brand Solutions

  • On his birthday today, 8 reasons why Amitabh Bachchan will always get good TRPs for a channel

    The Anchor: Anil K Sathiraju’s 8 reasons why Birthday Boy Big B is the most bankable TV star

    1. He is looked upto as an icon, an idol, a god-sent, a good Samaritan, a humble human being

    2. He commands respect from a person who is probably 10 years or even 90 years… guess that’s what makes him such a great human being

    3. He is probably the only actor in the country or probably in the world who commands extremely great respect that no other person does – to the extent
    that you actually get goosebump when he says, “Main Amitabh Bachchan bol raha hoon Kaun Banega Crorepati se”

    4. He is ‘the most safest actor’ any channel can bank upon – obviously therefore it translates into people viewing the program that he is hosting

    5. He is a part of so many people’s lives – almost like a senior member of the family – there are millions of people who have grown seeing him, who
    have idolized him, has so much of hero worship, who are probably living because of him

    6. He becomes the character in whatever he does… that’s a great thing about him and I guess that’s why he is Big B

    7. He has a sense of gratitude for people for making him big, for making him what he is today – it is because of the people that he is who he is. He says it so
    genuinely everytime he talks to or listens to someone who says about him

    8. Finally, he becomes a common man with the common man – Needless to say, this part of him is what makes him the Big B

    Anilkumar Sathiraju is Associate VP and Head South, Mudra Max

  • Paperbacks and magazines are thriving, newspaper circulation is rising, and the chances of print fading as an advertising medium are dim indeed.

    The Anchor: Sumanto Chattopadhyay on 7 reasons why print cannot die as an advertising medium

    #1 Every time a new medium comes into being, premature obituaries are written for preexisting media. This happened with radio, when television arrived. And with TV, when the internet came along. But I ask you, are radio and television dead?

    #2 In India, newspaper circulation is on the up and up. New newspapers are being launched every day. Almost every page of every paper has an ad or two. So where does the concern arise?

    #3 If paperbacks and magazines died, we might worry that print advertising could be next. But novelists are thriving. The Economist is growing. So me no worry!

    #4 While there are writers, print advertising cannot die. As a writer, I can tell you that the urge to write is too strong to shrivel and give up the ghost.

    #5 The smart phone, tablet and laptop are just not as easy on the eye as the printed page – so to protect our ocular health we will opt for print and print advertising.

    #6 Paper running out could be a serious blow. But with afforestation and recycling we are licking that problem.

    #7 And finally, imagine sitting on the pot with your laptop and clicking on some web banner… Nah. Print rules.

     

     

    Sumanto Chattopadhyay is Executive Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai.

  • Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President and Head, Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life, on what you should look for while selecting an ad agency.

    The Anchor: Sanjay Tripathy on 7 reasons a marketer chooses an ad agency

    #1 End-to-end expertise and servicing. An advertising agency which provides a bouquet of services and is capable of creating effective 360-degree integrated communications campaigns is important, as classic one-dimensionaldvertising is becoming less relevant in the current environment.

    #2 Team credentials and clients handled. People form the most important part of an advertising agency, and their credentials and experience are a huge factor in deciding to work with them. The advertising agency needs to be evaluated to determine their expertise in handling different business categories, especially their experience of working on your type of business and if they understand the competition in your field. At the same time, it is important that the agency have some experience in other business sectors as it brings in fresh ideas and helps create clutter-breaking communication.

    #3  Size and scale of agency. It is important to ascertain whether the agency is adequately equipped to deal with the corresponding size of the client’s business in terms of creative, operational and technical resources.

    #4 International exposure. The more the agency has interacted with global clients and has experience in creating campaigns globally, the better. It helps bring in more professional working and a lot of fresh ideas.

    #5 Consistency in dealing. The ability of an agency to maintain consistency as well as transparency in dealing with its clients is very vital from a client’s perspective. It enables ease in dealing on a day-to-day basis and helps meet timelines and implement campaign plans more efficiently.

    #6 Strength in research. A strong research wing in an agency helps ensure that the campaign is backed by high sensitivity in terms of socio-cultural understanding and aesthetics while maintaining the brand philosophy. The tools that the agency uses in planning campaigns and analyzing the brand and competitors need to be scientifically prepared.

    #7 Balance between creative and business strategy. A path-breaking creative idea may not always be the best solution for a business problem. An agency which understands the importance of business problem-solving through communication is beneficial in the long run. Also, its ability to align with the long-term strategy of the client is important.

