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  • He discussed various aspects of news and gave his valuable guidance to the resident editors across the editions. He showed keen interest in the various aspects of the news papers and gave his suggestions

    Dr Kalam is the guest ed @ Prabhat Khabar

    By A Correspondent

     

    “If you only do what you know you can do – you never do very much.” That’s why Prabhat Khabar, the leading Hindi daily of eastern India, always seeks inspiration from personalities of eminence.

     

    On June 15, Prabhat Khabar was honoured to have Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India as the guest editor.

     

    When invited Dr. Kalam wanted to know, if Prabhat Khabar was owned by any political party or owed allegiance to any political group. After going through some of our issues he was convinced that Prabhat Khabar is an independent publication and attempts to raise issues of the ‘common man’ and be their voice to the government.

     

    After this assurance, Dr. Kalam agreed to be the guest editor for the day. Articles like children bypassing a vital educative link of their childhood and being burdened with the worries of the adulthood and the loneliness of senior citizen were appreciated by Dr. Kalam.

     

    He discussed various aspects of news and gave his valuable guidance to the resident editors across the editions. He showed keen interest in the various aspects of the news papers and gave his suggestions.

     

    Dr. Kalam is the founder of PURA (Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) and he was glad to know about Prabhat Khabar’s rural newspaper – Panchayinama. He called it a big step towards rural development.

     

    While leaving he gave his blessings to the Prabhat Khabar family for a bright future ahead. This is the first time Dr. Kalam had agreed to be a guest editor of any newspaper in Bihar, Jharkhand or West Bengal.

     

  • Every week, Deepa Gahlot casts a critical eye over media reviews of Bollywood releases… in Reviewing the Reviews.

    Reviewing the Reviews: Ferrari Ki Sawaari

    Ferrari Ki Sawaari

     

    Directed by-Rajesh Mapuskar

     

    Produced by-Vidhu Vinod Chopra

     

    Written by-Rajesh Mapuskar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Neeraj Vora

     

    Starring-Sharman Joshi, Boman Irani, Ritvik Sahore

     

    Sometimes ‘well-meaning’ is not a compliment. When applied to a film that has a lot of good elements, but doesn’t quite make the grade, it sounds like a lot of critics struggling for compliments.

     

    Newbie Rajesh Mapuskar’s Ferrari Ki Sawaari, settled into the 2.5 to 3 groove, with only the usual suspects, Times of India and bollywoodhungama.com, going higher.

     

    It’s the kind of film that might get awards for wholesomeness, but doesn’t come anywhere close to the Hrishikesh Mukherjee kind of cinema it aspires to. (And just by the way, how does a middle-class, scooter-riding Parsi and a tapori manage to drive a Ferrari?)

     

    Rajeev Masand of IBN gives it 2.5 and writes: “Starting off nicely as a portrait of a middle-class Parsi home, Ferrari Ki Sawaari coasts along comfortably, delivering clean laughs punctuated by occasional moist-eye moments. But from the moment Rusy makes off with the master blaster’s hot-wheels, the film seems to abandon all sense of logic, and subsequently sinks into a sludge of melodrama.”

     

    Shubhra Gupta if the Indian Express is usually fair and not swayed by Bollywood hype. She gives it 2.5 too. “The title says it all. This is a film about a Ferrari and a boy who takes a very special ‘sawaari’ in it. The boy is cricket-mad. The super-fast, super-luxe car belongs to the one and only Sachin. Can a film which has these ingredients – cricket, cars, and how-dreams-can-turn-into-reality – turn out less than a cracker? ‘Ferrari Ki Sawaari’ is well intentioned, well produced and well acted, but doesn’t really vroom off the screen.”

     

    Preeti Arora of rediff.com, 2.5 again: “So much love flows around but nothing is really happening on screen. Sit back and admire the father-son duo, the narrative will move ahead at its own pace. It’s the predictability which pulls the story down. Like one knows even as Kayo’s father searches desperately for a new bat, he will reach the cricket field in time to hand it over to his son. Or when we see him enviously eyeing a new pair of shoes, Kayo’s shoes will come undone on the field, causing him to stumble mid-run. Ho-hum.”

     

    Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV, 2.5 too: “This competently crafted and well-intentioned cricket-themed film steers clear of many of commercial Hindi cinema’s narrative conventions – it sure gets full marks on that count – but succumbs to some of its most retreaded clichés. You might root for the young underdog and his honest-to-a-fault family as they chase an impossible goal, but Ferrari Ki Sawaari isn’t another Iqbal. It won’t have you springing off your seat. The protagonist’s battle against the odds lacks the dramatic horse power that could have sent the film zipping down the fast lane. The characters are lovable enough, but their little joys and setbacks, and the emotional ebbs and tides, dangle somewhere between reality and make-believe. Ferrari Ki Sawaari is a bit like a warm bear hug that eventually leaves you cold.”

