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  • With the baggage of 'STAR News' off their back, they can re-engineer the channel, and ABP News can become that one Hindi channel that takes news very seriously

    Anil Thakraney: Will ABP News eschew sensationalism?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    So, STAR News is ABP News. Now the two partners have decided to separate. Cool! But my question is: Will this just be an exercise in name change, with all else continuing to be the same? Exactly as the messBombaycontinues to be after the name changed to Mumbai? Ditto with Bengaluru and Poschim Bongo. (As for the last, it’s getting messier with Didi in charge, but I shan’t say more, else she’ll get me arrested.)

     

    Well, I hope not. Now that Ananda Bazar Patrika has total control, I hope the Bengali group, known for its ‘respectable journalism’, extends that respectability to ABP News. STAR News, along with the other Hindi news channels, has always thrived on speculation and rabid sensationalism. It’s almost as if the category owners had decided that Hindi news watchers are restless morons, folks who will only come back if the content is absurd and outlandish. This is obviously not the case.

     

    The problem is, the channel owners DECIDED to be sensational; in their war for ratings, they chose that route. The viewer never asked for it. And in this march of madness, all the Hindi channels fell like nine pins, as each struggled to beat the other guy on dishing out dramatic stuff. Net result: There is very low credibility with the Hindi news channels. We visit them for tamasha, not authenticity.

     

    The point I am trying to make is this: ABP has that chance now to set things right. With the baggage of ‘STAR News’ off their back, they can re-engineer the channel, and ABP News can become that one Hindi channel that takes news very seriously. It can break the cycle of sensationalism, and position itself on the platform of credibility. In any case, with all the hair-raising content on display amongst the various channels in the category, this will provide ABP News a clear brand differential. So it seems to make sense from the marketing point of view as well.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcOpfqEamrY[/youtube]

    Yup, India badly needs a Hindi news channel it can trust. And hopefully ABP News will try to be that. One sincerely hopes the name change doesn’t only mean a change of name. Like when Bombay became Mumbai. And continues to be a filthy slum city.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Cute commercial from Audi. It’s inspired by the fairytale of how the ugly duckling changed into a lovely swan. Superb execution.

     

  • The key objective of the survey was to factor in all the relevant components so that results reflect all the ideal key considerations of today's MBA aspirant

    Free Press releases annual B-school rankings

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Free Press group of newspapers has released its annual cluster rankings of Mumbai B-schools. The report is ranked in clusters and by specialisation in one of the most detailed surveys conducted.

     

    The specialisations covered are Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, IT/Systems/Technology. The ranking survey uses proprietary ranking methodology that includes expert inputs from important stakeholders like the corporate sector, faculty, alumni, analysis of some publicly available information, and detailed feedback from academic experts, making this a powerful tool for students.

     

    The survey covers B-Schools based out of Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane, offering a two-year, full-time postgraduate degree or diploma program in management studies. The key objective of the survey was to factor in all the relevant components in the research methodology deployed so that research results reflect all the ideal key considerations of today’s MBA aspirant.

     

    The 23-page report also has articles by senior educationists and counsellors. The full copy of the report can be downloaded at www.freepressjournal.in.

     

     

  • Aidem commands domain expertise in the regional GEC space and Odisha media is the next big thing now, feels Alok Rakshit

    Aidem Ventures to handle sales for Lakshyya Entertainment’s Odia GEC

    By A Correspondent

     

    After Mi Marathi, Aidem Ventures has won yet another regional account to handle their India sales – Lakshyya Entertaiment, Dreams Daru Bramha Productions’ first and exclusive 24X7 Odia Satellite GEC. It is the only FTA channel in the Odia GEC genre since its launch in September 2010.

     

    Commenting on the collaboration, Alok Rakshit, Head, Regional & Entertainment Business – Aidem Ventures, said: “Media agencies have, over the years, realized the importance of regional channels in focused targeting. Regional channels have now become a crucial element of media plans, not just because of the cost advantage they provide, but also because of their regional focus. Aidem commands domain expertise in the regional GEC space and Odisha media is the next big thing now. Moreover, Lakshyya Entertainment is a single source of contemporary entertainment reflecting the local flavor of Odisha. Our team is very well equipped to enhance the advertising potential of the channel and change the face of the market.”

