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  • Sanjay Reddy rejoins Zee to head South Cluster

    Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has announced the appointment of Mr Sanjay Reddy as EVP–South Cluster. This will be his second stint with Zee after a gap of two years. In his new role, Mr Reddy will be heading Zee Telugu, Zee Kannada and Zee Tamil. He will report to Mr Nittin Keni.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, ZEE MD & CEO, Punit Goenka said, “We are delighted to have Sanjay back in our team. South has always been one of Zee’s key market and we are confident of consolidating our position, with a robust team headed by Nittin and Sanjay.”

     

    Said Mr Nittin Keni, Zee Creative Head: “In line with our strategy to strengthen our position in southern market, Sanjay will contribute tremendously to growing and expanding the Zee brand further. I am looking forward to working with Sanjay to steer the growth in southern market.”

     

    Said Mr Sanjay Reddy, “I am extremely pleased to join the group at such an exciting time in the history of the Zee brand. With such a vibrant team, my challenge now is to drive the change, in line with our Company objectives and strengthen the brand further in the southern market.”

     

    Mr Reddy has over two decades of experience in media and entertainment. Prior to ZEE, Sanjay has been associated with other media firms in India, which include Walt Disney, MSM Network, ESPN Star Sports, Bennett and Coleman and Co. Limited. His last assignment was with Sun TV Network as Business Head (Telugu Cluster).

     

  • Firms and employees taking closer look at posts on third-party review sites like glassdoor.com, insidebuzz.com and salary.com

    Staff cribs and concerns go inside the glassdoor

    By Indu Nandakumar

    The last time, Atira, a software engineer with one of India’s growing software firms, wanted to complain about certain things she did not like about her workplace, she raised her concerns at an employee discussion forum within the company. But the next time she wants to raise a similar issue, Atira, 23, says that she would choose glassdoor.com instead.

    A growing number of websites like glassdoor.com, insidebuzz.com and salary.com, where employees and even prospective ones – can post their complaints, discuss salary details, lodge interview questions and even rate their managers, are gaining in popularity. The crucial difference from other other discussion forums or HR blogs lies in the independence of these websites and the fact that all reviews or discussions are done unanimously.

    But what do such platforms mean for the India Inc? “We track this more often than regular internal HR surveys. I am more concerned about the ratings we get on a glassdoor than all the bad press,” said the CEO at one of the top 10 Indian technology firms..

    “Most companies try to keep a tab on what’s being talked about them in the online space. While many of them monitor employee discussions on social networks and blogs, companies from the IT, travel and hospitality and financial services sector are beginning to track sites such as glassdoor.com”, says Mr Jessy Paul, CEO of Paul Writer Strategic Advisory and former Chief Marketing Officer at Wipro.

    “Even better, companies like Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines and Cafe Coffee Day not just monitor employee conversations, but they also take necessary steps and respond back to their employees,” she adds

    US-based glassdoor.com, where nearly 200 Indian firms have so far been reviewed and rated on a scale of one to five, 20% of the traffic comes from India and the UK. “In the last one year, we have received more than 65,000 reviews, salary reports and interview questions from all the 200 Indian companies listed on the site”, says glassdoor.com spokesperson Scott Dobroski.

    Launched in 2008, glassdoor.com is one of the biggest in this space and has more than 1.75 million items of content, reviews of more than 120,000 companies and adds nearly 5 million new users every month. But how does glassdoor.com ensure the information they receive is accurate? “We have a multi-tier system to ensure accuracy, says Dobroski.

    “We also have a very comprehensive technological review and reviews by actual people who read through every single piece of content. To give you a better idea of how seriously we take the data we receive, about 15% of the data that is submitted to us to be published on the site is actually rejected, because it does not meet our community guidelines or it is suspicious”, he added.

    So, what has sparked the interest among employees to use such sites? For one, it is the absolute transparency and anonymity that these websites offer, says Ms Sangeetha Lala, vice-president of TeamLease Services, a temp staffing and human resource services firm.

    According to her, popularity of sites like glassdoor.com and insidebuzz.com are best understood in the context of a rising interest among job seekers to know more about the organisations. “People want to join the best of companies. They want to know everything about the organisation they are going to join.”

