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Tag: GroupM

  • … and get worked up, says CVL Srinivas, CEO,GroupM South Asia, who has been actively with both events.

    Don’t compare Goafest & Melt..

     

    Media agency heads have always played a key role in India’s growing media services industry. GroupM, the holding arm of a clutch of agencies owned by WPP, has been on the forefront over the years, with CVL Srinivas, CEO – South Asia, now doing that in a quiet, definitive way. So while we were not surprised when Mr Srinivas was actively associated with Goafest, we wondered whether all was well in the AAAI when we first heard that he had virtually turned co-organiser of Melt, a two-day festival of creativity being organised by Kyoorius on May 21 and 22. Here, in an interview with Pradyuman Maheshwari, Mr Srinivas talks about why GroupM supports multiple trade events and the ‘tu tu, main main’ between the supporters of Goafest and Kyoorius…

     

    You answered this question when Melt was being announced, but given that it is happening now, one would like to hear it from you again: How is it that GroupM and you personally are as actively involved with Goafest and the Abby as you are with Kyoorius Melt?

     

    At GroupM, we try to support as many initiatives as our bandwidth permits. Apart from Goafest over the years, and Melt2015, we have been supporting a host of events, be it MMA, Social Media Week or supporting organisations such as IAA. We believe in doing our bit to shape the market and help the industry evolve. One of our biggest challenges as an industry is to attract talent. We see all these events as having a role to play in keeping our industry exciting and attractive for young talent. For us, it has never been a case of either/or (with regard to the events). Having said that, I must confess that if at all we do not support any particular event, it will be more because of time and bandwidth constraints than anything else.

     

    When we first heard that GroupM was actively associated with Melt, our response was one of disbelief. Did this [Kyoorius] in any way impact your association with that [Goafest]?

     

    We have supported Goafest over the years and even this year, be it with speakers, designing the event, or with sponsorships. We continue to send the maximum number of award entries and among the highest number of delegates. When Melt came to us as an opportunity, we found the format interesting. Coincidentally, it came at a time we ourselves were driving a few programmes internally and externally around creativity in technology and media. We felt this would be a great platform for us to energise our teams and learn from the experts who will be taking part.

     

    I know it’s early for you to make a forecast, but what’s your sense on how Melt will turn out?

     

    We have a great line up of speakers and good buzz around the event. Considering it’s the first such event being held in Mumbai, I am sure it will pick up momentum as we go along.

     

    You were at the Kyoorius Awards last year giving away some of the awards, and you were also present at the Goafest Abbys both last year and this year. What, according to you, would be the key differentiators?

     

    Each awards event has its own flavour. There isn’t any need to compare the two and get worked up. Goafest is clearly an industry event, since industry bodies are behind it. Kyoorius awards is run independently. Just to clarify, GroupM has no role in the awards; we are only partnering on Melt.

     

    A slew of media agencies seem to have no problem with any of the awards shows, or even with each other. Why do you think creative agencies have problems with participating in awards shows?

     

    I am not very sure!!

     

    Even agencies from the WPP group have stayed away.

    Well, GroupM hasn’t.

     

    We may not hear it said out loud, but there is a clear ‘tu tu main main’ between Goafest and Melt/Kyoorius Awards. What would you say to the naysayers from either camp?

     

    It’s better to live and let live and not criticise either of them.

     

    And to all those in the industry who may not have made up their minds yet: Since you are one of the co-organisers, why should they register and attend Melt?

     

    It’s an event that combines advertising, media, digital, marketing and technology. In the real world, each of these areas is merging into the other. Melt is bringing alive this phenomenon in a very interesting way.

     

    A version of this first appeared in dna of brands dated May 18, 2015

     

  • GroupM is a knowledge partner at Zee Melt 2015

    Kyoorius announces partner events at Melt 2015

    By A Correspondent

     

    As MELT 2015 approaches, the two-day festival is shaping up with a packed schedule of events including conferences, seminars, workshops, showcases, exhibitions and installations catering to a variety of audiences and disciplines.

     

    Rajesh Kejriwal

    Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO, Kyoorius said, “With MELT 2015, we’re pioneering an exciting new model where our partners co-curate content with us. Together, we have created opportunities to learn and interact in myriad ways, always keeping our partners’ brand goals and vision in mind. MELT 2015 is a chance for them to showcase what they do best.”

     

    The HT Osmosis Conference on 21st May offers insights into advertising as it exists today and a glimpse into what it could be in the future. Speakers include Chris Sanderson (Future Laboratory), Daniele Fiandaca (Creative Social), Bo Hellberg (Brave and HeyHuman) and Hugh Macleod (Gaping Void).

