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  • From a growth standpoint, this Diwali is looking very, very promising. The fact that there is tremendous traction from the consumer’s end, monetization becomes that much easier.

    Lakshmi Narasimhan: The icing on the cake

    Digital is one of those categories in the whole of media spectrum which has seen steady growth for many years now. One can say with all the confidence that it is the most accountable medium; one which saw good traction even at a phase when many companies in India were witnessing the brunt of the slowdown in 2009. Post that, I would say there was no looking behind and the digital industry grew in double-digit numbers.

    This festive season is like the icing on the cake. We’ve seen in the recent past, many new ventures in the Internet space, WAP sites being launched, many apps being introduced by companies; increasing numbers of active Internet users, penetration of smart-phones, tablets etc all tell a fabulous growth story. It tells you that information is just a click away, doesn’t matter where you are. The result of all this is the changing consumption of digital media from a consumer standpoint.  As far as digital media is concerned, it is just the right opportunity to engage with consumers.

    From a growth standpoint, this Diwali is looking very, very promising. The fact that there is tremendous traction from the consumer’s end, monetization becomes that much easier.

    So yes, Diwali has been good for us (Web 18) and mostly there are positive signs for the industry as well. What we must look to do from here is to carry forward the momentum to next year.

     

    Lakshmi Narasimhan is CEO, Web 18.

  • The next five years are going to be a golden period for the broadcast industry.

    Markand Adhikari: It’s growth and growth

    Diwali is a special time for broadcast channels for they can tweak their programming towards catering to the festive moods of consumers, especially the news and entertainment channels. The festive season also brings in additional revenues in form of ad sales or sponsorships on key events and properties.  Media owners generally do get some benefit out of the festive season, where consumers are in the buying mode and when maximum sales happen during the year. We see categories like jewellery and consumer brands do a lot of advertising on TV.

     

    This season, we’ve seen quite a lot of traction from advertisers. A very good year – one of the best I would say for the broadcast industry, if we consider the past four to five years.  We’ve come up with some really good programming for Mastii. And I’m sure a lot of other channels are doing their bit around Diwali.

    Going forward, I think the broadcast industry will see growth and more. Next Diwali, as I see it, will be even better as far as business growth is concerned. Channel owners will up their ad rates. Subscription revenue will increase and once that begins to happen, on-air spots will be sold at a premium. That’s a big challenge, but I’m sure the industry is moving towards that, slowly but surely.

    As far as competition is concerned, with increasing media fragmentation, I think that companies which are able to hold their ground for next three years, will reap maximum benefits, as the way I see it, next five years are going to be a golden period for the broadcast industry.

     

    Markand Adhikari is Managing Director, Sri Adhikari Brothers

  • Prathap Suthan: It’s great to be in the creative business

    By Prathap Suthan

    I can be forever young. I can keep on vicariously living my teenage life, rewinding, recasting, redubbing, and capturing all that in different stories, in different media.

    I can be anyone. I am hired to be schizophrenic.

    I can be Captain Cook on a voyage across the Pacific. I can be an acid rocker tripping on psychedelic life. I can be Sobers playing T20 in Hawaii.

    I can be passionate, energetic, moody, trendy, whacked out, sober, argumentative, flaky, sober, drunk, devious, intelligent, dull, unshaven, rude, and silent on occasions.

    I can be a prism of complications, and a spectrum of vibrancy.

    I can be in the middle of the Sahara, watching sharks ski down snow slopes, chasing long necked hippos, snacking on broccoli burgers and drinking pumpkin champagne.

    I can be inventive, innovative or boringly conservative, with a Gothic skew.

    I can create anything in my head, and it doesn’t have to respect gravity. Or consider the consequences of anything that Einstein theorized.

    I can buck rules. I can duck rules. I can rewrite history. I can draw new geography.

    I can borrow Spain. I can import Russia. I can buy Neptune. I can sell Pluto.

    I can officially sit at home all day and brood over karma.

    I can build space rockets. I can trash missiles. I can chomp nuclear bombs. I can burp oxygen. I can eat anything. I can drink everything.