    Ms Sangeetha says that at TeamLease, many of the mid and senior level job seekers ask how they can do more research on the organizations before they join them. Thanks to millions of discussion forums on the social networks and blogs, job seekers are in no dearth of information. But where these websites score is because of the supposed authenticity they vouch for. “But I would recommend that both employees and job seekers verify the authenticity of information on such sites before they take a decision based on the data”, she added.

    For Mr Prasanth Mohanachandran, co founder of Mumbai based Agencydigi, sites such as glassdoor.com and insidebuzz.com does what a burrp.com does to restaurants. “They give you an inside view into what’s going on within the organizations – and what people who are actually working are talking about the work environment”, he said.

    Mr Prasanth says that in the recent years, most of the companies give much more importance to employee discussions on the web. “I know of many firms which check who their employees are networking with on LinkedIn and what they are discussing on other networks,” he says.

    While some of them go easy on this, Mr Prasanth says that certain organisations restrict its employees from discussing internal matters on the web. “Like for instance, the Indian Army would not allow its soldiers use social networks such as facebook. On the other hand, some of IT firms have set up online discussion forums where their employees can come and talk.”

     

    Source: The Economic Times

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

  • I am sending the TVC and stills separately to PM and RM by Gmail as they are large files. Afaqs has the TVC up on their youtube channel but I haven�t found it elsewhere online yet. – VH

    Catchy retro tune for Westside’s reinvention

    By A Correspondent

    Chances are you’ve been humming the Shammi Kapoor-Asha Parekh foot-tapper Aaja aaja, main hoon pyaar tera and not realized quite why it’s stuck in your head.

    You may have seen Ogilvy & Mathers new brand campaign for Westside, Endless Possibilities, starring an ever-changing, bubbly Giselli Monteiro, with the opening bars of the song in the background.

    As the 50-second TVC demonstrates, endless possibilities is Westsides name for mix-and-match. An old concept given a fresh update with an interesting take on the same model meeting herself in different avatars as she progresses through the streets of picturesque Prague, where the TVC was shot.

     

    Mr Suresh Kumar Nayak, Group Creative Director on the Account, comments,When each look is created to tell a story then imagine the endless possibilities of stories with all the different looks a Westside store has to offer.

    The promise of newness permeates the commercial, highlighting how the same piece of clothing can be worn differently for a new take on one’s look. In a way, it’s a hearkening back to pre-globalised India where women got garments tailored with an eye to diverse uses, mix-and-match being the order of the day. Now one goes not to the tailor but to the department store.

    Westside, of course, is much more than clothes from home furnishings and accessories to gourmet food, it’s got something for everyone. In a nutshell, Endless Possibilities sums it up.

    Along with the range of merchandise, Westside’s new USP is the changed in-store look and feel and the international SIS (shop in shop) format.

  • Bids get hotter at online auction site Dealite.in

    By A Correspondent
    Dealite.in announced the launch of their disruptive auction site where buyers compete with limited bidders in quick-format auctions to win products at up to 5 percent of the MRP. The founding team includes ex-eBay, ex-PayPal, IIM-A alumni and e-commerce industry veterans with a mission to break the price barrier for acquiring leading aspirational brands.

    Unlike traditional penny auctions, Dealite differentiates by being exclusive to a limited number of bidders who buy a seat to participate in an auction. In return, Dealite offers them an equal amount of free bids which can be used in the auction. As the starting price is always zero and each bid increments by only Re 1, auction participants can win premium products at 5 percent of MRP. Dealite provides all participants an option to Buy it Now, where the entire seat cost and bids are added to the final discount.
    In India, according to sources at a leading payment gateway, there are over 130 deal sites as of August, 2011, that are competing for 100+ million internet users. Dealite’s founder, Mr Vijayanand Shekokar claims, Dealite is going to turn the conventional e-commerce model on its head, and create an exponentially dealiteful experience for its users. We aim to make aspirational branded products available to all Indians at affordable prices.

