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  • Mr Rajnish Sahay, Chief Executive Officer of Percept Talent Management (PTM), is moving on

    First on MxM: PTM CEO Rajnish Sahay quits

    By Tuhina Anand

    Rajnish SahayIt is learnt that Mr Rajnish Sahay, Chief Executive Officer of Percept Talent Management (PTM), has quit.

    Mr Sahay had come on board at PTM in July last year. He was responsible for three new business verticals at PTM including creating Intellectual Properties (IP’s) for talents, client servicing that involved creating a customized talent pool based and the traditional model of acquisitioning and managing talents across all genres.

    Mr Sahay has earlier worked with Globosport Digital, The Times of India, Rediff.com, Indiatimes.com, STAR TV and UTV. Although no one from Percept or PTM or Mr Sahay were available for comment, reliable sources have confirmed the development.

    Image: PTM website

  • Pradyuman Maheshwari on why Mid-Day must get back to carrying timepass, Bambaiyya content

    Wanted: a mast, mast Mid-Day

    Pradyuman MaheshwariBy Pradyuman Maheshwari

    We’ve been promising a review of Mid-Day. It would’ve been unfair to do one by just appraising a single day’s edition, so we thought of doing that over the last 10-odd days since the paper went for a new look.

    First off, a couple of disclosures. Okay, let me use the ‘I’ instead of ‘We’. I worked with the group for seven years (1993-2000), was a shareholder for a bit and I take great pride in the rapid strides that current executive editor Sachin Kalbag has been taking in his career.

     

     

    Yet another disclosure, I was invited to write for the paper’s new-look, but declined the offer because of a Medianet-like scheme that Mid-Day runs for part of the paper.

    But let’s get to the relaunch. I’ve always perceived Mid-Day as a Mumbai institution, with the paper celebrating the city and reporting on what’s happening in here. At first, it lost its constituency of the society circuit to Bombay Times and over the last six-odd years, Mumbai Mirror has been steadily eating into Mid-Day’s dominance on civic and Bollywood news.

    The Medianet-like practice that the paper started was the final nail on the coffin. When I spoke to former owner Tariq Ansari for an interview with Impact last year, he said he was against the concept but was forced to given commercial considerations. Well, a couple of crores of revenue is good to have, but all of it at the cost of integrity?

    While The Times of India group clearly says that Bombay Times is an ‘advertorial entertainment promotional feature’, while the statement upfront is a step in the right direction, it’s not enough as it ought to make a very clear announcement of what it means on its main Times of India page as well as on Bombay Times. I’m sure not many have noticed that small line under the Bombay, Delhi etc Times mastheads

    Back to Mid-Day, I believe it must reinforce as identity as a Mumbai paper. The Page 1 story must be ‘Bambaiyya’ in content and outlook, the feel ought to be tabloidy and the stories must have punch. I would like to see the Mate and snippety Diary back on Page 3. Or at least Page 2.

    Despite an edit page and some pretty good (and serious) content, Mid-Day was always known as a timepass read. Sachin was around in Mid-Day those days, so he should know.

    Agreed the look-and-feel has got to be more contemporary, but if it wants to create the same magic as it did until a few years back, it’s got to get its masti back.

    Why jail only for political paid content

    Beware, media barons and editors accepting money for publishing editorial content. While the election commission can do precious little about the corrupt practices of media entities carrying content in lieu of money and not clearly tagging it as an advertisement, it’s heartening to note that all those who are doing it for politics will be put behind bars for 2 years.

    Now, what about those doing it for lifestyle products? Shall we count the years?

    Read: an IndianTelevision report

    What’s a piece on the Campaign A-List doing on MxMIndia.com?

    If you’re surprised why the MxM anchor has Everest Brand Solutions president Dhunji Wadia telling us why it’s great to be on the Campaign India A-List, don’t be. It’s not that he put my name on the mail instead of the Campaign editor’s. We asked him to write it. He did that in record time, in between meetings. (Read Dhunji on the A-List)

    Here’s my take on the issue: MxMIndia is media-neutral and would like to write about every media entity. We will write about all the activities of even those who consider MxMIndia it’s rival. For in my books, no one is. I’ll be happy to cover the activities of all business publications and the media trade publications. This includes the Campaign A-List, the afaqs events, the exchange4media group events etc etc. That is, of course, if an MxM reporter is allowed in.