     

    Sanjay Tripathy is Executive Vice President – Head Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life.

  • How you want to grow is up to you. What kind of partnerships you want to make happen is up to you. The philosophy of the place and people is up to you choose.

    The Anchor: Priti Nair on 8 plus points about being an entrepreneur

    #1 True and real happiness. There is a certain joy you get every day when you walk in see your place, your people.  It’s yours. Yours to nurture and grow. It’s a tremendous feeling. To see your partner who you know is so much the right person to have there with you. A kind of deep comfort of looking at the changes day in and day out. And you always think to yourself you spent so many years in the business to finally do this.

     

    #2 You stay on your toes constantly. With the joy comes a humongous responsibility that rests on your shoulders. The responsibility of people who left what they had and joined you. The responsibility of clients who put their faith in you. To make sure you live up to that keeps you constantly on your toes. You take care of every little detail.

     

    #3 You learn new skill sets. It’s amazing the number of new things you learn. Right from when you start forming the company. The laws the rules the paperwork. Then the get the place right. LAN connections, seating, tea, coffee supplies. Lighting. Then your people. To make them feel comfortable and treasured. Your clients, the way you approach the way you do things. You learn a lot that kind of enhances your life further.

     

    #4 You have only yourself to applaud or blame. There is no system or management above you to blame. No black hole that you can throw your troubles or excuses at. It’s yours for making, breaking, taking and shaping. And it matures you as a human being.

     

    #5 Even if you get messed it’s on your terms. There are frustrations and scrambles that happen like they happen anywhere. But it’s on your terms. What you have chosen. And you can deal with the scrambles much much better with that confidence sitting in your head.

     

    #6 You have the right of refusal if principles don’t match. When principles, morals, integrities don’t match you have the right to say no and bow out. Because how you want to grow is up to you. What kind of partnerships you want to make happen is up to you. The philosophy of the place and people is up to you choose.

     

    #7 You actually give proper quality time to brands and clients. Your interactions with clients are far closer and more intimate. They are almost one on one every time. You put extra effort in every client because they have put their faith into you despite your size, despite you being new. And for that there is a sense of eternal gratitude that stays in your heart so you give more and more of the best you’ve got.

     

    #8 Fewer people, less lost in translations and agendas. You form your world of like-minded happy people. And the number of people are fewer. It’s more hands-on and transparent. Things don’t get lost in layers and layer of several people doing the same thing. And most importantly, effort does not get wasted amidst egos and unknown agendas.

     

    Priti Nair is Founder, Curry Nation.

  • There are times when you are saddled with clients who aren’t worth your aching back. People so daft, you’d rather terminate them than self-destruct yourselves.

    The Anchor: Prathap Suthan on 10 character indicators for an agency to dump a client

    Nothing is more rewarding than a client who sees the agency as its redeemer, partner, marketing dept., brand builder, wealth creator and undying fan. Most of us have had the pleasure to work with some fantastic and inspirational clients.

    But there are also times when you are saddled with clients who aren’t worth your aching back. People so daft, you’d rather terminate them than self-destruct yourselves. I once worked for a global automobile client who turned out to be the worst kind, and I bayed for sending them a sack letter screen-printed on a jute sack. However, the agency bookkeepers were too bothered about pending bills and we eventually had to pitch a bigger automobile client, win the business, and then eject the client.

    I am sure you can do without a couple of clients in your portfolio. Clients who don’t let you do great work, clients who have stopped contributing to your bottom line, clients who keep you on a diet of insults, and clients who don’t share your passion. You don’t need me to tell you what you need to do. But just in case, you missed the signs, here are some telltale client characteristics or characters you must look out for. There are more, but these are perhaps the more evident symptoms.

     

    #1 When the client turns Scrooge

    Here’s the client who changes stance all of a sudden. Every cost, expense, investment has to be borne by the agency. Almost like it’s the agency’s fault that the client has to spend money to advertise. This is a reflex to a cost cutting drive initiated by the CEO, and it’s a time when they’d like to evaluate all past spends. With supporting bills. From here on, you aren’t going for meetings on advertising and brand building. They will be all about haggling. Trust me, this relationship will lead you to Shylock.

