MxMIndia

Blog

  • The global media spends account is up for review @ Unilever

    It’s pitch time for Unilever media spends in India (and elsewhere in the world)

    By A Correspondent

     

    Life’s a pitch. Ah, well, for the new bossman at Mindshare India Ravi Rao, it’s going to be a hyperactive January as he takes charge after a week’s break later this month.

     

    For, Unilever has reportedly announced a global review of its media account. This is barely two years after it did one.

     

    MxMIndia does not have any official word from Hindustan Unilever, but media reports suggest that the review will include media buying and planning and will start next month.

     

    Unilever has apparently asked all incumbents to pitch. But there are a few more, and that’s the catch. According to Advertising Age figures, Unilever spent USD 6.62 billion on worldwide measured media in 2010.

     

    The pitch is said to include a review of the way spends will be conducted in India too. Please see the following reports which also carry Unilever statements:

    Ad Age report: http://adage.com/article/agency-news/unilever-puts-global-media-account-play/231536/

    Campaign Asia report: http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/284405,unilever-calls-us465-billion-global-media-review.aspx

  • Raj Gopal Iyer's tips for setting up shop – and excelling at it.

    The Anchor: 5 skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur

    By Raj Gopal Iyer

     

    #1 Plan, stay organized and focused:

    It’s important to be absolutely planned with regard to the various aspects of the business. The more you plan, the better. Creating an effective organization with systems and processes are the key to success. The entrepreneur should be focused on the objective.

     

    #2 Be customer-centric:

    The customer is king. Happy customers will make an entrepreneur successful, for sure.

     

    #3 Have nerves of steel:

    This is an absolute necessity for being a successful entrepreneur. An entrepreneur is faced with many challenges, he/she needs to have strong will power to face them and succeed.

     

    #4 Hire the right people:

    People are extremely key to the success of an organization. A successful entrepreneur is someone who has the right people to manage the business.

     

    #5 Enjoy what you do:

    Finally, a successful entrepreneur is someone who enjoys what he/she’s doing. He/she should have the passion for it. Success will naturally follow!

     

    Raj Gopal Iyer is the CEO, Blue Ocean Media & Consulting.

  • CNN-IBN is all set to host Indian of the Year 2011 in New Delhi on December 16, 2011. The award recognizes and honours those Indians whose endeavours have set an example and done the country proud.

    CNN-IBN’s Indian of the Year on Friday

    By Akash Raha

     

    CNN-IBN is all set to host Indian of the Year 2011 in New Delhi on December 16, 2011. In its sixth edition, this initiative will celebrate and honour famous personalities from various walks of life. The chief guest at this occasion will be Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar.

     

    Speaking about the event, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN-Lokmat, said, “CNN-IBN Indian of the Year awards have created a benchmark of excellence in choosing the most influential and deserving winners. The immense success of the award in the past has raised the bar for this initiative and we are looking forward to a great show this year as well.”

     

    These iconic Indians will be chosen from five different categories – Politics, Sports, Business, Entertainment and Public Service. The awards are chosen by a four-tier selection process which includes nominations from the Network18 editorial board, ratification by the jury, and voting by the electoral college and Indian citizens.

     

    The CNN-IBN Indian of the Year winners in the past have been:

    2010 – Nitish Kumar

    2009 – A R Rahman

    2008 – G Madhavan Nair & Team Chandrayaan

    2007 – E Sreedharan

    2006 – Dr Manmohan Singh

  • NDTV Car and Bike Awards 2012 to recognize the best products & people in the Indian Automotive Industry.

    Gearing up (ahem) for NDTV’s Car and Bike Awards

    By Akash Raha

     

    NDTV will present the seventh edition of the ‘NDTV Car & Bike Awards’ at the Buddh International Circuit, which played host to India’s first Formula One Race, on December 16 2011. The awards will honour the year’s best cards, bikes and the people behind them in the country’s vibrant automobile sector.

     

    Announcing the seventh edition of the awards, Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Editor-Auto, NDTV Group said, “It’s been a tough year for the industry, with the sales slowdown casting a shadow. The huge shift to diesel cars due to rising fuel costs has also impacted not just sales but strategies too. Supply chains in Japan and Thailand were also severely affected due to natural calamities. In all this, it’s definitely the new launches that kept the momentum going, and I am excited we have had such fierce competition from a wide variety of products to choose from this year. As always, our awards credibly honour the best of auto, while also reflecting the choices and sentiments of customers, manufacturers and auto lovers alike.”