    Buzz me if you have a story to tell. Confidentiality assured. There are various ways you can reach me: pradyumanm[at]mxmindia.com, 23050B5D, Gtalk: pradyumanm[at]gmail.com, @pmahesh, 98338 76278

  • In Freaking News, Ranjona Banerji on the petrol hike coverage, Times Now on Modi, Omar Abdullah’s marriage…

    Arnab Goswami as a BJP adviser?

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Expectedly, the petrol price hike was top of the mind on Friday morning, as readers already depressed with the news the night before, groaned their way through morning chores. Most newspapers slammed the hike, pointing out that it would add to inflationary pressures, that this so-called drop in the rupee was not reason enough for a Rs 3 hike and that most of the price per litre went towards taxes anyway. In addition, the apparent move to push people towards diesel was short-sighted because one day diesel subsidy would also have to go and then, the environmental cost.

    **

    Hindustan Times’ Delhi edition lead with the new India-China standoff over oil exploration in the South China Sea but put the story on the fold in Mumbai, taking the petrol hike and a local municipal story on top. The Times of India gave prominence to its newly constituted Social Impact Awards.

    **

    The end of Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s marriage was in the papers, but then everyone respected his right to privacy. This meant that the juicy stuff was left out. Interestingly, The Hindu, follows the media coverage in disapproval and finds out that a possible new wife named for Abdullah – as a sort of political alliance – is an imaginary or invented person. Of course, should one wonder whether anyone would care if Omar Abdullah looked like most other Indian politicians (ugly)? Or perhaps if it is time the media dropped the pseudo-coy line and went all out and attacked famous people? Or if it is fair to tempt the reader with titbits and then hold back, claiming goodie-goodie rights?

    **

    Sonia Gandhi’s return to a workday was frontpaged as was the United States dubbing the Indian Mujahideen a terror outfit. Most papers pointed out that the authorities were still a bit lost on solving both the Mumbai and Delhi blasts. The rains in north India – which are wreaking havoc – got little play in the rest of the country but were covered in the north, with the Tribune in Chandigarh warning of more rain in the next 24 hours. The Ahmedabad edition of The Times of India carried prominently the story of policeman Rahul Sharma describing how he was charge-sheeted by the Gujarat government for talking to the Supreme Court appointed amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran about the 2002 riots. Chief minister Narendra Modi’s fast for goodwill did not feature on page 1.

    **

    This is of course in stark contrast to our friends in the world of television. Modi’s fast is getting a minute by minute update on some channels. Times Now or at least its biggest hero Arnab Goswami could become adviser to the BJP on how to win the next election, since his News Hour debate on Thursday night brooked no opposition to his view that Modi’s fast for goodwill (sadbhavna) was in the rightness of things. This line appears to be in contrast to The Times of India’s coverage and editorials of Modi and the latest events, but who knows? It must be added that Headlines Today runs neck and neck with Times Now when it comes to the rightwing slant, but then it has far more practice.

    **

    The petrol hike was given its space and so was cricketer Rahul Dravid’s retirement from One Day Internationals. On Wednesday and Thursday, Indian television did what it does best and to good effect here – it showcased the story of Indian hockey players being given peanuts in prize money and so shamed governments into coughing up more. Several newspapers – Mid-Day particularly in Mumbai – also did their bit.

    **

    The images of Bihar policemen beating up villagers were frightening and truly a triumph for television.

    **

    Here’s to a promising weekend, with all our drama kings and queens in full flow!

     

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  • Star Gold scores 221 GRPs with Singham premiere generating 8.7 TVR

    Star strikes gold with 3-year high for Hindi movie channel

    It’s struck gold. The Hindi movie channel of the Star network has leapfrogged ahead of all competitors in the Bollywood movie channel genre. Attaining a three-year high of 221 GRPs in Week #37 of TAM’s ratings, the channel managers credit a breakthrough strategy for this unique landmark.

