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  • There is just too much attention given to the urban Indian middle class and their issues. To the cost of the rest of India. And this is why television studio views and discussions have little relevance to 'non-shining' India.

    Anil Thakraney: TV media is out of sync

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    TV media is out of sync

    So then why did Rahul baba get egg on the face in Uttar Pradesh? There are many reasons being flung around, and they’ve been discussed to death on the various news channels. Do allow me to add my two-bits: the single biggest reason is that Rahul baba’s suave appeal works only in the urban areas of India, particularly in New Delhi. For the small townies, he means NOTHING. They don’t connect with his jet-setting lifestyle, the voters know he’s a fly-by-night dude. That, even if they voted for his party, Rahul baba will not be seen again till the time of the next elections.

     

    If this is the case, and at least I think it is, then we have to question the excessive coverage our chap got in the TV news media all through the UP elections. If I recall correctly, on one show, BJP’s Ram Shankar Prasad accused a television anchor of being unfairly biased towards Rahul baba. He was right, of course. Compare the footage winner Akhilesh Yadav got with the Gandhi scion’s coverage right before the elections, and you will be stunned by the skew.

     

    And this totally lopsided coverage happens because the news channel editors and their crew happen to be from India’s urban areas. And their mindset is therefore very urbane. They don’t get India’s small towns and villages, and just because they find Rahul baba to be a charismatic figure, it gets wrongly assumed that the rest of India does too. Well, that’s obviously not the case, as we just witnessed in UP (and in Bihar in the recent past). Media’s darling was shown the door.

     

    The Rahul baba saga is actually a pointer to a large problem with our television news media. There is just too much attention given to the urban Indian middle class and their issues. To the cost of the rest of India. A girl who gets molested at Bandra station will become a sensational story. But a girl gang raped in Latur will get an apologetic mention. A small fire in a building in Bangalore will send TV anchors into a tizzy. But an entire colony burning down in Ranibennur will be covered reluctantly.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkaZdjfyht8[/youtube]

    And this is why television studio views and discussions have little relevance to ‘non-shining’ India. No amount of frothing and fuming in the news rooms will make any difference to vote swings. By the way, even as I write this, all the news channels are very worried about Rahul baba’s future. Lagey raho!

     

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    PS: Wow! Pakistan TV sounds like great fun. “Gadhe! Bewakoof! Stupid! Sharaabi!” All this on live television. Makes our Arnab’s chat show appear heavenly in comparison. Hello, we have a thing or two to learn from our esteemed neighbour.

     

  • Janhavi Samant will head MiD DAY Hitlist along with Center Stage, Hot Property and Big Break. Ms Samant will take charge from outgoing editor Shubha Shetty Saha.

    MiD-DAY has a new entertainment editor

    By A Correspondent

     

    MiD DAY has appointed Janhavi Samant as the new entertainment editor for Hitlist. Ms Samant will take charge from outgoing editor Shubha Shetty Saha. Ms Samant has been working with MiD DAY for more than six years now and heads the editorial for Center Stage, Hot Property and Big Break.

     

    Speaking on the new assignment, Ms Samant said: “It’s a privilege and pleasure to be working with Hitlist. It’s one of MiD DAY’s most popular sections and will continue to be so. The Hitlist masala will work its magic.”

     

    “Hitlist is the most successful section in the entertainment sphere and Janhavi takes over Hitlist with a lot of experience. And I am confident that under her leadership, Hitlist will become an even bigger success in the city ofMumbai,” saidManajit Ghoshal,MDand CEO of MiD DAY Infomedia Ltd.

     

    Ms Samant started her career as a trainee in MiD DAY in 2000 and worked there for three and a half years. Then she moved on to Bombay Times and then to Hindustan Times, before returning to MiD DAY.

    Ms Samant will be reporting to Sachin Kalbag.

    MiD DAY is a part of Jagran Prakashan Ltd (JPL), India’s leading media and communications group with its interests spanning across Print, OOH, Activations, Mobile and Online that covers all of India as its footprint.

    MiD DAY has become the quintessential physical connect for the uber-social generation to consume their local city news today. Over the last couple of years, the newspaper has been on a mission to up its engagement quotient with these social netizens.

    To add to the dynamic product delivery through content, MiD DAY has also been creating a unique experience for its readers and clients through globally awarded marketing initiatives. The print innovations like 3D Impact Jacket, Format innovations and promotional activities like the MiD DAY Bollywood Lunch Contest, MiD DAY Happy Hours @ Work & @ Home, MiD DAY Media Nights, MiD DAY Corporate Cricket League & many others have won top honours across International Award functions such as INMA, IFRA Cross Media Awards & Asia Multimedia Publishing Awards.