    I can do whatever inside my mind. I can be holy, or unholy. I can be a father, or mother, or son, or daughter, or cousin, or pet dog.

    I can be a sofa, a couch, or a dining table with three legs.

    I can get inside a goat’s stomach. I can talk to a pebble. I can discuss world economics with an earthworm. I can want cyanide.

    I can fall in love. I can fall out of love. I can have four mouths, and 11 eyes. I can be articulate. I can be respectful. I can be middle class at 2.30 pm.

    I can declare wars. I can start revolutions. I can explore everywhere. I can go ahead in time. I can go back into the past.

    I can be sensible. I can be illogical. I can be commonplace. I can be exotic. I can find relevance. I can find meaning. I can be original. I can be fake.

    I can be anywhere. I can travel on the back of a bumblebee. I can breathe nitrogen. I can barbecue a not so friendly barracuda underwater.

    I can fly with an eagle, and pluck its feathers.

    I can be Hitler. I can be your neighbour. I can be Pele. I can be Hannibal. I can be Cupid. I can be a cow with a hangover.

    In fact, I can be what I want to be, and pretty much do what I want to do. I am only limited by my imagination, civility, and budgets.

    Thank goodness for our business. And thank goodness I can have more fun tomorrow.

     

    Prathap Suthan is Chief Creative Officer at iYogi.

  • The top giver this year has to be Team Anna. Every day, all the members, former and current, work so hard to gift the media something substantial so that juicy stories and screaming debates can be organised.

    Ranjona Banerji: Giving with a twist

    Maybe Diwali is shining bright this year and maybe, well, there are a few dull spots here and there. Ads in newspapers over the past month certainly show that real estate and white goods are back in demand and jewellery it seems never goes out of fashion.

    But as journalists, you don’t have to count Diwali in terms of what you get (so how many media houses actually bother to give their employees anything for Diwali any more?) in material terms but what you get as, well, material.

    The top giver this year has to be Team Anna. Every day, all the members, former and current, work so hard to gift the media something substantial so that juicy stories and screaming debates can be organised. Tax evasions, slipper-chucking, chamber-bashing, endless fasts – which forced television to find every synonym for abstinence from food it could come up with across several Indian languages – dramatic exits, allegations, self-righteous sanctimony… sometimes you’re lucky as a journalist to get such a cornucopia of riches maybe once a year. Team Anna has been giving generously since April.

    The next most generous has to be the film industry (and I don’t mean press conference gifts or the air kisses some film star blows a young, impressionable film reporter who now thinks they’re BFF). Every other week a movie releases with such an enormous publicity blast that you need at least six months to recover. It is another matter that the film bombs before anyone sees it and is as same old same old as the last one. The publicity blitz is far more important than the film itself and generates so many stories. So what if most of them are fake? This season, it has been Shahrukh Khan who has been most kind. Now, anyone going to see the movie, errr, what’s it called?

    In most years, cricket would top the list but what started out as a great cricket year what with the World Cup and the IPL and then the England tour oops… um, what happened after that? My mind has gone a bit blank. There should have been stories galore but then I don’t know, whatever, cricket, yeah.

    The Sensex is usually good for some drama but this year, well, it’s behaved very badly, in a damp squib kind of way. Instead, rising higher and higher has been the inflation rate, so you know, you lose some and you lose some. Not quite a breezy Diwali story.

    Big thanks could go to our politicians who are usually ready with some fun stuff. Of course they never fail so there’s nothing new or unexpected here. We’re used to it. Sometimes, it’s like Diwali gifts every day.

    Now that Diwali is done and dusted, let’s see what kind of parties we get thrown for New Year.

    Have a good one.

  • Prashant Panday: ‘Coz radio is sexy!

    By Prashant Panday

    It’s indeed great to be in the radio business! Provided you are the leader and have managed your costs well! Provided you are a listenership leader and your listenership helps you command a good enough pricing in the market! Provided your work culture is so much fun that you are able to retain the top talent and top management both! Provided you have managed your business so well that you are well prepared to take on future challenges and opportunities! In short, provided you are a Radio Mirchi!