     

    Now come the 3s.  Vinayak Chakravorty of India Today comments: “We have here a Rajkumar Hirani film that the director didn’t make. Every twist about Ferrari Ki Sawaari bears the Hirani trademark and logically so. The filmmaker co-wrote this script and also penned its dialogues that bring back the good-natured humour of the two Munnabhai flicks and 3 Idiots. Ferrari Ki Sawaari takes us back to Planet Hirani, where even evil is basically nice. It’s a world where the hero doggedly defines innocence and does a wrong turn only by chance. The baddies can’t quite mess with goodness no matter what they do, and a tearduct-friendly finale will see a large group of people coming together to root for the hero (recall the college Q&A session in Munnabhai MBBS or the FM radio/shaadi climax of Lage Raho Munnabhai). Debutant director Rajesh Mapuskar doesn’t break the formula. Being Hirani’s associate director on 3 Idiots and Lage Raho… obviously rubbed off on his cinematic sense.”

     

    Karan Anshuman of Mumbai Mirror gives it a generous 3 stars and writes: “In the end, Ferrari ki Sawaari tries too hard. With its manipulative music, serendipity-dependent writing, over the top characters and its length, it does get a little tedious. I love cricket, the underdog story, and well, who can resist a head turn at a Ferrari? It still didn’t work for me. But that’s not to say it may not for you.”

     

    Aniruddha Guha of DNA, 3 stars, comments: “Where the film flounders is the hyperbole. Time and again, we’ve compared Hirani’s films to Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s, and while the legendary filmmaker’s characters were as good-natured and lovable as Hirani’s, they were also very real. Hirani, and now Mapuskar, tend to show their characters to be a lot more extreme – either too good, or too honest, or too naive – and the situations they are put under are sometimes so unreal, you start feeling disconnected.”

     

    The gush and 3.5 stars come from Taran Adarsh: “On the whole, Ferrari ki Sawaari is a noble film, a film that has its heart in the right place. It’s well-intended and sincere and it goes about its business with incredible earnestness. Of course, the film has its share of hiccups, but then all films do, right? But keeping the fault-finding apart, Ferrari ki Sawaari is an accomplished effort. It’s that exceptional film that communicates a point and tells a sensitive story in those 2.10 hours. This heartwarming, tender and sprightly film should not be missed!

     

    And the crowning 4 from TOI’s Madhureeta Mukherjee: “Sometimes, it doesn’t take 11 players to make a dream team. Debutant director, Rajesh Mapuskar has a winning team with just three, plus a red hottie (Ferrari of course, we’re not talking about boombaat Balan). And guess what…we don’t miss the presence of a pretty ‘maiden’ here too. The spirit of the film is in the effusive chemistry between Rusy and his son, which is entertaining and utterly moving. The writing (Mapuskar and Vidhu Vinod Chopra) is refreshing, Raju Hirani gives the dialogues his trademark spin, and the film unfolds with sheer subtlety and simplicity. Except that, the ride could’ve been shorter (jumping a few red signals would’ve helped), and a few speed bumps saved (a song with a flying red car). The climax goes on an emotional overdrive, and at times, with extra spoonfuls of sugar the film is too-good-to-be-true. But that’s feel good cinema for you!”

     

  • The new identity will be backed with programming that reflects and reinforces the brand philosophy to further deepen its bond with the viewers

    Star Jalsha unveils new identity

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nearly four years after launch, Star Jalsha unveiled a refreshed identity on Sunday. The channel featured a new logo - the ‘Diamond Star’, amidst a fictionalized event show titled “Chalo Paltai”. This new identity is to be backed with programming that reflects and reinforces the brand philosophy to further deepen its bond with viewers.

     

    Star Jalsha was launched as a Bengali GEC from Star Entertainment Media Pvt Ltd stable in September 2008. Iconic shows like Ekhane Aakash Neel, Durga and Bandhan, to name a few, created magic and presented viewers with a myriad range of emotions, living up to the brand philosophy – “Chalo Paltai” (Let’s bring a change).

     

    On this occasion, Kevin Vaz, President – Ad Sales, Star India Pvt Ltd and GM, Star Jalsha said: “It gives me great pleasure to announce the brand refresh for STAR Jalsha. This is the first time in the history of regional television brands in India that a refresh has happened in such depth of detail. STAR Jalsha has become synonymous to Bengal with every step taken since its inception. “Chalo Paltai” brings about another beginning, of reinventing concepts, stories treatment and packaging, to keep up with changing emotions, societal changes and a fresh take on life and relationships.”

     

    Keeping up to the Chalo Paltai tag line, significant turning points have been incorporated in the storylines of several of their most popular shows. In addition to this, two new shows are being launched- Aanchal and Care Kori Na.

     

    This brand refresh is being brought alive though a disruptive marketing strategy, both in terms of creativity and scale, covering a mix of electronic, OOH, Print, Activation and Digital.