     

    “Aidem has a strong foothold in the Media Sales space. Its eminent team of young and motivated professionals commands great trust among Indian advertisers. Lakshyya Entertainment is growing at a scorching pace since its launch. We are positive that Aidem will take it to greater lengths,” said Rudra Pratap Mohanty, Director, Dreams Daru BramhaProductions.

     

    The channel share of Odia GECs stood at 12.78 per cent in 2011 (TAM, C&S 4+, Odisha). The overall GRPs have also gone up considerably. TV spends in Odisha have increased more than 5 times over the past 4 years. This is a big leap for a predominantly print-dominated market. The Odia television market’s advertising revenues were pegged at Rs70 Crores in 2011 and are poised to grow further (IRS Q3 2011).

     

    Dreams Daru Bramha Productions is a collaboration of Darubramha Productions and Dreams Digital Network. Daru Bramha Productions is one of the largest music label (Odiacontent) and Film Production company of Odisha whereas Dreams Digital Network is a film studio house, having the state- of- art Editing Studios.

     

    Aidem Ventures isIndia’s leading independent Media Consulting, Marketing and Advertising Sales Company. Aidem is a professional marketing services firm currently managed by Vikas Khanchandani, an experienced industry professional, along with a team of over 100+ trained professionals located across all major media markets in India.

     

  • Media analysts and experts don't think there's reason for worry as Star News, Ananda and Majha will replace 'Star' with 'ABP'

    Will the name change work for MCCS?

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

    The media has been agog with news of the two looking at options beyond the relationship, only for them to dodge the belief. But all doubts were put to rest on Monday when media giant Ananda Bazaar Patrika (ABP) finally announced it was shedding the Star branding from its slew of channels.

     

    Star India and ABP agreed to discontinue the Star brand affiliation with Media Content and Communications Services (MCCS). Of the many reasons that were doing the rounds, the one that was loud was discontent over editorial content, leading to the two calling it quits. Star had reportedly served notice in January 2012 (see Mediaah!).

     

    As a result of this decision, Hindi news channel, STAR News will now be rechristened ABP News, while Bengali news channel STAR Ananda will become ABP Ananda and Marathi news channel STAR Majha will be called ABP Majha. The three 24-hour news channels are owned by the Media Content and Communications Pvt Ltd (MCCS) – a joint venture between the Ananda Bazar Patrika Group and STAR India Pvt Ltd. MCCS, formed in March 2003, is a 74:26 joint venture between ABP TV and STAR News Broadcasting.

     

    While the move will enable ABP to venture out in the news broadcast space on its own as it wishes to promote and establish its own brands through its subsidiary company – MCCS, for Star the focus will be on building their brand on their core business, i.e. general entertainment. A release issued on behalf of Star Group read: Given the current regulatory environment and structural issues ailing the Indian cable and satellite television market and the news genre in particular, Star took this extremely difficult decision to withdraw its brand from the genre.”

     

    According to the release, the discontinuation will come in effect in phases from a period of 2-4 months and the partners will work together to ensure a smooth transition during this period.

     

    Speaking to MxMIndia Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, MCCS, said, “No, it’s not a set back at all. With the Marathi and Bengali channels, Majha and Ananda as suffixes are unique and have grown in popularity and acceptance. Of course, that’s not the case with Hindi where the suffix is ‘News’ and hence generic. So, yes, Hindi is a challenge on a relative scale, but not so with Marathi and Bengali. (see interview)”

     

    But while the three channels have identified a name for themselves in the respective markets and have been engraved in the minds of the viewers for a long time, it will be interesting to see how a name change exercise will impact the course for the network over a period of time.

    “The first 180 days of a brand name change are the most crucial and critical days. It is in these frenetic days of frenetic brand activity that a name change can be made successful or not,” writes note brank expert and consultant Harish Bijoor in an exclusive analysis on the name change for MxMIndia. “No wonder then that you see a flurry of advertising activity that goes in to establish a new name solidly in the mind of the consumer.”