     

    #2 When the client turns Cinderella

    This usually happens when the Lala’s young son or daughter takes over the business. Armed with a fancy MBA from hinterland USA, this zero advertising brain will never get the big picture. Do all you want, and waste all your adrenaline. Everything that you do will never be up to the mark, and everything you do will be incomprehensible. Criticism, blame, and threats are what you’d now hear. And if you are not an agency making names in the wine circles, your time was up yesterday. This pumpkin will implode.

     

    #3 When the client turns Piyush

    There comes a time when the CMO changes his role. Overtly. Instead of ensuring that the marketing team gets their briefs right, the head of marketing suddenly becomes the CD on the account. Once is a while, all CMOs will like their pet idea to bloom into life. We will even indulge them. There will be scripts thrown at you, plots suggested, headlines rattled off, references to Nike, ‘when I met Piyush’, etc. But when these become a daily affair, and when the regal curls of your agency’s moustache droop, pull the damn plug.

     

    #4 When the client turns Titanic

    All of sudden, you’d notice that your client has hit an iceberg. There’s been an inexplicable end to work. Even a little sticker is on its 9th iteration. And the discussions are all over the place with hints of sarcasm and remorse. Somewhere he or she has become unsure, rudderless, and powerless. He or she has lost clarity, focus, and is possibly on grace period. Your bills too have been on hold for a couple of months. This is a sinking ship, determined to take the agency down with it. Get the lifeboats out.

     

    #5 When the client turns Jellyfish

    This is a variation to the above. This is about the disappearance of the conviction bone. When major campaigns are presented to the Board,or when budgets are shared with the CEO, or when a piece of creative has to be defended, this variety will make its appearance. They will turn white, or pretend to take an urgent call, or look at you with a pleading sweetness. Beware, this is poison. Soon, everything you do will come back to you, everything is your mistake, as are the listless results of every campaign. When this becomes a habit, stand tall, show spine, and squash jelly.

     

    #6 When the client turns Shakespeare

    Ah, here is the drama queen or king. Nitpicking rajahs and ranis. This is when the smallest of mistakes take on the biggest of proportions. Imagine you haven’t delivered on a label, or a small proofing error gets noticed in the layout, and suddenly mobiles are whipped out and your holidaying CEO is hauled over coals. Every client is allowed this show of power to belittle the CD and the Account Head once in a while. But if every meeting gives you the feeling that you are no longer what you think you are, that you are redundant, and you are no longer capable of anything right, it’s high time you bring down the curtains.

     

    #7 When the client turns Hitler

    This is when the reign of the tyrant begins. This lady or gentleman is all about telling you and emphasizing where you stand or squat in the pecking order. Impossible deadlines. Impossible language. Impossible tasks. Just to ensure that the agency is always kept in a servile mode. Usually we revel in being challenged. When we go out and do things impossible. Pulling off magic, saving the day etc. But when this begins to happen day in and day out, time and respect are of no consequence or importance, and every piece of work is a struggle to sell, assassination is the only recourse.

     

    #8 When the client turns SlimeBall

    Some of these otherwise incorruptible gentlemen have a completely different face. Slowly and surely you will be made obvious of his penchant for the crooked. This is when you are deftly asked to keep a cut on the side for the films that he is approving, or the print run he has authorized. He is also pretty blatant about his appreciation of single malts, the next holiday destination he is contemplating, and his ‘I am so looking forward to some stimulating evening company during the film shoot.’ Most agencies would rather not accept severe morality breaches. But if I were you, I’d call in the mafia, er..media.

     

    #9 When the client turns Unicorn

    For a client who was always accessible, you’d notice that you don’t get to meet him or her anymore. Meetings are called, only to be postponed. Appointments are given, only to be cancelled. Calls aren’t put through, and the mobile is always ringing, never answered. Chances are the CMO is busy. But more often than not, he or she is talking to another agency behind your back. Or is gutless to tell you that the relationship is over. Or has been instructed by the MD that his friend’s agency will be taking over. A client who strangely transits to the mysterious and mythical side of life is more than enough warning for you to see the last of this beast.

     

    #10 When a client turns SonofaPitch

    I don’t know why they do this. But there are some clients who believe that ‘I will call for a pitch’ is enough to send their agency scurrying to get their brains back. Pity. Fear will only make an agency timid, and not cleverer. Ideally, call their bluff and tell them to go ahead and announce the pitch. Chances are they won’t. The pickings will be slim. Personally I love pitches. Because I believe that a pitch on an existing business is one more opportunity to show the client that I am better than anyone else. But then, if every second meeting is to keep cribbing and keep echoing the pitch intent, sack the moron. He or she doesn’t deserve you. Oh yes, change the P to a B.

