MxMIndia

Tag: anil thakraney

  • While India may still not be setting Cannes on fire, our creative directors do return with a decent number of trophies, writes Anil Thakraney.

    Anil Thakraney: Yes, We Cannes!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I have been to Cannes just once, and this was in the year 2000. To represent the ad mag I was editing at the time. I have many interesting memories of that trip, but the one that stands out is this: While I did run into quite a few eager desi ad men and women, India did not win a single award. In fact, the scenario was so bad, global ad gurus and the fest organizers would treat Indian journos with the same degree of respect as those from Eastern Europe. Okay, perhaps slightly better. And this made even a simple thing like obtaining interviews with the ad biggies a Herculean task.

     

    I am happy to discover that in the interim period a lot has changed. While India may still not be setting Cannes on fire, our creative directors do return with a decent number of trophies. This was inconceivable in the year 2000. I am particularly pleased that the Mumbai Mirror TV commercial scored a Gold. Not only because I have worked for that newspaper in the past, but also because I recall giving the ad very high marks in the review I did for mxmindia. This is a clear indication that the ad frat must take my ad reviews very seriously… the Cannes jury gets influenced by them, hehe.

     

    So then how did India turn the corner in the last decade? I would say there are three reasons: In the last few years, thanks to the economic boom and the efforts of some filmmakers (most specifically, Sir Danny Boyle), the India story has become interesting for the goras. They want to know more about us, we excite them now. This also means that the jury members now pay more attention to the Indian approach to advertising, they try hard to get our culture. Plus having more desi judges out there helps. All this then results in a better strike rate.

     

    Second, the quality of our ‘creamy layer’ work has gone up in the last ten years. And I use the phrase creamy layer because 90 per cent of the mass advertising continues to be bollocks, and this is the case with the rest of the world too. But we have significantly improved on our good work. I also think some of our creative directors and ad filmmakers are paying a lot more attention to execution, a very important reason behind our increasing medals tally.

     

    But most importantly, the clients have evolved in the last decade. Many of them want to push the envelope, they want to innovate; they don’t mind taking risks. This has naturally helped matters a lot. This was not the case in the past. Back in the bad old days, one was paid to do safe work, and risk takers used to be punished.

     

    Maybe I will visit Cannes next year, it’s the right time. Think I will be given as much bhav as the American and the Brit journos. 🙂

     

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    PS: Interesting blogpost on the biggest advertising lies. Lies that get bandied around so often, they become truths. Here’s exploding some popular myths.

    Link: http://adcontrarian.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/advertisings-5-biggest-lies.html

     

     

  • No wonder the quality of writing is so low in many publications and web portals. Because the editors/content heads offer peanuts, they end up with monkeys

    Anil Thakraney: Freelance writers need to be paid more

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Although I haven’t suffered the same fate (so far at least!), freelance journalists/columnists I know still crib about very poor payments. They have been cribbing about this for many years, and it hasn’t changed. Despite the so-called economic boom, the media explosion and the killing inflation. Even those publications that are doing pretty well for themselves, and don’t think twice before splurging on photography, travel, technology, and so on, get suddenly hit by poverty pangs when it’s time to negotiate with freelance writers. It’s still that pre-historic, measly ‘per word’ figure.

     

    And this amazes me, really. One would have thought with the increased competition across various media forms, quality of content would be given maximum priority. Which means ensuring that the best writers and reporters are assigned to do stories or write columns. And these people are paid handsomely to keep them engaged and fired up. But that’s not how it seems to have panned out. From what I hear, freelance contributors continue to get step-motherly treatment.

     

    This then results in quality writers who are unable to survive on freelance assignments being compelled to seek other options. Some get married to loaded partners, some turn into full time authors, some migrate to the corporate world and others simply fade away. And who loses in the process? The media, of course. No wonder the quality of writing is so low in many publications and web portals. Because the editors/content heads offer peanuts, they end up with monkeys, as the proverb goes.

     

    So then why is this ancient mind-set not changing? Why are freelancers still being put at the bottom of the food chain? I think it has got to do with the mind block most editors suffer from, it’s a legacy they have carried over from the past. This must change very quickly. Media brands that continue to dish out sub-standard content will find the going tough. Because quality contributors will move away to greener pastures.

