MxMIndia

Tag: IPL

  • Why Clutter isn’t the Enemy against Advertising in IPL or Elections?

    Why Clutter isn’t the Enemy against Advertising in IPL or Elections?

    Aniruddh Naik
    Aniruddh Naik

    You usually do not go and tell the supply chain team which model they should use for forecasting. Or the CFO what type of accounting she or he should do.

    Or question a tech guy on why python and not, say, C++.

    Or a management consultant why this framework?

    Because intuitively we tend to take whatever they say as the truth, cast in stone.

    Cometh marketing meetings on brand and media, everybody including the one whose job is to only ship couriers in office seem to have a view.

    They tend to tell you what should happen in your ad, where you should play the ad and why you should use the giant-sized billboard on some highway because you pass through it daily.

    In my experience on promoting a commercial on IPL, the common question in the office is, “is it worth promoting in the IPL.”

    “There’s so much of clutter.”

    “Will people notice us?”

    And so on. Yet, when you go ahead and promote, the questions changes, “I saw the ad, but not sure if it will register.”

    Why? Because there’s clutter. And how much can we remember?

    This persists within the marketing and advertising teams as well.

    Many are non-believers in going for big-ticket items to promote your advertising. If it is a question of lack of funds, then fine. But if you can stretch the budget, then clutter SHOULD NOT be the reason to AVOID.

     

    Lack of Research Usage

    The whole point of my grouse was this- we do not use enough research in advertising and media from let us say psychologists or neuroscientists.

    Why? Because we tend to dismiss it as ‘subjective.’ FYI, when Bill Bernbach says it took a million years for man’s instincts to develop. It is fashionable to talk about the changing man, but we must be concerned with unchanging man.

    Let us explore that.

     

    The Traditional Advertising View

    That an ad must make the person take notice, command attention and then, land the message about the most brilliant features of your product.

    Assumption: Lack of attention = No Impact. So, the one who watches the ad, should be conscious.

     

    Does the human brain work like that?

    Yes. Only if you believe our brains, all the time, make conscious decisions.

    That is not true. Only 5-10% of decisions the brain makes are conscious. The rest without our conscious brains realising that.

     

    Come to IPL. Please.

    #1 Yes, a moment. Dr Robert Heath study and research says advertisement, unlike the popular opinion, is a LOW INVOLVEMENT PROCESSING.

    Watching an advertisement, with our attention elsewhere, can still lead to us absorbing the advertisement. So, an ad playing in the background can bypass our conscious mind and be sub-consciously taken inside without you knowing.

    How? By associations. A neuroscientist’s definition of branding would be something like advertisement is an exercise in designing associations.

    If you are a Coke–Happiness

    If you are a Nike–Athletic Motivation

    If you are Rebill–Thrill & Adventure

     

    #2 Research by Ipsos in the Brand Immortality Study assessed 97K subjects with 512 commercials from 47 companies, the results were interesting.

    7.3 % brand uplift in people who were attentive to ads.

    2.7% brand uplift in people who could only recall the ad when described.

    1.2% brand uplift who could not recall the ad.

    So even with low recall, there is a brand uplift of 1.2%.

     

    #3 What if people Skip or Fast Forward the ad?

    Research by Innerscope assessed people who watched the advertisement live, who fast forwarded and people who didn’t.

    Result? The fast-forwarded group recalled and recognized twice as many as the group who had not seen. Obvious, is not it. The point is despite fast-forwarding, they saw the ad.

    Why? Because our brain captures, connects and stores visual information in eighty milli-seconds!

    Showing the advertisement, even in a cluttered environment, can make your brand recognize (during the buying process or buying situation. You will end up feeling familiar).

     

    Finally, why does that happen?

    A famous experiment uncovered a phenomenon called Blindsight. A blind person with pupils unharmed was put in a room full of obstacles and asked to go to the other end of the room. He did so without touching the obstacles. And the experiment was repeated.

    When asked how, he said he had no idea. That is because the eyes picked up the stimuli and navigated without making his rational side of the brain recognise.

    These visual cues are linked to amygdala that processes fear and emotions. Now can you connect RedBull with thrill and adventure, Coke with happiness?

