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  • The panel discussed how the technological innovations and its resultant empowerment of individuals have significantly changed the way people consume news today

    INMA 2012: ‘News is not static but dynamic’

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Sanjay Gupta
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alB7H-4TpGU[/youtube]

    The International Newsmedia Marketing Association (INMA) hosted its 6th annual South Asia conference in New Delhi on August 7. With its theme of ‘Complexity Advantage’, Day 1 of the INMA conference witnessed some power packed sessions.

     

    One such session, ‘The Future of News’, was moderated by Jacob Mathew, Executive Editor, Malayala Manorama and President, WAN-Ifra. The session saw a lively discussion by the two eminent panelists, Mr MJ Akbar, Editorial Director, India Today & Headlines Today and Mr Sanjay Gupta, CEO, Jagran Prakashan Ltd.

     

    The technological innovations and its resultant empowerment of individuals have significantly changed the way people consume news today. Introducing the topic,’The Future of News’, Mr Mathew raised a few key questions: “Would the existing formats be relevant to the future? How will we ensure that news is available anywhere anytime in any format to be consumed by our readers?”

     

    He added that the growth of print has still not been affected as much in South Asia and that the countries in the region should learn from the mistakes made by colleagues in the rest of the world.

     

    MJ Akbar
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5gZXE8988w[/youtube]

    Addressing the basic worry around the future of news, Mr Akbar said: “The reason why news will always be in demand is because man is not a hermit. Man lives in a community and in any community, ignorance is the basis of all conflict. Curiosity is elemental to human experience and as long as curiosity remains a vital part, news will thrive.”  He added that news needs a vehicle and that will be provided by news organizations in the future as well.

     

    Mr Akbar alleged that the real problem facing the society today is not the future of news but the future of a ‘journalist’. He pointed out two traps that journalists today increasingly fall into: “One trap is a fish trap where a journalist looks at the bait and swallows it. This trap is a dangerous challenge to credibility of news as this form of journalism is based essentially on what the journalist has ‘heard’. The other trap is delusion trap where the journalist thinks he/she is more important than news.”

     

    Mr Akbar also compared the newspaper to a ‘thali’ which has a variety of food ranging from healthy ‘dal and rice’ to not-so-healthy ‘achaar'(pickle). He said: “No thali is complete without achaar, but on the other hand, achaar cannot replace dal and rice.”

     

    Coming back to the basic point in question of how big a threat does technology pose for the print industry, Mr Akbar said: “No technology completely destroys another. They all continue to exist together. The only thing that will be destroyed in the future will be your business plans which will have to be reoriented.” He added that there is no essential competition between products (radio, TV, newspaper), every product has its own rationale and news organizations have to be ‘format-driven’.

     

    He concluded: “As long as the newsmaker and the news owner understand that news is not static but dynamic, there’s no reason to worry.”

     

    Mr Gupta echoed Mr Akbar’s views and maintained that there will be news as long as there’s society and as long as there are incidents taking place. He said that the new technology does help in uncovering the truth faster and in an easier way sometimes, but the basics of news is to uncover the truth. It is important, he said, that news media engages audience in a public debate over issues that matter.

     

    Mr Gupta added that good journalism is good business and he concluded by quoting Google’s head of news products, Richard Gingras: “The pace of technological change will not abate, and to think of our current time as a transition between two eras, rather than a continuum of change, is a mistake.”

     

  • The moderator for the session Mr Ashish Pherwani opened the discussion on the ad growth challenge

    INMA 2012: ‘Print must engage audiences effectively’

    By Shruti Pushkarna

     

    Day 1 of the sixth annual South Asia INMA conference opened with a host of promising sessions which addressed key issues facing the industry.

     

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

    The session ‘Winning the Ad Growth Challenge: Is it a Plausible Model’ was moderated by Ashish Pherwani, Partner- Advisory Services, Ernst & Young India and the other panelists included Bharat Bambawale, Director, Global Brand Bharti Airtel Ltd; Mayank Pareek, COO (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Ltd; and Shashi Sinha, CEO, LodestarMedia.

     

    The moderator, Mr Pherwani opened the discussion on the ad growth challenge by listing out four factors that he felt were impacting ad growth: inherent competition, technology change, slow economic growth and growth of television. Citing a recent research, Mr Pherwani said that there were clear indications that consumers are spending more time on digital media at the expense of traditional media.