     

    GroupM is a knowledge partner at Zee Melt 2015. Besides powering the event with international speakers, workshops and seminars, GroupM agencies are also showcasing new technology in advertising at ‘FutureReady’ in the Hall of Knowledge. Participants of MELT can expect to see the Loop Room by Mindshare, Moribus- the Behavioral Economics Lab by Maxus, great global work by Mediacom and MECFresh by MEC Global.

     

    Industry stalwarts will battle out the question of whether mobile has taken over TV as the default screen for viewers, at the IAA Debate on 21st May.

     

    Kinetic Future Citizens on 21st May, is a series of seminars that looks at how brands can connect, entertain and understand consumers of the future.

     

    ZEE MindSpace on 22nd May, promises to be a stimulating and eye-opening conference for industry leaders to discuss, debate and reflect on issues and challenges facing the industry. Speakers include Sir Martin Sorrell (WPP), Tom Goodwin (Havas Media), Adam Ostrow (Mashable) and Joshua Black (GroupM).

     

    YouTube takes over the Hall of Vision at Nehru Centre with a series of presentations hosted by YouTube India’s Satya Raghavan along with a select group of YouTube Creators will go in-depth into developing a successful YouTube strategy for brands and creators. Delegates can sign up for a one-on-one consultation with a YouTube expert on how to develop compelling online content.

     

    Metalworks by Maxus helps brands explore the next frontier with creative technology in a series of talks and workshops on both days, designed to help companies generate and execute those really ‘out-there’ ideas.

     

    Madhouse India presents a Madhouse Mobile Masterclass with renowned mobile marketing consultant Tomi Ahonen. This invite-only workshop for brand managers explores mobile-first branding.

     

    Experienced D&AD Trainers Bo Hellberg of Brave and HeyHuman, and Alex Lampe of A+B Studio will conduct hands-on workshops on branding and idea generation.

     

    Hyper Island Master Class Speaker Daniele Fiandaca will lead two workshops discussing the most disruptive trends in digital and the challenges that the changing nature of work holds for modern creatives.

     

    iStock  & Happy Finish have collaborated to create bespoke workshops at MELT 2015. Delegates can learn how to bring a powerful campaign to life with the right imaging tools.

     

    The Other Bookstore will display its extensive collection of design and advertising books and publications.

     

    Augmented reality is one of the hottest technology trends at the moment. Happy Finish’s Global Chairman Stuart Waplington will take delegates behind the lens to create stunning 360-degree visual experiences on screen. A host of augmented and virtual reality tools will also be on display at Nehru Centre during the festival.

     

  • MELT 2015 is a 2-day festival of creativity for the advertising, marketing, media, digital and emerging technologies, developed by Kyoorius in partnership with Zee, GroupM and D&AD

    Kyoorius announces speaker lineup for MELT:2015

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kyoorius has announced the launch of readytomelt.com, a dedicated website for its upcoming festival, MELT: 2015. The site boasts a full lineup of speakers from all over the world, spanning a variety of events throughout the two days.

     

    MELT 2015 is a 2-day festival of creativity for the advertising, marketing, media, digital and emerging technologies, developed by Kyoorius in partnership with Zee, GroupM and D&AD. Each day offers a variety of formats, including conferences, installations, seminars and workshops, which will take place simultaneously at Nehru Centre and DOME @ NSCI, SVP Stadium in Mumbai.

     

    Day 1 of MELT:2015, will feature HT Osmosis, a creative conference curated for advertising and creative professionals. Speakers include Chris Sanderson – Founder, The Future Laboratory, Dylan Berg – Lead Creative, 72andSunny, Huib van Bockel – Founder, The Social Brand and Daniele Fiandaca – Creative Social.

     

    Zee Mindspace, a day-long conference on 22nd May, has been developed specifically for marketing and media professionals. Speakers include Tom Goodwin – Head of Strategy & Innovation, Havas Media, Adam Ostrow, Chief Strategy Officer, Mashable, Sir Martin Sorrell – CEO, WPP, and Parminder Singh – Managing Director, Twitter SE Asia/India/MENA.

     

    A series of workshops and seminars will be conducted across the two days on topics such as mobile marketing, digital strategy, brand experiences, branded content, prototyping ideas, sonic branding, youth marketing, and photography, by the likes of D&AD, The Partners, FITCH, Getty Images, Mindshare, Metalworks, Kinetic, Happy Finish, and more.