     

    Prathap Suthan is the Chief Creative Officer at iYogi.

  • Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President and Head, Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life, on what you should look for while selecting an ad agency.

    The Anchor: Sanjay Tripathy on 7 reasons a marketer chooses an ad agency

    #1 End-to-end expertise and servicing. An advertising agency which provides a bouquet of services and is capable of creating effective 360-degree integrated communications campaigns is important, as classic one-dimensionaldvertising is becoming less relevant in the current environment.

    #2 Team credentials and clients handled. People form the most important part of an advertising agency, and their credentials and experience are a huge factor in deciding to work with them. The advertising agency needs to be evaluated to determine their expertise in handling different business categories, especially their experience of working on your type of business and if they understand the competition in your field. At the same time, it is important that the agency have some experience in other business sectors as it brings in fresh ideas and helps create clutter-breaking communication.

    #3  Size and scale of agency. It is important to ascertain whether the agency is adequately equipped to deal with the corresponding size of the client’s business in terms of creative, operational and technical resources.

    #4 International exposure. The more the agency has interacted with global clients and has experience in creating campaigns globally, the better. It helps bring in more professional working and a lot of fresh ideas.

    #5 Consistency in dealing. The ability of an agency to maintain consistency as well as transparency in dealing with its clients is very vital from a client’s perspective. It enables ease in dealing on a day-to-day basis and helps meet timelines and implement campaign plans more efficiently.

    #6 Strength in research. A strong research wing in an agency helps ensure that the campaign is backed by high sensitivity in terms of socio-cultural understanding and aesthetics while maintaining the brand philosophy. The tools that the agency uses in planning campaigns and analyzing the brand and competitors need to be scientifically prepared.

    #7 Balance between creative and business strategy. A path-breaking creative idea may not always be the best solution for a business problem. An agency which understands the importance of business problem-solving through communication is beneficial in the long run. Also, its ability to align with the long-term strategy of the client is important.

     

    Sanjay Tripathy is Executive Vice President – Head Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life.

  • Don’t fix what’s not broken, define the brand essence well – and research, research, research.

    The Anchor: Shouvik Roy’s 6 pointers for a brand to change/refresh its corporate identity

    Three points pre-change/refresh

    #1 ‘Change’ or ‘refresh’? Both are different worlds. Change is radical while refresh may not be. So, if it is ‘refresh’, then be clear about the parts that need to be refreshed; you may or may not want to fix what is not broken.

    #2 Logo change is not the identity makeover – Logo is just one part of the visual identity – not the ‘change’. The first step is to articulate you corporate brand identity verbally. Use simple formats that are understood well and easily by all key custodians. Make sure you have defined the brand essence well and all key stakeholders agree. This will help evaluate the creative work that follows.

    #3 Researching before rebranding is a good idea – you may think you know all the reasons why your existing corporate identity does not work. Prepare to be surprised by what others have to say. Even a small scale research among multiple stakeholders of your brands – customers, influencers, employees, partners etc – will give you a better handle on how and what should change.

     

    Three points post-change/refresh

    #1 Involve all your employees – they are your key brand evangelists and custodians of your brand. Before you proclaim change to the world outside – make sure everyone at ‘home’ is clear and excited about this. Do not start telling the world at large if your employees are still asking ‘what is this all about?’

    #2 Implement it well across your brand portfolio – most relevant for corporates that have a complex architecture of co- and sub-brands. Make sure that the corporate identity refresh reflects well across your portfolio and the implementation is simultaneous. Often enough, this is where the focus is wanting. Everyone loves big-picture – this is the fine print.

    #3 It is a good time to celebrate – get your teams, partners, supporters, influencers, customers in together and tell them why they should celebrate the change. Every new journey needs a starting gun, or there is never much zest to race to the milestones you’ve set.

     

    Shouvik Roy is Director, Elephant, Delhi

  • Tasksheet for new Info and Broadcasting Secretary, Uday Kumar Varma

    The Anchor: 5 things new I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma must do

    Pradyuman MaheshwariBy Pradyuman Maheshwari

    The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting finally has a full-time secretary. Like his predecssors Raghu Menon and Sushma Singh, guess Uday Kumar Varma will also be in office for around a couple of years before retirement. But he has had three stints with the ministry and from my little interaction with him, I can assure you that we have in the current secretary a man who knows the ministry inside-out.

