MxMIndia

Tag: Anchor

  • It’s as much a part of our lives as dal-roti. Read on for more reasons!

    5 reasons why the Amul Butter Girl advertising is still relevant

    By Jayen  S Mehta

    #1 It’s topical.  Amul advertising is a comment on any recent development that has happened. It captures the flavor of the current scenario and then moves on to next subject that is making news. Also our brand ambassador, the Butter girl continues to remain young thus managing to remain relevant to many.

    #2 It’s not too intrusive. The advertising, while being topical, is not in-your-face.

    #3 It’s funny. There is wit and humour in the lines, which brings an immediate connect. The pun is always clever. It’s advertising that doesn’t try too hard to be funny, so it is subtle yet humorous.

    #4 It’s on time. The advertising is always on time, managing to capture what’s trending or the topic of conversation.

    #5 It’s available across media. This advertising has gone beyond the hoardings and is available across media platforms to better engage with consumers.

    Jayen S Mehta is the General Manager (Planning & Marketing), Gujarat Co-Operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.

  • Bharat Kapadia makes a case for the print industry’s premier event.

    The Anchor: 5 reasons you shouldn’t miss INMA if you’re a print professional

    #1 The theme and agenda of the INMA conference has always been useful to the print industry. Unlike other conferences where there is lot of gyaan and conference is reduced to either networking or picnicking, INMA’s focus is the industry. I am not running down anyone but the interest of the newspaper industry is really met at INMA, and therefore every publisher should attend.

    #2 There are about 30 speakers who will share their views over a period of two days. These people are experts in their field and present different aspects of publishing. So it’s not restricted to just one aspect of advertising or revenue but circulation, readership and other aspects are also discussed. At some conferences, the agenda is only one-dimensional but that is not the case here.

    #3 Newspapers themselves have treated various functions within their organization as compartments and not departments. There is little communication happening across functions but the way ahead is to change this way of working. This conference can give that kind of perspective and help people in the industry to practice collaboration within their organization and take advantage.

    #4 At INMA, subjects are not just discussed but opportunity is given to clarify and understand what is being said. It’s fairly interactive.

    #5 The conference is a good opportunity to network and the food is excellent. So why miss it!?

     

    Bharat Kapadia is the Chairman of Whatuwant Solutions.

  • Communication can include local flavouring but the core idea remains and finds cohesion when it comes to execution.

    The Anchor: 5 reasons it’s good to be part of an international agency network

    By Alok Agrawal

    #1 Global exposure: There is an opportunity to interact and learn from the various offices of the network spread across the world. Especially in the times we are operating in, it is imperative that we have knowledge of how markets are operating in different parts of the world, and a global network makes this possible.

    #2 One network one brand: With many international brands finding a foothold in India and and Indian brands going International, a network handling the brand helps in creating seamless communication across the world. While communication can include local flavouring, the core idea remains and finds cohesion when it comes to execution.

    #3 People experience: One gets to interact with people from various geographies and learn from them. There is an opportunity to exchange ideas which helps in coming out with better communication solutions.

    #4 New practices: As the business of advertising is undergoing transformation with changing times, being part of the network helps in anticipating those changes, learning from markets that have undergone such changes earlier or anticipate changes and be better equipped to meet those challenges.

    #5 New experience: Besides, it helps in giving an opportunity to travel across the various offices across the world and be part of new experiences.

     

    Alok Agrawal is the Chief Operating Officer of Cheil India/Southwest Asia Regional HQ.

  • B2B media is the most connected to both its key constituents – be it the reader or the advertiser / sponsor.a

    The Anchor: Hoshie Ghaswalla on 10 reasons why B2B media will thrive

    By Hoshie Ghaswalla

     

    B2B media is the most connected to both its key constituents – be it the reader or the advertiser / sponsor. Its in-depth understanding of the domain it operates in gives it a clear, distinct and sufficient edge over the other media forms. Here are 10 reasons why this media will thrive.

     

    #1 Domain Engagement – B2B media is deeply engaged within the domain it operates. In fact more often than not B2B media thinks it’s business is the same as that of the domain it caters to. At times, it is dangerously stitched to the domain it works with and people at the media venture often forget that they are in the media industry and need to apply those norms to their working, contrary to those of the domain they operate. There can’t be anything as powerful as this where people passionately believe they are a part of the business they cater to.