     

    FUTURE Tense is another series of seminars focusing on emerging trends and innovations in technology, media and digital. Topics to be explored will include wearable technology, digital storytelling, augmented reality, big data and social media.

     

    Rajesh Kejriwal

    Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO of Kyoorius, said, “MELT has been conceptualized to help advertising, media, digital and marketing professionals learn – through lectures, discussions, case studies and workshops – how to marry their inherent skills and talent with emerging technologies.

     

    Tickets have been priced at INR 5,000 for one day and INR 8000 for both days. Online registrations will be open from Friday, May 8, 2015.

     

  • Tushar Vyas is Chief Strategy Officer and Lakshmi Narasimhan is back in the fold as Chief Growth Officer

    GroupM restructures top deck, CFO Sridhar Ramasubramanian is COO

     

    A Correspondent

     

    Media agency network GroupM has announced a slew of top-level appointments to steer ahead in the race as the media agency space gets competitive with the appointment of Vikram Sakhuja as Madison World Group CEO.

     

    Chief Financial Officer Sridhar Ramasubramanian has been elevated as Chief Operating Officer of GroupM South Asia. In his new role, the GroupM veteran will also manage the Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan markets.  The CEOs of these markets will report in to him.

     

    Lakshmi Narasimhan has been appointed as Chief Growth Officer for South Asia. Mr Narasimhan will take charge of the media partnerships and digital teams. With this appointment, GroupM has merged the erstwhile Central Trading Group  (CTG) with the GroupM digital platforms. Mr Narasimhan has prior experience with the group with stints at Mindshare Fulcrum and GroupM as Head of CTG. He was the CEO of Web18 till April 2014, the digital unit of the Network18 group. All the present CTG and digital teams will report into him..

     

    The third announcement concerns Tushar Vyas who has been promoted to the role of Chief Strategy Officer, GroupM South Asia.  Mr Vyas has been heading GroupM Interaction, the digital media arm of the network.

     

    Messrs Ramasubramanian, Vyas and Narasimhan will report into CVL Srinivas, CEO, GroupM South Asia. The current agency and specialist unit heads will continue reporting to Mr Srinivas.  While Ramasubramanian and Vyas assumed their new roles from May 1, Narasimhan was on board on May 4.

     

    Speaking on these developments, CVL Srinivas, CEO, GroupM South Asia said, “We are fortunate to have a very strong leadership team across GroupM backed by solid support from our regional and global offices. Sridhar, Tushar and Lakshmi are outstanding professionals all of whom have played major roles in developing our network.”

     

  • From a single sports country to a multi-sport one, India has seen a boom in telecast of sporting events. Jai Lala picks 10 trends

    10 Trends to look forward to in Sports Broadcasting

     

    By Jai Lala

     

    2014 has undoubtedly been a great year for Sports in India, and in turn it has also opened up new avenues for the broadcasting and advertising community. With India making a foray into League sports, and games other than cricket making a mark, one can look forward to exciting times in 2015 for the Sports Broadcasting Industry.

     

    Here are 10 Trends to look forward to in Sports Broadcasting

     

    1. From a single sports country to a multi-sport country: We are witnessing sports boom in India. Hockey, Badminton, Kabbadi, Tennis are seeing reach like never before. Albeit it is still smaller compared to cricket it is growing and we are seeing growing interest from advertisers and viewers alike.

     

    2. TV+ Digital the lines are blurring: World cup had more than 25 million views on Digital. IPL is slated to surpass that in the 2015 season. Is it just catch up TV or is it individual viewing only time will tell but currently the lines are blurring. World Cup on Starsports.com was sponsored by the biggest names in cricket advertising Hero, Vodafone, Pepsi all sponsors of the previous edition of World Cup 2011 but in 2015 have moved from TV to Digital

     

    3. Pay per view can it be a reality: The acquisition cost of sports growing and advertising yield at a matured level subscription seems to be the only resolve. With increased digital penetration as well as viewing pay per view is not far

     

    4. Sports viewing is more‘Lean Forward’ than ‘Lean Back’: The passion and the interest which evokes on sports can be “heard” on social media. Ball by Ball commentary, opinions and even Backlash is growing on Social Media.