     

  • Gautam Sinha Director- Technology & e-Commerce, Times Internet Ltd talks to MxMIndia about TIL's investment in a logistics company and more

    Times Internet acquires stake in logistics co

    In a move towards enriching customer experience and delivering quality service, Times Internet has invested in New Delhi-based logistics company, Delhivery to step up its last mile delivery for Indiatimes Shopping. Speaking to MxMIndia’s Shruti Pushkarna, Mr Gautam Sinha, Director- Technology & e-Commerce, Times Internet Ltd said that this acquisition is done to boost the delivery capabilities of the e-commerce vertical. He said: “After pivoting from a marketplace to a retailer model, we had to strengthen our warehouse network and last mile delivery. Some e-commerce companies in India are doing this by launching their own courier network, but that requires time to scale, hence we have decided to take the acquisition route.” Currently Indiatimes Shopping has Fedex, Bluedart, ASL and Aramex as its logistics partners.

     

    Gautam Sinha joined the Times Group in 2007 as CTO, and is heading e-Commerce as well. He leads and drives the technology strategy, vision and execution for all the internet, mobile and telecommunication properties of the group. He has over 24 years of rich experience in technology innovation and execution, which includes a wealth of startup and industry expertise. Most recently, Mr Sinha was the COO/CTO of CashEdge Inc, where he worked since 2001 building and leading the company from startup to profitability.

     

    Mr Gautam Sinha spoke about the recent investment in Delhivery given the importance of logistics and the focus area for TIL’s e-commerce business.

     

    Can you throw some light on the strategic investment you are making in a logistics company?

    Logistics is the key to any e-commerce player and there are multiple approaches a business can take. One is to build your own logistics company. Another approach is to work with third party partners, which we have been doing so far, and have strategic tie ups with one or more such partners. The third case is what we have done. Understanding the importance of logistics, we invested in a company which can have very tightly coupled systems and processes with us to make it work as if it’s your own company in-house logistics. That’s the reason why we invested in Delhivery. And this is just first of the series of investments and we are actually looking at multiple such investments.

     

    Why this investment in logistics? Wouldn’t it better to outsource it?

    We continue to outsource, so even with the investment, we are still outsourcing. They will execute the orders as an independent company.

     

    How is Times Internet’s e-commerce doing?

    We are doing very well. The growth has been on target and as per plan. We expect to grow another 100 per cent this year in terms of business. And we will be a credible player in this space. We used to be in the marketplace model, and we are pivoted to the e-commerce model, where we own the entire experience, right from warehousing to last mile delivery is owned by Indiatimes Shopping. Previously, this part of the experience was owned by the suppliers, which were on our platform; now we do end to end experience management for every business that we do.

     

    There have been several e-commerce players that have come up in the last few years… especially in the lifestyle segment?

    Indiatimes is a horizontal player. Our primary focus, as of today, is in the electronics, mobiles, computers, cameras, movies, music, books and games. The other category we are interested in is gifts. Although it’s true that a lot of players have come up in the fashion category recently, we don’t see a lot of impact on the business because of fashion as an industry.

     

    Deals sites have been doing very well, as also classified sites like Olx, Quickr and so on?

    They will continue to do well because there are a lot of people who are in the market for second hand products because of the price advantage. So Olx is a good place for buying used products. But if you talk of deal sites, they are typically in the services space, and only recently, a lot of them have started using products in terms of deals. For example, Snapdeal and Mydala are using more products in the deals space, but primarily they have been in the services space like spas, restaurants and so on.

     

    Given the current environment, what are the steps you are taking to shore up revenues?

    I think the market is growing at 60 per cent atleast and certain players are growing at 100 per cent or more. And the growth of the market is because of a lot of people converting from offline to online, the growing penetration of internet and the improved ability to brand yourself and deliver quality services. The first two are functions of the market, so our focus is on getting the repeat customers, so that the lifetime value of a customer is realized with the platform. So using that, we expect to grow at 100 per cent this year as well.

     

    If you look at the revenue pie of TIL, how much of it is brought in by e-commerce?

    See I can’t share this information, but I can tell you that e-commerce as a business is a focus area for TIL. We have put increased focus on it and that’s the reason you’ll see investments made by TIL in e-commerce in other players which are contributory to the ecosystem in the way we play in. So for example, Flipkart went ahead and built their own logistics network, we chose to invest, Snapdeal doesn’t want to do either, they want to outsource. For us, outsourcing but having a strategic relation was the right way to move forward. And we want to do it with more and more such companies so we can strengthen the ecosystem in which we play.

     

     

     

  • General entertainment channels needn't worry much about the big live sporting events

    Games on, but GECs not worried

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    The UEFA Euro Cup has made the Europeans forget all about the economic crisis; London, along with the whole world, is eagerly waiting for the world’s biggest sporting event – the Olympics – to begin. The world is buzzed about the various sporting events coming up in the next few months.