     

    He also listed out some questions for the print industry to address, the broad one being, how to stay relevant and grow revenues. Among the other questions he raised were: New ways advertisers can use print, how to enhance effectiveness of print for advertisers, what makes advertisers continue on print when times are tough and finally how can print companies explore new media.

     

    Mayank Pareek
    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYJJnTGb12U[/youtube]

    Mr Pareek said that the demography is changing because the way people seek news is changing. He said that Maruti had redefined their strategy to invest in print, looking at the changing trends in consumption: “We’ve gone from 67 per cent to 23 per cent in our spends on advertising in print in the last five years.” He said that it is important that companies continuously adopt to the changing demographic needs. He added that even though digital spends are low today, digital is growing and changing rapidly. So for print to remain relevant, there is need to develop engaging content as the other media are offering. However, Mr Pareek agreed that print will continue to play a role in the future as well.

     

    While the other panelists agreed with Mr Pareek that print will continue to be the part of a media plan for an agency or an advertiser, they also shared his concern on the need for print to adapt to changing consumption patterns.

     

    Mr Bambawale of Airtel said: “We are using much less print. There is one strong global trend which holds true forIndiaas well, young eyeballs are moving away from the printed word to the video. So for print medium to engage this audience is a great challenge. The conversation should change from ‘how can we put an ad out there’ to ‘how can we engage’. In a newspaper, content is all about facts and events but in engagement, content is about making things interesting. The answer lies in creating content that has high degree of engagement even around topics of news or current issues.”

     

    Mr Sinha said that the strength of print lies in the fact that it brings a lot of credibility: “Print still stands for credibility, I am not so sure if digital has that. We’ve embraced digital because of the youth. For certain brands which go through an erosion of trust, print is the best place to be in.”

     

    He added that not growing fast enough is the problem of measurement: “The current measurement metrics are limited to cost and reach. There is no way to measure engagement or performance. Unless we start showing these to the advertiser, things won’t change. There is a need to introduce new metrics of measurement.”

     

    Mr Bambawale echoed Mr Sinha’s view on measurement being limited to cost and reach as far as newspapers are concerned: “If you change the matrices by which you present the title to an advertiser, it’d be a more fruitful conversation perhaps.”

     

    The discussion concluded with two key takeaways, Print needs to find new ways of engaging its audience to stay relevant in a changing era. And second, there is a need perhaps to look at other matrices of measurement for print, a way of measuring effectiveness of an innovation.

     

  • The awards are a pioneering effort to recognize Indian music, transcending genres in the country giving the music industry a unified platform to celebrate its talent

    Red FM partners with Chevrolet GiMA Awards 2012

    By A Correspondent

     

    93.5 Red FM has partnered with the Chevrolet Global Indian Music Academy (GiMA) Awards, the biggest annual celebration of Indian Music, for the third consecutive year. The awards are a pioneering effort to recognize Indian music, transcending genres in the country giving the music industry a unified platform to celebrate its talent.

     

    An initiative by Wizcraft International Entertainment, GiMA recognizes talent across various genres of Indian Music such as Bollywood, Classical, Ghazal, Devotional, Folk, Fusion, Carnatic and Contemporary.

     

    Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP – Projects & Programming, Red FM said: “GiMA stands for excellence and honours the best talent in the music industry and Red FM is all about playing the most contemporary super hit music. There is an unparalleled synergy between the two and we are delighted to be partnering each other for three years in a row.”

     

    “This time RED has decided to present issues to listeners musically with the on-going ‘Gaa ke Bajaa’. GiMA-nominated stars sang for Mumbaikars a unique song every day for their daily woes on ‘Mumbai Local’ hosted by RJ Rishi Kapoor and will be aired from Monday to Saturday between 5-9pm,” she added.

     

    “Today, GiMA has evolved into a major platform for the Indian Music Industry and brings together the entire fraternity, to honour and celebrate musical talent across various genres. This year, there is an interesting mix of nominees and I congratulate GiMA as they embark upon yet another musical journey,” said Javed Akhtar, noted poet-lyricist and Advisory Board Member of GiMA.