     

    For the rest, radio has been an uphill challenge right from the time the auctions for Phase-2 ended in Jan-Feb 2006. Right from then, losses have only mounted for most broadcasters. When things started to get a little better, they got a lot worse when the economic slowdown hit in 2008-9. When things got a little better again last year, and many of the larger broadcasters achieved EBITDA breakeven, almost half the license period had ended. In the radio business, if you hit EBITDA breakeven at the mid-point of your license period, you have no hopes of delivering returns to your shareholders. That indeed is the story of most radio broadcasters.

     

    However, the future does look brighter than the past has been. Provided again, if broadcaster handle their businesses sensibly in the future; provided they bid reasonably and sensibly in Phase-3 auctions. Those who chase network size at any cost will continue to be in trouble for the next 15 or even 25 years. Those who bid smartly – even losing a few important stations in the process – will be able to make the radio business profitable.

    One has to remember this – radio is not TV – here costs are paramount. This realization is more important than anything else. In radio, one has to keep one’s head down; focus on brand building; not get too flashy or ambitious; and keep plodding away at the key drivers of the business. That and that alone matters in the radio business!

    For such broadcasters who bid sensibly, the road ahead is indeed exciting. The radio industry has scaled only the 5 percent peak – 5 percent as a share of the total advertising industry. The 8 and percent peaks are set to be scaled in the next few years.

    As the number of cities increases, the importance of radio is bound to increase. First there is Phase-3 to provide the impetus – taking the penetration of radio to more than 300 towns. Then there is bound to be the next phase – Phase IV – in which the government is sure to add more frequencies in the major metros. That should give radio another big impetus. In fact, the government can launch both phases 3 and 4 simultaneously.

    The radio industry has given an easy formula for the government to offer more spectrums to radio broadcasters, thus more than doubling the number of channels in the major metros. Simply reduce the gap or separation between two adjoining FM channels from 800 Khz to 400 Khz and the number of frequencies will double! Everyone will gain – most so the government which can rake in much higher license fees. Equally so…..the listeners at large…..who will get much more programming variety to choose from. This will help broadcasters also who will get to operate different formats – after all, in which other media segment is there such a shortage of formats? There are more than 750 TV channels, thousands of newspaper titles and tens of thousands of outdoor sites and websites. Why then are there so few radio stations?

    To end, radio has always been a sexy medium. It’s the medium in which advertisers can truly dive and get the best out – at a regional and local level. Advertisers who predominantly use TV can use radio to give a local flavour to their campaigns. Advertisers who primarily use newspapers can use radio to give a “smart personality” to their brands. Radio is poised at that interesting cusp – when people who work in good radio companies can grow their careers much faster than they can in comparison to TV and print companies. Radio is truly a sexy medium!

    Prashant Panday is CEO, Radio Mirchi

  • Marketing is neither for the coldhearted nor is it for the overconfident

    Sudeep Narayan: A world of many hats

    Cold war; Combative; guerilla; carpet bombing; sniper – various battlefield strategies and tactics flare-up inside a marketers mind.

    Marketing is neither for the coldhearted nor is it for the overconfident.

    Will this design be accepted? Is this the latest in technology? Will our customers accept the price? What would be the customers expectation 5 years from now? Should we as a corporation look to ‘shift the paradigm’? For all these answers turn to the Marketing Head’s page. They will know. Image the expectation within the organisation and the expectation outside. Will the client see value in investing in this creative rendition? Swap the headline with thesub-head and increase the logo. The rest is approved.

    There seems to be more questions in marketing than answers. This gives birth to the ‘idea of exploration’ birth to the Americas. One challenging fact however bears more significance to marketing – the everchanging landscape and the need for ‘Envisaging’. They who explore the unknown are ready with an app within the first week of the iPad launch.

    A marketing professional needs to know everything. Period. Compelled to wear different hats

    Professor Product hat – if you don’t have knowledge about your product, how would you know its different from others in the market.