    #2 Reader engagement – The understanding of reader requirement is key in this business and good B2B media players regularly carry the reader with them at all stages. Their understanding of the domain comes in from the reader and you often see very involved and long tenured editorial / content committees that aid in the content strategy and delivery for the entire industry they operate across. How much more powerful can it be when the main customer of media has an active say in the creation and shaping of the editorial product on a consistent basis.

    #3 Advertiser engagement – This too is natural. B2B media players work very closely with advertisers as they understand their needs. From selling simple inventory, B2B media has much earlier begun to offer complete 360-degree solutions to advertisers who want to reach out to their customers in a more meaningful manner. In fact qualified lead generation is a new trend that has begun to emerge over the past few quarters in this space. What more can the advertiser ask for when s/he is getting their communication directly in to a relevant audience.

    #4 No wastage – B2B media players do not focus on mass. Their objectives are to be able to connect the advertiser / sponsors to the information consumer. So while other media would have a much larger audience they reach out to, B2B is controlled and the advertiser / sponsor pays for rich visibility. Likewise for the information consumer that gets the information they seek and do not have to go through clutter to find what they are looking for.

    #5 International trends – In the US B2B online marketing spend is projected to grow 40 percent faster than core media in 2012.

    #6 Advertiser Trust – B2B media enjoys the highest trust from the industry amongst other media. Most B2B publishers work to enhance the objectives and standing of the domain / industry they operate in rather than containing themselves to simple media-related objectives such as top-line and bottom-lines. They are a key part of the domain they operate in and very often lead in the cause of betterment of their domains.

    #7 Trust from the reader – Readers too love the B2B media because of its comprehensive understanding of the industry. This is possibly the only form of media they trust before taking significant decisions for their business. In fact this author has had instances over the past few years where readers have come to him and his colleagues and requested them to take large decisions on their behalf.

    #8 Passionate / Committed to cause – Objectives often different from commercial / profitability.

    #9 Medium agnostic – Unlike readers and advertisers of other mediums who need their daily fix of a particular newspaper, or a soap opera or a news capsule, B2B readers are sworn to the brand they have been following and are happy to get their information across any delivery medium. Likewise the advertisers / sponsors too are looking for connects to their customers and not just inventory purchase.

    #10 Content is monetizable – Due to the rich and relevant nature of content, B2B media is able to charge more for its content, contrary to other forms of media. In fact this trend is increasing and it seems highly likely that B2B will gain significant revenue from the main customer, which is the information consumer, thereby bringing down its revenue dependence from the advertiser / sponsor.

     

    Hoshie Ghaswalla is President – Publishing at CyberMedia India Limited.

  • From making your communication work better, to building a dedicated core team.

    The Anchor: 6 mantras when starting your own agency

    By Shanawas K A and Karun Venugopal

    #1 Client focus, innovation & transparency: In a world of clutter, making your communication work better is quite a challenge. If you focus on the right chord and develop it into the right strategy, it can work wonders. How differently you think and develop has been the key focus for us. A client-agency relationship is just like a doctor-patient relationship, If you diagnose the issue right, you can solve it in the right manner. If the patient doesn’t open up, the wrong solutions get parked.

     

    #2 Business model: There are multiple ways to start a business set up. Be absolutely clear on the Dos and Don’ts in your business. Have clear demarcation. Build a corpus to expand and, most importantly, think long-term.

     

    #3 Dedicated team/personalized service: Often, great presentations happen, promises are made, dreams are shown but the question is- are you able to fulfil them? Are you present and equally involved when some crucial decisions are taken? The values have to be embedded into your core team and have to flow till the last string. The team should have a belief and buy in to make a business successful. Also it is critical to have stakeholders involve in the business in the best possible manner.

     

    #4 Option of suppliers/partners: Multiple clients have varied needs from time to time. Hence, it is critical to have choices and result-oriented suppliers and partners.

     

    #5 Accountability: While being on your own, it also means that accountability is at its peak. Since you run it, you and your team are totally responsible and accountable. Unlike in a profession where someone else makes the mistake and a different person gets blamed. There is no scope for error here – if there is an error, you pay for it!

     

    #6 Liability and risk: Take the right risk, be steady, be consistent. Don’t take on any liability unless you are ready for it. If you are here to stay, think long-term and choose the right resource, partner the right associates.

     

    Most of all, the learning from being on your own is tremendous. There are newer areas into which you would not have ventured, which can be tapped. Its helps you as an Individual too, as it completes you as a true professional. Truly, the sky is the limit!

     

    Shanawas K A and Karun Venugopal are Directors at ThoughtBox.

  • Don’t fix what’s not broken, define the brand essence well – and research, research, research.