    The company also has an established presence in the multimedia space, with its web version, www.mid-day.com with presently over 23 million page views per month as well as MiD DAY news feeds on cell phones which have over 2 lakh subscribers across the country. MiD DAY is available in Mumbai and Pune.

     

  • Media Planning adds D.R.A.M.A to every creative to make it larger. Karthik Lakshminarayan cites some examples

    5 reasons why behind every good creative is an even better media plan

    By Karthik Lakshminarayan

     

    #1 Media plans ‘Demonstrate’ brand promise

    People are increasingly becoming health-conscious these days and one cannot get past a dinner with family and friends without having a conversation around how everyone is watching what they eat or are trying hard to lose weight and maintain a ‘healthy heart’. Hence, when an oil brand which stood for heart health took the simple route of making an RJ lose weight ‘live’ on radio by adopting the brand, it helped ‘Demonstrate’ what the brand stands for, and took the creative forward and helped it work harder for the brand.

     

    #2 Media plans help brands promise become a ‘Reality’

    When a chocolate brand started celebrating every happy moment in our lives with chocolate, it was only a matter of time before passing exams became a part of the same. Hence, when the brand celebrated that and we had exam results available on the mobile platform, it was a media plan that made this promise a ‘Reality’ and every single student who passed his exam and looked up his results on the WAP platform had the brand message being dished out to them. This media plan won accolades across the globe!

     

    #3 Media plans show ‘Applicability’ in consumers’ lives

    The first time Indian Idol came about, it was a huge success and everyone remembers the hype and popularity the show created. However, to be able to reach each and every nook and corner of the country for auditions was physically impossible and hence evolved the concept of ‘Telecom Partner’, which helped people audition by recording themselves in specially designed booths and sending it to the channel.

    The ‘Applicability’ of the telecom partner was strengthened and helped people realise that telecoms help connecting people with not just people but also with their dreams.

     

    #4 Media plan help brands ‘Magnify’ their status

    Not so recently, when I was part of Colors and we launched the channel close on the heels of the high-profile launch of 9X and Imagine, we had to ‘Magnify’ the brand and what we stood for to consumers and woo them to our channel. The media plan was designed to Magnify the brand by using network strength and riding every single ad-break on the network with top and tail promos of brand Colors. This magnified the brand promise many times and the intrigue generated was high enough for the channel to be a part of the consideration set amongst viewers and more than magnified the creative of some of the lead shows like Fear Factor and Balika Vadhu.

     

    #5 Media plans that help brands ‘Amplify’ their promise

    Who can forget the famous ‘Kodak’ moments and how each and every happy moment is captured even today with these rather famous words – ‘Its a Kodak Moment’. The media plan that sought to ‘Amplify’ this promise rode on the largest media channel and the largest Bollywood award show of its time and the aptness is something which will be cherished for years to come.

     

    Karthik Lakshminarayan is the COO, Crest (Madison Media).

     

  • TAM Data (GRPs Channel shares of HGECs)- Wk 9 ’12

     

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    TG: CS 4+ yrs
    Market: HSM
    Period: Wk 8: Feb 19 to Feb 25, 2012
    Period: Wk 9: Feb 26 to Mar 3, 2012

     

     

    About TAM Media Research

     

    TAM is a joint venture between Nielsen Company & Kantar Media Research. Besides measuring TV Viewership, TAM also monitors Advertising Expenditure of Television, Print & Radio through its division AdEx India. Since 2004, it extended its presence in the PR Measurement & Analysis space for Corporate/Marketing Clients by setting up a separate division Eikona PR Measurement.

     

    In 2007, the joint venture introduced RAM (Radio Audio Measurement) service to track Radio Listenership for the Indian Radio Broadcast Industry. In year 2009, TAM launched a division, called TAM Sports that specializes in monitoring Sports Sponsorship ROI.

     

    TAM Media Research’s objective is to fuel media insights that will drive the growth of the Indian Media Industry.

  • TAM data Top 10 programmes on HGEC – Wk 9 ’12

     

     

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    TG: CS 4+ yrs
    Market: Hindi Speaking Market
    Period: Wk 9: Feb 26 to Mar 3, 2012

    

    

    

    

    

    About TAM Media Research
    

     
    

    TAM is a joint venture between Nielsen Company & Kantar Media Research. Besides measuring TV Viewership, TAM also monitors Advertising Expenditure of Television, Print & Radio through its division AdEx India. Since 2004, it extended its presence in the PR Measurement & Analysis space for Corporate/Marketing Clients by setting up a separate division Eikona PR Measurement.
    