    Design Guru Stetson – every design has its virtues. Which one appeals to the brand values and the customers psychie. What is the ‘Natural-fit’. Some brands have suffered defeat in the marketplace for being congruent to the core values.

    Doctor Economist Beret – brand valuation; supplychain; demand forecasting and the understanding of all the economies of scale

    Shrink cap – another optional career for marketers is counselling. The daily challenges makes marketers understand psychology.

    Moolah topi – even the finance experts of the company expect marketing execs to balance the sheet.

     

    Nuff said. Marketing is a great place to be!

     

    Sudeep Narayan is Marketing and PR Director, Volvo.

  • Mr Sujay Gupta meets the allegations head-on, saying his newspaper is clean and will remain so.

    Herald editor refutes ‘paid news’ charge

    This is with reference to the complaint to the Press Council of India, by our esteemed and senior colleague in the profession for many years, Mayabhushan Nagvekar.

    Since the matter concerns issues of editorial and journalistic propriety even though the conversations and interactions Mayabhushan, posing as one Bernard, has with our marketing Manager Tulsidas Desai, I have chosen to respond to this.

    Firstly, I wish to emphatically deny that any editorial content which has appeared in the Herald, without the “advertorial” tag line has been paid for. In his complaint, the complainant has attached newspaper clippings of several interviews we have conducted as part of our kins and kinship series of prospective new candidates in the fray.

    The only exception was that of Somnath Zuwarkar, whose interview we carried after his return to politics. To even suggest that these interviews were part of a paid news package is hugely defamatory. Herald will respond to these allegations urgently and appropriately in a proper forum.

    I wish to emphasize that I have been informed by my management that Desai’s remarks, (as heard on the audio) file in relation to any assurances given to “Bernard” for disguised editorial favours is absolutely incorrect.

    As Editor, my stated position both within and outside the organisation has been that paid content cannot be disguised as news. Whenever politicians have sent out messages, statements of their achievements and other such information, through a paid route, we have prominently stated that they are advertorials. A case in point is the birthday of Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho where there were more than 2 pages of “news” items about Mauvin’s career and achievements.

    Recently there was a four page advertorial supplement Vision 2015 where the Chief Minister’s interview was carried along with information on other departments. However, Herald has not softened its attack on this government on several issues, making a clear distinction between advertisements/advertorials and editorial.

    Herald is the only newspaper which used the tag “advertorial” on top of their news pages so that the difference between editorial and advertorial is clearly established.

    Coming to the proposed interview of the fictitious “Bernard” in HCN, our marketing team confirms that that such interviews are conducted with clear supers entitled “SPONSORED, indicating that its an advertorial.

    The letter/email sent by Tulsidas Desai to the fictitious Bernard also clearly states that the rates were for advertising /advertorial rates. The marketing department is within its purview of seeking advertisements and advertorials with a clear understanding that they would be treated like any paid advertisement.

    Lastly and most significantly, Editorial was not in the know of any such negotiations or discussions the marketing had with any candidate or anyone else. The stray remark that “editos people” would be in the know of any interview to HCN is also incorrect.

    I am also clear that ultimately issues of newspaper ethics need to be addressed by the Editor directly since he is the custodian of content. At no given point of time have I allowed disguised and paid news to slip through as genuine editorial content.

    However, it is imperative to ask if the media in Goa has done a serious introspection on whether we try hard enough to eliminate the ghost of paid news slipping through as genuine news.

    In the present case, too, it is naive to expect that the said Bernard’s interview would have been carried in any form. The final decision to run a story or not rests with me and my senior editorial colleagues so a clear distinction needs to be made between news and advertorials. The two cannot and don’t mix in The Herald.

    If the complainant had indeed wanted to test Heralds mettle and transparency in these matters he should have tried paying the amount and getting his interview published as news and then taken us to task.

    However, I agree that with elections around the corner, we need to be more vigilant and watchful to ensure that the media continues to function as a neutral and independent watcher and not an interested part.