     

    I must also add here that this mind-set has changed in the Indian film industry. In the past, story and screenplay writers were paid shabbily and this resulted in so many pathetic flicks being churned out. In recent times however, writers have come to the party and they command good remuneration. The overall quality of our cinema has also improved. If it can happen there, there’s no reason why the media must remain frozen in the ice age.

     

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    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGgByLLQwSw[/youtube]

    PS: This commercial is never going to score atCannes. Simply because it’s a very provocative way to promote cancer awareness. And theCannesjury shan’t be amused. But that doesn’t change the fact that it has worked big-time, lakhs of men have already viewed this link. But do NOT even think of emulating this inIndia. Unless you have been granted permanent asylum in a first world country.

     

     

  • Not only is SRK over-used and over-abused, by no stretch of imagination can I visualize a brand match out here, writes Anil Thakraney

    Debrief: Hyundai i10: Same old, same old

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    In my books, the worst celebrity choice in Indian advertising has to be Shah Rukh Khan endorsing the poor man’s Santro. It’s a cruel joke, really. The multi-billionaire hero would want to be caught dead inside such a ‘down-market’ vehicle.

     

    Well, Hyundai has cast him again, this time for their i10 car, which is one level above Santro. But is still an aam aadmi ki gaadi. I often wonder what SRK does with such a car, assuming one ‘sample’ is sent to him gratis. I suppose he gifts it off to one of his security guards. Anyway, let’s get to the task at hand: The commercial has a strange idea – something called ‘the helping hand’. And this mystery hand blesses the i10 owner with good things in life. Like a hot babe, great weather, etc. But frankly, all I recall is shots of SRK primping and preening throughout the ad. The same old Bollywood expressions of his that the junta is tiring of.

     

    Nope, this isn’t working at all. Not only is SRK over-used and over-abused in media and advertising, by no stretch of imagination can I visualize a brand match out here. Therefore, he neither brings in freshness nor salience. The i10, if they must used celebs, would be far better served with fresh new faces from the showbiz. In addition, there’s no story, no narrative in the TVC. Same old boring lifestyle shots that most car ads use.

     

    [youtube width=”400″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9q_6214N_8[/youtube]

    It’s a flop show. The people who need a helping hand out here are the brand manager and his/her ad agency.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Poor casting. Weak creative.

     

     

  • Some have paid a huge price for being Twitter-happy. Relationships have broken down. Posts have been used as evidence in courts. People have lost their jobs

    Anil Thakraney: The ten commandments of social behaviour

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Tweeters and Facebookers often get into strife, and find themselves with their feet stuck firmly in their mouths. Some have paid a huge price for being Twitter-happy. Relationships have broken down. Posts have been used as evidence in courts. People have lost their jobs. A few like Lalit Modi have turned into fugitives.

     

    Here are my commandments for social media usage. Strictly obey them so that you can have fun, make new pals and remain trouble free.

    1. Thou shall think before posting. The problem with social media is that there’s no editor whetting your content, you are on your own. Instant accessibility and the urge to be the ‘first out there’ is too strong to curb. And this can lead to trouble. I suggest you delay your post/tweet by at least 10 minutes. That will give you a little margin of safety. Mama said ‘look before you leap’. In today’s context that reads ‘look before you tweet’.

     

    2. Thou shall try to familiarize yourself with the basic laws of the land. Social media is a public platform, it’s not your private spittoon. No defaming people, no communal slurs, no porn stuff and definitely no negative comments on Mamata Didi.

     

    3. Thou shall NOT post pictures of you partying wildly with buddies from the opposite sex (or the same sex if you are gay). This can and will be used against you at an appropriate time.

     

    4. Thou shall not befriend colleagues from your organization on Facebook. Some of them will use your posts at the opportune time to stab you in the back.

     

    5. Thou shall not post boring tweets. If you aren’t born witty, steal someone else’s updates. Or quote Abraham Lincoln or Mahatma Gandhi or Mother Teresa or Mohammed Ali Jinnah. Always works.

     

    6. Thou shall not beg movie stars to retweet your garbage. That’s like admitting to lakhs of people what a dull and desperate moron you are.

     

    7. Thou shall not post cho-chweet utterances and playful deeds of your little kids. Remember, just as in real life, only you find your bachchas cute. Deal with it.