     

    Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment said: “We are glad to have Red FM as our radio partner once again, for the third edition of the GiMA. It has been a great association and we look forward to yet another spectacular celebration with them this year.”

     

    GiMA is the only Music Awards platform with a voting process based on peer-to-peer recognition. Nominees are selected by a jury panel of over 30 eminent members from the music & film industry and later presented to the GiMAAcademy for the final voting.

     

    The Academy’s votes are tabulated by KPMG, the process auditors for GiMA who determine the winners. To ensure a fair and unbiased evaluation, the Academy follows a thorough and meticulous voting process.

     

    While the country’s best talent comprises of the jury, as per a mandate by KPMG, all jurors do not adjudicate on categories/genres in which they are in contention. The illustrious Advisory Board members include Dr L Subramaniam, Hariharan, Javed Akhtar, Mukesh Bhatt, Prasoon Joshi, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Resul Pookutty, Shankar Mahadevan, Shubha Mudgal, Vishal Bhardwaj among others.

     

    The Academy comprises over 300 members from the music & film industry encompassing industry stalwarts, music directors, producers, lyricists, singers, technicians, composers and leaders in the music business.

     

     

  • This will be for the e-auction of spectrum in 1800 MHz and 800 MHz bands

    Times Internet to conduct e-auction for spectrum

    By A Correspondent

     

    The digital technology company Times Internet Limited (TIL) has been selected as the auctioneer to operate spectrum auction process by Department of Telecommunications (DoT). This will be for the e-auction of spectrum in 1800 MHz and 800 MHz bands.

     

    NCDEX Spot Exchange and Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation were the two other firms in the race. These two firms could not qualify the technical bids.

     

    The e-auction will entail inviting applications, resolving queries of potential bidders, finalising eligible bidders, public information sessions and mock auction.

     

    Satyan Gajwani, CEO – TIL said: “Online auction is the most transparent method of holding large auctions. As a technology leader, we are excited to facilitate this process.”

     

  • Direct-selling companies seem to have bucked the trend riding on stable demand, direct engagement with consumers, flexibility in market penetration and lower costs

    Direct selling companies like Oriflame, Amway beat economic slowdown, grow 23% in FY12

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Sanjana Jalan, an executive with a multinational and mother of two living in upscale Gurgaon, has not shopped for cosmetics at malls for a year or so. “I just call up my Oriflame distributor who delivers the cream and lipsticks I want at my home at the same prices I would pay for a brand in a retail store,” she said.

     

    If it’s convenience that makes Ms Jalan opt for a direct-selling brand, Lata Gupta, a receptionist at an export house in Mumbai, uses only Tupperware containers in her kitchen because of their durability. “These last really long, make my kitchen look smart…and products come with a life-long guarantee that’s something others don’t offer,” said Ms Gupta.

     

    Reasons may be different, but Indian consumers are increasingly buying Amway shampoos, Tupperware containers, Oriflame creams and Herbalife wellness drinks. While traditional FMCG companies are facing slower growth due to economic slowdown and weak monsoon, direct-selling companies seem to have bucked the trend riding on stable demand, direct engagement with consumers, flexibility in market penetration and lower costs.

     

    “The direct selling industry is showing diversified consumption patterns across the country, increasing demand from tier-2 and tier-3 cities and higher acceptability by consumers, distributors and entrepreneurs,” said Chavi Hemanth, secretary general at the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA).

     

    Direct selling firms-which sell their products to consumers without routing them through retail stores-are estimated to have posted 21 per cent-23 per cent growth in India in 2011-12, according to IDSA and industry body PHD Chamber.

     

    In contrast, traditional FMCG companies, which sell through retail channels, grew 15 per cent in 2011, and 17 per cent so far this year. Of course, the direct-selling industry with estimated revenues of over Rs6,000 crore in 2011-12, is minuscule compared to the country’s FMCG industry estimated at about Rs150,000 crore.

     

    But direct sellers such as Amway, Tupperware, Oriflame, Herbalife and Modicare are growing faster-the industry is expected to touch Rs10,800 crore by 2014-2015.

     

    “Since we engage directly with end consumers, we haven’t seen a significant slowdown. Traditional FMCG companies are unable to offer a personal connect with their consumers,” said Bill Pinckney, MD of Amway India, the country’s biggest direct selling firm with sales of Rs2,130 crore.