    A channel overhaul, a new logo plus a disruptive unveil strategy and a premiere of the recently released Ajay Devgn flick Singham did the trick.

    Said Mr Sanjay Gupta, COO, Star India: “It is the highest rated movie on TV in 2011 to date, making Star Gold, the highest and most impactful platforms in the movie business.”

    The premiere resulted in 8.7 TVR with over 124 million viewers (extrapolated at an All India U+R using IRS) and an average time spent of 106minutes (CS 4+, HSM markets). Interestingly only 20 million people are said to have watched the film on theatrical circuit.

    Star Gold has lined up several other popular films on the back of Singham’s success. Top of the heap is Star Gold LogoRa One and the recent superhit Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Industry sources suggest that some of the films may also be simulcast on Star Plus.

    The channel’s general manager Mr Hemal Jhaveri is pleased. “The overall refresh strategy delivered good results. A key segment of Singham was used to reveal the on-air look of the channel through a unique experiential initiative for the viewers. We are extremely overwhelmed that the viewers have devoured Singham and have continued to patronize the channel post the refresh.”

  • With more people going to online video hosting site YouTube to find shows and songs, is the audience being fragmented?

    Is YouTube fragmenting TV audiences?

    By Dhara Salla

    Abhilasha Chellam may have come up runners-up in the music reality show on TV last year… but the clip of her singing the Lata classic “Kya janoon sajan” is hot on YouTube. Far more people are likely to have seen her online, and thus remember her better than the ultimate winner of the competition.

    That is part of the power of YouTube. Unlike television where one is at the mercy of the scheduling demi-gods, when one searches, finds and bookmarks a favourite or a series of favourite videos, they can be watched anytime. Even in marathon mode.

    YouTube is the undoubted leader of the online video pack. Just a little more than half a decade old, YouTube made its presence felt the world over within the first year of its inception. It came to India in 2008 and gained popularity especially among the youth in no time.

    Media Perspective

    Ms Ruby Bana, Chief Intelligence Officer- APAC, Havas Media, said, “Youth is and always will be a fragmented audience. Anything that is mass, meaning shared with parents, will rarely be youth exclusive.” She further adds, “The other thing to note is that music channels in India are in the race for numbers, and to satisfy planners/advertisers CPRP demands have tried to compete with mass channels and sacrificed the high ground of exclusive youth.”

    There are very few youth options on traditional media in the country. Therefore, internet/YouTube takes that role on. The consumer habit of viewing has changed and there is a great number of youth moving to online distribution channel. Mr Chanchal Chakrabarti, Leader, Client- Leadership, South Asia, Mindshare, shares his study, “We had done a CPT analysis on YouTube and we found out that it performs even better than a lot of music channels and travel channels. It is a very comparable medium and in a much wider way.”

     

    Television Channels’ Perspective

    However, channels themselves have a different take on this. Mr Aditya Swamy, Channel Head MTV, said, “No I don’t think YouTube is fragmenting our audiences. In fact, youth today needs multiple platforms. It adds viewers, it acts as a reminder and it forms a great loyalty base for us. It also generates more stickiness among the audiences. Everything runs parallel on YouTube that runs on the channel.”

    So for channels YouTube is the medium through which they can target their audiences. But does YouTube also lead audiences to the TV channels? Mr Saurabh Yagnik, GM & Sr VP, English Channels, STAR India Pvt Ltd, shared, “Definitely, we focus on digital as a large part of our audiences are very copious consumers of the digital space and YouTube is thus an important leg in drawing the audience back to the channel.”

    So to cut a long story short, it is a symbiotic give-and-take between YouTube and Music/English entertainment channels. Ms Vibha Gosher, VP Digital, 9X Media Pvt Ltd, elucidates, “What happens is some of our content is launched first on the channel and then the next day it is taken to YouTube. On the channel one can just watch three animations of ‘Bakwaas Band Kar’, our channel IP in one hour, but on YouTube they can watch 100s of it back to back.”