    Drawing implications over the new announcement, Anita Nayyar, CEO India & SouthAsia, Havas Media said that the popularity of the channels may take a beating if they toy around with the content and if the change is not expressed loudly and clearly to the viewers. “One will have to assess the extent to which the two have called a split in partnership. But if you see the association, Star, as such is a name that has been engraved in the minds of the people for a long time, and therefore it will be tough for the viewers to overnight respond to the change in a positive way. If they announce the change in a big way and do tremendous activity and promotions around it and create awareness levels, then only will the audience respond to the change. Otherwise past examples have shown that no matter how big a brand or name, if the change in name is not relayed properly to the masses, it will see a decline in popularity and fortunes.”

     

    On the impact it would have on the advertisers, she said: “It will be a wait-and-watch game for the advertisers. I feel the current deals will go on as scheduled but new deals will depend on what the change will hold in store for the brand.”

     

    Mona Jain, CEO, Vivaki Exchange, said: “I don’t see the change having any impact on the popularity or the ratings as such. First, one will have to see what is the exact nature of the deal? If the team and other infrastructure related activity remains the same then there wouldn’t be an impact as such. Also, what is important is the quality of content that is played on these channels. If there is no change from the previous deal, then the viewer will continue to stick to the channels the way they used to earlier. We will have to see how it pans out over the course of time.”

     

    According to Tarun Nigam, Executive Director, India North, Starcom Worldwide, this could be an opportune time for ABP to make a name for itself in this arena. “I don’t see this development having any impact on what is currently being offered. If the content remains the same, if there is no breakdown in team and so on, then it shouldn’t matter at all. In fact I think this is a perfect opportunity for ABP to finally make a name for themselves in the news broadcast space, as they already are a big name in the print space. They, anyways, are a very strong and deep-rooted organization and have sustained themselves as a commendable force to reckon with.”

     

    According to Nigam, in a market like Kolkata where ABP are a dominant force, this deal will enable ABP to showcase more regional offerings that they specialize in, which will only catapult the interests of the viewers at large. “One will have to wait and see what will be effects of the change in other markets like Maharashtra,Delhiand others. For all you know, ABP might just emerge a stronger player in these markets as well.”

     

    The ball, for now, seems to be in ABP’s court as they finally get to pursue their dream of going solo and 360-degree in the news space. With healthy ratings and a roster of loyal advertisers willing to cling on to them, the priority for ABP is now to endorse an enduring message to one and all and go loud with their promotional activities announcing the new shift. Till then it is wait-and-watch.

     

     

  • we can't ignore the fact that online shopping gives us more discounts and privileges to get the right products into our homes, even without stepping out of our doors says Rama Jamili

    The Anchor: 6 things to keep in mind while looking for discounts online

    By Rama Jamili

     

    Investing our hard-earned money is very important, especially when we want to buy something tangible. Nowadays, people are worried when it comes to online shopping. But we can’t ignore the fact that online shopping gives us more discounts and privileges to get the right products into our homes, even without stepping out of our doors. Price is the primary factor when we do online shopping. Here are 6 things to keep in mind when we go for discounts online.

     

    1) Quality:

    While purchasing any product, quality of the product is of prime importance for the customers. Hence, maintenance of quality of each and every product is valued more by the online retailers, because we are more focused on retention of customers. Description and specifications of the products can be checked before selecting any product. If the buyer is not satisfied with the quality of the product, they can first check the product and then only buy it. Online shopping also has options of cash back in case the buyer finds any damages or faults with respect to the quality of the product.

     

    2) Time period for product delivery:

    Delivery of the product within stipulated time is another important factor while shopping online. Many websites offer buffer delivery time, like delivery can be made within 2-3 working days, but the product reaches the customers within a day, which definitely creates a good impression in the buyers’ mind. In today’s busy world, where people don’t have time to go out and shop, online shopping is the best option for buying/sending gifts for birthdays/anniversaries and so on. Online shopping with discounts and proper delivery of the product attracts more Indian customers.

     

    3) Variety of products:

    More discounts will be available when wide variety of products is offered in online shopping. The advantages are, first, it attracts more customers as there is choice. Second, online retailers provide an option to compare prices of different brands or different models.