     

    Amway, which sells shampoo, toothpaste, home care products and health supplements in India, overtook traditional firms like L’Oreal, Nivea and Kellogg by revenues last year.

     

    So what helps direct sellers largely avoid the slowdown? For one, say industry experts, the direct selling industry is by and large not impacted by fluctuations in rural demand because most products target urban consumers. Also, these firms have direct engagement with consumers, most companies have brought down prices at par with traditional products, and almost all products offer buy-back guarantees.

     

    Direct selling firms have lower costs of doing business because they don’t invest heavily in mass media and save on expenses involved with distributor and retail channels.
    “Also, their consumer outreach is much higher,” said SP Sharma, chief economist and head of research at PHD Chambers, which brought out the report: ‘Expanding horizons – Indian direct selling industry’.

     

  • Prasar Bharati, which believes that the TAM data under-represents terrestrial and rural reach of Doordarshan, is holding consultation with the ministry and contemplating appropriate action against TAM

    AAAI, ISA to meet TAM on Aug 16 as MIB, Prasar Bharti mull probe

    By A Correspondent

     

    The ministry of information & broadcasting and Prasar Bharati will jointly investigate allegations of fudging of television viewership by TAM Media Research. The two have also sought an explanation from TAM on this issue.

     

    Prasar Bharati, which believes that the TAM data completely under-represents terrestrial and rural reach of Doordarshan – the state broadcaster, is holding consultation with the ministry and contemplating appropriate action against TAM, a senior government official, who asked not to be named, said.

     

    “It is high time transparency and fairness came into the system,” the Information & Broadcasting ministry official said. The ministry has written to TAM asking for an explanation. “Within this week, we are also sending out reference letters to TRAI, the telecom regulator, and Competition Commission of India,” the official added.

     

    The Prasar Bharati board has already given in-principle approval to collate facts, seek legal opinion and hold consultations with the ministry on the issue of misrepresentation and under-reporting of data for Doordarshan by TAM.

     

    “Prasar Bharati also feels that TAM data completely under-represents terrestrial and rural reach of Doordarshan. We always felt that this has caused immense losses to the state broadcaster,” said the person.

     

    TAM Media Research India’s chief executive officer, LV Krishnan, said he has no comments to offer on the issue.

     

    New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has sued The Nielsen Company, a global research and information firm, and its partner Kantar Media Research in a New York court for tampering with TV viewership data to favour broadcasters who allegedly bribed executives in its Indian JV, TAM.

     

    NDTV has filed a suit in the New York State Supreme Court seeking damages of around $1.4 billion for negligence and fraud and hundreds of millions more for interference and breach of fiduciary duty. Advertisers and media agencies depend on TAM data-the only available measurement for TV viewership – to negotiate ad rates.

     

    Meanwhile, concerned by NDTV’s allegations on TAM, the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) has called for a meeting with TAM officials later this week. “We are meeting the TAM officials to get the facts rights and understand the issue in the right perspective,” said Arvind Sharma, president, AAAI. The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) would be attending the meeting, which has been scheduled for August 16, 2012.

     

    “Since advertising agencies are involved in media planning and buying, which is dependent on TAM ratings, we need to know if there is anything to be concerned about,” said Mr Sharma.

     

    Advertisers also say that it was time for media buying agencies to stop relying only on TAM. “Our media buying agencies depend on the ratings provided by TAM. The onus is on marketers to demand from the agencies basis at which they have been spending the advertisers’ money. There have been issues like TAM’s sample size, but over a period of time lethargy had set in,” said Salil Kapoor, chief operating officer, Dish TV.

     

    Source: The Economic Times

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

     

  • The deal provides Ethnic Channels Group the rights to distribute the service on Cable and Satellite platforms

    Zee Cinema partners with Ethnic Channels Group in Canada

    By A Correspondent

     

    Zee America shas entered into a long-term distribution agreement with Ethnic Channels Group for Zee Cinema in Canada. The deal provides Ethnic Channels Group the rights to distribute the service on Cable and Satellite platforms.

     

    Suresh Bala, CEO, Zee Americas said: “This is exciting for us, in that for the first time we are able to focus our marketing and unlock the strength of the Zee Cinema brand in Canada. Ethnic Channels Group is an expert at marketing to ethnic audiences and we expect to grow our distribution and our subscription base significantly. Currently Zee Cinema is only available as a linear service, but we expect to work out the details of mobile distribution in the not so distant future.”