    The Anchor: Shouvik Roy’s 6 pointers for a brand to change/refresh its corporate identity

    Three points pre-change/refresh

    #1 ‘Change’ or ‘refresh’? Both are different worlds. Change is radical while refresh may not be. So, if it is ‘refresh’, then be clear about the parts that need to be refreshed; you may or may not want to fix what is not broken.

    #2 Logo change is not the identity makeover – Logo is just one part of the visual identity – not the ‘change’. The first step is to articulate you corporate brand identity verbally. Use simple formats that are understood well and easily by all key custodians. Make sure you have defined the brand essence well and all key stakeholders agree. This will help evaluate the creative work that follows.

    #3 Researching before rebranding is a good idea – you may think you know all the reasons why your existing corporate identity does not work. Prepare to be surprised by what others have to say. Even a small scale research among multiple stakeholders of your brands – customers, influencers, employees, partners etc – will give you a better handle on how and what should change.

     

    Three points post-change/refresh

    #1 Involve all your employees – they are your key brand evangelists and custodians of your brand. Before you proclaim change to the world outside – make sure everyone at ‘home’ is clear and excited about this. Do not start telling the world at large if your employees are still asking ‘what is this all about?’

    #2 Implement it well across your brand portfolio – most relevant for corporates that have a complex architecture of co- and sub-brands. Make sure that the corporate identity refresh reflects well across your portfolio and the implementation is simultaneous. Often enough, this is where the focus is wanting. Everyone loves big-picture – this is the fine print.

    #3 It is a good time to celebrate – get your teams, partners, supporters, influencers, customers in together and tell them why they should celebrate the change. Every new journey needs a starting gun, or there is never much zest to race to the milestones you’ve set.

     

    Shouvik Roy is Director, Elephant, Delhi

  • How you want to grow is up to you. What kind of partnerships you want to make happen is up to you. The philosophy of the place and people is up to you choose.

    The Anchor: Priti Nair on 8 plus points about being an entrepreneur

    #1 True and real happiness. There is a certain joy you get every day when you walk in see your place, your people.  It’s yours. Yours to nurture and grow. It’s a tremendous feeling. To see your partner who you know is so much the right person to have there with you. A kind of deep comfort of looking at the changes day in and day out. And you always think to yourself you spent so many years in the business to finally do this.

     

    #2 You stay on your toes constantly. With the joy comes a humongous responsibility that rests on your shoulders. The responsibility of people who left what they had and joined you. The responsibility of clients who put their faith in you. To make sure you live up to that keeps you constantly on your toes. You take care of every little detail.

     

    #3 You learn new skill sets. It’s amazing the number of new things you learn. Right from when you start forming the company. The laws the rules the paperwork. Then the get the place right. LAN connections, seating, tea, coffee supplies. Lighting. Then your people. To make them feel comfortable and treasured. Your clients, the way you approach the way you do things. You learn a lot that kind of enhances your life further.

     

    #4 You have only yourself to applaud or blame. There is no system or management above you to blame. No black hole that you can throw your troubles or excuses at. It’s yours for making, breaking, taking and shaping. And it matures you as a human being.

     

    #5 Even if you get messed it’s on your terms. There are frustrations and scrambles that happen like they happen anywhere. But it’s on your terms. What you have chosen. And you can deal with the scrambles much much better with that confidence sitting in your head.

     

    #6 You have the right of refusal if principles don’t match. When principles, morals, integrities don’t match you have the right to say no and bow out. Because how you want to grow is up to you. What kind of partnerships you want to make happen is up to you. The philosophy of the place and people is up to you choose.

     

    #7 You actually give proper quality time to brands and clients. Your interactions with clients are far closer and more intimate. They are almost one on one every time. You put extra effort in every client because they have put their faith into you despite your size, despite you being new. And for that there is a sense of eternal gratitude that stays in your heart so you give more and more of the best you’ve got.

     

    #8 Fewer people, less lost in translations and agendas. You form your world of like-minded happy people. And the number of people are fewer. It’s more hands-on and transparent. Things don’t get lost in layers and layer of several people doing the same thing. And most importantly, effort does not get wasted amidst egos and unknown agendas.

     

    Priti Nair is Founder, Curry Nation.

  • Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President and Head, Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life, on what you should look for while selecting an ad agency.

    The Anchor: Sanjay Tripathy on 7 reasons a marketer chooses an ad agency

    #1 End-to-end expertise and servicing. An advertising agency which provides a bouquet of services and is capable of creating effective 360-degree integrated communications campaigns is important, as classic one-dimensionaldvertising is becoming less relevant in the current environment.