     

    Sports, around the globe, generate a major interest and channels – sports or otherwise – fight each other out for viewership and advertisements, and brands try to out-do each other through advertisements and activations to leave a mark on the public’s mind.

     

    The last event of such a stature in India was the recently concluded IPL which saw the entertainment channels fighting for eyeballs. With the next three-four months choc-o-bloc with sporting events, MxMIndia takes a look at how channels in the country are gearing up.

     

    Event Period Channel
    UEFA Euro Cup June 8- July 1 Neo Prime
    Wimbledon June 25-July 8 Star Sports
    India-SL series July 22- Aug 7 Ten Cricket
    Olympics July 27-Aug 12 DD/ESPN or Star Sports

    Time to worry?

    According to the media planners, for GECs and other channels, there is nothing to worry about. “Non-cricket fare is still appealing to a small niche segment and hence, its popularity is not reflected in ratings. India in the months of Jul-Aug has always been a moderate performer and not as high profile as some others and so this will also not have a major impact,” feels Shubha George, COO -South Asia, MEC.

     

    Suresh Balakrishnan

    And she is not alone. Suresh Balakrishnan, CEO, Brand Programming Network, agreed with her and added that though cricket is more than a sport in India, even IPL, which has both cricket as well as entertainment and was telecast at primetime, hasn’t been able to affect channels, especially the GECs in the recent past. “Lately, IPL has been able to get a rating of 2-3 which has hardly affected any GECs, so I’m sure other sports won’t matter to them at all. However, there is no denying the fact that viewership for other sports is increasing in the country. And major events might be able to at least reach the ratings which cricket gets, in the coming years.”

     

    Mr Balakrishnan, however, feels that sports channels don’t have much to worry about as there are many male-focussed brands which help them generate enough ad revenue. “Having said that, I also feel that channels showing sports other than cricket know that recovering money isn’t an easy task,” he added.

     

    The television behaviour showcases the interest of the masses which obviously tilts towards popular entertainment channels. However, most media planners agree that sports viewership is growing in the country and soon things might change but until then channels will have to make do with what they have/get.

     

    Amin Lakhani

    Amin Lakhani, principal partner, Mindshare said: “All leading newspapers and news channels have special coverage of important events, take Euro Cup for instance, but how much of it is being converted into viewership or readership? Even then, that hasn’t deferred them from covering the events because they know that, though tiny, there is a loyal following. Even brands are doing activations for sports which are gaining popularity in other sectors apart from Sec A&B – Pepsi is doing activations for football.”

     

    Business as usual

    Akash Chawla

    Entertainment channels continue to enjoy the largest share in the viewership pie. Although, they continue to compete with each other, when it comes to other genres, nothing has been able to write them off.

     

    Akash Chawla, Zee Entertainment Enterprise (ZEEL) marketing head – national channels, said: “Just like IPL, we are ready to combat any other sporting event. Our programming strategy does not depend on these events.”

     

    “For us, it will be business as usual. The channel is backed with strong and fresh content for its viewers, irrespective of the programming on competing genres,” said Hemal Jhaveri, general manager, Movies Ok.

     

    Hemal Jhaveri

    Other genres which focus on the same target audience as the sports channels are youth and news. But many in these genres believe that such sporting events don’t affect their viewership. Nikhil Gandhi, executive director, youth channels, media networks, Disney UTV claimed that most of the sporting events attract a majority viewership of urban youth, whereas they, as channels, focus on the HSM belt which includes 62 cities. Hence, such sporting events won’t affect their viewership.

     

    A broadcast veteran from a Delhi-based news channel too felt that news channels give enough coverage to the various sporting events, so there is no question that the events might eat into their viewership pie. He said that though both cater to the same TG, they are different genres and people might shift between the two, if needed.

     

    Nikhil Gandhi

    On the other hand, Neo Prime, the sports channel which is currently telecasting UEFA Euro Cup 2012, is aware of the competition within and between other genres and risk involved, but is still optimistic. “Sports is still a male-dominated genre, whereas other genres (read GECs) enjoy female viewership. But during big events, there are chances of a shift in the remote control. Sports do get eyeballs. And as for the advertisements, the brands which advertise on sports channels are different from the ones in GECs or other channels. Hence, nothing overlaps each other,” said Prasana Krishnan, COO, Neo Sports Broadcast.

     

    Prasana Krishnan

    Hopefully, as said by various media personalities, sports other than cricket in the coming years will be able to generate same interest among Indian citizens across sections and help sports channel to boom and enter the main TRP race as well.