     

    Zee Cinema is Zee’s Bollywood entertainment channel. Its library features over 5,000 hours of movies.

     

    “We are delighted to partner with the Zee TV Group for the launch of Zee Cinema in Canada. Bollywood is a global, phenomenon and Zee Cinema is its biggest custodian,” said Slava Levin, Co-Founder and CEO of Ethnic Channels Group.

     

    Hari Srinivas, President Ethnic Channels Group added: “Ethnic Channels Group believes in the brand equity of its content partners, and it will be our primary objective to increase this for ZEE Cinema in Canada.”

     

  • This acquisition strengthens Publicis Groupe's presence inIndiaas well as its digital dominance

    Resultrix is now a Publicis Groupe company

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Groupe has announced the acquisition of Resultrix, an award winning digital marketing agency with an international footprint in India, Singapore, the UAE and the US. This acquisition strengthens Publicis Groupe’s presence in India as well as its digital dominance.

     

    Resultrix was founded in 2008 and has grown to be the leading performance marketing agency in several strategic markets. Resultrix employs over 100 specialists across its global offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Singapore, Seattle and Dubai. The award-winning agency provides a full suite of services including search engine optimization, search engine marketing, online media, web-design, analytics, media buying, social media strategy, and mobile marketing with a differentiated set of performance-based business models. Resultrix’s extensive clientele comprises both international and local brands including Corbis Corporation, Bupa, Standard Chartered Bank, Airtel, Cleartrip, DBS Bank and Emirates National Bank among others.

     

    Talking about the acquisition, Daina Middleton said: “Clients are demanding best-in-class specialized skills and seamless digital integration at scale. Resultrix has an impressive track record as a leading search and interactive services agency. Their highly sophisticated suite of digital solutions perfectly complements our offering and will solidify our leadership position around the world.”

     

    Resultrix will operate as a unit within Performics, under the name ‘Resultrix, a Performics Company’. Its founders, Vidur Luthra, CEO, and Gulrez Alam, COO, will continue to lead the agency and will report into Daina Middleton, Global CEO for Performics and Gareth Mulryan, Managing Director of Performics, Asia Pacific.

     

    Vidur Luthra, CEO for Resultrix said: “We were founded on the belief that digital advertising provides the opportunity to disrupt the traditional media business models and this is a great opportunity to join a network that is renowned for being at the forefront of the industry. It allows us to realise our ambitions and leverage our skills, strengths and experience across a larger group footprint which is of huge benefit to our clients and teams.”

     

    This acquisition confirms Publicis Groupe’s ambition to accelerate its presence in fast-growing markets and develop its capabilities in digital in order to better serve its clients.

     

    Srikant Sastri, VivaKi Country Chair for India added: “India promises huge growth potential and opportunities, especially in the area of digital. This investment demonstrates our commitment to developing our networks in fast-growing and important markets and sectors.”

     

    According to the current ZenithOptimedia Advertising Expenditure Forecast (June 2012),India, the world’s 16th largest advertising market, will see an increase in advertising expenditure of 6.8 per cent over the course of 2012. Along with Brazil, Russia and China, India is forecast to account for 35 per cent of total global growth.

     

    The acquisition of Resultrix, which is subject to regulatory approval, is a testament to Publicis Groupe’s strategic commitment to expanding its operations across India, where the Groupe aims to double its size by 2015.

     

     

  • Mr Karumbaiah will partner Sagar Prajapati in steering the creative ship for the agency inBangalore

    Orchard Advertising gets Kishore Karumbaiah as Creative Director

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kishore Karumbaiah
    Sagar Prajapati

    Kishore Karumbaiah, who was Creative Director at JWT Bangalore, has joined Orchard Advertising as Creative Director at the agency’s headquarters in Bangalore. He will partner Sagar Prajapati, Creative Director, in leading the creative function in Bangalore.

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Karumbaiah said: “I was looking for a hungry agency, and in Orchard, I found my match. Orchard and The Leo Group are known for their creative prowess, and have produced some of the best work the country has seen. This gives me an opportunity to fuel this trend and further the creative standards of this agency. I’m also excited about gaining from the collective experiences of the team here and thrilled about getting an opportunity to groom and nurture some really good young talent we have here.”