    #2 Team credentials and clients handled. People form the most important part of an advertising agency, and their credentials and experience are a huge factor in deciding to work with them. The advertising agency needs to be evaluated to determine their expertise in handling different business categories, especially their experience of working on your type of business and if they understand the competition in your field. At the same time, it is important that the agency have some experience in other business sectors as it brings in fresh ideas and helps create clutter-breaking communication.

    #3  Size and scale of agency. It is important to ascertain whether the agency is adequately equipped to deal with the corresponding size of the client’s business in terms of creative, operational and technical resources.

    #4 International exposure. The more the agency has interacted with global clients and has experience in creating campaigns globally, the better. It helps bring in more professional working and a lot of fresh ideas.

    #5 Consistency in dealing. The ability of an agency to maintain consistency as well as transparency in dealing with its clients is very vital from a client’s perspective. It enables ease in dealing on a day-to-day basis and helps meet timelines and implement campaign plans more efficiently.

    #6 Strength in research. A strong research wing in an agency helps ensure that the campaign is backed by high sensitivity in terms of socio-cultural understanding and aesthetics while maintaining the brand philosophy. The tools that the agency uses in planning campaigns and analyzing the brand and competitors need to be scientifically prepared.

    #7 Balance between creative and business strategy. A path-breaking creative idea may not always be the best solution for a business problem. An agency which understands the importance of business problem-solving through communication is beneficial in the long run. Also, its ability to align with the long-term strategy of the client is important.

     

    Sanjay Tripathy is Executive Vice President – Head Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life.

  • Sanjay Tripathy, Executive Vice President and Head, Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life, on what you should look for while selecting an ad agency.

    The Anchor: Sanjay Tripathy on 7 reasons a marketer chooses an ad agency

    #1 End-to-end expertise and servicing. An advertising agency which provides a bouquet of services and is capable of creating effective 360-degree integrated communications campaigns is important, as classic one-dimensionaldvertising is becoming less relevant in the current environment.

    #2 Team credentials and clients handled. People form the most important part of an advertising agency, and their credentials and experience are a huge factor in deciding to work with them. The advertising agency needs to be evaluated to determine their expertise in handling different business categories, especially their experience of working on your type of business and if they understand the competition in your field. At the same time, it is important that the agency have some experience in other business sectors as it brings in fresh ideas and helps create clutter-breaking communication.

    #3  Size and scale of agency. It is important to ascertain whether the agency is adequately equipped to deal with the corresponding size of the client’s business in terms of creative, operational and technical resources.

    #4 International exposure. The more the agency has interacted with global clients and has experience in creating campaigns globally, the better. It helps bring in more professional working and a lot of fresh ideas.

    #5 Consistency in dealing. The ability of an agency to maintain consistency as well as transparency in dealing with its clients is very vital from a client’s perspective. It enables ease in dealing on a day-to-day basis and helps meet timelines and implement campaign plans more efficiently.

    #6 Strength in research. A strong research wing in an agency helps ensure that the campaign is backed by high sensitivity in terms of socio-cultural understanding and aesthetics while maintaining the brand philosophy. The tools that the agency uses in planning campaigns and analyzing the brand and competitors need to be scientifically prepared.

    #7 Balance between creative and business strategy. A path-breaking creative idea may not always be the best solution for a business problem. An agency which understands the importance of business problem-solving through communication is beneficial in the long run. Also, its ability to align with the long-term strategy of the client is important.

     

    Sanjay Tripathy is Executive Vice President – Head Marketing and Direct Channels at HDFC Life.

  • Paperbacks and magazines are thriving, newspaper circulation is rising, and the chances of print fading as an advertising medium are dim indeed.

    The Anchor: Sumanto Chattopadhyay on 7 reasons why print cannot die as an advertising medium

    #1 Every time a new medium comes into being, premature obituaries are written for preexisting media. This happened with radio, when television arrived. And with TV, when the internet came along. But I ask you, are radio and television dead?

    #2 In India, newspaper circulation is on the up and up. New newspapers are being launched every day. Almost every page of every paper has an ad or two. So where does the concern arise?

    #3 If paperbacks and magazines died, we might worry that print advertising could be next. But novelists are thriving. The Economist is growing. So me no worry!

    #4 While there are writers, print advertising cannot die. As a writer, I can tell you that the urge to write is too strong to shrivel and give up the ghost.

    #5 The smart phone, tablet and laptop are just not as easy on the eye as the printed page – so to protect our ocular health we will opt for print and print advertising.