     

    4) Guarantee/ Warranty:

    The next big question for most of the buyers, if they are buying discount products online they are not sure of ‘guarantee /warranty’ of the product. Despite mentioning about the products warranty, for example if it’s a mobile then the warranty period will be mentioned. All customers should check the warranty and provide proper email id so that there is always a proof with them about the product. Still, if the product bought online has any defects; the product can be repaired or exchanged.

     

    5) Mode of payment:

    Another important factor is mode of payment for the products purchased online. Some people are worried about the quality of the product or what if it is damaged or if they buy a fake product. This fear can be removed by inclusion of Cash on delivery (COD), which is the most preferred option. Other options available are Credit card, debit card, VISA and others. Easy refundable clause is also prior concern to the customers.

     

    6) Free shipping:

    Free shipping is another factor which buyers generally look for to save cost. Shipping cost would again add up more to the amount paid for particular product which generally bothers the buyers. Online websites providing free shipping attracts more buyers to discounts of products where retailers are making it easy for buyers to shop online.

     

    Rama Jamili is the Director of Fopping.com

     

  • Study finds leading voices are politicians, journalists and bloggers

    Burson-Marsteller releases list of the most influential political voices

    By A Correspondent

     

    Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm, on Monday released a list of the top 10 most influential political voices on Twitter inIndia. This list was developed as part of a global research study- G20 Influencers – that named the 200 most influential political voices on Twitter across the G-20 nations.

     

    G20 influencers is a study conducted by Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations agency working with Klout, the social media analytics company. The study aims to identify the ten most politically influential people on Twitter in each country of the G20. The study measures influence by using a tweeter’s Klout Score. Burson-Marsteller created a list of over 900 politically influential people on Twitter across 26 countries. This included politicians, journalists, bloggers, public affairs specialists, NGOs, and industry and trade associations. The data used for the study was taken in March 2012 based on activity over a 90-day period.

     

    The list of the top 10 political tweeters was determined using data from Klout (klout.com), the standard for influence. Klout analyzes engagement across social networks and creates a Klout score, based on this data to help users understand and unlock their influence.

     

    Burson-Marsteller’s global public affairs and digital consultants drew up a list of close to 1000 people on Twitter who are politically influential in the G-20 nations. Klout then assessed and scored them against its influence metric, set on a scale from 1-100, measuring influence based upon a user’s ability to drive action.

     

    The ten most influential Twitter accounts inIndiaare (alphabetically):

     

    1. Kiran Bedi – @thekiranbedi

    2. Anand Mahindra – @anandmahindra

    3. Narendra Modi – @narendramodi

    4. Derek O’Brien – @quizderek

    5. Vir Sanghvi – @virsanghvi

    6. Jonathan Shainin – @jonathanshainin

    7. Digvijaya Singh – @digvijaya_28

    8. Dr. Subramanian Swamy – @Swamy39

    9. Sushma Swaraj – @SushmaSwarajBJP

    10. Shashi Tharoor – @ShashiTharoor

     

    “The G20 study is representative of how social media is an increasingly trusted and utilised platform for shaping public opinion here inIndiaand around the world,” said Rahul Sharma, president of Genesis Burson-Marsteller’s public affairs practice. “Citizens are not just seeking new information, but looking for a forum through which their voices can also be heard. Twitter is definitely becoming a preferred medium for delivery and discussion of new ideas, policies and whatever else that is the shaping the political and social landscape.”

     

    The study found that the top political tweeters inIndiaare politicians, journalists, bloggers and campaign advisors. The study found that over a 90-day span these influencers: received an average of 28,110 re-tweets; received an average of 24,600 mentions and had an average of 337,964 Twitter followers.

     

    The other countries covered in this study include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union (including Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden).

     

    Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, reputation and crisis management, advertising and web-related strategies. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 69 offices and 80 affiliate offices, together operating in 107 countries across six continents.