     
    

    In 2007, the joint venture introduced RAM (Radio Audio Measurement) service to track Radio Listenership for the Indian Radio Broadcast Industry. In year 2009, TAM launched a division, called TAM Sports that specializes in monitoring Sports Sponsorship ROI.
    

     
    

    TAM Media Research’s objective is to fuel media insights that will drive the growth of the Indian Media Industry.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Every Thursday, Ranjona Banerji will write about a grouse. Either spewing venom or tongue-in-cheek
    
			
    [MxM Journalism Review] Why must TV news depend on print eds for analyses
    
			
    By Ranjona Banerji
    

     
    

    Where would TV journalists be without their colleagues in print? (I thought I’d say cousins but then that would make me related to TVwallahs too so…) Every time there’s some big issue to discuss (which in TV land is every day), out come a whole array of print seniors (and sometimes not so seniors).
    

     
    

    During the election coverage on Tuesday we had Shekhar Gupta, Vinod Mehta, Neerja Chowdhury, Manini Chatterjee, Siddharth Vardarajan, Vandita Mishra, Hartosh Singh Bal… and many more worthies.
    

     
    

    I’m thrilled for my friends and colleagues in print who I see on TV all the while at other times – Ayaz Memon, Sidharth Bhatia, Anil Dharker, Arati Jerath… At any time you are likely to see Dileep Padgaonkar, Bachi Karkaria, Tavleen Singh giving their considered opinion on this and that. The list is endless and I apologise to anyone I have left out. I don’t mean it. But it makes me wonder about our esteemed TV anchors and editors. Do they trust their own judgement so little that they cannot carry a programme by themselves? Have they not managed to hone their opinion creating abilities? And if that’s true, what have they been doing for all these years in TV?
    

     
    

    TV wallahs often feel that print journalists are too critical of them. But when they do nothing to change those perceptions and instead feed them by calling print journalists as experts all the while? How often do you see print journalists on BBC and CNN?
    
My advice to TV wallahs is: have a little faith in yourselves.
    

     
    

    Having said that, I then remember the columns which Rajdeep Sardesai, Sagorika Ghosh and Barkha Dutt write for Hindustan Times (since few other print publications condescend to give them a platform and rightly so) and I really wonder at myself!
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    Having it all also means doing it all – and since you can't have three heads and six pairs of hands, Apurva Purohit has a few tips on managing your life and staying sane.
    
			
    The Anchor: 5 ways women can swing the work-life balance
    
			
    By Apurva Purohit
    

     
    

    #1 Learning to prioritize: We can’t be great moms and wives and great professionals, and have an active social life and learn painting and scuba diving all at the same time. So we need to make tough choices about what is essential and what is not. For years my husband and I didn’t socialize at all because whatever time we could spare from work was spent at home with our son.
    

     
    

    #2 Living with guilt: We have all dealt with the guilt of leaving a cranky child or an ailing parent at home while we rushed off to complete that presentation. Or with the guilt of missing an important office event to manage a household crisis. It is a fact that Indian moms have an exaggerated sense of guilt. My son doesn’t seem to have any emotional scars that I left him with his grandmom when he had chickenpox, but I carry along big welts 11 years later!
    

     
    

    #3 Asking for help: You know the biggest issue women have in asking for help? That it often accompanies loss of control. Losing control of the kitchen to your mother-in-law, or of the upbringing of your child to your mother. If you are prepared to let go, you can build a really powerful support system around you.
    

     
    

    #4 Hard work is a given: Finally, we all need to work exceptionally hard to manage both parts of our lives. As soon as the office shift gets over, the other shift of cooking/feeding/dealing with homework starts. I had morning, afternoon and evening sickness throughout the nine months of my pregnancy. But I just carried plastic bags and boarded the train for the one-hour journey to work every single day. And I know a lot of women friends and colleagues who dealt with similar issues without batting an eyelid.
    

     
    

    #5 Keep your foot on the pedal: At critical junctures in their lives, like marriage and babies, women need to make sure that they remain as focused on their career as they are on family. And use whatever support they can get – organization, parents, husband, in-laws – but keep their foot firmly on the pedal. It requires working doubly hard but it is worth the effort.
    