     

    Activities on YouTube

    Since the channels are talking about being in sync with YouTube, MxM asked what activities were planned. Star India has their channel presence on YouTube where they upload short form or promotional activity content to drive traffic on to their website. They also have a strong digital-leg basis which the promotions for most of the shows on the channels are usually digitally led.

    MTV would be doing a lot of activities for MTV unplugged, and it has already done roadblocks for a few other shows. The MTV Roadies Battleground is done only on YouTube. They encourage their participants to upload the videos of their tasks on YouTube and then from there they play it on the channel.

    9XM is doing some activities on YouTube like contests on their IP property. They remove the last punch line of the humour, from the original format, and then ask the viewers to write in their punch lines and complete the joke.

     

    What’s in for the brands?

    Ms Bana explains the difference in the ad spends by the brands in both TV channels and YouTube, “It’s not so much spends that is the point of difference but the measurement and ROI calculation mechanism that brings about the difference in approach to both these mediums.”

     

    YouTube thus seems to have just as much potential as a conventional TV channel. Not just banners, YouTube provides the scope for audio-visual as well. But sadly, advertisers haven’t started looking at it as a great option, confirms Ms Bana. She added, “These are early days of experimentation and learning will benefit the early bold adventurous advertisers in the long run. The game here is not how much your spend level but imagination, experimentation and involvement. The gains can be disproportionately high or completely wasted.”

    Any problem needs a solution, so Mr Chakrabarti comes up with one for the advertisers, “Advertisers will take some time as their comfort zone still lies with the television channels. Now, it is up to the media planners and buyers to bring it to the advertisers as an option to look upto. More and more advertisers will start moving their spends.”

     

  • Adventure equipment company Wildcraft eyes new markets as it prepares to launch footwear and eyewear

    Wildcraft takes step into new territory with shoes, eyewear

    By Tuhina Anand

    Wildcraft, the adventure equipment and outdoor gear company, has forayed into outdoor apparel and plans to launch the range across the country by November-December this year. The company also has plans to launch its range of footwear by the last leg of next year while it is geared up to launch its eyewear range by next quarter. This range in keeping with the core of outdoor ethos will be high in functionality, light weight and compact, weather resilient and high in reliability or FLWR as that’s what the mantra to follow at Wildcraft.

    The company which was set up in 1998 has seen a CAGR of 100 percent in the last four years which was propelled by the change in travel itinerary in India as people have become receptive to adventure travel. In fact, the market for this industry is estimated to be around Rs 750 crore and has been growing steadily. Wildcraft itself has been doubling YoY for the last four years, with its top line approximately Rs 65-70 crore this year. It has set its sights on reaching the magic figure of Rs 100 crore plus by next year.

    About these plans, Mr Gaurav Dublish, Director at Wildcraft, says, “Being the only organized player in the adventure equipment and outdoor gear, we do have the first mover advantage plus also the fact that we have been in this category for long and we understand the category well. We have created an ecosystem around this category and take pride in the fact of manufacturing 100 per cent in India without any imports. Though still in its nascent phase, the category will only grow further from here on.” That explains Wildcraft’s decision to extend their offering in this category beyond their popular sleeping bags, rucksacks, tents and bag packs to apparel, footwear and eyewear.

    The company will also be open to outside funding once it reaches the figure of Rs 100 cr. Despite its good run in the last few years the company has hardly advertised because, as Mr Dublish puts it, constraints in supply meant they would have been incapable of catering to the surge in demand. However, this issue is now in control with a factory in Solan that started functioning in August this year. It has another factory in Bangalore which was set up in 2004. The company hopes to go all out with a marketing blitzkrieg in another 18 months.

    There is also a plan to enter the East market which was initially planned for next year but will now happen before the end of this financial year. Wildcraft is also exploring the opportunity to be in the Middle East and SE Asia, and that is one of the reasons for the company sprucing up its offering. The spurt of activity at Wildcraft can also be in preparation for the onslaught of foreign players who have been waiting at the fringes but have not really turned their focus now to India, and would probably look at this space in two to three years’ time.