     

    Conceived in 2006, the NDTV Car & Bike Awards have emerged as one of the most credible automobile industry awards, and have created a niche for themselves in the automobile industry, and with automobile lovers. The NDTV Car & Bike Awards 2012 will once again give a chance to viewers to vote for their favourite car and bike nominees and also the chance to ride the year’s hottest wheels home.

     

    The nominees for CNB Viewers’ Choice Two Wheeler are Bajaj Boxer 150, Hero Impulse, Honda CBR250R and Yamaha YZF R-15 V2.0; and the nominees for CNB Viewers’ Choice Car are Chevrolet Beat Diesel, Ford Fiesta, Honda Brio, Hyundai Verna, Mahindra XUV500, Maruti Suzuki Swift, Nissan Sunny, Renault Fluence, Skoda Rapid, and Toyota Etios Liva. The NDTV Car & Bike Awards place a lot of emphasis on green technology by rewarding environmentally friendly work done by the industry with the NDTV Green Award.

     

    To ensure a fool-proof and fair selection process, the jurors assess and award each nominee in complete isolation from other jurors. Each car and bike nominated is driven, evaluated and tested by the jury, with detailed research on each nominee’s specifications, its market performance and its immediate competition also being provided to them. The process is monitored by tabulators at Ernst and Young, and the results will only be revealed as the envelopes are opened on Awards Night on December 16, 2011.

     

    The winners of this year’s awards will be selected by an eminent jury consisting of an expert panel of auto aficionados.

     

    Jury (Product)

    Dr V Sumantran, Hinduja Group; Dilip Chhabria, DC Design; Sarika Sherawat, Rallyist;

    Armaan Ebrahim, Formula Two Racer; Gul Panag, Biker, Auto Columnist & Enthusiast;

    Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Editor-Auto, NDTV Network

    The awards also recognize Marketing, Advertising and Communication efforts of the players which contribute to any product’s success, with the CNB-AAA Awards. The categories in this include Best PR & Communications Team, Best Integrated Campaign, Best Creative Film (Two Wheeler & Four Wheeler categories) and Best Brand Ambassador.

     

    Jury (CNB-AAA)

    R Balki, Chairman & Creative Director, Lowe and Filmmaker; Agnello Dias, Founder, Taproot Films; Dorab Sopariwala, Editorial Advisor to NDTV; Prema Sagar, Principal & Founder, Genesis Burson Marsteller; Shruti Verma Singh, Editor, All About Ads; Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Editor-Auto, NDTV Network

  • M, the lifestyle magazine for men, has tied up with Park Avenue to bring out an exclusive supplement on men's styles.

    M ties up with Park Avenue for supplement

    By Akash Raha

     

    M, the lifestyle magazine for men has tied up with Raymond’s Park Avenue to bring out an exclusive supplement on men’s styles. The supplement is a six-supplement tie-up to come out every second month, starting from December. The supplement comes in the same packaging as the magazine but not inside the magazine.

     

    The first supplement was unveiled at a swish event in Mumbai by Gautam Singhania, MD and CEO, Raymond and Amitabh Taneja, Editor in Chief, Images Group.

     

    Speaking about the supplement and the tie up with Park Avenue Ashish Pratap Singh, Editor-in-charge, M, said, “The supplement marks a new standard in richness and opulence. The target audience for Park Avenue and M is very similar. They are fashionable, young, smart and want to be informed about style.”

     

    The supplement covers the latest trends for men on the global platform, and Park Avenue’s latest offerings for both men and women. The supplement also talks about the latest and best cars to drive and the best of the best resorts from around the world to stay in. Each bi-monthly supplement will also feature a renowned CEO’s interview on comfort and style. For the first supplement, M magazine features Vikram Chandra, CEO, NDTV, talking about his first love, TV journalism, his style quotient and everything else.

  • Preethi Kitchen Appliances continues to be the 'Official Kitchen Appliances Partner' for the third consecutive year

    Parle join Aircel Chennai Open as official partners

    By A Correspondent

     

    Parle, India’s largest manufacturer of biscuits and confectionery, has come on board as an “Official Partner” for the 2012 Aircel Chennai Open with their product Hide & Seek.

     

    The $450,000 Aircel Chennai Open, operated and organised by IMG Reliance, isIndia’s only andSouth Asia’s premier ATP World Tour Open 250 event. This edition of the Aircel Chennai Open will be held from January 2 to 8, 2012 at the SDAT Stadium in Chennai. The tournament will see in action an impressive line-up of Indian and international players, including world number 9 Janko Tipsarevic, world number 10 Nicolas Almagro, Somdev Devvarman, Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi, among others.