     

    8. Thou shall promote your work. But only once a month. If you do it every hour, you will find yourself sad and lonely in the virtual world. Unless you look like George Clooney or Angelina Jolie.

     

    9. Thou shall not post holiday albums. No one wants to spend time watching 1000 pictures of you and your family posing near a little waterfall at Khandala. Unless you are wearing really skimpy clothes, of course.

     

    10. Thou shall not troll anyone on Twitter. It’s the most offensive form of social behavior. (PS: An exception can be made for Mr Chetan Bhagat. Go after him!)

     

  • There's a basic problem with this creative treatment: It's kiddish. Cadbury has failed to replicate the magic they create with their chocolates

    Debrief: Cadbury Gems: Not really a gem

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    After ‘upgrading’ their chocolate brands to adults, Cadbury is trying out the same trick with the totally kiddie Cadbury Gems. And I must say this is a very brave move. While one can understand and accept the fact that adults do indulge in chocolates, uncles and aunties gorging on Gems is pushing things a bit.

     

    The strategy is that Cadbury Gems brings out the inner bachcha in you. And that the brand makes you behave in a childish manner in adult situations. ‘Raho Umarless’ is the creative interpretation. I watched two commercials. In one, an oldish aunty sitting on a park bench notices a Cadbury Gem. She can’t resist it and sets off a volcanic eruption of candies. In another ad, a man spots an artifact inside a museum. It’s created out of Cadbury Gems. He plucks one candy out, and this action dislodges the entire structure and the creation is destroyed.

     

    There’s a basic problem with this creative treatment: It’s kiddish. Cadbury has failed to replicate the magic they create with their chocolates. For the latter, one is shown adult situations in which adults behave like adults. This creates empathy, and the brand wins. In the case of Cadbury Gems, adults behaving like silly kids will draw zero empathy from adults, there is no emotional connect. At best, the kids, who are the core consumers of Cadbury Gems, will love these commercials, and laugh their little heads off watching adults make fools of themselves.

     

    In other words, all that Cadbury has done is to reach out to the bachchas once again, this time showing adults in slapstick situations. And because of this, despite the ads being entertaining, they will score no points with the adult market. In any case, I think it’s a bad idea trying to promote a hardcore kiddie candy to adults. It’s not going to work.

     

    [youtube width=”325″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ink9lAkrcxY[/youtube] [youtube width=”325″ height=”225″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjV91ZRqu-o[/youtube]


    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 2. Dicey strategy. Flawed creative.

     

  • Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel

    Anil Thakraney: Wake up, Dilliwallahs!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Ever wondered why TV studios identify their location as ‘News Centre’ (or similar words) instead of the city of broadcast? Well, they don’t want to declare ‘Delhi’, which is where most of the news TV headquarters are located. Because, I suppose, they desire to project themselves as being pan-India. And yet, they often find their Dilli bias hard to dilute, and it shows up again and again.

     

    That’s exactly what happened with the breathless, 24X7, carpet coverage of the ‘Kaun Banega President?’ reality TV show. Ball by ball account, blow by blow detail was being dished out on the presidential race. Anchors and reporters just couldn’t conceal their excitement. It gets worse: Most of the coverage consisted of wild speculation and unconfirmed reports. This was like a gang of retail shop owners in Lajpat Nagar hectically discussing politics over aloo chaat and sweet lassi.

     

    Now, when you live in Delhi, politics becomes a part of your DNA. That’s well known and it’s fine too. But that is certainly not the case with the rest of India. If a new government was being formed at the Centre, some of us non-Dilliwallahs would take part in at least some of the discussions. But so much gas over the selection of the President? An ornamental post that, at best, is a dummy designation, and at worst a parasitic ‘job’ for which we tax payers pay through our noses. Just for the record, in case it hasn’t occurred to my friends in the capital: Finance Minister to Rashtrapati is a demotion, a VRS scheme, actually.

     

    I know that a whole lot of people in Mumbai disconnected from the news channels all of last week, as we were left with a feeling of alienation.

    And I am sure this was the case in the rest of the nation too. Because we had more important things to worry about. (Like Mr Dhoble’s sensational antics in Mumbai.)