     

    5. Sports & Mobile: With the mobile penetration in excess of 900 million coupled with multi-screen viewing there is a huge opportunity for advertisers to cash in. Heineken ran a contest on mobile which can only be answered by watching the live UEFA match on TV. No other sport lends itself to interactivity more than cricket

     

    6. Split beam: India being a diverse regional market with large linguistic preference networks are offering feeds in regional languages. This will grow further with split beams leading to adversioning and even regional advertisers getting a slice of the pie

     

    7. Rural: Radio is the only means for the rural audiences but with growing mobile penetration and DTH this could add on to the experience especially for updates and other opportunities

     

    8. Sports programming: In the US, ESPN Sportscentre is one of the most viewed programmes and it does not relay live telecast. Whilst in India non-live programming is only 1/7th of Live telecast it is growing

     

    9. Extra coverage for the passionate viewer: Cameras on umpires helmets to players helmets. View from the slip cordon to chatting with players during live match. We shall see more & more of this

     

    10. Revival of Print: Print in its traditional sense has seen challenges on sports coverage. Sportstar is nearly dead and many more such sports magazines. Blogging is reviving it. Can digital print revive the coverage?

     

    Jai Lala is Managing Partner, Trading and Partnerships, Central Trading Group, GroupM

     

    Extracted from the GroupM ESP-SportzPower India Sports Sponsorship Report 2015

     

  • Value of ground sponsorship for cricket fell to Rs 464.7 crore in 2014 from Rs 508.3 crore in 2013 while team sponsorship fell from Rs 389.2 crore in 2013 to Rs 347.8 crore, even as the sports industry grew 10 per cent.

    Cricket losing its charm, sponsors bat big time for hockey, football, says GroupM ESP report

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta & Ravi Teja Sharma

     

    Cricket, which has ruled the hearts of millions of Indians for years, may be losing just a little bit of its magic. In 2014, other sports — football, tennis, hockey and even kabaddi — gained in popularity, according to a report by GroupM ESP, the entertainment, sports and content arm of media agency GroupM.

     

    Value of ground sponsorship for cricket fell to Rs 464.7 crore in 2014 from Rs 508.3 crore in 2013 while team sponsorship fell from Rs 389.2 crore in 2013 to Rs 347.8 crore, even as the sports industry grew 10 per cent.

     

    Ground sponsorship is the money central sponsors in any sport pay to the organisers of a tournament. Team sponsorship is the money each team earns from selling the real estate on its apparel. The report compares calendar years. The 10 per cent growth in the sports industry, from Rs 4,372.5 crore in calendar year 2013 to Rs 4,809.69 crore in 2014, is due to the emergence of new tournaments.

     

    Indian Super League for football, two tournaments each for hockey and kabaddi as well as the International Premier Tennis League, among others. The size of the sports industry by revenue includes a number of components: ground and team sponsorships, franchise fees, endorsements and on-air revenues of advertisers.

     

    For cricket, the numbers seem low in 2014 because India played host to fewer international games than in the previous year, says Vinit Karnik, national director (sports and live events) at GroupM ESP. “But it is a fact that there was a price correction in the payouts to BCCI from title rights holders in 2014.”

     

    The Indian cricket team’s sponsorship price dipped to Rs 2 crore per match in 2014, the amount Star agreed to pay, from Rs 3.33 crore per match in 2013 that Airtel was paying. The downward trajectory in the level of interest in cricket can be gauged by the fact that only two companies — Star and Micromax — showed interest in obtaining title rights compared with the last bidding cycle when over 10 contenders were in the fray.

     

    Other sports are starting to attract serious money. Football, for instance, saw a 227 per cent year-on-year increase in the total value of team sponsorship from Rs 26.5 crore in 2013 to Rs 60.3 crore on the back of the new Rupert Murdoch and Mukesh Ambani-backed Indian Super League. Other sports leagues — kabaddi, tennis and others — saw a massive jump of 1,064 per cent in team sponsorship, from just Rs 7 crore in 2013 to Rs 74.5 crore in 2014.

     

    GroupM ESP says in the report that overall team sponsorship across all sports rose a healthy 14 per cent from Rs 432.7 crore in 2013 to Rs 493.6 crore in 2014, despite the 10.6 per cent fall in cricket team sponsorship. And while noncricket sports together accounted for just 10 per cent of the team sponsorship pie in 2013, it has now risen significantly to just under 30 per cent, a startling shift in the course of a year.

     

    IPL STILL GOING STRONG

    IPL, the Twenty20 cricket tournament, still remains a strong franchise with Pepsi committing Rs 80 crore a year to bag the title sponsorship of the league, despite the controversies it has sometimes seen. After a dip in revenues in 2014 because of the Lok Sabha elections and the consequent shifting of a part of the league to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), IPL’s broadcaster Multi Screen Media is expected to make close to Rs 950 crore from the ongoing 2015 edition.