    The connection will happen even if we do not see the entire ad of Coke. Our brain subconsciously picks up a family sitting around, laughing faces, food on the table, and bottle of coke in hand. That is all.

    The onus is on us. How good can we associate the things that will make the brand quickly noticeable and store information in the brain?

    It is not the media clutter in IPL. It is how good are you at hacking the subconscious part of the brain!

  • Fantasy cricket apps & brand-building- A lesson for advertising agencies?

    Fantasy cricket apps & brand-building- A lesson for advertising agencies?

    With apologies to none at all

    Vikas MehtaBy Vikas Mehta

    My last column titled ‘Why are we building products and not brands’ seemed to have sparked off many reactions. Some raw, I dare say. The questions ranged from differentiation to personality to digital. But one question stood out. I was asked if all new age brands are just products? Is there anyone building a brand?

    The answer was not difficult, but I will take the liberty of using this column to explain how a brand is being built by a new age product. Disclaimer first: I have nothing to do with the brand except I know the founder of the communication company which is spearheading the brand-building exercise. This is totally an outsider’s perspective.

    I am talking about Dream 11.

    Not many know that the brand was launched in 2008. The fantasy cricket app which is what they are all about today was launched in 2012 and by 2014 they had a million registered users. This figure rose to around 45 million around 2018, just when serious brand-building efforts started and today, the figure stands at around 150 million. I am deliberately starting with numbers because this is a brand which has been successful by all standards.

    The brand started advertising during the Indian Premier League (IPL) around 2018 or so. It had a simple positioning. The cricketers, who play for India, back Dream 11. It was decidedly an endorsement but an endorsement done with a positioning, personality and differentiation in mind.

    First, they aligned with the best Indian cricketers. Dhoni, Rohit, Pant, Bumrah, Hardik, Ashwin, Dhawan. Dhoni dropped out after a season or two but the core has remained the same. One of the first campaigns I remember was using Dhoni which was about khelo dimaag se. Dhoni was always an astute cricketer and the brand used his personality to show that it was a game of skill and not luck. This was required at the time because Indian laws did not allow any game which could be seen as betting or lottery. So khelo dimaag se, worked for the brand in more ways than one.

    And then the brand took off. It decided that its personality needs to be light fun, cricket humour, and showing the human face of the Indian cricketers.

    The positioning evolved into snippets of Indian street cricket as portrayed by star Indian cricketers. It was not too focused, neither too narrow. It did not get bogged down by a consistent tagline. I am not saying that consistent tagline is bad but the positioning is not just what the brand says in a tagline. Positioning is what the consumer stores in his mind. A tagline is static, positioning needs to evolve. Not change but evolve. Dream 11 did it brilliantly.

    Yeh apna game hai

    Yeh main kar leta hoon tum Dream 11 pe team banao

    Dream big. Dream 11

    Sab khelenge

    Team se bada kuch nahin.

    And each one of these taglines had a story. An emotion.

    Weaved into the game as played by Indians everyday. Using the Indian stars.

    Remember, pehle main batting karoonga kyonki bat mera hai, leaving Rohit stumped. Yeh apna game hai. Watch here

    Or the film stars like Amir challenging the cricketers who are acting in ads.  Sab khelenge. Watch here.

    Pant’s dream of becoming a singer or Bumrah acting as a romatic hero. Dream Big. Watch here.

    Or even magnifying the role of seemingly insignificant people. Ashwin’s soup wallah. Or the groundsman who prepared pitches for Rohi. Allowing them to Dream big. Watch here.

    And Sharmaji ka beta. Team se bada kuch nahin. Watch here.

    The brand owned cricket. And how.

    For IPL, it focused on team or club rivalry which overtook national rivalry. So even cricketers from other nationalities were used. Even family members. Sunil Shetty for example.

    For World Cups there was collectiveness, national pride. Ek se dikhoge toh best kheloge. The Mummyjee ad.

    This was brand building at its best.

    Dominate cricket. Own cricket. Emotionally own the category.

    And they did many other things too. If one searches for Dream 11 on YouTube there are many videos made by the brand which are not brand-building but which support brand-building. Stories of ordinary people who won big. Videos of how easy it is to play the app. Videos made by influencers on why winning is so easy. Or videos on how Dream 11 employees have grown…… Watch here

    And you know what. The competition too did all these. My circle 11. MPL. They too have such videos. They have big offers. Rs one crore prize everyday. An SUV to win everyday. They too talk about the big winners. They too have influencers in you tube videos. They have also used some Indian stars like Shubhman, Rinku, even Sourav Ganguli in the past.