     

     

     Imaging: Rafiq, Pictures courtesy: London2012.com

     

     

  • The agency has brought in Ravi Narain as Executive Creative Director, Sanjeev Hajela as Sr Vice President, BTL -South West Asian Markets, Vikram Bhardwaj as DGM-Interactive and Saswati Sinha as Head-Human Resources

    New appointments at Cheil SW Asia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Cheil Worldwide SW Asia is on a talent acquisition spree and has announced a series of new appointments across BTL, Creative, Digital, and HR.

     

    Ravi Narain
    Alok Agrawal
    Sanjeev Hajela
    Vikram Bhardwaj
    Saswati Sinha

    The agency has brought in Ravi Narain as Executive Creative Director, Sanjeev Hajela as Sr Vice President, BTL -South West Asian Markets, Vikram Bhardwaj as DGM-Interactive and Saswati Sinha as Head-Human Resources.

     

    Mr Narain joins from Emaar MGF where he was Vice President – Marketing & Design, while Mr Hajela is from DDB Mudra Group where he was President – Retail and Wayfinding business; Mr Bhardwaj moves from ThoughtBuzz India where he was Country Head and Ms Sinha from Evalueserve.

     

    Speaking on the appointments, Alok Agrawal, COO, Cheil WW, SW Asia said: “Cheil India is expanding at a rapid pace and as a fully integrated, one solution agency we offer a great opportunity for growth of talent. With Ravi, Sanjeev, Vikram on board we see more client successes and acquisitions coming our way. Saswati’s joining us also demonstrates the power of brand Cheil even for Human Resource management”.

     

    Mr Narain joins from Emaar MGF where he was Vice President – Marketing & Design. Mr Narain gained tremendous marketing and communications insights during his 5-year experience with Emaar MGF.  He believes that selling real estate after having spent over 17 years of experience in Marketing and Advertising was an immensely growing experience that added phenomenal dimension to his thinking.  As said by an industry veteran, life has come full circle for Narain.

     

    Mr Hajela, a marketing professional with almost two and a half decades of experience joins from from DDB Mudra Group where he was President – Retail and Wayfinding business.  A career that commenced with ITC (tobacco Division) has led Mr Hajela places. Over the years he has had the rare combination of having seen the industry as a client and having learnt materials and their impact on Trade marketing. In the last eleven years he worked in various positions including the Vice president and head of national Sales.

     

    Mr Bhardwaj moves to Cheil from ThoughtBuzz India, a premier Social Media Brand Monitoring Company where he was Country Head. Of late Mr Bhardwaj’s focus has been on making significant contributions to Online Marketing and offering strategies on – Social Media Management & Planning. As a strategic thinker, he enjoys wrapping his head around new media and future trends and opportunities.

     

    Ms Sinha, a veteran Human Resource professional, joins Cheil from Evalueserve. She started her career in the manufacturing industry and moved on to Advertising in 2006 as HR Director to Delhi JWT. Advertising gave the opportunity to hone her skills in managing people without letting go the bottom line. From 2008 till 2010 she went into a consultant mode and worked with different industries. However the lure of advertising proved stronger and she has returned this time albeit at Cheil.

     

  • This new arrangement comes into effect from July and will leverage global expertise from across the many markets where Reprisemedia handles Microsoft's Search business

    Microsoft moves digital biz to Reprisemedia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reprisemedia India will now handle the Digital Media AOR for Microsoft India across Display and Search. The business has been transitioned from WPP-owned Quasar and Publicis’s Performics.  Reprisemedia India will now work as an extension of Lodestar UM who has been the lead media AOR for Microsoft India for the past 10 years.

     

    “This shift aligns India with Microsoft’s global move to consolidate digital media buying and search with UM. 2012 will be a game-changing year for Microsoft with the impending launch of Windows 8, coupled with exciting developments across our entire product portfolio. We look forward to working with Reprisemedia and deepening our partnership with UM,” said Shafalika Saxena, CMO of Microsoft India.

     

    Anjali Hegde, CEO Reprisemedia India, added: “This is the most significant thing that has happened to Reprisemedia and we are really excited about the opportunity to work with Microsoft. It considers digital as a core and mainstream medium and that mindset allows a digital agency to push its boundaries of innovation and creativity – in short, a dream client to work for.”

     

    This new arrangement comes into effect from July and will leverage global expertise from across the many markets where Reprisemedia handles Microsoft’s Search business.

     

    “However, Reprisemedia India comes with an added advantage,” added Anamika Mehta, COO Lodestar UM. ” As a full-service digital agency, its offering extends far beyond Search, into the realm of Digital Display, Content and Application.  Reprisemedia will complement the unique strength of Lodestar UM within the Content space.”

     

  • Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel

    Anil Thakraney: Wake up, Dilliwallahs!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ever wondered why TV studios identify their location as ‘News Centre’ (or similar words) instead of the city of broadcast? Well, they don’t want to declare ‘Delhi’, which is where most of the news TV headquarters are located. Because, I suppose, they desire to project themselves as being pan-India. And yet, they often find their Dilli bias hard to dilute, and it shows up again and again.