     

    Commenting on the partnership Mr Shalin Desai, Group Product Manager, Parle Products said: “We are really proud that Hide & Seek is an official partner for Aircel Chennai Open 2012. Over the years, the Aircel Chennai Open has brought a world class event to Indian people. For us, there are several parallels between the event and the brand. Hide & Seek as a brand appeals to the youth similar to the Aircel Chennai Open. The association gives us an opportunity to participate in one of the most exciting events of the year.”

     

    Meanwhile Preethi Kitchen Appliances has come on board as the ‘Official Kitchen Appliances Partner’ for the third consecutive year. Following two successful years atIndia’s only leading ATP World Tour event, Preethi Kitchen Appliances has signed a two-year agreement for Aircel Chennai Open 2012.

     

    Commenting on this partnership Vijay Srinivasan, Managing Director, Preethi Kitchen Appliances Pvt Ltd said: “In keeping with our tradition of being associated withIndia’s leading ATP Tennis tournament, Preethi has always been proud to partner with the Aircel Chennai Open. Aircel Chennai Open has been the perfect occasion for showcasing Preethi’s product ranges that are renowned for their Performance, Quality, Reliability and Safety.”

     

    A spokesperson from IMG Reliance said: “We are pleased to announce that Parle, the number one biscuit manufacturer inIndia, is partnering with Aircel Chennai Open 2012 as an Official Partner. It is of great pride to us that a global brand like Parle has chosen to come on board withIndia’s only ATP tournament. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial association.”

     

    The spokesperson added that they are glad that Preethi Kitchen Appliances has decided to continue their association with Aircel Chennai Open.

  • Middle India market for FMCGs will exceed US $ 20 billion by 2018, says Nielsen study

    Middle India market for FMCGs will exceed US $ 20 bn by 2018 : Nielsen

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    The FMCG market of about 400 smaller Indian towns with populations of 1 – 10 lakh, is expected to surpass US $ 20 billion by 2018 and 80 billion US $ by 2026, a new study by insights and analytics firm Nielsen said.

     

    Currently, the 400 smaller towns represent approximately US $ 6 billion.”Although big Indian metros remain the staple for FMCG marketers and rural India is proving to be critical for volumes in the long run, the next wave of the Indian urban demand revolution may be found in these 400 smaller towns with a population of 1 – 10 lakh,” said Ranjeet Laungani, Executive Director, Nielsen. “It’s time for marketers to take notice”, he added.

     

    Nielsen’s study shows that out of the total US $ 28 billion in FMCG sales last year, products worth about US $ 6 Billion were consumed in these smaller towns. This number makes up more than 20% of overall FMCG sales, and 30% of the urban FMCG sales. Since 2002, the FMCG sector grew 3.5 times in these smaller towns of 1-10 lakh population, compared to 3.2 times at the all-India level.

     

    “The demand revolution has percolated down to middle India and these towns will behave like the metros of tomorrow,” said Laungani. “Middle India leads the pack across urban and rural segments for FMCG value growth rates.

     

    Out of 81 FMCG categories tracked by Nielsen, 49 product categories across personal care, over-the-counter drugs, household care, and food outgrew the all-India rate. Over 30 categories saw growth rates faster than 1.15 times the all-India rate. FMCG companies which anticipated this kind of growth and invested in these areas a few years ago, are likely seeing a positive return on their efforts,” says Laungani.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2011, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

  • Kareena Kapoor and Katrina Kaif are hot contenders for the spot for the BIG Star Entertainment Awards

    Kat and Bebo in race for the Best Actress in romantic role

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kareena Kapoor, popularly known as Bebo, has always been the dream co-star of many a successful hero, especially the three Khans – Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan. The three Khans have delivered smashing box office hits with the reigning queen with her co stars.

     

    But Katrina Kaif, Salman Khan’s close friend and confidant, is slowly emerging as the darling of the masses. Both girls are absolutely brilliant on and off screen too.

     

    Kareena has given powerful performances, be it Jab We Met, 3 Idiots or Ra One. Kat isn’t lagging behind, after wowing audience with Rajneeti, Tees Maar Khan, and My Brother Ki Dulhan.

     

    Now Bebo and Kat are hot favourites contenders for Best Actress in Romantic Role for the BIG Star Entertainment Awards.