     

    Mr Karumbaiah comes with 12 years in the business, and has worked on brands such as Airtel, ITC stationery, Nike, Infosys, Microsoft, Quest, Lenovo, Lotte, Tanishq, Fastrack, TajMahal tea, Van Heusen, Signature, Kingfisher, Spice Telecom, Citizen Watches,Levis, Nissin, Epson, TVS, Chola Insurance and Arihant builders among many others.

     

    Prior to JWT, he worked at Rediffusion-Y&R, Ogilvy & Mather, Hakuhodo Percept, MAA Bozell and Lowe Lintas. He has consistently picked up national and international awards over the years (NY fest, Abbys, Regional Awards) and has a few features in the International Archive.

     

    Sagar Prajapati is excited about having found his new partner in Kishore: “It’s been 12 long years for me at Orchard, and I’ve been with the agency through its highs and lows. With us being on the uptrend, and great talent like Kishore coming onboard to partner us, is indeed a sign of good things to come. I’m hopeful of our collective creative leadership bearing fruit for the agency and our brands.”

     

    Thomas Xavier, Chairman and National Creative Director added: “Kishore brings with him the perfect mix of youthful exuberance and skill to lead a young team of creative enthusiasts. We expect his contribution in upping the creative standards of the agency further, making our brands and clients benefactors of this progression.”

     

    Anish Daryani, Vice President and Branch Head, said: “I worked closely with Kishore during my stint at Rediffusion-Y&R, and have tremendous regard for the creative brilliance he brings to the table. I saw him as the perfect match for Sagar, and am sure their creative chemistry will benefit our clients and our brands. The fact that we’re hiring at senior levels is of course testimony to the fact that we’re doing well, especially following the slew of new business wins we’ve seen in the recent past.”

     

    Orchard Advertising, only in its 12th year, is part of The Leo Group, which also includes Leo Burnett and Black Pencil. Orchard has already been credited for creating some iconic advertising. Some of the agency’s clients include Wipro, SAB Miller, Essilor, Godrej, BlackBerry, Water Health India and Piramal Healthcare, among others.

     

  • The students representing over 100 B-Schools beyond the Top25, were tested by MeritTrac on standardised tests in verbal ability, quantitative ability and reasoning on behalf of recruiting companies

    Study reveals only 21% MBAs employable!

    By A Correspondent

     

    A nationwide study of marks secured by 2,264 MBAs who sat for tests by recruiting companies found only that only 21 per cent could make the grade. The previous study of 2007 by MeritTrac placed employability index at 25 per cent.

     

    The students representing over 100 B-Schools beyond the Top25, were tested by MeritTrac on standardised tests in verbal ability, quantitative ability and reasoning on behalf of recruiting companies.

     

    Examination of ‘AICTE Approval Process Hand Book: 2012-13’ reveals that the number of MBA seats in India has grown almost four fold – from 94,704 in 2006-07 to 3,52,571 in 2011-12.

     

    To benchmark the current state of employability of management graduates, MBA Universe.com and MeritTrac teamed up to conduct the research and release top line findings ahead of the MBA Universe.com organized Indian Management Conclave 2012, on August 9-10 in New Delhi.

     

    For purposes of this study, pre-recruitment test scores of 2,264 candidates were analysed by MeritTrac to assess how they fared on the three tests in terms of the average percentage scores and pass-through rates.

     

    The pass-through rates were calculated based on the pre-decided cut-off for each test. These cut-offs are at par with the average cut-off scores decided by companies in their recruitment exercises.

     

    The threshold cut-off scores used in Verbal ability, Quantitative ability and Reasoning were 45 per cent, 35 per cent and 40 per cent respectively. Overall average percentage score obtained by MBAs in Verbal ability, Quantitative ability and Reasoning was 52.58 per cent, 41.17 per cent and 37.51 per cent respectively.

     

    While performance on verbal ability seems to be satisfactory, reasoning is an area where there is scope for improvement. Considering that the elements of the reasoning test (deductive logic, data sufficiency, spatial reasoning, and analytical reasoning) are crucial to making sound management decisions, this is a result which warrants closer attention.