     

    That’s exactly what happened with the breathless, 24X7, carpet coverage of the ‘Kaun Banega President?’ reality TV show. Ball by ball account, blow by blow detail was being dished out on the presidential race. Anchors and reporters just couldn’t conceal their excitement. It gets worse: Most of the coverage consisted of wild speculation and unconfirmed reports. This was like a gang of retail shop owners in Lajpat Nagar hectically discussing politics over aloo chaat and sweet lassi.

     

    Now, when you live in Delhi, politics becomes a part of your DNA. That’s well known and it’s fine too. But that is certainly not the case with the rest of India. If a new government was being formed at the Centre, some of us non-Dilliwallahs would take part in at least some of the discussions. But so much gas over the selection of the President? An ornamental post that, at best, is a dummy designation, and at worst a parasitic ‘job’ for which we tax payers pay through our noses. Just for the record, in case it hasn’t occurred to my friends in the capital: Finance Minister to Rashtrapati is a demotion, a VRS scheme, actually.

     

    I know that a whole lot of people in Mumbai disconnected from the news channels all of last week, as we were left with a feeling of alienation.

    And I am sure this was the case in the rest of the nation too. Because we had more important things to worry about. (Like Mr Dhoble’s sensational antics in Mumbai.)

     

    Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel. And you are meant to take into account the sensibilities of a billion desis. I know it’s tough, but a sense of balance and proportion is critical in this business.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Poor poor Rajat Gupta. He’s been convicted by a US court on charges of insider trading, and now faces many years in jail. The gentleman must be sorely regretting not having done his number in India. Here, he would be out on bail in a few months, and then would chill at home for 30 years. And if he was still alive when the conviction happened, he would file a clemency petition on account of old age.

     

  • Behind every great commercial is super strategy. Every week, MxMIndia will bring you the brief and the strat as given by the client and whatever else that went into creating a winning ad. AdStrat is compiled by Shubhangi Mehta

    AdStrat: Zarvan Patel, ideas@work, Jumjoji -The Parsi Diner

    Zarvan Patel, Founder,  ideas@work

     

    Name of the Campaign: Jumjoji-The Parsi Diner

     

    The Brief:

    “We’re starting a real Parsi restaurant with real Parsi food with real Parsi recipes from real Parsi homes, what do you think of the name CrazyBawa?” was the brief given by Boman Irani.

     

    Research insights:

    Parsis are renowned eccentrics – quirky and idiosyncratic, they’re crazy about their food, they’re crazy about their drink, their bikes, Zubin Mehta, Sam Maneckshaw, filing lawsuits, cursing in languages they can barely speak, and are often caught laughing raucously at themselves, which just goes to show: Parsis are cuckoo.

     

    The thought process behind the creative: How do we finish this campaign in time for happy Hours?

     

    Media vehicles chosen:

    Personal invites, e-mailers, Facebook, posters, internet, select foodie magazines and the Parsiana

     

    Key issues kept in mind while executing the ad:

    No one has ever been offended by a Parsi’s use of foul language or eau de cologne, in fact, they’re usually belly up, rolling on floors with laughter.

     

    Does the treatment do justice to the brief?

    We ran the ads through the rigorous wringer of research and there was an overwhelming response of ‘Chalse Dikra’, and ‘tamharo kai aur kaam nathi?’ Translation: ‘Don’t you have anything better to do?’

     

    What according to you is the differentiating factor about the ads?

    They were created by a team of 2 authentic Parsis and 6 surrogates who all wore sapats.

     

    Market and client feedback

    What began a couple of months ago as a 24-seater, by-appointment-preferably restaurant, is now poised to expand into the Parsi owned garage next door, this will add on another 30 seats and give guests the authentic Parsi pleasure of polishing a motorcycle at no extra cost.

     

  • The taskforce convened by I&B secretary Uday Kumar Varma failed to announce whether the June 30 digitization is going to be delayed as has been demanded by many stakeholders.

    I&B pussyfoots on digitization. Decision on deadline to be announced this week

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sad. MxMIndia learns that yet again no decision on the deadline on digitization was taken at the taskforce meeting that took place this afternoon in the Capital. Mr Uday Kumar Varma, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting chaired the meeting and Ms Supriya Sahu, Joint Secy (Broadband & Policy) was also in attendance.

     

    It may be noted that June 30 is just 15 days away, and it’s unfortunate that the Government of India appears clueless on whether digitization in the four metros should be imposed or not. The charade thus continues. DTH operators have been advertising that cable is going to be history in the four metros, local cable operators are protesting and broadcasters are wondering whether they should factor in digitization in their forward planning.