  • Ashraf Engineer has been there (journalism) and is now on the 'other side' (PR). Who better than to tell it like it is?

    [PR Channel] What journalists want: The 10 commandments for PR folks

    By Ashraf Engineer

     

    Whom do journalists love to hate? Public relations (PR) professionals probably wouldn’t top the list, but they’d come pretty close. The irony, of course, is that the journalist-PR executive relationship is deeply symbiotic – one can hardly do without the other.

     

    But before I say anything else, you should know that I empathize. I know journalists can’t wait to get you off their back – unless they need you. In which case, you need to respond, like, yesterday.

     

    How many times have you thought after an I-need-a-response-now ultimatum, ‘What do journalists really want?’

     

    Here are a few commandments. Live by these and, who knows, the rocky relationship might just get smoother.

     

    Thou shall be clear and concise

    Most journalists work to a deadline and don’t have the time for rambling, rah-rah press releases. Say what you have to without taking up too many words. You’re working to a deadline too, so this should work to your advantage. A well-written yet short press release has far more value than a tsunami of words that has at the core just one paragraph of usable information.

     

    Thou shall not promise what you can’t deliver

    Years ago, when I worked for one of Mumbai’s leading newspapers, Nobel-winning mathematician John Nash visited the city. The PR agency managing the visit promised us an exclusive interview, with other newspapers getting access to Nash only the next day. Turned out the agency promised every newspaper the same thing. Imagine our shock when we saw Nash’s interviews everywhere. My newspaper stopped dealing with the agency altogether. The CEO had to come over and apologize, but things were never the same again – we kept the agency at arm’s length and treated every communication from it with suspicion.

     

    Thou shall not peddle rubbish masquerading as news

    Journalists have had it with ‘news’ that isn’t really, well, news. And surveys that are little more than a few colleagues being asked their opinion. Good journalists are discerning; they won’t let something like that get through. The bad journalists, you should have no use for – they won’t last and will never be in a position to help you or your clients.

     

    Thou shall respect deadlines

    This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how often it is ignored. Nothing gets a journalist’s goat more than information/reactions not arriving on time. Your tardiness could slam the door shut on potential coverage. It could also destroy the goodwill that you and your firm might have with the newspaper concerned. Why risk it? Get it right.

     

    Thou shall make clients, facts available

    Journalists want people featured in the press release to be available, and also the facts and figures. There’s no point in pushing a story if its basic building blocks are out of reach. So, if your client has a new CEO, it’s not enough to just say it. The CEO must be on hand to articulate his vision and his plan. Unless you do that, a journalist would see no value attached to the story. Journalists aren’t carrier pigeons – they aren’t satisfied with only the information you give them. They may see a storyline you don’t, and would need support accordingly.

     

    Another sticking point is case studies. Wherever relevant, make sure you have good ones. Journalists love them because they make the story come alive. Make sure they support the larger story, make sure they’re well written.

     

    Thou shall know your target newspaper

    When I was working for a lifestyle newspaper, I was often flooded with press releases that weren’t relevant to me – from a new type of spark plug to a stent that made heart surgery cheaper.

    What were those PR executives thinking? We covered society events, fashion, cinema and television. Spark plugs? Really?

    Don’t carpet-bomb the media with releases. That’ll only result in a lot of dead trees and no stories to show for it. Read newspapers, know what they cover. Most good newspapers don’t simply run a press release; they use it to spark off an idea.

     

    Thou shall stay away from jargon

    Using jargon only creates an illusion that you know more than you actually do. And, like an illusion, it’ll shatter at the first challenge. Besides, it turns journalists off.

    So, the next time you’re tempted to say ‘ponzi scheme’, just say ‘a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to investors not from any actual profit, but from money paid by subsequent investors’.

     

    Thou shall address releases to the right people

    Have an UPDATED list of journalists and the newspapers they’re working for. My last job involved handling news specials for a leading daily. Yet, I was bombarded with companies’ financial results. On the irritation scale, it ranked only below being addressed as ‘Mrs Ashraf Engineer’ (and that happened too!).

    A newspaper I worked for even received releases for a journalist who had passed away!

    Send your releases to the right people, make sure you address them properly and – for God’s sake – make sure they’re alive. Otherwise, guess where they end up. It’s no wonder they say ‘delete’ is the journalist’s favourite key.