     

  • ETV Marathi and Star Majha come on board as telecast and news partners respectively

    92.7 BIG FM returns with the second edition of BIG Marathi music awards

    By A Correspondent

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited’s intellectual property vertical BIG Live and its radio arm 92.7 BIG FM, the Golden Mikes’ Broadcaster of the Year, have announced the second edition of BIG Marathi Music Awards 2012 – the biggest celebration of regional music for the Marathi music industry.

     

    After the phenomenal success last year, the second edition of BIG Marathi Music Awards promises to be bigger, better and more glamorous this year. ETV Marathi will once again be the official telecast partner and STAR Majha has come on board as the news partner. A special one hour segment of the ceremony will be aired on STAR Majha.

     

    BIG Marathi Music Awards 2012 is a unique platform conceptualized to recognize, applaud, and honour the extraordinary talent from the Marathi music industry who have significantly contributed to the music industry. These awards will have nominations across a wide range of categories and will also pay tribute to legendary artists of the Marathi music fraternity who have contributed to growing the industry and inspiring talented young singers and musicians to excel.

     

    The esteemed list of jury members include classical vocalist Arati Ankalikar, Ravindra Sathye and Sudesh Bhosle. The jury, along with the public, will select the winners.

     

    A judicious mix of media including 92.7 BIG FM, OOH media and the social media will be pressed into service to promote this property. The Facebook page which will be specially created for this property will allow the online users to browse through the page, explore links, and upload videos or files in related categories and above all a special voting application to vote for their favorite nominee of the awards. In addition to all this promotion an SMS push for the event will reach out to 10 lakhs consumers directly.

     

    Reliance Broadcast Network Limited is a multi-media entertainment conglomerate with play across radio, television, intellectual properties and out of home. It is part of the Reliance Group and specializes in creating and executing integrated media solutions for brands.

     

  • This initiative will also reward the fans with discounts and freebies at more than 100 partner stores, which have partnered with Deccan Chargers

    Now fans can own Deccan Chargers Team

    By A Correspondent

     

    Deccan Chargers, a popular IPL franchise on Monday announced a unique social media marketing initiative using Mojostreet (www.mojostreet.com) – a popular location based mobile game.

     

    The marketing initiative will allow fans to virtually own the Deccan Chargers team and watch the IPL matches from the Owners Lounge at the Hyderabad Stadium. This initiative will also reward the fans with discounts and freebies at more than 100 partner stores, which have partnered with Deccan Chargers.

     

    Making the announcement, Kalyan Manyam, CEO of Mojostreet said: “We are excited with the way Mojostreet is being used by brands acrossIndia. This unique initiative by Deccan Chargers will take the DC brand closer to its fans and increase engagement. I am sure Mojostreet users will be very excited to grab this opportunity to own the DC team.”

     

    E. Venkat Reddy, COO ofDeccanChargers said: “This is a first of its kind initiative in the world wherein a sports team is connecting with its fans virtually through a mobile game and rewarding them in the real world. We are confident this initiative will greatly contribute to the strong presence of the DC Brand in the digital world.”

     

    To virtually own the Deccan Chargers, a user needs to download Mojostreet on their smartphones (freely available on all major app stores) and then check-in at any of the partner outlets of Deccan Chargers listed on Mojostreet. Once a user completes a check-in, a special offer is delivered right on the users mobile screen.

     

    The same can be redeemed at the outlet in real-time. Users who check-in maximum at partner locations will get to virtually own the DC team and will get a chance to watch the matches from the Owners lounge at the Hyderabad stadium.

     

    Mojostreet (www.mojostreet.com) is a location based game, friend finder, city guide and loyalty rewards all rolled into one app for your smartphone. The app also helps one discover amazing places of their interest based on friend’s recommendations. Mojostreet has an online and mobile version. The mobile app is available for Blackberry, Nokia, iPhone and Android users. One can sign in with their Facebook or Twitter account to access Mojostreet.

     

    Deccan Chargers is an IPL franchise that represents the city ofHyderabadin the Indian Premier League. The Deccan Chargers franchise is owned by the Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited. Deccan Chronicle is the largest circulated daily in South India.

     

    Deccan Chargers turned the tide in their favour by winning the second season of IPL -2009 inSouth Africaand making it to the semi-finals in the IPL-2010.