     

    While Pepsi might have grown on the back of non-cricket sports properties globally, here in India, it is one of the biggest spenders on cricket.

     

    Ruchira Jaitly, senior director-marketing (beverages) at PepsiCo India, contends that cricket hasn’t taken any hit. “It’s just that the pool has expanded because of the emergence of other sports in India,” she says. However, as other sports gain in popularity, Pepsi is seriously investing in kabaddi, soccer and hockey. “This is also because international quality of programming has arrived in India,” Jaitly says.

     

    “While cricket continues to be the mother ship, and will continue to be big, brands are slowly opening up to the potential of other sports, especially brands that don’t have massive budgets,” says Indranil Das Blah, CEO of sports management firm Kwan.

     

    For big brands with national campaign plans, cricket and Bollywood are still the preferred platforms, he says, but for smaller brands one can use that money a lot more intelligently by associating with other sports. However, in terms of numbers or reach, no other sport will even come close to cricket in the next five years.

     

    “But the bridge is certainly forming. Five years ago, there were no options, three years ago there were a few options but now there are loads of options. So that gap is slowing being reduced between cricket and other sports,” he says.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

     

     

  • Media planners and industry sources say sponsorship rates have risen 10-15% over last year, when the eight teams put together made just over Rs 250 crore from sponsorship

    IPL teams to mop up Rs 300 crore in sponsorship deals as most brands stay committed

    By Ravi Teja Sharma & Nandini Raghavendra

     

    That the Indian Premier League (IPL) has emerged as the choicest new brandbuilding opportunity can be gauged from the sheer stickiness that brands have displayed with the teams, and this year too most of the sponsors have decided to renew their contracts for at least the next two years. Together, the eight teams in the T20 league are estimated to mop up close to Rs 300 crore from kit deals — sponsorship on shirts, trousers and caps of players – with existing as well as some new sponsors this season.

     

    Media planners and industry sources say sponsorship rates have risen 10-15% over last year, when the eight teams put together made just over Rs 250 crore from sponsorship. “A lot of companies today want to invest in sports. Those who were already there felt the tournament has given them a good bang for their buck,” says Mohit Burman, co-owner of Kings XI Punjab.

     

    Among the newcomers to the IPL party this year is Chinese mobile handset maker Gionee, which will be seen on the front of the shirt of Kolkata Knight Riders’ players, replacing longstanding sponsor Nokia. The brand believed to have paid between Rs 15 crore and Rs 18 crore a year for the three-year deal. Another brand that has come in this year is Japanese air conditioner maker Daikin, which has signed up with Delhi Daredevils for an estimated Rs 10-11 crore.

     

    Among those who have renewed, Aircel’s deal with Chennai Super Kings is the most expensive at Rs 22 crore a year. For Mumbai Indians, Videocon d2h has renewed sponsorship at Rs 15-16 crore a year. Huawei has renewed with Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 10-12 crore, while Ultratech logo will again be seen on Rajasthan Royals shirts at Rs 9 crore.

     

    “Even the ground sponsors for teams look closely at ratings and reach of the tournament. These aspects have done well in recent years and that is what they see value in,” says Rohit Gupta, president of Multi Screen Media, official IPL broadcaster.

     

    The cumulative reach of the IPL has risen from about 100 million in its first edition in 2008 to 191.4 million in 2014.

     

    Last year, rating for the tournament grew to 3.6 from 3.2 in 2013 despite a part of the tournament being played in the UAE and stiff competition from Lok Sabha election. “In early years of the tournament, rating was over 4 but it has now stabilised which is attractive for sponsors,” says Gupta.

     

    Rajasthan Royals has added a new sponsor in Kalasalingam University from Chennai, which is advertising for the first time in the IPL. “They see this as the right platform for visibility within other states of India,” says team Chief Executive Raghu Iyer.

     

    Venky Mysore, the chief executive of Shah Rukh Khan-owned Kolkata Knight Riders, says they have seen a 15% increase in pricing. “Brands evaluate the value they see and the fan base, which for KKR has grown hugely, which is why we can command a premium,” says Mysore.

     

    One of the most high talked about franchisees, Royal Challengers, has seen a churn in the last few years. While initially most of its sponsors were in-house brands of the UB Group — Royal Challenge, Whyte & Mackay, McDowell’s No. 1, White Mischief — over the last few years they have been replaced by outside brands. Huawei India, Tata Motors Bolt, Britannia and Kingfisher Beer have renewed their deals.