     

    Thou shall be well informed

    I’ve lost count of the number of times the PR professional at the other end of the line didn’t have even basic information about his/her client – size, location, turnover, etc. Apart from seriously harming your own and your agency’s reputation, it creates a poor impression about your client.

    Wait, weren’t you hired to do the exact opposite?

     

    Thou shall know this – a newspaper is not just a print product any more

    Every newspaper now has a website. The traditional press release format was developed over 100 years ago for print journalists. But they’ve changed. Most people get their news from the web first. This has sent tremors through newsrooms and altered them forever. In the process, the PR professional’s job has been altered too.

    Help the journalists do their jobs by providing graphics – and, where required, multimedia – that are relevant and on time.

    It doesn’t end there. Journalists might require quotes from experts and client executives. Your story may never see the light of day unless you travel this extra mile. So, help journalists help you.

     

    Ashraf Engineer is Head – Content at Hanmer MSL. After a 16-year career in journalism, he now heads the high-value content operation of the agency. He can be contacted at ashraf.engineer@hanmermsl.com.

  • In Freaking News, Ranjona Banerji reviews the fare on prime time news and the morning papers

    It’s the economy, stupid

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Perhaps appropriately, the problems of the Indian economy have taken centre-stage. Some newspapers are concentrating on the falling rupee while others are concerned about the falling industrial growth rate. Both seem to be legitimate headlines. The general consensus seems to be lack of governance and the general drift of UPA II. Says The Times of India in its editorial on Wednesday, “If the political class needs a crisis to see that policy gridlock is strangling our economy, then that crisis is upon us… But the onus is also on the opposition to forego bloody-minded politics which makes the government’s job harder.”

     

    The Indian Express in its editorial concentrates on decline on the Index of Industrial Production and comments, “Unfortunately the slowdown has hit us at a time when real interest rates are negative.” However it cautions the Reserve Bank to wait and watch before “taking action”. It also brings up the valid point of many students coming out of management institutes being unable to find jobs if industrial and services growth on a downward spiral.

     

    The Deccan Chronicle in its editorial looks at how Indian companies are now looking abroad to invest their money, given the situation in India. “What India and the economy urgently needs to grow at this point is low inflation, low interest rates, immediate implementation of the new manufacturing and procurement policy, and a business-friendly transparent environment to unleash India’s unmatched entrepreneurial strengths.”

     

    The Economic Times carries a feature on the rupee crisis headlined “India Inc sends an SoS to RBI’. A Subba Rao of the GMR group is quoted as saying, “It’s like a natural calamity, like a tsunami… with the rupee falling so fast and so sharply, there is only so much you can do.”

     

    A discussion on Times Now on Tuesday had FICCI chairman Rajiv Kumar practically begging politicians to sort our their problems and prevent a further downslide in the economy. His predictions were dire unlike Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s somewhat sanguine assurances that things were not so bad.

     

    **

     

    Given our current obsession with corruption, two stories in Wednesday’s newspapers deserve attention. The Telegraph, Calcutta, has a story on how the Jyoti Basu government handed the AMRI hospital land in the Dhakuria area of Kolkata between 1994 and 1998 at rates that will remain frozen till at least 2024. Unlike other such deals, there are apparently no provisions for revision of the rental rates. The state government has, according to the report, acquired the land in 1991 to provide affordable healthcare.

     

    The Indian Express’s flyer story looks at the various irregularities in the Noida farmhouse allotments, from which a key member of the Anna Hazare-Jan Lokpal movement also benefited – Shanti Bhushan and his son Jayant. The Express report provides details of various transgressions and concessions, many of which appear to be inexplicable.

     

    **

     

    Even as TV continues to be the chief champion of Anna Hazare and his campaign for his Jan Lokpal Bill, the print media conversely continues to question. The Economic Times in its second editorial on Wednesday says, ‘Anna Hazare has displaced the my-way-or-highway sort of undemocratic attitude reminiscent of authoritarianism and a vigilante-style notion of justice and that is part of the problem.” It cautions against actions which will lead to anarchy.

     

    eom

  • GRP Channel shares of HGECs- Wk 50 2011

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    TG: CS 4+ yrs
    Market: HSM
    Period: Wk 49: Nov 27 to Dec 3, 2011
    Period: Wk 50: Dec 4 to Dec 10, 2011

     

     

    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 50 ’11

     

    Source: TAM Peoplemeter System
    TG: CS 4+ yrs
    Market: Hindi Speaking Market
    Period: Wk 50 (Dec 4 to Dec 10) 2011

     

     

    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.