     

    The Deccan Chargers mascot represents a raging bull signifying strength, power and aggression while the red and gold bands on the flag stand for dominance and victory.

     

  • Only a drop in quality can impact a news channel, says Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, MCCS

    A channel is vulnerable only if quality drops: Ashok Venkatramani, CEO, MCCS

    By A Correspondent

     

    A mechanical engineer from Mumbai and MBA from IIM, Ahmedabad, Mr Venkatramani started his career with Unilever, and was with the FMCG giant for 19 years. He held the position of Vice President and Business Head for Unilever inIndiatill February 2008, heading their largest and most profitable business – toilet soaps and skincare business.

     

    From Unilever, Mr Venkatramani moved to being appointed CEO of the Star-ABP JV which ran the news channels of Star India.

     

    While the buzz in MCCS that we are hearing is very positive, what we hear is that the end of the alliance will possibly see MCCS expanding into more channels… a Punjabi news channel, for instance?

    We are always on the look-out for growth and this development has nothing to do with it. I think we have the scope to grow organically and inorganically and we are constantly evaluating options.

     

    While it’s the content that should speak for a media entity and not its name, the fact is that Star is a household brand in the country. Do you see a setback for the Hindi and Marathi news channels since ABP may not necessarily strike a chord with viewers?

    No, not a set back at all. With the Marathi and Bengali channels, Majha and Ananda as suffixes are unique and have grown in popularity and acceptance. Of course, that’s not the case with Hindi where the suffix is ‘News’ and hence generic. So, yes, Hindi is a challenge on a relative scale, but not so with Marathi and Bengali.

     

    Would you expect more synergies with ABP print from now on?

    There will be no significant change on this front… it will be what it has always been.

     

    So will we now a see a blitz to communicate the name change?

    Yes, there will be an aggressive campaign to announce the change, especially in Hindi.

     

    Will the change impact MCCS… your key resources, and the way the business has been done?

    No change whatsoever.

     

    There have been many cases of brands changing in the past. In telecom in Mumbai, we’ve seen Max Touch becoming Hutch, Orange and finally Vodafone. But what is fine for telecom, may not be the case for media, right?

    Yes, there are several changes. UTI Bank to Axis Bank, L&T Cement to UltraTech Cement. When there is a name change, there’s no shift in consumer base. People don’t change their bank or telecom provider as long as the service quality is maintained.

     

    So you are vulnerable only if the quality drops, and that can happen even if the name doesn’t change!

     

  • In Freaking News, which will now appear every Tuesday and Friday, Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare in the morning papers and the nightly news. And sometimes the afternooners, the newsmags and all that's on the Web

    [MJR] Mamata’s antics dominate the news

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    The strange doings of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee continued to dominate print, TV and social media. The arrest of a Jadavpur university professor for forwarding a cartoon about her was compounded by news of another arrest of another professor for protesting on behalf of slum-dwellers in Kolkata. On Times Now, one lone “sort of” Trinamool Congress-Mamata Banerjee supporter said yes, but, maybe, should not, but. In print, edits and edit page pieces have consistently made fun of her and social media has of course been rife with criticism.

     

    It is also true that a lot of this anger is middle class rage which does not always translate but it is interesting nonetheless.

     

    Mumbai newspapers were not unnaturally taken up with Monday’s autorickshaw strike which crippled the suburbs. In the north, it was the chief ministers’ conference on matters of “federalism” and their general beefs with the Centre. Beef is the wrong – or is it right? – word to use here as a “beef-eating festival” organised by Dalit students at the university in Hyderabad has led to near-riot conditions with the right wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad objecting.

     

    The Taliban attack on Afghanistan was an important part of the news cycle. The last couple of weeks have been minus the sort of media hysteria which has gripped us recently. This means that news can get its normal play without being whipped up and re-packaged as end-of-the-world scenarios.

     

    * * *

     

    The murky underbelly of fixers and operators which trawl the paths of Mumbai’s hopeful newbies searching for money, fame and glamour has been exposed by the three murders currently in the newspapers. Intriguingly, the same people are somehow involved in three deaths or connected at any rate.