     

    Dear Dilli news channelwallahs, please get this: You are not running a local city station. You are supposed to be running an Indian news channel. And you are meant to take into account the sensibilities of a billion desis. I know it’s tough, but a sense of balance and proportion is critical in this business.

     

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    PS: Poor poor Rajat Gupta. He’s been convicted by a US court on charges of insider trading, and now faces many years in jail. The gentleman must be sorely regretting not having done his number in India. Here, he would be out on bail in a few months, and then would chill at home for 30 years. And if he was still alive when the conviction happened, he would file a clemency petition on account of old age.

     

  • Yes, it's costly to build a brand mnemonic and it takes many years to make it a powerful brand associator. But the long term benefits justify all that expense

    Anil Thakraney: Need more Amul girls

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    The Amul baby has turned 50. And what a super brand representative she’s been for so many years. The babe’s lost none of her spark, wit and zip. And unlike heavily paid celebrities, she can live on forever. And guess what… she doesn’t charge a penny! I must tell you, I have been strictly advised against butter consumption due to my high BP. But once in a while, unable to resist the charms of the little girl, I do smuggle out a pack from the department store. Such is the pull of a human brand mnemonic.

     

    This makes me wonder. Why don’t we see many more such powerful human brand symbols in Indian advertising? One would have thought Amul’s example would inspire many brand managers. Yes, it’s costly to build a brand mnemonic, you have to invest in it, and it takes many years to make it a powerful brand associator. But the long term benefits justify all that expense. Surely, movie stars and cricketers cost a lot more and they can never be exclusive to a brand. And long term association is out of the question. Even Taj Mahal tea had to eventually drop Zakir Hussein saab after using him for many years.

     

    Incidentally, the Amul girl’s story reminds me of two other memorable desi brand figures. Both, unfortunately, died along the way. One is the Air India Maharaja. He was much adored for many decades, and His Royal Highness actually did not deserve to be killed. Brand Air India has deteriorated badly in recent times, and perhaps the guardians realized the Maharaja doesn’t fit in any more, that they don’t deserve him.

     

    The other one is Asian Paints’ Gattu, the cute little painter boy. Although I once handled that account, I am not entirely sure why they wrote his obituary. I suspect it happened when Asian Paints launched their luxury emulsion, and found Gattu to be too ‘down-market’ for premium imagery. I personally think it was a mistake, a knee jerk reaction. Gattu could have lived on for many more years and served the paint company well.

     

    Anyways, here’s hoping to see at least a few brand managers take a cue from the Amul girl in the near future.

     

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    PS: I am aware a number of media, advertising and marketing professionals read my blog posts. But now I have discovered that politicians like Mamata didi and Mulayam bhaiyya are also my fans! As early as last month I had written a post suggesting that Dr Manmohan Singh be made Prez. Well, the two seem to agree with me! 🙂

     

    Here’s the link.

    Link: http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/05/anil-thakraney-mms-for-prez-puhleez/

     

  • Another maha boring before/after ad. The creative lacks spark, the script is contrived and the youngsters featured in the ad are very irritating

    Debrief: Airtel Digital TV: Big promise, poor delivery

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Airtel has launched a new TV campaign to promote their digital TV service. The idea is: ‘Sirf cable nahin, life badlo’. The core thought is that in today’s world, the idiot box not only entertains, it changes your life. A bit far fetched? It is. I think the only way TV has changed some people’s lives is by turning them into lazy couch potatoes.

     

    Anyway, now that they have chosen to travel this exaggerated path, the commercials have to be truly sensational for the idea to get wings. But sadly, the one ad I watched left me flattened. There’s this always chilled out bloke who never gets angry at anything in life. Not even when his pal smashes his car. But he goes ballistic and mad with rage when the TV set conks out and the local cable supplier won’t take his calls. So this couch potato switches to Airtel digital TV, and he’s back to being his chilled out self.