     

    Vinit Karnik

    While the World Cup viewership didn’t exactly set record, IPL, experts feel, will be a different ball game. “Fatigue levels for prime time cricket viewing is not there because the World Cup was not prime time,” says Vinit Karnik, national director, sports and live events at GroupM ESP. “What is also helping is the realistic pricing despite a slight increase in pricing this time.” IPL teams can be put into two buckets. The three top teams — Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders — are in a different league when it comes to pricing of their kit deals.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • He was Marketing Head and part of the start-up team for Danone India and also spent nearly 15 years with JWT India at its flagship Mumbai office working with Unilever and other key clients

    Varun Channa is MD, Mindshare Malaysia

    Varun Channa

    By A Correspondent

     

    Mindshare APAC, the global media agency network part of WPP, has appointed Varun Channa, to the role of Managing Director, Mindshare Malaysia.  He joins Mindshare after six years with Danone Indonesia, where he helped to turn around their fresh dairy business and developed the roadmap for their Isotonics. Prior to that, he was Marketing Head and part of the start-up team for Danone India and also spent nearly 15 years with JWT India at its flagship Mumbai office working with Unilever and other key clients.

     

    Gowthaman Ragothaman

    Commenting on the appointment, Gowthaman Ragothaman, COO of Mindshare Asia Pacific, said:  “We are totally delighted to welcome Varun on board, who brings a wealth of experience across industries and markets. This is the beginning of a new chapter in the whole new world of connected media, where content, creativity and consumer data in the Malaysian market is at the centre of all activities and importance. “ Adding on to this, Girish Menon, CEO, GroupM Malaysia said: “With Varun, we have hit upon a fantastic combination – with JWT, he honed his skills in developing communications solutions for some iconic global brands and then as a tech-savvy marketer with Danone in tree different fast-growing, competitive markets, he got his hands dirty developing marketing solutions to deliver strong business results. I believe these are the combination of skills and experiences that our clients increasingly expect from the head of their agency, so I am confident that Varun will lead Mindshare to even greater success!”

     

    Commenting on his appointment, Mr Channa said: “It’s a pleasure to be part of Mindshare Malaysia in these exciting times when media is playing a even greater role in growing our clients’ business. Seeing the pipeline of innovative digital solutions we have, I look forward to us adding greater value to our clients’ business.” Mr Channa takes over the role from Gerald Wittenberger, who returned to Europe at the end of 2014.

     

  • Zee, GroupM & D&AD to partner the two-day event which will culminate in Kyoorius Ad & Digital Awards which has Colors as presenting sponsor

    Kyoorius launches Melt, 2-day ad, media & marketing festival

    By A Correspondent

     

    Transmedia Fine Papers-promoted Kyoorius has launched Melt 2015, a festival of creativity for the advertising, media, digital and marketing industry in partnership with Zee Entertainment, media services conglomerate GroupM and London-based creativity body D&AD.

     

    The festival will take place on May 21 and 22 in Mumbai at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) and neighbouring Nehru Centre, culminating in the Kyoorius Advertising and Digital Awards night on May 22 at the NSCI. “We expect over 5000 people over the two days which will be packed with seminars, exhibitions and workshops,” said Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder and CEO of Kyoorius who has curated the event, adding that the intent is to build the event around four pillars: Learning, Networking, Showcase and Celebration. “Our objective is to see everyone carry a key takeaway from each of these buckets,” said Kejriwal. The Kyoorius Awards will continue to have Colors as the presenting sponsor.

     

    Punit Goenka

    Said Punit Goenka, MD & CEO of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL): “Zee is proud to partner with Kyoorius at Melt 2015, which promises to be India’s largest celebration of creativity. Zee Melt offers us a platform to curate and present thoughts and lessons that all of us in the business need to know.“ Zee is also hosting the third edition of its Mindspace series at Melt with leading marketing heads from global and Indian corporations in attendance. “We are also looking at crowdsourcing content ideas, where we will give people the opportunity to put forth their ideas which Zee will then evaluate,” Goenka said.

     

    Added Tim Lindsay, CEO of D&AD in a statement: “Engaging the wider marketing communications industry in a conversation about excellence – in insight, creativity and execution – can only have positive economic, cultural and social outcomes. This is at the heart of what D&AD and Kyoorius are about.” Like last year, the judging process of the event will continue to be powered by D&AD.