    As Head of Online Marketing Mr Sameer Khandelwal summed up, Dealite is the missing link in the Indian e-commerce evolution that will enable consumers to experience a new freedom in shopping & gaming. With delivery across India and alliances with leading payment gateway and logistics firms,

     

  • Ashwin Parthiban, Rajesh Bhargava join Dentsu

    By A Correspondent

    In the series of several senior-level appointments to be announced shortly, the Dentsu India Group has announced two key appointments. Mr Ashwin Parthiban joins Dentsu Communications, Bangalore as Executive Creative Director. Mr Rajesh Bhargava has been appointed as GM, Studio and Production, Dentsu Marcom.

    Based out of Bangalore, Mr Parthiban will be heading the creative team at Dentsu Communications for Bangalore and Chennai. Mr Bhargava will operate from Dentsu India Group’s Headquarters in Gurgaon, overseeing all studio and production related services for Dentsu Marcom offices in India.

    Mr Parthiban joins from JWT, Delhi where he was Vice President and Senior Creative Director – Global Team Ford. Mr Bhargava joins from Wieden + Kennedy, India where was Head – Production Services.

    Commenting on the new appointments, Mr Rohit Ohri, Executive Chairman, Dentsu India Group said, Both Ashwin and Rajesh bring rock-solid competencies on board. Ashwin straddles creative across disciplines and categories. While he aces mainline creative, he also understands both digital and direct; he can think creative across each of these distinct practices and this allows for great integration.

    Rajesh is known to be a proactive contributor to the creative process. His expertise and know-how of production technologies ensure flawless execution on the last critical mile.

    Mr Parthiban said,’Dentsu India is an awakening giant, and the most exciting place to be when one is around an awakening giant is perched on its shoulder. I’m really looking forward to playing a part in Rohit’s vision for the Group. I’m also very excited about the unique mix of automotive, technology and FMCG brands – and the opportunity to do some famous work!

    Mr Bhargava said, Dentsu, like a blue-blooded Japanese organization has a quest for quality which I, as a professional, have never compromised on. The Group now is almost like a new start-up with a strong portfolio of respected brands. In this new Dentsu’s journey, I see a great future. Having worked with Rohit earlier I am sure that Dentsu under his leadership is poised for even greater success and I look forward to be part of it.

     

  • Extra sweetness as ‘Mint Indulge’ is launched

    By A Correspondent

    Mint, HT Media’s business daily, launched its luxury and lifestyle publication Mint Indulge on September 09, 2011.  This is a complimentary quarterly read for Mint’s readers across India. The magazine will be in a Berliner format with the opening cover story on ‘The making of Vertu’.

    Speaking about the magazine Mr Hemant Somani, COO, Mint said, “Mint Indulge showcases the most aspirational international brands, which look at India as a promising market to drive the next growth wave for them. The category has gained traction in the last few years and Mint proves to be the best vehicle for these brands to reach their target audience.”

    Mint Indulge focuses on the passions and indulgences of India’s top business leaders and serve as their buying guide for the season. Apart from rich content, the inaugural issue has an international look and feel, making it visually appealing.

    In the editor’s note, Mr Sidin Vadukut, Issue Editor of Mint Indulge, writes, “This newspaper values your time and money. We try to make sure that every piece of newsprint we push your way is worth the time it takes you to flip through it, if not actually read it in full… Mint Indulge is our latest project. The entire point of Indulge is to showcase products, services, concepts, and, most importantly, ideas that have a reasonable chance of exciting the prosperous or won’t give-up-till-I’m-prosperous male.”

    Exquisite gadgets and mobile devices take the centre stage in the inaugural issue along with other indulgences like international clothing, watches and other accessories. Readers can also look forward to premium luggage choices, food and beverages and golf equipment.

     

  • Entrepreneur India turns 2

    By Akash Raha

    Entrepreneur India, the magazine for India’s small businesses, start-ups, venture funds and financial instititutions has turned two. The September issue of the magazine is its second anniversary issue.

    Bipin Chandran, Editor of the magazine, which is published in India by Infomedia18, the publishing arm of Network 18, told MXMIndia, As a group, we promote the role of business in the entrepreneur space on our TV channels as well as other properties. Over the last two years, we have made it our focal area as we saw the space still unexplored and untapped. Thereafter, we have carved a niche for ourselves, and it has been a great journey so far. To create a segment and be there successfully is phenomenal. As a matter of fact, we have exceeded our expectations.