     

    Sujay Gupta, Editor, Herald

  • To resort to a cliche, there's never a dull moment and that suits most journalists very well.

    Sukumar Ranganathan: Journos and media exec in a unique position

    Try as I may, I find myself unable to summon the enthusiasm inherent in the headline , so I am going to refine the topic a bit.

    It is an exciting time to be in media. A combination of circumstances — increased political and business activity, and a reduction in information asymmetry thanks to regulations such as the Right to Information Act and technology — has meant a significant increase in news flow. To resort to a cliche, there’s never a dull moment and that suits most journalists very well.
    Yet, it’s a challenging time as well.

    To stay relevant, newsrooms have to be proficient in multiple media and editors should understand print, video, the Internet, and social media. The business case for some of these is still being written, but that doesn’t mean they can be ignored. The good news for print journalists like me trying to cope with a whole new world is that print will continue to exist, even thrive in India.

    There’s also another challenge newsrooms face, one that many are just waking up to. The reduction in information asymmetry that gives them access to news they once wouldn’t have had access to, also gives readers and viewers access to information about how journalists work. Many newsrooms in India still work without a journalistic code and, over time, this will put off both readers (or viewers) and advertisers.

    Given all these, work is complex, interesting, hard, stressful, and sometimes fun.
    But great? I don’t really know.

    It is, at once, both exciting and frightening, to be in the middle of great change of the sort that the Indian media landscape is going through.

    I think I can safely say that journalists and media executives find themselves in a unique position.

     

    Sukumar Ranganathan is the Editor of Mint.

  • In association with T-Series, RED FM regales its listeners with superhit compilations.

    RED FM to launch Superhits TOP 30

    By A Correspondent

    This Diwali, RED FM celebrates the joy of the season with full-on entertainment and energy. Presenting an absolute dhamaka to its listeners, in association with T-Series, RED FM announces the simultaneous launch of 93.5 RED FM SUPERHITS TOP 30, across its network. To be unveiled on October 26, this Superhits CD boasts of a compilation of the Top 30 songs from Bollywood movies released this past year.

    93.5 RED FM SUPERHITS TOP 30 is a reflection of the CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) format followed extensively by the station. With the launch of the music CD, the station for expression will engage its listeners through exciting on-air contests giving them an opportunity to win their very own copy of the 93.5 RED FM SUPERHITS TOP 30.

    Speaking about the association, Mr Rana Barua, COO, RED FM 93.5 Network said, “Listeners tune into RED FM because they know that it is the only radio station that plays contemporary hit music across shows. Similarly T-Series has regaled the audience over the years with one chartbuster after another. Through this association with T-Series, the listeners are in for a very good time as they will be treated to an exclusive compilation of 30 rocking chartbusters. This endeavor, will surely usher the festive celebrations with gusto!”

    Says Mr Neeraj Kalyan, President, T-Series, “We are delighted to partner with RED FM in launching Superhits T30 music CD which is a compilation of chartbusters that has been serenading the airwaves all year round! Since RED FM is the only radio station that plays contemporary hit music, our synergies matched effortlessly. Through this partnership, we intend to reach out to maximum number of people across the cities this Diwali.”

    With songs from the movies such as Rockstar, Dabangg, Ready and Delhi Belly amongst others featuring in the CD, RED FM reinforces the fact that it is the only radio station that breaks the clutter by promoting contemporary super hit music!

    Says Nisha Narayanan, Senior VP Projects & Programming, RED FM 93.5 Network, “Superhit Top 30 has always been the trademark for Red FM. It is this show that is associated with RED FM across India. Thus, with the kind of response the show has received, Red FM has decided to launch the compilation of top 30 songs in a CD and who better to do it with than TSeries. The compilation consists of the best voted songs in the chartbusters for the last one year. We are happy to have associated with one of the best music company – ‘TSeries’ and hope that our clients and listeners like this gesture of us in the form of Superhits Top 30 for this festive occasion.

  • The third edition of the Dainik Bhaskar India Pride Awards in association with DNA was held at Taj Palace, New Delhi.