     

    Another maha boring before/after ad. The creative lacks spark, the script is contrived and the youngsters featured in the ad are very irritating. Here’s a suggestion for Airtel and all other advertisers: When you have to show slothful people, it’s critical that they look a bit cute and charismatic. Else, the combo of laziness and ugliness repels the viewer. And you’ve lost the battle even before it has begun.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Weak and uninteresting creative

     

  • And that new flick called 'Shanghai' is the last time I shall go by the critics' verdict. Frankly, I couldn't sit through the film. It was boring, wannabe, pretentious and very laboured

    Anil Thakraney: Film critics cannot be trusted

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I was once having a conversation with Mrs Jaya Bachchan on film criticism. And she made a valid point, and this is also the reason I have steered clear of taking up film review assignments: It is important for columnists who review cinema to take part in a film appreciation course. So that even if they aren’t completely familiar with the job of making movies, at least their basics on script writing, editing, background score, art direction, production, etc, are in place. And they are able to dole out insightful observations to their readers. Very true. And since I haven’t done such a course, I am reluctant to review cinema. Don’t think I am qualified enough.

     

    And that new flick called ‘Shanghai’ is the last time I shall go by the critics’ verdict. Although wary of these guys, I did get carried away into believing this must be outstanding cinema. After all, almost every single desi reviewer was wildly gushing over it. Frankly, I couldn’t sit through the film. It was boring, wannabe, pretentious and very laboured. And even the story offered nothing new; every kid knows this nation is very corrupted. Self indulgent cinema at its worse, where the director gets carried away with his/her own sensibility, and forgets that movies are meant to engage and entertain the junta above all else. And no, in case you are wondering, I am not a fan of ‘Rowdy Rathore’ or ‘Dabanng’ sort of trashy cinema. In fact, I avoid Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar films like the swine flu. So this isn’t about my lack of ability to enjoy ‘refined’ cinema. I may not be an expert but I can tell fraudish work quite easily.

     

    So then what’s going on? What’s gone wrong with the critics? There have always been hushed allegations of sycophancy and corruption in this trade, but I will choose to discount that. Instead, I would urge editors and programming heads to do what Mrs Bachchan suggests. Enroll your film reviewers for a good, reputed film appreciation course. You will see the results immediately. And pretentious films like ‘Shanghai’ will end up with a completely different review.

     

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    PS: My time is now. Another wonderful ad from Nike. This one is set inside a barber shop, and it’s interactive too. What I like most about Nike’s advertising is the jehadi zeal with which they stick to the established brand personality. The Nike attitude is always a constant.

     

  • Would the sight of a woman fooling around with the car appeal to them? I doubt it. In fact, I was left with the impression this is a woman's-only car, ergo, not for me

    Debrief: Skoda Laura RS: Totally off the mark

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    I am assuming RS is a new upgrade of Laura, and that the car packs in some new features. What those features are I have no idea after watching the commercial because the ad goes on a bizarre tangent.

     

    In the TVC, a sexy woman pulls some silly stunts with her Laura outside what looks like a night club. She then wears the ‘scent’ of the burnt rubber, and has all the men swooning. That’s pretty much all that happens.

     

    Now, to be fair to the makers of Skoda Laura RS, they have at least stayed away from the thakela shots of macho men speeding the machine. That they have used a woman as the motorist is quite a brave move because ladies at the wheel don’t really inspire much confidence (militant feminists to please excuse). Or at least that’s the popular perception inIndia. But what they have done with this idea sends the brain for a toss.

     

    Many problems out here. The expensive luxury car Skoda Laura RS is most likely to be bought by rich Indian men. Would the sight of a woman fooling around with the car appeal to them? I doubt it. In fact, I was left with the impression this is a woman’s-only car, ergo, not for me. Next: Smell of burnt rubber. I don’t know if that’s a turn on for men in the upper income bracket, but a burning tyre puts negative imagery in my head. It subliminally tells me this is a fragile car. Add to that a woman driving it, and it confirms that Skoda Laura RS isn’t my scene. And lastly, the script is loose, it leaves you with a feeling of incompleteness. Maybe a little story was called for out here.

     

    Nopes, this won’t work at all. Back to the drawing board, I say.

     

    Rating: (On a scale of 1 to 5): 1. Tries to be different but loses focus.

     

     

  • The sooner the fossil ministers of India accept that technology has outsmarted them, the better, writes Anil Thakraney

    Anil Thakraney: You can’t curb the Net, Mr Minister!