    The magazine is priced at Rs 100 and is published monthly. The special anniversary issue focuses on the first two years of several businesses, with several noteworthy industry names contributing. Mr G M Rao of GMR, Ms Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Limited and Mr Ajay Piramal of Piramal Enterprise Ltd, are some of those who have shared their experiences.

    Entrepreneur India will also do special shows on CNBC Awaaz, Awaaz Entrepreneur. A media campaign is also on currently to tell people what Entrepreneur India set out to do to help people create world class businesses and to guide them through it. The campaign has been planned and developed internally.

    The Indian edition of Entrepreneur has been licensed from Entrepreneur Media Inc, by Infomedia18. Entrepreneur is an over 34-year-old brand in the US with over 3 million readers. It is also one of the largest selling business magazines from newsstands. Apart from the US, it also publishes from six other emerging markets across the globe. Entrepreneur magazine is targeted at entrepreneurs (SMEs) and people who seek to venture out on their own and seek to provide in-depth information and enable them to be successful.

  • GECs get real with mythologicals and historicals on primetime

    Mythologicals look back to a bright future

    By Dhara Salla

    In the general entertainment channels (GEC) space the race is continuously on to provide differentiated content. While reality shows and new storylines are in great demand, mythology too is back in the reckoning. This time around it’s a blend of mythology and history  no longer just about Lord Rama and Lord Krishna. Jhansi ki Rani on Zee TV can perhaps be credited with redefining the genre.

     

    Among the shows that feature among the top 100 quite regularly (though not at very high positions) are Shobha Somnath Ki, Chandragupta Maurya, Shani Shingnapur and Dwarkadeesh Bhagwan Shree Krishna. However, Sahara One’s Kahani Chandrakanta Ki, Jai Jai Bajrang Bali and Ganesh Leela are not on the list of the top 100 shows. The latest one to hit television is Veer Shivaji on Colors. Though not high-ranking, many of these shows are, in fact, in prime time slots.

     

    One of the major reasons for their resurgence is their simplified avatar. Explained Ms Mona Jain, CEO, Vivaki Exchange, These are well produced and stories are told in a modern way, in simple language. They are made interesting and dramatic. They are riveting, and well scripted and edited to hold viewers interest. The ones you see these days are about strong characters who are known but their stories have never been put on screen these have new value and are of fresh interest for viewers.

     

    Ms Surbhi Murthy, Associate Vice President, Allied Media reasoned, I agree that the numbers are not very high but they do attract audiences. I can say it is appointment viewership. These shows are fairly new, and they will start getting the numbers in some time.

     

    Even if the numbers are low, the channels are ready to take the risk and carry them, said Ms Murthy, adding, The audiences are totally in the experimental phase and so are the channels. The channels don’t want their audiences to get bored.

     

    Mythology has certainly returned to the Hindi GEC arena, as Ms Sushma Zaveri, COO Madison Media Infinity confirmed, Indeed there is a return of the trend of mythology. The good part is that it is also historical costume dramas and not just religious myths.

     

    An interesting observation here is that content of these serials is aspirational and one does not really have to weave a story but present already existing content in a captivating manner. Mr Ajay Rao, Vice President, Dentsu, said, You could put it down as content-mining from culture. With the strong affinity that Indians have for mythological stories as evidenced by the successes of Mahabharata and Ramayana, it was only a matter of time before channels started delving deeper for more.

     

    The reasons for this resurgence can be attributed to a number of factors. Myth does attract a certain segment of people and builds loyal viewers for the channel. To quote Ms Murthy, If you observe the stories of these mythological shows, they give a perfect plot, drama, action, love and a heavy dose of masala. The glamour of the era that has gone by and the canvas on which these are made are so much fantasy-like, that we Indians, like to watch such stories. We like to see such larger-than-life characters. Secondly it is a very refreshing change. It’s different from the usual saas-bahu drama, and the overly decked up women with male dummies. There is a sense of authenticity attached to such shows.

     

    Interestingly, these shows are also good family viewing, as kids too have caught onto the serials like Jhansi ki Rani and their parents do not mind them sitting in front of the TV.

     

    Lot of parents encourage kids to watch them given that these stories are steeped in our culture and values, and are clean, remarked Ms Zaveri.