     

    Although the cases have got much coverage, thankfully the sort of breathless hysteria which has coloured cases like the Aarushi Talwar-Hemraj murders or the J Dey murder-Jigna Vora arrest has been missing here.

     

    * * *

     

    It was a joy to read about Nari Contractor by Makaran Waingankar in Tuesday’s Times of India in what appears to be a nostalgia series called “Bombay Boys”. Made a change from the sniping and/or hagiography about current players practised by some young sports journalists these days!

     

    * * *

     

    Also interesting in TOI is an interview with Google co-founder Sergey Brin about how apps are reducing web freedom! Since I am app-less am guessing I should celebrate my freedom!

     

  • What does a name transition mean to companies and brands? Plenty really, writes brand expert Harish Bijoor

    Harish Bijoor: What’s in a Name?

    By Harish Bijoor

     

    So STAR News is ABP News. STAR Ananda is ABP Ananda. And STAR Majha is ABP Majha.

     

    Here’s a brand name change once again, and the question is out in debate again: What’s in a name?

     

    What’s in a name? Plenty! Shakespeare-dada was wrong!

     

    For a start, the name is a brand. The brand is a name. And the name is a very important starting point in the voyage of discovery of a brand.

     

    Let me start with my definition of a brand. It is a simple one. I define the brand with the consumer simplicity it deserves. “The brand is a thought”! A thought that lives in people’s minds. A thought that thrives in the soft-space of the human mind.

     

    By this definition, everything that lives as a thought in your mind is a brand. Shantabai, the multi-tasking maid is one, Osama Bin Laden, the late terrorist is one and so is the young Akhilesh Yadav. Each of these brands possibly rub shoulders with other brands such as an Amul and Bata and Tata in your head. The brand is a thought. Nothing more. Nothing less.

     

    What does a name transition mean to companies and brands? Plenty really. Plenty in the initial six months for sure. The first 180 days of a brand name change are the most crucial and critical days. It is in these frenetic days of frenetic brand activity that a name change can be made successful or not. No wonder then that you see a flurry of advertising activity that goes in to establish a new name solidly in the mind of the consumer.

     

    There are brands that have done it well. Vodafone is a veteran of many changes. An Orange became a Hutch seamlessly, just as a Hutch became a Vodafone seamlessly. Every change was accompanied by a high decibel campaign that had transition elements of one collapsing seamlessly into another. The first 180-days are therefore the most critical. You can make a brand name transition happen or collapse. Both are possibilities. The period after just does not matter. This is really the Golden six months of a brand name transition.

     

    UTI Bank did it seamlessly as well, with a transition into an Axis Bank so seamlessly that today UTI is a non-important part of its total brand equity and recall altogether. That is the power of a powerful brand-name transition plan.

     

    In the case of this current transition from STAR to ABP, there are indeed two big brand names. One is a region-centric one (ABP) and the other (Star) is a world-brand for sure. Moving from one to the other will require some degree of panache and scientific brand action.

     

    There are really two sets of dynamics in this transition. One is a B2B dimension. Out here, MCCS is the back-end brand. It is the company that runs the show. It is the company that is the backbone. Employees, clients who advertise, distributors and vendors are all key participants here. These key actors are the easiest to communicate to. These key actors will buy into this name change without a whimper.

     

    The second set of dynamics is that of the viewer. This is B2C space. This is where there is bound to be ruffled feathers and ruffled sentiment. This is where there is bound to be confusion and lack of clarity. This is really the end that needs to be handled well and seamlessly through a process of cogent communication.

     

    STAR News is a thought. The thought of a channel can be a potent one. It starts with the name at hand, and goes on to attach to itself a host of other meta-tags that bring to mind the memory of a channel that is an intrinsic part of compelling and credible viewing experience.

     

    The brand to that extent is plenty. It is a name. A slogan. A symbol. A colour. A character. A personality. A charisma. An image. A reliability. An emotion. A passion. A perception. And lots more. ABP needs to handle each of these. With kid gloves, speed and scientific brand action.

     

    The author is a brand-expert and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consults Inc.

    Twitter.com @harishbijoor