    Dainik Bhaskar Indian Pride Awards given

    By A Correspondent

    The third edition of the Dainik Bhaskar India Pride Awards in association with DNA was held at Taj Palace, New Delhi. The Award recognized and felicitated the contribution made by the Public Sector Undertaking and Civil Servant. Presided by Shr. Montek Singh Walia as the Chief Guest the award function ignited a sense of pride for the winners at the awards night.

    In the opening address, Mr Ramesh Chandra Agarwal, Chairman, Dainik Bhaskar Group said that India lives in Tier II & Tier III markets and the PSUs have extended their reach in such areas and Town and it’s great pride for Dainik Bhaskar to honor, the efforts taken by them for the development of the nation.

    Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Planning Commission, Govt. of India, in his address, appreciated and thanked Dainik Bhaskar for their initiative and said “such acknowledgement of the work done for the economic development of the nation, by the special vehicles called the PSUs is note-worthy”. He further added that Dainik Bhaskar’s recognition of the outstanding work done by the members of the civil society towards the welfare of the nation and a better change for the society at large was a big step.”

    Addition to this, Mr Jairam Ramesh, Union Minister for Rural Development, Govt. of India, the Guest of Honour, said, “Introducing Impact Creator-Civil Servant and Social Change Agent category awards for the individual contribution would serve as a source of inspiration for more and more citizens, specially the youth, who will get encouragement to work for the welfare of the society.”

    Also, Mr V.Narayanasamy, MOS for Parliamentary Affairs, Govt. of India, added “PSUs and civil servants are working hard for the economic development of the country and their contributions should be duly acknowledged. Dainik Bhaskar group is the first in taking up such an initiative at such a grand level.” He termed this as a welcome step.

    The grandeur of the ceremony was the Life Time Achievement Award which was bagged by Mr M D Mallya, Chairman & Managing Director, Bank of Baroda. Speaking on behalf of all the PSUs he mentioned, “Be it the Central or the State PSUs, they are giving their important contribution in the economic development of the nation. This includes development of the rural as well as the corporate sector. Dainik Bhaskar has identified the contributions of the PSUs and appreciated the same on a huge platform. India Pride Awards also instils a sense of healthy competition amongst PSUs.”

    This high powered function commenced with the performance of two time Grammy award winner Robin Hogarth and Indian classical vocalist Padamshree Sumitra Guha. It was a fusion of traditional African and Indian classical music. Adding glitter to the function was, the famous Sufi singer Kailash Kher enthralled the audience with him famous numbers.

    The initiative was supported by SKNL, Title Sponsors, ADANI Group, Principal Associate Sponsor and VIDEOCON, Associate Sponsor.

     

  • Online shopping likely to touch over Rs 5,000 cr during Diwali: Asssocham.

    Mouse click is good business

    By A Correspondent

    Online demand during the upcoming festive season for products like mobile phones, e-tablets, consumer electronics, home appliances, home decor, furnishings, apparel and ornaments is likely to shoot up 300 per cent from last year to over Rs 5,000 crore as nearly 1.25 crore consumers are expected to place orders through internet, according to The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

    The figure has gone up by over 100 percent which was around 250% to Rs 2,000 crore in 2010 in which nearly 90-100 lakh consumers took part according to Assocham.

     

    Commenting on the ASSOCHAM analysis, its secretary general, Mr. D S Rawat said that, the articles that are likely to be shopped intensively during Diwali would include electronic items, gift articles, idols of Gods and Goddesses, sweets, flowers, clothes & jewellery and diamonds due to discount range from 10-15 percent to 80-90 percent depending upon product vertical and other offers are lucky draws, free shipping, free gifts and gift vouchers.

     

    Mr. Rawat further added that the expected growth during key festivals like Karva Chauth, Dhanteras, Diwali, the online shopping portals will go up by 30-35% this diwali. So, online shopping seen a phenomenal rise in the country and will continue to do so  given the great potential and the huge segment of population which is still not net savvy.