     

    However, observers believe that whether these shows gain in popularity would depend largely on how captivating the storytelling is. In most cases newness would have to be brought in the execution, as there is not much room for imaginative content in such shows. Stated Ms Jain, Mythological/historical shows will do well if the story is well told and has some relevance. Content and scale of production is most important.

     

    As for marketers advertising on these shows, with their increasing popularity more and more brands are coming forward to be associated with them. Ms Sejal Shah, Vice President, West/South, VivaKi Exchange said, All family-related product categories like FMCG, consumer durables and telecom would associate themselves with these shows. Most of our brands from these categories are present here. Besides this, children’s brands, incense sticks and the brands that focus on the tier 2 and tier 3 regions also look at mythology as an option. As of now, none of our brands are with the mythological shows. But maybe we would go to Colors for one of our brands, revealed Ms Murthy.

     

    And why not? The unanimous belief is that it indeed is a growing trend, with a future that looks positive. Twenty percent of content in the future should be in this genre, forecast Mr Rao.

     

  • The anchor: Manish Bhatt on 8 things an agency does to keep the client in its pocket

     

    #1 Convince the client that an agency is not just an intellectual advisory but a partner in the company’s growth

    The agency must be seen as a partner in achieving the company’s ROIs which may not necessarily be only in figures. Our role should not be restricted to that of being an advisory but should be seen as a stakeholder whose interest is in the growth of its client’s company.

    #2 Size does not matter; it’s the solution offered that matters

    An agency should not be seen as an ATL or BTL or any such term that is the stereotypical description. What matters is understanding the need of the client and offering the best solution to address his needs.

    #3 Show results on his brand

    It’s all talk unless you show results on the brand that you are working on for the client. One can start a relation like getting a business on the basis of your credentials but in the long term it’s the result that matters.

    #4 Make the client part of the process of the campaign

    While there is no denying that the client wants the aha moment or the magic factor from its agency but it’s also a fact that for greater success one needs to make client a part of the entire logical process of its communication. If the client is part of the process it will ensure that one is not still discussing briefs while making a presentation. Also this will ensure that the client is well aware of the building of the campaign and there is a common ground of discussion. Also reduces the chances of your ideas being rejected at the final stage when the client has been in the dark during the entire process and ultimately dislikes the communication presented.

    #5 Take him to Cannes!

    Make him part of a creative workshop that will help him in understanding the creative process and appreciate the nuances of what goes behind making an ad.

    #6 Show him that you eat, sleep and breathe his brand

    Any news on his brand or his category – just scan it and send it to him so that he appreciates your dedication to his brand.

    #7 Discounts are no deal

    This is a very common practice to make inroads into a client and his other brands. Give him a discount; reduce the retainer fee so that the business stays with your agency. This actually is a disservice to the industry as it reduces us to being mere traders and loses respect in the eyes of a client.

    #8 Jee Hazoori

    Agreeing to whatever the client says without applying any intellect. This clearly shows that you are more interested in keeping the business in your kitty and not in the growth of the brand.

     

    Manish Bhatt is Founder Director, Scarecrow Communications Ltd

  • Visual impact: Kyoorius DesignYatra 2011 draws to a close

    By A Correspondent

     

    There is design in everything. So two days for discussing design may seem like too little, but the seventh edition of Kyoorius DesignYatra packed a good deal into those 48 hours.

     

    The design, branding and visual communications conference featured workshops, sessions and an exclusive documentary screening of a short film, produced by Kyoorius and directed by award-winning web designer and documentary director Mr Hillman Curtis featuring an interview with Mr Massimo Vignelli by Ms Debbie Millman.

     

    Day One saw the conference begin with an opening by Mr Michael Johnson, founder, johnson banks. Anomaly London’s creative director Mr Nathan Cooper was next, and he spoke about the different ways in which his agency approaches the issue of compensation models.

     

    Independent publisher and design commentator Mr Adrian Shaughnessy spoke about his own personal journey from being a graphic designer to becoming an independent publisher, and explained how the internet had enabled him to bypass the traditional publishing model and turn into an independent publisher. Typeradio’s Donald and Liza explained what their radio show is all about.