     

    CVL Srinivas

    Talking of GroupM’s association with the event, CVL Srinivas, CEO, GroupM South Asia said that while there is a lot of talk about digital media, technology and data, “ultimately, ours is an ‘ideas’ business. We continue to support many initiatives that act as a rich learning ground for the industry. We will be partnering with Kyoorius and Zee to help curate the event and organise some interesting sessions around creativity in the digital era.” GroupM in partnership with HT Media Group and Kyoorius will conduct a print advertising contest, where entries will be invited from not only the creative community in advertising, but from young professionals who have a great print idea to share on the given brief.

     

    While attempts are made to not compare Melt with Goafest officially, the three-day festival held in April in Goa by the Advertising Agencies Association of India and the Advertising Club, industry persons are looking forward to both events. Srinivas believes it’s incorrect to compare the two and said GroupM is actively associated with both events as also with many such initiatives. Said Goenka: “We are confident of what Melt is going to deliver for the industry, and that’s why Zee has chosen to partner it.” And Goafest? “We’ve been associated with it in the past, and will continue our association with it,” Goenka clarified.

     

    Elaborating on the way he has built the festival, Kejriwal said Melt has no sponsors. “We only have partners. So, Zee is a principal partner, GroupM and D&AD are strategic partners, then there are other partners who are bringing in content in some way or the other.” The IP of each of the events at the fest will be owned by the partners, he added.

     

    Partners include Zee, GroupM, D&AD, Hindustan Times, Happy Finish, afaqs, Pepperfry, Future Laboratory, Hyper Island, The Partners, BrandMusiq, One Eyeland, Maxus, Youtube, Google, BARC and many more in the pipeline. Details on Melt can be accessed at readytomelt.com.

     

  • The potential transaction (estimated at Rs 180 crore) is part of GroupM's strategy to establish an even stronger footprint in the country, where it already has a dominant presence

    GroupM eyes digital startup Foxymoron

    By Biswarup Gooptu

     

    Global media buying and planning firm GroupM is in advanced talks to acquire Mumbai-based digital media and marketing startup Foxymoron for about Rs 180 crore ($30 million), as it seeks to establish a more dominant India position. The all-cash transaction is at an advanced stage of due diligence, with GroupM, which is a wholly-owned unit of WPP, the world’s largest advertising firm, looking to close the deal over the next few weeks, according to people with direct knowledge of the development.

     

    If successful, this will be the latest buyout transaction in the nascent but fast-growing Indian digital, social media and marketing sector. In January, it was reported that global media giant JWT was also scouting for potential acquisitions. Founded in 2008 by Pratik Gupta, Paritosh Ajmera, Suveer Bajaj and Harshil Karia, Foxymoron has emerged as one of India’s leading digital media and marketing agencies, and counts companies such as L’Oreal, Marico and Castrol among its roster of clients.

     

    The startup provides a range of services across the board, including end-to-end digital services, besides design, development and social media services. The potential transaction is part of GroupM’s strategy to establish an even stronger footprint in the country, where it already has a dominant presence.

     

    In 2014, it was reported that WPP, its parent company, has targeted growth from digital and the world’s faster growing markets to as much 45% of total revenue within the next five years. It is yet not clear whether Foxymoron will continue to operate under its own brand name post the acquisition, or whether its employee strength, estimated at about 150, will be completely absorbed by GroupM.

     

    Emails sent to Foxymoron representatives and CVL Srinivas, GroupM South Asia chief executive, did not elicit responses at the time of going to press. India’s online advertising market is poised to exceed Rs 3,500 crore in revenue in 2015, according to a report jointly published by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and IMRB International, which also states that spends on video ads will grow at a compounded annual rate of 56%, while contributing 12% to the overall market share of digital advertisements.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

    All Rights Reserved, Licensed to republish

     

  • With the rise of leagues across various sporting formats, the opportunities for brands to associate with movies and sports are also increasing

    GroupM ESP releases top 10 trends of entertainment and sports marketing for 2015

    By A Correspondent

     

    GroupM ESP (Entertainment & Sports Partnerships), a specialist business unit of GroupM has unveiled their top 10 trends for 2015. It is well known by now that sports in India, is undergoing a transition. With the rise of leagues across various sporting formats and with increase in cobranded promotions, the opportunities for brands to associate with movies and sports are also increasing.