     
    

    Apurva Purohit is CEO, Radio City 91.1 FM.
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    The initiative is to acknowledge and encourage the young turks and honours stars with the potential to become tomorrow's superstars 
    
			
    RBNL announces Big Star Young Entertainer Awards 2012
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

     
    

    BIG Live, the intellectual property vertical from Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd. and Star India, on Tuesday announced the launch of their new offering Big Star Young Entertainer Awards, 2012. The awards have been conceptualized to appreciate and recognise the young stars that have risen quicker than their contemporaries across different genres of the entertainment industry including film, television, music and sports. These are stars that have spent less than 5 years in their respective industries and are poised to become the superstars of tomorrow.
    

     
    

    The Big Young Star Entertainer Awards will honour the dedication of these young superstars while applauding their achievements for the year gone by.
    

     
    

    These awards will be chosen by a set of esteemed jury members who will nominate the characters and then leave it open for India to vote, leveraging the vast network of RBNL’s radio brand – 92.7 BIG FM.
    

     
    

    This is the second initiative by BIG Live and Star India after the success of the BIG Star Entertainment Awards 2010 & 2011, which achieved a rating of 5.78 TVR in its first year and a rating of 4.63 in its second year.
    

     
    

    Partners on these awards stand to gain tremendously from the synergies within Reliance Broadcast Network, with promotions across 35 stations in the Hindi speaking belt of 92.7 BIG FM, BIG MAGIC – the regional channel exclusively for the Hindi heartland of UP, MP and Bihar, Spark Punjabi – India’s first international Punjabi Channel, its strong out of home arm BIG Street and a very robust digital marketing plan with BIG Digital.
    

     
    

    Commenting on this new initiative, the Company said in a statement: “This is another industry first, which, like all our intellectual properties, is influenced by a high degree of consumer centricity and delivered through engaging ideas and multiple touch points to create unprecedented impact. Our partnership with STARIndiawill ensure excellent synergies coming into play, as we offer the young stars the acknowledgement and encouragement that they deserve. ”
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    The Gujarat Tourism is now branding one entire Reliance Metro Airport Express train for a period of three months with the 'Khushboo Gujarat ki' campaign
    
			
    Delhi to get a whiff of Gujarati flavour
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

     
    

    The ‘Khushboo Gujarat Ki’ Campaign featuring the mega star Amitabh Bachchan is currently omnipresent. Whether you switch on the TV or tune in to your favourite FM Radio Station or flip through the magazines and newspapers, the Khushboo of Gujarat is inescapable.
    

     
    

    Now the Gujarat Tourism is now branding one entire Reliance Metro Airport Express train for a period of three months. The ‘Khushboo Gujarat ki’ Campaign in its entirety would be branded on both the outer body and insides of the train by BIG Street, Reliance Broadcast Network Ltd’s OOH arm.
    

     
    

    The train would be jointly flagged off by Shri Vipul Mittra, Principal Secretary Tourism, Government of Gujarat and Shri Sanjay Kaul, Commissioner of Tourism & Managing Director, Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd. on March 7 from the Reliance Metro Airport Express New Delhi Metro station.
    

     
    

    Gujaratis considered to be a land of myriad of opportunities. Though the impression about Gujarat is only that of land of ‘industrious people’, the state, renowned for its beaches, holy temples, and historic places of interest with immense architectural wealth, wildlife sanctuaries and hill resorts, also offers a lot to an avid traveller.
    

    The USP of Gujarat Tourism is its diversity of tourism products. It is being promoted as a complete family destination.
    

     
    

    The state has been ranked as the third best unsung tourist destination of the world by Lonely Planet. Gujarat Tourism also won the prestigious PATA Gold award for its coffee table book –‘The White Rann’ in the Secondary Destination Category.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    The Biennial Event, held inDubai, attracts global leadership of PR Industry
    
			
    Prema Sagar to speak at 20th PR World Congress
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

     
    

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller announced on Tuesday that Prema Sagar, Founder and Principal, will be participating in the 20th Public Relations World Congress (PRWC) to be held Grand Hyatt,Dubaion March 13-15.
    

     
    

    Ms Sagar will join a venerated list of speakers including the pioneer of public relations and founding Chairman of Burson-Marsteller, Harold Burson. In a survey conducted by PRWeek, the industry’s foremost periodical, Burson was described as “the century’s most influential PR figure.” Burson, who brings over 65 years of industry leadership, is a singular figure in the world of public relations, having won numerous industry honours, supporting an array of organisations and charities, and serving as a mentor to countless communications professionals.
    