    Wildcraft currently has a direct presence in 15 cities and plans to be in another 17 cities by the end of this financial year. It has a presence in around 50 cities through distribution channels and multi-branded stores.

    “We are looking at e-commerce in a big way and have recently revamped our website and made it more user-friendly. In fact, we expect 5 percent of our sales coming from e-commerce. We have also partnered with almost 10-12 e-comm players in the last two months in a bid to get into this space seriously. Also we have revamped our digital team on both sales and marketing sides, and will have new people on board by October 1 who will be dedicated to the digital medium,” added Mr Dublish.

     

  • The automotive magazine launches its iPad app and new website to mark 13 years in the industry

    Lucky 13 for Overdrive as it’s anniversary time

    By Akash Raha

    Automotive monthly Overdrive celebrates this month with its 13th anniversary issue. As part of the celebrations it has launched an iPad application and a brand-new site (www.overdrive.in).

    The 500-page collector’s issue is on the stands, priced at Rs 200. Talking about Overdrive and the 13-year-long journey, Mr Sandeep Khosla, CEO, Infomedia18 said, “We believe the journey for Overdrive has been very successful. Through these 13 years there have been a lot of changes in the world of automotive journalism and in the sphere of print journalism as a whole. Overdrive has been able not only to adapt but to adapt quickly and better than any other player, which has given it the edge it currently holds… There are a lot of reasons that have worked for Overdrive otherwise as well. The biggest probably is the constant endeavour to seek and present quality content to the consumers.”

    The Overdrive Auto community has grown since last year’s launch of its Hindi edition and also its social media initiatives. Also, the Overdrive TV show is being successfully aired on three channels.

    When asked how Overdrive is faring in terms of its competitors in the market, Mr Khosla said, “…if you look at all major competitors that we have today, all are Indian arms of international players who derive a lot of their content and design from their parent publishers. Overdrive has been the only purebred Indian automotive magazine which, we believe, has worked to our advantage. We are able to understand the needs and wants of an Indian consumer much better than any international titles. And we are not forced to comply with guidelines and thinking which are not relevant to our market. However, we have also stressed on keeping ourselves a step ahead in terms of content and presentation to that of the various international titles.”

     

    Content innovation

    Referring to the content of the collector’s edition, Mr Sirish Chandran, Editor, Overdrive said, “We have some great auto stories which the editorial team has put together covering not only the moto-world in India but across the world. Our 13th anniversary special sees our biggest comparo test ever. The newly launched Maruti Suzuki Swift takes on six of its toughest rivals in the Indian market. In addition to this there are some great cars and bikes, comparos, reviewed from across the globe, news from the auto world and a runup to the Indian GP in our motosport section.”

    The issue also includes a bumper consumer engagement activity for readers, with over Rs 26 lakh worth of prizes to be won including a Toyota Etios Liva, a chance to drive a Maserati in a international race track, an exclusive Indian Grand Prix VIP visit with Force India, an All Terrain Vehicle, and freebies.

     

    iPad app and website

    When asked about the differentiating factor of the Overdrive’s iPad app, Mr Amit Seth, Head – Marketing, Infomedia18 said, “There are several USPs; for starters it’s all about a great user experience. It’s not just putting the issue in digital format up on the iPad. We have customized each and every article and story for the medium. From customized covers to adding videos, pictures and specifications of different cars and bikes to optimize user experience. So what you get is all the information at your fingertips without having to go to a number of places. Every aspect of the application has been specifically worked on for ease of use and to make the experience lifelike.”

    About the website, Mr Chandran said, “We have unleashed the all-new website and wish to provide the overdrive fans a better experience online. A reader can now get online and watch and compare every car and bike being sold in the Indian market today.”

    Mr Khosla said, “Overdrive has always been at the forefront of technological evolution with regards to the automotive magazines in India and we wish to keep our edge intact. We are today looking to capture consumer space across platforms. The iPad is today one of the most important platforms. It only extends our leadership in the automotive domain on different platforms such as magazine, television, web and social media. That is one of the key differentiators for Overdrive today: versatility across platforms.”