     

    Uniquely positioned at the intersection of media and marketing, GroupM ESP predicts the following trends:

    1. Increased role and usage of celebrities as digital influencers

    2. Sporting entities will evolve by building digital and social assets to drive their valuation

    3. Blurring gap between Entertainment & Sports

    4. “Associative” to “Associative + Integration + Surround + Social”

    5. From Advertisers to Sponsors

    6. New avenues for traditional licensing – ex. branded real estate

    7. TV fiction characters as Brand Ambassadors

    8. Non-cricket sports to expand sports business ecosystem

    9. Sports businesses to build strong grassroots engagement through experiential programs

    10. Music concerts to grow bigger than award shows

     

    Commenting on the trends Vinit Karnik- National Director, GroupM ESP said, “As we scale up our practice, 2015 will see a change in the way consumers interact with the sports and entertainment category. Sporting entities will evolve by building digital and social assets to drive their valuation and brands will increase role and usage of celebrities as influencers especially across digital assets. We have strategically positioned ourselves to embrace this change and are confident that it will help us achieve our clients’ objectives by offering innovative brand solutions.”

     

    Adding further he said, “Celebrities have been using the digital space extensively for their work. From promoting their movies to inviting fans to attend a social cause, celebs make use of the digital platform in a great way. With millions of followers, celebrities have the power to influence their fans and effectively get their message forward.”

     

    “Digital and social assets are used by sports entities to keep their fans up to date. In order to increase the fan base, sporting franchisees and leagues will develop fan following around them by efficient use of digital medium. With immense focus on digital rights of sporting leagues, digital video sites will be competing with television broadcasters for eyeballs in the near future.”

     

  • Industry captains Pratap Bose, Rohit Ohri, Shashi Sinha and CVL Srinivas on the year ahead

    Shashi Sinha, CVL Srinivas, Pratap Bose & Rohit Ohri present Outlook for 2015

     

    Interviews by Shruti Pushkarna

     

    2015 is acid test year for our industry:

    Pratap Bose, President, The Advertising Club

    I don’t want to sound pessimistic but honestly I have spoken to a lot of people in the industry. It’s a view that everyone’s taking which is the whole thing of being very cautious. There is optimism but there’s cautious optimism. And therefore I think, 2015 is really the acid test year, both for the BJP as well as for our business. The promise is large, the delivery is yet to happen. The strain on the government to actually do something concrete, pivotal around strategy, around implementing, to make things happen is huge. People say it will happen, give us time… I understand that. So there’s a lot of optimism that things might happen but unfortunately we haven’t seen the fruits of that yet. I don’t want to sound like a pessimist but I think we have to take the wait and watch approach. Even if you see the Congress men talk about Narendra Modi right now, they are saying that we’ve heard a lot, he’s made the right impression, the mood is right, but we need to see real time action. To summarise what I said, 2015 is the acid test year for our industry. There’s a lot of hope but I’m still pessimistic about it because it needs to transpire into concrete decisions that grow the economy and move the economy forward. That’s not been seen yet. I tread very carefully.

     

    Digital is finally kind-of becoming a strong reality:

    Rohit Ohri, ‎Executive Chairman, Dentsu India & CEO, Dentsu Asia Pacific (South)

    I think 2015 will be a promising year for everybody because I think a lot of the work that the new government has started, should show some results. And we are hoping that the positive sentiment will carry through to 2015 and 2016 as well. The other thing is, from the entire advertising and media industry I think digital is finally kind-of becoming a strong reality. It’s no longer just good to do, I think brands are realising that it’s an interesting part of their plans. And I think we are going to see a big change in the next two years in how brands actually communicate online. And what we have seen in 2014 was this big thing about brands creating content, which they did in a mini movie kind of format releasing online. I think that’s something we’ll see a lot more of going forward in 2015. All in all, from a creative perspective, and from a media spends perspective, I think the industry is looking up.

     

    Government has great plans but they have to push it through:

    Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands

    I’m hoping and praying that the next year is good. I am hoping that Budget works out well for the government, whatever they decide, they implement because to me, that’s important. This government has great plans but they have to push it through. As we speak, currently GST is held up… so if they pull off a great Budget, life will be good. To me that’s vital. And not because it’s will be a great Budget but that will show their ability to push through and resolve things. But if they still get caught up in this religious thing that is happening, then there’s trouble. So we hope the government succeeds.

     

    In terms of adspend growth, it’ll be pretty much similar to this year:

    CVL Srinivas, CEO South Asia, GroupM

    We see 2015 to be a good year. On an overall basis, I think in terms of adspend growth, it’ll be pretty much similar to this year. But one must remember that this was an election year so we had a bit of a bump up to growth because of elections. Next year, despite it not being an election year, we see the growth rates to be more or less similar. We see digital growing upwards to 35 per cent like it has been over the past two or three years. We also think television is going to continue its strong growth in healthy double digits and so will the regional print dailies. So, all in all, it looks like an interesting year. We have the ICC World Cup coming up next year so that will lead to spends at some level.