     
    

    “I look forward to participating in this wonderful event that draws on the knowledge and experience of so many respected thought leaders from around the world. It’s an opportunity to share and gain perspective on the latest trends and best practices from the best in the field,” said Ms Sagar.
    

     
    

    Ms Sagar will be joining an expert panel of public relations professionals scheduled to speak on Wednesday, March 14. The theme of the panel is Public Relations in an age of Dialogue: Opportunities and Challenges. Also invited to speak are Lord Tim Bell, Chairman, Chime Communications; Dr. Herbert Heitmann, Executive Vice President, External Communications, Royal Dutch Shell plc; Khalid Al-Maeena, Editor at Large Arab News and former head of Saudi Public Relations Company and Richard Linning, IPRA President 2011.
    

     
    

    Over 500 professionals from over 35 different countries are expected to attend this year’s event. Sunil John, Chairman of the PRWC Organising Committee and Chief Executive Officer of ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller expressed his excitement about the upcoming event. “We are thrilled Prema is able to join what is shaping up to be an incredibly strong lineup. I look forward to welcoming industry colleagues to this part of the world where together we can assess and discuss the myriad challenges our industry is facing, not only here in the Middle East, but around the globe,” he said.
    

     
    

    Genesis Burson-Marsteller isSouth Asia’s leading integrated communications firm specialising in public relations, public affairs and digital marketing services. The firm has seven offices and a domestic affiliate network that reaches over 100 cities across the country. Genesis Burson-Marsteller is known for its evidence-based strategy, strategic counseling, innovative execution and strong focus on measurement of results.
    

     
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    In its second year, the event comprises a conclave featuring master class sessions and an Experience Zone, culminating into one of the biggest tech awards night of the country
    
			
    NDTV Good Times to hose ‘Gadget Guru Conclave & Awards’ 2012
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

     
    

    NDTV Good Times has announced the second edition of the much anticipated and coveted Gadget Guru Conclave and Awards 2012.
    

     
    

    In its second year, the event comprises a conclave featuring master class sessions by the likes of Sony, Dolby and Canon, amongst others and an Experience Zone showcasing the best that the tech world has to offer. All this will culminate into one of the biggest tech awards night of the country, to be held on March 12 atKingdomOfDreams, Gurgaon. An exciting addition this year is the Launch Pad initiative, which is a unique platform for the latest innovations and product launches by renowned brands.
    

     
    

    The Gadget Guru Awards are the biggest the country has seen in the field of Consumer Electronics, Gadgets and Technology and provide a unique opportunity for experts from the industry to ideate, discuss and analyze the latest trends.
    

     
    

    The event will be hosted by NDTV’s Tech Gurus Rajiv Makhni and Vikram Chandra, the duo behind the flagship tech show Gadget Guru, bringing the latest technology-related news and reviews to the consumers.
    

     
    

    Sharing his views on NDTV’s long term relationship with technology and the Gadget Guru Conclave & Awards 2012, Vikram Chandra, CEO, NDTV Group, said: “It’s great to be back with the second edition of the Gadget Guru Conclave and Awards. We were truly inspired by the overwhelming response received last year and have decided to go even bigger this year with additions like master class sessions and the Launch Pad”
    

     
    

    The awards have 18 categories which include Audio Product of the Year, Audio and Video Innovation of the Year, Portable Audio Product of the Year, Computer Peripherals of the Year, Computing Product of the Year, Consumer Electronics of the Year, Gadget Eye Candy of the Year, Budget Phone of the Year, Smartphone of the Year, Imaging Product of the Year, TV display of the Year, Celebrity Endorsement of the Year, App of the Year, Gaming Product of the Year, Technology/Innovation of the Year, NDTV Gadget of the Year (Viewer’s choice), NDTV Gadget of the Year (Jury choice) and Portable Computing Product of the Year.
    

     
    

    Talking about the unprecedented success of the first edition of the awards and its bigger and better version this year, Smeeta Chakrabarti, Chief Executive Officer, NDTV Good Times said: “Gadget Guru Awards have become a benchmark in the field of technology and gadgets and we are extremely excited about the second edition. The awards will celebrate the best innovations in the tech world over the past one year and will honour those brands and companies who have made a place in the consumer’s hearts.”
    