    #6 Paper running out could be a serious blow. But with afforestation and recycling we are licking that problem.

    #7 And finally, imagine sitting on the pot with your laptop and clicking on some web banner… Nah. Print rules.

     

     

    Sumanto Chattopadhyay is Executive Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai.

  • Is television more powerful for marketers than other media? Why?

    The Anchor: Abraham Alapatt on 7 reasons a marketer prefers television to other media

    #1 Reach

    IRS media figures show a 17.9 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the spread of cable and satellite TV across India. The figures, for the first quarter of 2011, show that the total reach of cable and satellite TV is now 416.51 million, up from 403.51 million registered in the fourth quarter of 2010, and just under 383.61 million homes a year ago. Television – including terrestrial transmission – is now available in 522.44 million Indian homes, up 5 percent on the 516.41 million figure at the end of 2010, and the 509.86 million recorded in the first quarter of 2010.

    In fact, the only sections of the survey which registered a dip in the IRS figures were radio and cinema penetration. Cinema’s reach fell by minus 5.4 percent CAGR, from 81.66 million at the end of 2010 to 79.71 million in Q1 2011. The total reach of radio fell from 163.91 million to 161.48 million in the same period: a drop of 8.3 percent negative CAGR.

    #2 Family consumption

    In markets like the US or the UK – small families, working parents and typically “more than one TV homes” is the norm. In India on the other hand, TV viewing is a social “family” gathering where Indian families (often larger/joint families) gather around the single television in the living room of the home. This means that, with approximately four people viewing per TV set in India (during prime time) the reach is not just significantly larger than the numbers suggest, but also more involved and animated as a family unit. This aids marketers across segments and target groups. This group consumption of TV as opposed to radio, print or internet (which are usually consumed alone) makes it very powerful and unique.

     

    #3 Nature of media

    The versatility of the media – combining audio and visual elements and allowing stories, humour, glamour and imagery to be combined, makes it a potent tool for marketers to project their message/brand in the most attractive manner possible.

     

    #4 Segmentation based on viewer profile

    Based on time of day, nature of programme etc, marketers are able to target the right segment better than other traditional media such as print and radio.

     

    #5 Planned consumption

    TV viewing, in extension to being a social/family event, is consumed to a specific time pattern/lifestyle and is therefore fairly dependable from a marketers’ point to view to reach prospects.

     

    #6 Consumption by habit

    An extension of the social and planned aspects is “force of habit” – viewers of a particular program/channel tend to consume it almost by habit, unless the content fails to deliver or something more attractive comes up on another channel during the same time band. Women viewers of soap operas, teens watching MTV or lifestyle channels, men watching cricket/sports/news are cases in point.

     

    #7 Ads themselves as content

    With ads getting more creative, slick and entertaining, TV ads have themselves become subjects of discussion and aid brand consumption – Vodafone’s ZooZoos, Airtel’s new jingle “Har ek friend…” etc are just some very popular recent examples. This is, for obvious reasons, a marketer’s dream come true.

     

    Abraham Alapatt is Head – Brand & Corporate Communication, Future Generali India Life Insurance Company Limited.

  • Okay, advertising is not full of stuffed shirts – but along with the fun, there’s plenty of hard work going on

    The Anchor: Satbir Singh on 7 reasons advtg is a serious business that allows much fun

    #1 Planning communication strategy requires serious thinking. Being entrusted with planning a communication strategy for a brand is no easy task and requires meticulous planning and perfect execution.

    #2 Creating campaigns requires seriously long hours and weekends in the office. Zeroing on the right idea and taking it to its final step takes time.

    #3 Executing ideas and shooting films amongst others requires travel sans any sightseeing. It might seem glamorous that one gets to travel to various exotic locations while shooting an ad, but the truth is that it’s all work and hardly any play.

    #4 On the other hand, working on different brands and different briefs on the same brands means no monotony.

    #5 It is a profession of very young people. The atmosphere is always exciting and never dull. The industry is full of youngsters who are brimming with fresh ideas and it’s always a learning experience to work with young people who often open up a new line of thinking.

    #6 For those who find it a draw, you could be working with top cricketers and Bollywood celebrities. Now that could be a perk of working with an advertising industry.

    #7 Seeing work that you’ve created on TV and around you is a massive pleasure. It is a deeply satisfying experience to see the idea that one has been working on finally taking shape and then reaching fruition.

     

    Satbir Singh is Managing Partner and Chief Creative Officer, EuroRSCG India