     

    A routine meeting with discussions on issues and state of preparedness for digitization took place between the taskforce members and ministry officials. While no new announcements were made on the matter, news agency PTI reports that Mr Varma said that a frank discussion took place on all issues concerning digitization and the government had taken note of all stakeholders’ views on the matter. Mr Varma said that the ministry had more clarity now on the state of readiness of various stakeholders. PTI also reports that the government is likely to declare its final position on the matter by next week.

     

    In a meeting held on June 8 between Ms Ambika Soni, Minister, Information and Broadcasting and industry stakeholders, the government hinted at a comprehensive discussion on timelines in the scheduled June 15 taskforce meet. The ministry also collected duly filled forms from all stakeholders present in the June 8 meeting to study and assess the preparedness for digitization for Phase I. While the ministry has maintained so far that there will be no extension of the notified sunset date of June 30, it was suggested in the meeting held on June 8, that any discussion or decision would be deferred till the next taskforce meeting on June 15.

     

    A member of the taskforce told MxM India after the meeting today that no decision or announcement was made during the meeting by the government and that the ministry is likely to announce its decision later next week. Another member of the taskforce however hinted that discussion on new timelines led to suggestions of a possible extension upto December 31.

     

    Shortly after the taskforce meeting the Local Cable Operators (LCOs) protested outside Shastri Bhawan demanding that the ministry revisit the matter of revenue share of LCOs. Speaking to MxM India, a local cable operator based in East Delhi said, “We are protesting against Rs 45 share for LCOs. Also there is no clarity on STB price by the government so every MSO is offering it at a different price. And the quality of STBs is also very bad so we are facing a problem with the same.”

     

    Meanwhile, the hearing of the Mumbai Cable Operator V/S I and B Ministry case which was scheduled today, June 15, has been postponed till Monday, June 18.

     

  • It's time for the 59th Cannes Lions, the true festival of creativity. Presenting a curtain-raiser and a kickstart of MxMIndia's coverage

    Heading high towards Cannes 2012

     

     

    By Shubhangi Mehta

     

    In its 59th year, the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which will take place from June 17 till 23, is considered the largest worldwide gathering of advertising professionals, designers, digital innovators and marketers.

     

    Every year in June, around 9,000 registered delegates from 90 countries visit the fest to celebrate the best of creativity in brand communication, discuss industry issues and network with one another. Thousands of ads from all over the world are showcased and judged.

     

    Inspired by the International Film Festival, staged in Cannes since the late 1940s; a group of cinema screen advertising contractors from the Screen Advertising World Association (Sawa) felt that the makers of advertising films should be recognised similarly. They established the International Advertising Film Festival, the first of which took place in Venice in September 1954, with 187 entries from 14 countries. The lion of the Piazza San Marco in Venice was the inspiration for the Lion trophy.

     

    Cannes Lions juries are drawn from experts in each field from around the world. Each jury is headed by a jury president. They judge submissions in Film, Film Craft, Media, Press, Outdoor, Cyber, Promo & Activation, Direct, Design, Radio, PR, Creative Effectiveness and Titanium and Integrated.

     

    Inspiring creativity is at the heart of Cannes Lions. The Festival is where creative professionals come to debate, learn and be inspired; where the greatest industry honours are bestowed; where those pushing creative communications forward are celebrated. Amongst the featured agencies this year are names such as BBDO India, Leo Burnett India, DDB Mudra, TBWA India, JWT India, BBH India, Taproot India, Publicis India, Contract Advertising, Grey India , Happy Creative Service and Ogilvy India.

     

    Since the past couple of years, India has been doing fairly well at Cannes due to which the expectations are increasing with each passing year. Hence MxM India tried to find out what the experts think are India’s chances in the run for metals at Cannes Lions this year.

     

    Russel Barret
    Ashish Khazaanchi
    Kartik Iyer
    KV Sridhar
    Rajiv Rao
    Senthil Kumar
    Jishnu Sen
    Josy Paul

    Russel Barret, Managing Partner, BBH India, said: “India matches up to any other country when it comes to creativity. What we lack is the space between ideas and execution. The factors that affect it are probably budget and time. I am really hopeful that we will win just like any other agency which sends their work. Though out of all the Indian work that I have seen, the Tide (print) by Leo Burnett India and OOH Iconic poster by Mudra are my favourite works.

     

    Ashish Khazaanchi, NCD, Publicis Ambience was optimistic: “Our country has had some good and some not so good years at Cannes, but there has never been an extremely dreadful year for our country. India is amongst the countries having ‘great creative talent’ and the proof is the Grand Prix in the past. Our agency has done wonderfully at Cannes, but this year our focus was mostly on agency growth. My preferred work for this year would be Fox Crime ad and Gandhi booklet by Leo Burnett.