     

    Campaigns and initiatives

    Overdrive has also been promoting its 13th anniversary offerings: Special collector’s issue, Overdrive iPad application website across various platforms and media. On television, there are TVCs running on CNBC TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNN IBN, IBN7 & Lokmat, Vh1, Mtv and NDTV Good times. Web banners, mailers and innovations have also been carried out on the online space. OOH properties across India, with billboards in Mumbai and Delhi too are activated. Specially created POP material for organized retailers in major metros and also retail outlets across India has also been worked upon.

    With so many offerings from the Overdrive stable, the person who has to gain the most is the consumer. What remains to be seen is how other auto magazines react to Overdrive’s aggressive manoeuvres.

     

  • With Messi and Djokovic providing the star power, big advertisers turn to non-cricket sports like soccer and tennis

    Life beyond cricket: Messi and Djokovic pull advertisers to soccer and tennis

    By Meenakshi Verma Ambwani

     

    It turns out the grand success of the Lionel Messi show in an Argentina-Venezuela football friendly in Kolkata early this month was not an exception as new generation Indians and big advertisers chasing them increasingly turn to non-cricket sports such as soccer and tennis.

     

    In the past three years, TV viewership for sports like soccer, wrestling, tennis, car and bike racing has been growing at high double digits, according to data from television rating agency TAM.

     

    This has encouraged advertisers to spend on these sports like never before.

     

    “Brands who want to reach out to the young and contemporary generation are looking to invest on sports like tennis and soccer,” says Madison Media CEO Ms Punitha Aurmugam, adding that cricket is expensive and full of brand clutter.

     

    Media planners say big advertisers are spending an estimated 8-10% of their budgets on non-cricket sports, a massive improvement from just 3-4 years ago when all the focus was on cricket.

     

    Ad spots on a tennis Grand Slam like Wimbeldon are sold at an estimated Rs 1.25-1.50 lakh per ten seconds, while English Premier League soccer matches command up to Rs 1 lakh and F1 races get Rs 75,000-1.25 lakh per ten seconds.

     

    “Advertising revenues for premier sport events like Wimbledon or F1 have been growing 20-30% on an average,” says ESPN Software India Senior Director Business Development Mr Rathindra Basu.

     

    Already, several corporates like Airtel, Venky’s, Mahindra & Mahindra and United Spirits are investing in sports like F1, soccer and Moto Grand Prix. “With Indian corporates involved in developing some of these sports there is a growing interest among consumers as well as advertisers,” says ZenithOptimedia Managing Partner Mr Sanjoy Chakrabarty.

     

    The Kolkata football match that featured Messi on September 2 attracted as many eyeballs as a new serial does on its debut on a general entertainment channel. It garnered viewership rating, or TRP of 1.2 for males above the age of 15 in the top five metros as per TAM data. Media planners say it was impressive for a friendly match.

     

    Broadcasters of non-cricket sports bet on subscription revenues to ensure returns. For instance, half a million Tata Sky households subscribed to Ten Action Plus-which shows about 500 matches of European soccer clubs a year-within a few days after the channel was made available on the DTH platform.

     

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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

     

  • The Anchor: Dhunji Wadia on 5 reasons why it’s gr8 2B an A-Lister

    On Tuesday evening I was delighted to receive an A-List invitation from Campaign India. The function was at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai and I had a grand time traversing through the Bandra Fair crowds as I made my way to the event. It was not a long journey in terms of distance, but getting there took a couple of hours.

     

    I have spent a long time in advertising now, where one has seen a lot, and learnt more than a little – most of it, probably too late. This was a great time to reflect on ‘What’s behind an A-Lister’.

     

    In any field of work, you might as well be the best you can be. There’s no point be a D-Lister or being further down the alphabet track. So also in Advertising, being an A-Lister says a lot.

     

    #1 People Pay Attention To Your Work

    It’s a great way to prove that your work makes people pay attention – which is very important in our business. If the work doesn’t get noticed, then we’re not doing our job.