     
    

    The distinguished jury for the awards features award winning actor Gul Panag, tech expert – Atul Chitnis, techonolgy consultant – Kishore Bharagava, Nishanth Padiar – Editor, Stuff Magazine, Ashish Bhatia – Independent technology writer and
    

    columnist, Prasanto Kumar Roy – President and Chief Editor of Cyber Media’s ICT Group besides Vikram Chandra & Rajiv Makhni. A special audio jury includes KJ Singh – National Award Winner for Sound Design in Omkara and Milinid Rane Rao – Electro-Acoustic Expert.
    

     
    

    Speaking about the jury and the credibility of the awards, Rajiv Makhni, Editor,
    

    Technology, NDTV Limited, said: “The Gadget Guru Awards are the most esteemed and anticipated awards in the Indian tech space. The award jury has some of the most respectable names in the industry and an extremely rigorous and exhaustive process has been put into place for the nominations and selection of winners.”
    

     
    

    Gadgets launched between February 1, 2011 and January 15, 2012 are eligible for this year’s nominations. All nominations have been tested and rated by NDTV Good Times’ Knowledge Partner, Living Digital. The final winners will be shortlisted based on the test results and an extensive jury meet process and rating system verified by Ernst & Young.
    

     
    

    NDTV Good Times is the flagship channel of NDTV Lifestyle, part of the NDTV Group. Launched in September 2007, NDTV Good Times quickly becameIndia’s top-ranked English-language lifestyle television channel. NDTV Good Times presents world-class, aspirational lifestyle programming that advocates living large. The lineup of shows covers every aspect of the lifestyle genre to portray and cater to an increasingly globalIndia.
    

    
			
    
		
    
		
	
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    The Good Times Ambassador is the first brand inIndiato switch to the new Facebook guidelines
    
			
    Kingfisher set to recount its ‘Brand Journey’ with Facebook Brand Timeline
    
			
    By A Correspondent
    

     
    

    Kingfisher, one ofIndia’s top 10 brands on Facebook, has proved yet again that it is one of the most digital-savvy brands in the country. It is the first brand inIndia to adapt Facebook’s ‘Brand Timeline’, giving its consumers ample reasons for a qualitative interaction with the brand.
    

     
    

    The switch to Facebook Timeline comes not just as a new look but a strategic move to engage with its consumers more qualitatively while also highlighting the milestones and narrating the story of the brand that was never told before.
    

     
    

    The Kingfisher page has been positioned as a facilitator of ‘Good Times’ and strategically does not promote beer, considering the profile of the Facebook users. The Kingfisher Facebook fan page currently enjoys more than 3.3 million likes.
    

     
    

    Commenting on the new move, Samar Singh Sheikhawat, Senior Vice President, United Breweries Ltd said: “In the rapidly evolving world of digital communications, the changes might be multiple but the crux remains the same – finding innovative and instantaneous ways of touching the lives of consumers. At Kingfisher, we’ve always strived to set these benchmarks by moving on to new platforms swiftly and utilizing the inherent strengths of the medium to forge a deep, meaningful relationship with our consumers. In keeping with that philosophy, Kingfisher was the first Indian brand to adopt the recently launched Facebook Timeline on February 29. Our endeavour now will be to use the key features of the format in a uniquely creative manner and make the consumer interactions on Facebook richer and more memorable.”
    

     
    

    Facebook Timeline went online in September 2011. It offered Facebook users the joy of revisiting their lives with a collection of photos, posts and apps facilitating a digital autobiography! Facebook has now rolled out the Timeline for brands which will transform the way brands communicate and interact with consumers drastically. The latest format provides brands with new options for self expression, allowing them to narrate their corporate story with milestones, highlight the brand’s key campaigns and so on.
    

     
    

    Kingfisher made its entry into Facebook in April 2008 and has been successful in constantly engaging with its consumers for the last 4 years. The numbers of fans have been growing in leaps and bounds year after year, a clear indication of the ever increasing popularity on Facebook.
    

    Initiating, fuelling and sustaining conversations remains to be the key challenge any brand faces on social media – Kingfisher is perceived as the benchmark in this space with consistently high levels of interactivity. As a result, currently the brand’s Facebook page flaunts more than 3 million fans, making it one of the top 5 brands on Facebook inIndia. Incidentally, this also makes Kingfisher the second largest beer brand globally on Facebook.
    

     
    

    On the other hand on Twitter, Kingfisher has a fair presence with about 17,000 followers. Though Twitter is a fairly new channel in the social media universe of brands inIndia, Kingfisher is perceived as a thought leader and as a brand that listens to consumers, not just talk. This is reinforced by even some of the top global blogs on social media mentioning Kingfisher’s Facebook & Twitter presence individually as amongst the best uses of social media inIndiaby brands.