     

    Karthik Iyer, Owner, Happy Creative Service felt awesome: “Any agency would, to get recognition from the world’s best creative leaders on a global scale. India never lacked ideas, for sure. But I think more attention can be paid to craft. That’s an area we always get beaten, either because of the lack of time, budget or both. When it comes to my favourite work, there are so many it would be unfair to point a few. But a few that come to mind – Coke Studio Entry of the music from Coke bottles DM, I absolutely love that piece, Fox Crime should pick up something, Bajaj Exhaust fans and Sour Marbels to name a few.

     

    KV Sridhar aka Pops, NCD, Leo Burnett, India maintained: “The only place where our country lacks is exploring the new medium ideas such as digital. We focus more on the conventional mediums rather than the non-conventional ones, unlike countries in Latin America. The chances of India collecting metals at Cannes Lions are more in the categories like design, photography and sound design. For me the magic creators are Killer Jeans, Tide and Bajaj. I feel this will be a good year and we might get close to 20 odd metals, but we cannot regard it as a record breaking year. I’m hoping for the best for Leo – especially for properties like Tide, Coke Studio, a couple of Radio spots and Thums Up for branded content.

     

    Rajiv Rao, NCD, Ogilvy India said: “I think Indian work is absolutely fantastic, hence it does so well in the Indian market. The scenario in our country is such that we need to do a specific kind of work to appeal to our consumers, hence we do not appeal to the global jury at times. But that is not because of the quality of our work. All we need is to bridge our work in such a way that we appeal to the local masses as well as the international juries.”

     

    Senthil Kumar, National Creative Director JWT India was of the belief that they can only do their best and hope for God and the jury to do the rest: “Sure we have the potential but until the jury agrees, we won’t be striking heavy metal there. I have always believed that Indians are the most creative people on earth. We have to be more unabashedly Indian in our ideas and even in our ‘God is in the details’ execution. If only we’d stop aping the West and strive to unleash something very Indian every time, we’d have better chance at hunting down Gold Lions. This year, our creative hopes would ride on the following ideas: The Times of India Kerala Launch, RIN Eraser, Lifestyle’s Baddie bags, Nokia Recycle Films, and some other ideas that may just surprise the audience.

     

    From a potential point of view, these ads are the ones that could hunt down a few Lions for India this year: Google Chrome Tanjore, Mumbai Mirror, The Times of India Kerala Film & IPL 5 Carnival in Film Craft, The FOX Crime Series in Digital, the Nokia Recycle Viral Films, the Coffee House print work, the 3D Audi Website…

     

    Jishnu Sen, chief operating officer, Grey India, put forth his view: “The reason that the metal tally for India isn’t as high as some Latin American country is because of the international jury. Our work is always great and creative. Grey has done some great work this year with Killer Jeans and Cupid Condom. We are hoping to pick up some metals.”

     

    Josy Paul, Chairman and NCD, BBDO India felt: “India is a late entrant at Cannes, and taking that in consideration, we are doing fairly well and growing year by year. I am expecting the Gold and Silver winners from Abbys to do well at Cannes as well. As for my agency, Cannes is like a lottery, last year we did not expect to do so well, but we did. This year too, we are hoping our Gillette campaign would do well.”

     

     

    Main image: www.CannesLions.com

     

  • Anurag Kashyap, along with Manoj Bajpai and Richa Chadda, to enact pivotal roles in the special episode of the teenage crime series

    Gangs of Wasseypur to raise the thriller quotient of Channel V’s Gumrah

    By A Correspondent

     

    Channel V has entered into an association with the cast and crew of Gangs of Wasseypur to deliver a spine chilling episode of ‘Gumrah’ this Sunday.

     

    In the forthcoming episode, director Anurag Kashyap and the stars from his movie Gangs of Wasseypur – Manoj Bajpai and Richa Chadda will render crucial roles. Gangs of Wasseypur is a celluloid depiction of a revenge saga set against the socio-political dynamics in the land of coal and scraps trade mafia of Wasseypur.

     

    Unlike regular tie-ups, wherein movie stars limit their screen time to only special appearances, Gumrah has the lead stars from the movie enact roles and give shape to the entire story. Sardar Khan ( Manoj Bajpai) and his wife (Richa Chadda) are set to play their characters from the movie and that has been skillfully interweaved with the episodic content, with a special voice over by Anurag Kashyap.

     

    Speaking on the show’s association with the movie, Prem Kamath, Executive VP and GM, Channel [v] stated: “We are pleased to be associated with Anurag, Manoj Bajpai and the team for Gumrah. This association lends credibility to both sides unlike any other occasion. In this episode we have tried to synthesize the key narration of the movie and the fundamental objective of Gumrah – that is to simulate a thought amongst the new generation to realize and chose the right path of action.”

     

    Anurag Kashyap, director and screenwriter, Gangs of Wasseypur said: “Gumrah is very closely knitted to the theme and story of Wasseypur. Based on the youth psyche, each story in Gumrah projects crowded emotions that often lead to unconceivable actions. GoW also deals with one such emotion namely revenge, which instigates human mind to take the path of crime.”