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Do you know what is similar between terrorism and technology? It’s impossible to control either. You can do all you can to put curbs on them, but these folks will eventually find a way to outwit you. We have all heard about how a banned terror outfit in Pakistan simply changed its name and returned (literally) with a bang. The same thing is happening with the movie download sites that were recently blocked. The pirates have changed the site URLs, and are back in roaring action. I am not kidding about this… you can download the latest Bollywood film, Shanghai, which got released only this weekend! Such is the audacity of technology. Which is why this whole ‘site blocking’ business is a bloody sham.

     

    Likewise, you will recall, very recently, the portly Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Shri Kapil Sibal, was threatening to curb the social media. What triggered the mantri’s outrage was not that people where generally misusing freedom of expression, but that some sods had been busy illustrating funny cartoons of his bosses, Soniaji and Manmohanji. So, not law and order, but loyalty seems to be at the core of Sibal’s anger. Well, the debate immediately died down because as Sibal (and everyone else) knows: It’s just not possible to gag technology. It’s seamless and flows like a river across the world, continuously re-inventing itself.

     

    In a sense, I suppose it’s a battle between the old world and the new world. The old worlders, used to living a controlled existence, aren’t able to deal with the rapidly changing world. And the new world, armed with its technology weapon, is determined to smash the shackles the old world is desperate to impose. And this is one battle the oldies are bound to lose. Because technology has outsmarted them. And sooner the fossil ministers of India accept it, the better. Now there’s no going back.

     

    So deal with it, people! This is the new world order. Where videos, opinions, news, cartoons, etc, flow like a smooth stream, across the globe. And no dam will be able to control their movement. The various mantris only make fools out of themselves when they talk about curbs. They should instead spend all their energies monitoring terror activities. Though even there they will find the going very, very difficult.

     

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    PS: Interesting read on which book to rush to when you feel creatively burnt out, and want to throw in the towel. When the ideas aren’t coming. Some of the global ad industry’s best minds tell you which book inspired them and made them start firing on all cylinders all over again.

     

    Link: http://creativity-online.com/news/whats-the-best-book-on-creativity-youve-ever-read/234040

     

     

  • Why can't citizens of our free country be given the option of analogue or digital, asks Anil Thakraney, wondering how all the money that set-top box makers will be earning will be divided.

    Anil Thakraney: Dude, who moved my analogue?

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Today morning my maid asked for a loan of a thousand bucks. And when I gently enquired about the reason behind the urgent need, she very sadly replied: “Sir, set-top box lene ka hai. Nahin toh TV band ho jaayega.”

     

    Yes, she’s alarmed. Because the threatening ads keep pouring in. And as the D-Day gets closer, their frequency has shot up. We in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are warned that if we don’t go digital by the end of this month, there will be a black out on the idiot box. And as you can imagine, there’s a mad scramble for the set=top boxes. Given the wayIndiaoperates, there will be mayhem in the last week of June, because most of us do things at the last moment, that’s our culture. And I shan’t be surprised if cable operators start hawking the boxes in black. That too is our culture.

     

    Here’s the link to the detailed story on this subject done by mxmindia, which indicates the threat may be pushed by a few months:

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/06/ready-steady-go-or-delay

     

    On the face of it, the government is desperate for a switch from analogue to digital for technical and aesthetic reasons. And because the very sensitive government of ours (ROTFL!) wants us to enjoy better picture quality. (To be honest, it’s best to watch most of our heavyweight netas via inferior quality transmission.) And all this even as a vast majority of the people in this nation is quite cool with the analogue signal. Not just that. The poor are struggling to pay for the set-top boxes. And the elderly citizens are worried about having to learn new tricks in their sunset years.

     

    Now, I don’t quite understand the technological reasons behind digitization becoming mandatory. What I do want to know is this: Why can’t the citizens of this free country be given the option? So that people desirous of better picture quality can switch to the digital mode. And those who are happy with analogue, can stay with it. As far as rate structures goes, surely the concerned ministry and TRAI can work out rate cards in consultation with the various cable operators.

     

    Here’s my own feeling: I suspect digitization is being made compulsory because the set top-box makers are about to run into some serious dosh. How all that moolah will be divided, I leave for you to imagine.

     

    PS: A fantastic way to demonstrate the might of the aam junta. Created by TBWA Paris for Amnesty International, the film highlights how signature campaigns work effectively in fighting crimes committed by those in positions of power. Hard hitting!

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist, commentator and adman. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are his own.