    There’s a lot that a Secretary can achieve, if he or she has the will to do so. But of course there could be sensitivities in I&B, and if the eye is on what’s in store post-superannuation, then you can be sure that an I&B secretary will achieve precious little.

    Both Menon and Singh couldn’t or didn’t do much as Secretary. One hopes that Varmaji will do a lot more than his predecessors.

    Here’s a five-point tasklist.

    #1 Ensure new digitisation announcement is implemented on time.

    The sunset date is rather ambitious, but now that the collective wisdom of the bosses in Delhi have put out a policy, it’s the I&B Ministry’s responsibility to ensure it happens well-before time. Don’t get bullied by the lobbies

    #2 Must let self-regulators rule.

    The broadcastwallahs are still reeling under the scare of the government policy of not renewing channels if they fool around with the content and advertising code. Various media segments like news and non-news channels and creative agencies already have self-regulation in place. The print media too needs a regulator. While a nudge to these self-regulators may be needed to expedite decisions on erring content, but clearly there’s no place for government in policing the world.

    #3 Should ensure paid contentwallahs are punished.

    The elections are round the corner and it’s heartening to see the Election Commission get into action. But it’s the I&B ministry that must ensure that all those who indulge in paid content should be stripped off their RNI titles, government concessions and DAVP ads.

    #4 Push for news on FM Radio.

    There is no clear reason why there’s no news on FM Radio. The I&B minister once told me that there is a home ministry objection to news on FM, especially in the border districts. It’s one of the most bizarre reasons given especially since there are thousands of cable channels which abound across the country.

    #5 Empower government media — Doordarshan and All India Radio.

    Doordarshan’s 50-years celebrations are over and there was plenty of airtime and newsprint spent on what could be done to the two government media. Nothing happened. And nothing will. Unless Varmaji wakes up, empowers the staff and ensures quality content happens on both DD and AIR…

     

    This list of ‘must-do’s for Secretary Varma could be endless, but if he manages to take care of the five listed above,  he will forever be remembered as a secy who made a difference.

  • There are hundreds of brands on Facebook at any given moment vying for your target group’s attention, even as Mark Zuckerberg introduces changes every few weeks.

    The Anchor: 6 reasons why ‘Likes’ aren’t a good indicator of Facebook popularity

    By Rohini Kapur

    The Facebook rat race has begun, and everyone’s racing to beat competing brands by gathering as many ‘Likes’ as possible. So while the fight for market share and the next bestselling product rages on, marketers are doing their best to win the Facebook battle. Unfortunately, there are hundreds of brands on Facebook at any given moment vying for your target group’s attention, even as Mark Zuckerberg introduces changes every few weeks. Meanwhile, as Indian users become more discerning online, the number of ‘Likes’ (or fans) on your page has can be quite misleading. The top six reasons your page ‘Likes’ don’t really indicate how many people really like your Facebook page:

    #1 ‘Likes’ (or fans, as they were called earlier) are there to win goodies: Let’s face it– most Indians are constantly on the look-out for freebies. From stickers to sunglasses, MP3 players to mobile phones, they will do anything for a chance to win something cool. They may not be interested in your brand or your updates– they are just there to impress their new girl with the free BlackBerry.

    #2 ‘Likes’ does not mean engagement: One reason brand managers love the online space is because a user can “engage” or “interact” directly with the brand. Sadly, that’s not always the case. A large number of fans does not always lead to a highly engaged audience. So if you’ve got 1 lakh fans but only 15 comments and 50 likes in response to your updates, it’s time to wonder whether the remaining 95,935 people really bother reading your updates at all.

    #3 They like your brand or product, but not your page: Some of the most loved international and Indian brands have just as good pages with updated content, a distinct voice, and a vibrant community. But then there are those with thousands of ‘Likes’ that have run-of-the-mill content, generic updates and somewhat relevant information from time-to-time. The question is– are those people still on the page because they like your brand or because they like your page? There is a small but significant difference here– a consumer may joined your community based on a wonderful experience he had with your product, but is not enjoying the brand story on Facebook.