     

    The reasons for e-shoppers number multiplying are because of factors such as home delivery which saves time, secondly ’24×7′ hours shopping with ease and availability factors for product comparisons.

     

    Gujarathis are taking lead in ordering their Diwali requirements of consumer durables product followed by Maharahtrian, Delhiites, Sindhi’s, Rajasthanis and Punjabi. The percentage of South Indians is equally strong.

     

    Keeping this boom in mind a lot of online players have already announced exclusive Diwali deals and even exclusive Diwali shopping stores. Besides for rediff.com the other shopping sites like ebay, homeshop18, sify, indiaplaza and indiatimes have also opened shop for Diwali offers and are enticing online buyers with discounts.

     

    These shopping portals are witnessing a large number of users buying gifts and products also for personal use. Cashing in on the growing number of online shoppers, portals like rediff and ebay are readying themselves for increased traffic, with a series of offerings to consumers.

     

    As per Assocham estimates, for any shopping site, the sales are expected to go up by around 20-30 percent month on month during October.

     

    Non-resident Indians (NRIs) are also shopping more online during the festive season. During Raksha Bandhan, online shopping by NRIs contribute to about 40-50% of total shopping, whereas during Diwali, it increases to 85%, adds the paper.

     

    Rediff has announced a series of offerings for its consumers, which includes offering of special gift vouchers of Rs 1,500 with every purchase.  The single portal has also seen an increase in the number of visitors each day from 1,00,000 to 1,50,000 during the festive season, which adds up to 7 million visitors a month.

     

    Similarly, other portals are also introducing the ‘Get lucky’ offer, where consumers who shop on the portal will get a discount coupon of 10-50% on all their purchases.

     

    The products that are sold most are in the tech and fashion category, which include mobile phones and accessories, MP3 players, digital cameras and jewellery, among others, said Mr. Rawat.

     

    Online shopping boom is not restricted to metros alone. Lucknow ranks high, followed by Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Dehradun, Nasik, Trichy, adds the Assocham report.

     

    Mr. Rawat also mentioned that “online shopping is definitely catching up. Emerging gifting trends also include imported wines and juices. Chocolates are picking up in a big way as a substitute to mithais.   This trend extensively points towards luxury shopping, an emerging concept in the Indian market.”

     

    Diwali also marks a time when online purchases of consumer durables, jewellery and gifts comes out of the shadows of online travel, which corners a lion’s share of the country’s e-commerce. “Majority of the Diwali shopping is consumer durables include electronics, mobile phones, accessories, jewellery and apparel during Dhanteras, when we see many big-ticket items being sold”.

     

    These clearly show that online shopping has truly come of age and consumers are keen to shop on the net. Festival shopping is the prime time for multi-channel retailers to attract new shoppers.

     

    Online retailers have seen growing consumer interest in buying Diwali gifts online. The growth in the last two years to be broad product selection and the ever-expanding range of unique and unusual gifts ideas as well as increased consumer confidence in shopping on interest.

     

    This business module is cost effective, easily accessible and profitable in many functional areas. Consumers and retailers both desire safe, simple and comprehensive online shopping that will truly realize the range of power of the Internet.

     

     

     

    (ASSOCHAM)

  • For BEST food, ZenithOptimedia is the best choice (for media)

    By A Correspondent

    ZenithOptimedia India has been appointed as media planning and buying partner for BEST Foods Limited, one of India’s largest rice producers, engaged in supply and trade of rice, health and wellness products. ZenithOptimedia won the business through a competitive pitch amongst the top 4 media buying agencies in New Delhi.

     

    Confirming ZenithOptimedia’s appointment, Dr Aayushman Gupta, Business Director of BEST Foods Limited said, “We are delighted to have ZenithOptimedia as our media partners for our India launch. Their deep understanding on launching brands in India and their holistic approach helped us decided on ZenithOptimedia.”

     

    “In an over-cluttered marketplace, it becomes imperative to communicate through effective communication mediums. Our neutral touch point approach will help optimize the best marketing mix for the launch,” said Mr Satyajit Sen, CEO, ZenithOptimedia India.