     

    Ms Irma Boom showcased some of her most legendary work at the session and had the audience warming up to her passionate hour-long talk about her work and her convictions.

     

    Mr Jeroen van erp spoke about the relationship between the designer, the concept developer, the strategist and the entrepreneur and how they can impact each other’s work.

     

    Mr Sandeep Khosla and Ms Tania Singh Khosla showed how the duo collaborates as an architect-graphic designer team.

     

    Troika’s Ms Eva Rucki and Ms Connie Freyer explained the creative process behind some of their best work, which combined installations, exhibition and technology.

     

    The day ended with a screening of a special documentary Design is One- The Vignellis, featuring the life and times of Lella and Massimo Vignelli.

     

    Day two began with the Young Blood session featuring Ms Novi Rahman and Raw Color.

     

    Perfect Fools Mr Mark Chalmers’s talk was about how technology could be a great enabler for some brilliant creative ideas.

     

    This was followed by a digital panel discussion which questioned whether or not in the age of social media, there was a place for craft. The panel was moderated by Mr Max Hegerman, president, Tribal DDB India and consisted of Anomaly’s Mr Nathan Cooper and Mr Chalmers.

    Mr Peter Higgins drew from his experience of designing interactive spaces and walked the audience through his body of work.

     

    The Brand panel discussion focused on the conflict between design and branding and was chaired by Landor’s country head Ms Lulu Raghavan and the panel included Saffron Consultant’s Mr Bill Darling, Landor Dubai’s Mr Bengt Eriksson and johnson bank’s Mr Michael Johnson.

     

    Mr Hermann Vaske showcased some of his work and asked the audience to write on the sheet of paper provided to them on why they were creative.

     

    This was followed by the short film screening. Devilfish’s Mr Richard Holman followed next and spoke about the things that are important to him in his work, and the simple rules that have helped him internalize that in his work.

     

    Said Mr Rajesh Kejriwal, founder, Kyoorius, DesignYatra has served as a valuable meeting point for agencies from India and abroad in the sphere of design, branding and visual communications. It has been an opportunity to understand and learn from some of the finest minds in the field, delve into their creative process and be inspired by their work.

    Added Ms Bindu Nair Maitra, editor, Kyoorius Design magazine,This year, we embarked on a special initiative, which we plan to sustain the whole year. It’s our Tumblr blog, Road to DesignYatra, conceptualized by Dutch agency Addikt, where we plan to document all the special memories and images from previous editions of DesignYatra and build an online conversation about how the ways in which the conference has influenced professionals, students and speakers alike.

     

  • Imagine’s Haar Jeet seeks to target both parents and kids

    By Dhara Salla

    The issue of parents pushing their children to earn money and the effect on children’s psyche is the subject of Haar Jeet, a new show from Turner’s Imagine TV that is launching on October 3, Monday-Friday at 10.30pm.

    Imagine TV’s Mr Saurabh Tewari, head of programming fiction, said the subject is one which is very close to his heart. He elucidates, The show is about today’s parents who oversell their kids. They take the child everywhere for ribbon cutting, durga poojas, weddings, etc. They almost start treating kid as a product, or we can say the talent that the child has is converted into a product.

    How will the show differ from many other shows with children in key roles? Mr Tewari said, The premise of the show is the key differentiator. It is a super unique concept.

    While the main target group for the show is parents, the show intends capturing kids attention as well through the repeat telecast in the afternoon.

    The channel does not plan to spend heavily on marketing in the launch stage, but will increase share of voice later.

     

  • First on MxM! : Its final. A K Bhattacharya to be Business Standard editor

    It was rumoured that he would take charge as editor and it’s now confirmed. In a mail sent by chairman and editorial director Mr T N Ninan earlier today, group managing editor Mr A K Bhattacharya has been appointed editor. He will take charge on November 1, 2011.

    AKB, as Mr Bhattacharya is known as, joined the paper in January 1996 as national editor. He later launched the paper’s Mumbai edition as resident editor.

     

    Mr Bhattacharya’s appointment follows Sanjaya Baru’s resignation as the editor, following his decision to join an international thinktank. I wish to place on record my thanks to Dr Baru for his editorial leadership of the last two years, and to wish him well in his future career, Mr Ninan’s mail said putting an end to all rumours.