    #4 A fan has forgotten about your page: Very often, a user ‘Likes’ a page because he likes what he sees, but he joins other pages and gets busy with things such as his real life, friends’ kids’ photos and viral videos. As a result, his engagement with the page drops, the page’s Edgerank falls, and the page updates tend to disappear unless the user scrolls all the way down his news feed. If he doesn’t see you updates, do he still like your page?

    #5: ‘Likes’ could be lurkers, haters or wannabes: A number of fans on brand pages just want to know what people are saying about the brand, product or service, especially before buying high value products like cars. They want to know product features, new collections, prices, and how the brand responds to complaints about poor service. Similarly, a number of fans are there just to complain. And then there are the wannabes that you are almost everywhere– you see them ‘liking’ every post, competing with others to be the first to comment or advising others. They aren’t really there because they love your page, they are there for timepass on Facebook.

    #6: They ‘liked’ your ad, your welcome/ landing tab or the Mallika Sherawat picture you posted: As a reflex action, users have begun seeking the ‘like’ button (or a thumbs up, star etc) online when they see something that amuses, enthralls or captivates them. Pressing the ‘Like’ button on your page could be due to a variety of reasons– the very cool ad they saw on Facebook, the Facebook widget on your website, an attractive landing tab or a hot picture of their favourite actress.

    Rohini Kapur works in social media and web strategy and runs a fashion blog.

  • In no particular order – from the dancing girl on the cricket field to Sehwag’s Ma – there’s something about Indian ads and sports that hits the spot.

    The Anchor: 7 ads that star sports and sportsmen

    By Hemant Kenkre

     

    In no particular order – from the dancing girl on the cricket field to Sehwag’s Ma – there’s something about Indian ads and sports that hits the spot

     

    #1 Palmolive Da Jawaab Nahi:The Haryana Hurricane, as Kapil Dev was known, endeared himself to millions of Indians (not just cricket fans) with the line from the Palmolive Ad – ‘Palmolive Da Jawaab Nahi. ’ Kapil’s earthy personality and toothy smile in the ad will always be remembered as much as the “Kitne Aadmi The” dialogue from Sholay.
    #2 Cadbury – Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka:Can anyone forget the Cadbury TVC where the lady friend of the batsman prances out on the field and dances her way into the arms of her hero, who has just hit a six? Kucch Khaas Hai Is Ad Main!
    #3 Josh Ka Rang – Coca-Cola 1996 World Cup:In 1996 when Coca-Cola won the pouring rights for the ICC World Cup (India. Pakistan & Sri Lanka), they announced their return into India with a super TVC – Josh Ka Rang –that ‘played’ around the colour red, showed youngsters from the Indian sub-continent playing on the streets, on the banks of the Jamuna, with the Taj as the backdrop, running among red-chillies laid out to dry. All peppered with the awesome ‘Dum Mast Kalandar’ track by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
    #4 Nothing Official About It – Pepsi 1996:While Coca-Cola’s TVC and strong PR campaign for the 1996 ICC World Cup was going great guns, rivals Pepsi  pulled the rug from under their feet by launching their campaign ‘Nothing Official About It,’ which featured most Indian and international cricketers who were playing the World Cup and cocked a cheeky snook at Coca-Cola’s ‘Official beverage of the Cup’ status
    #5 Aila Plane – Pepsi  2003 ICC World Cup:This Pepsi campaign, where Shane Warne and Carl Hooper kidnap Sachin Tendulkar – ostensibly to put him out of action from the tournament – is hilarious. Especially Warne and Hooper mouthing Hindi words like ‘Iski Toh Gayee’ and when Sachin sees an aircraft and says ‘Alia Plane’
    #6 Nike 2007 Cricket:The 2007 edition of the ICC World Cup saw Nike, the official apparel sponsor of the Indian team produce a superb TVC where young cricketers atop a bus stuck in a traffic jam, playing the game with passion, smashing tea cups from the hands of innocent bystanders all spiced with the Goan folk song ‘Yo Baile Yo’ playing in the background.
    #7 Karlo Duniyaa Mutthi Main, Sehwag Ki Maa – Reliance Mobile:This TVC was probably inspired by a Bollywood blockbuster where the Najafgarh’s hero (Virendra Sehwag) cannot connect bat to ball and gets a call from his Mother who tells him ‘Karlo Duniyaa Mutthi Main.’ Our hero tosses off his helmet and the ‘villainous’ bowler is promptly whacked out of the park by Viru!


    A communications professional, Hemant Kenkre played cricket for Bombay University and has captained the Cricket Club of India.