     

    The total pass-through rate, which is an index of employability, at 21 per cent leaves scope for improvement considering that organisations hire from this talent pool for strategic roles and this is the managerial pool that companies bank on.

     

    “The results of 2012 employability report covering 2,264 B-schools students from 29 cities are quite startling. This report clearly brings out the employability gaps across various competencies and highlights the need for scientific examinations and tests to align the candidate skills to employability metrics,” saidS Murlidhar, CEO and Director, MeritTrac Services.

     

    The MeritTrac- MBA Universe Employability Index study of MBAs will now be conducted once every two years.

     

    “Questions are asked about the talent coming out of MBA colleges, and whether they create a workforce responsive to the needs of the economy like understanding of business and on-the-feet thinking. So, decision-making skills are being valued more than ever,” said Amit Agnihotri, chairman of MBAUniverse.com.

     

     

  • Moe's Art has bagged Reliance Entertainment Digital, Infiniti Mall and upcoming Hollywood flick Expendables 2 in Q1 2012-13

    Moe’s Art adds 3 more clients to its roster

    By A Correspondent

     

    Moe’s Art Pvt Ltd has bagged three new accounts in the first quarter of 2012-13. The agency has signed on Reliance Entertainment Digital, Infiniti Mall and the upcoming Hollywood film Expendables 2  and will manage their communication and PR across India. All three accounts belong to industries that are fairly diverse. The accounts will be handled by the Mumbai branch of the agency.

     

    Reliance Entertainment Digital is the digital arm of Reliance Entertainment, a part of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG). It reaches out to consumers through its different entities like Zapak Digital Entertainment Ltd; Jump Games Pvt. Ltd and BIGFlix. Moe’s Art will be managing the communication of all three companies across digital, print and electronic platforms across key markets.

     

    Moe’s Art will be managing Infiniti Mall’s shopping malls located in Andheri and Malad in Mumbai. Moe’s Art will be concentrating on the events and activations that are organized in the mall along with specific brand connect.

     

    As for The Expendables 2, Moe’s Art will execute a pan India communication strategy with an aim to target industry as well as consumer stories. The agency will handle the communication for the movie across platforms and also with reviewers. Moe’s Art will also be focussing on promotional activities and events to set the scene for the action packed movie.

     

    Commenting on the same, Mr. Vishaal Shah, Managing Partner and Executive Editor, Moe’s Art said: “The last quarter ended on a positive note for us. At Moe’s Art, we have always strived to provide our clients with an innovative and unique approach towards media communication. By offering integrated communication strategies, we seek to offer value to our clients and look forward to continuing to build on this in future too.”

     

    Currently the agency has offices in Mumbai and Delhi. Moe’s Art has a diversified client portfolio from FMCG to financial space.

     

  • Hot on the heels of bagging the Aditya Birla Retail "More." business, Everest has won the strategic and creative duties for Borosil in a multi-agency pitch

    Everest wins Borosil’s creative mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Hot on the heels of bagging the Aditya Birla Retail “More” business, Everest has won the strategic and creative duties for Borosil in a multi-agency pitch. The agency’s Mumbai office will handle the business, initially working on the microwavables range.

     

    Commenting on the reasons for choosing Everest, Priyanka Kheruka, Director, Borosil Glass Works commented: “We, at Borosil, are very passionate about our brand and wanted a partner who shares our passion and vision for Borosil. Everest has demonstrated this passion and have created a strategy aligned with our vision.”

     

    Commenting on the win, Dhunji S. Wadia, President, Everest said: “We were given a very detailed and specific brief. This helped the team in working on interesting creative solutions. We are delighted to be their agency of choice. We look forward to take the brand to greater heights.”

     

    Rahul Jauhari, NCD, Everest said: “It’s great to welcome clients who appreciate totally unconventional thinking and work. We look forward to a wonderful relationship.”

     

    Borosil Glass Works is a producer of laboratory glassware and microwavable kitchenware in India. It was established in 1962 in collaboration with Corning Glass Works, USA. In 1988, Corningdivested its share holding to the current Indian promoters.

     

    Everest is a creatively led, full-service agency with a reputation for delivering fresh, original thing that helps clients succeed. The agency has offices in Mumbai and Delhi and representations in Chennai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.