     

    #2 Brick-By-Brick

    In addition to recognizing the work that is happening Right Here, Right Now – it also is a good measure of the effort that has gone in brick-by-brick – throughout the years.

     

    #3 Awards and Rewards

    Awards are a great way to demonstrate that our work gets noticed. Having said that, the greatest reward is seeing effective results delivered from our programmes for our brands. That’s what happens when agency and client are working together.

     

    #4 The Final Grade

    Through school and college there is consciousness on the scores and grades that one gets. But this is real life – it is the final grade that counts.

     

    #5 Above All – Teamwork

    At the end of the day, being an A-Lister means you are part of a team that has worked together. Throughout the decades, teamwork has always been an important part of the working culture inside the ad agency. Your team makes you look good. They are truly the people behind the making of an A-Lister.

     

    Epilogue

    Like many others in this profession, I have had the good fortune to parlay a minimal talent into a long career. So thank God for advertising which tolerated me for all these years, or else I would probably have written this as the world’s first MBA guitarist, playing in one of Mumbai’s nightclubs. And thanks to the industry, the Campaign India A-List and my beloved team for the recognition.

     

    Dhunji S Wadia is President, Everest Brand Solutions

  • Gili’s the first sub-brand to offer fresh intricate designs; Prachi Desai named Brand Ambassador

    Gili Signature unveiled

    By A Correspondent

    Gili, the name that pioneered branded diamond jewellery in India over a decade and a half ago, has taken another major step with the introduction of Gili Signature, its first sub-brand.

    Gili Signature caters to the young urban woman, be she a professional, a housewife, or mother. The brand will offer a wide range of jewellery at varied price points, suitable for all occasions, cultures and tastes, and available in metros, Tier I and Tier II cities.

    The loveable, unassuming and pretty Ms Prachi Desai was an apt choice as the Brand Ambassador of Gili Signature – the girl next door, who is an independent, young achiever and has made her mark at a young age. She has been television’s golden girl and continues to stun audiencea with her aura of freshness and charm on the silver screen. Though modern in style, Ms Desai is traditional at heart and perfectly personifies what the brand is all about – refreshing, charming, contemporary with a touch of tradition. She’s somebody every young girl in India can identify with, and reflects the freshness that Gili Signature will offer through its new and intricate designs.

    Said Mr Rahul Vira, CEO, Gili, “Gili is now progressing into affordable luxury and the sub-brand seeks to reach out to a larger audience pan India with designs that will satisfy every woman’s taste. Crafted in 18k gold and diamonds of clarity SI and colour GH, Gili Signature is our offering to fulfil every woman’s dream of possessing a sparkling piece of diamond jewellery.”

  • A contest revolving around its Ganpati immersion coverage by Saam TV generated tremendous response from viewers

    Saam TV’s Ganpati Visarjan coverage gets wide response

    By A Correspondent

    Saam TV, the Marathi GEC from the Sakal Media Group, generated tremendous response for a contest revolving its Ganapati Visarjan (immersion) coverage. The SMS-based contest received close to 2 lakh messages within an 18-hour duration. The response was received from as many as 21 states and also from every district of Maharashtra. Though all the other Marathi channels, both GEC and news, tried to cash in the Visarjan, none of them were able to get such response. This can be attributed to Saam’s coverage of not only Mumbai but across Maharashtra including cities like Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur and other smaller towns.

    The contest involved nine questions related to the favourite deity of Maharashtra – Ganapati Bappa, asked in a period of 18 hours starting from 8am on September 11, to 2am on September 12. The questions were asked at a regular interval of 2 hours. The prizes for the contest included gold-plated jewellery, wrist watches and travel vouchers. Apart from huge responses from across the districts in Maharashtra, Saam TV also received responses from all over the country, notably from Karnataka, Gujarat, Delhi and MP. Such a wide response is almost an unprecedented occurrence in the Marathi television industry and shows that the Ganapati coverage on Saam TV was received well by not only its own viewers but also viewers across Maharashtra.