    But what they don’t have is a brand.

    That is distinct.

    That differentiates. Emotionally.

    That dominates the category.

    Chances are that if you want to play fantasy cricket you will first download Dream 11.

    Because you remember it.

    Because you connect with it.

    Because it seems to dominate cricket.

    In a category where big prize matters.

    Where spends are high

    And where quantitative parameters are easy to judge by.

    So how much you spend where, gets immediate results or not can be the sole criteria to judge success.

    In such a category, Dream 11 has built a differentiating, preferred and leadership brand.

    So, should we still focus on products?

    And ignore brand-building?

    In my mind that is the role of advertising agencies.

    Build brands.

    That is the focus which the agencies have lost.

    And that is why they are struggling.

    Agencies need to start reemphasizing the need to build a brand.

    Do not tell me that clients do not want it.

    Do agencies explain it to them?

    Do the agencies explain what the brand idea is?

    How it can be differentiating and can be sustained long term.

    The agencies are trying to do what the clients want.

    Not what the brands need.

    Agencies need to create a niche.

    And they will find it is much beyond a niche.

    Do you agree?

     

  • Video content consumption witnessed significant increase; 194% from 2023

    Wavemaker presents Earned Equity Report on IPL 2024

    Wavemaker MESH – the Real Time Data Intelligence solution released the 9th edition of Earned Equity report around the Indian Premier League (IPL). The report analyses how the audience perception of IPL has evolved over the years. It focuses on the digital audience and uses data points like consumption data around digital content and also social and search insights.

    Commenting on the report, Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker said: “We are excited to present the 9th edition of Earned Equity Report on IPL. This report is poised to be an invaluable resource for cricket enthusiasts and brands alike, particularly in shaping their marketing strategies. We are confident that it will provide valuable insights to brands, paving the way for future sponsorships and partnerships.”

    Talking about the report Vishal Jacob, Chief Transformation Officer, Wavemaker India added: “The Earned Equity Report offers a comprehensive analysis of the social buzz surrounding IPL 2024, providing brands with actionable insights to navigate the competitive sports media landscape.”

  • All Eyes on June 4

    All Eyes on June 4

    Shailesh KapoorTill a couple of months ago, the fate of the now-ongoing elections was signed and sealed. From them till now, there has been more excitement, even though the outcome is unlikely to be different from the one originally predicted, going by various accounts. June 4, the designated day for counting and results, is set to be a huge day from a media perspective, even though being a working day would curtail daytime viewership.

    Our news channels have not surprised us one bit during their coverage of these elections, predictably toeing the lines they have for almost a decade now. Yet, it is difficult to not appreciate the relentless hard work that a political journalist, however biased, must put in during elections as long-drawn as these have been.

    What has been different about the media playout of these elections is the increasing role social media, especially viral WhatsApp and Reels, have played in information dissemination. While the impact of such platforms was evident even in the previous two elections, it continues to get more mainstream, given the growing audience base with each passing year.

    We have also seen some young politicians provide entertain in good measure, infusing fresh energy amidst election fatigue, and providing fodder for viral videos too. Akhilesh Yadav is an old hand, but he has been in good form this year in his rallies. Priyanka Gandhi has impressed with her deft oration in Hindi. Kanhaiya Kumar has been expectedly feisty in his speeches. But the one who has really stood out is Tejashwi Yadav. I’m sure we will hear more of him soon.

    June 4 punctuates two big cricket matches: the IPL final about a week before it, and an India-Pakistan World T20 clash a week after. Between these three days, we can expect huge sums of advertising moneys to be spent on media, both traditional and digital.

    The day I’m looking forward to even more is June 1. It’s the last day of polling, and in the evening, the Election Commission embargo on sharing exit poll findings will be lifted. More than what the exit polls have to say, I’m looking for some humor in the mad rush one can expect our news channels to indulge in, that evening. Over the last two months, several pollsters have been on news channels, giving cryptic, qualitative hints, when they should be faithfully abstaining from media presence, in true spirit of the very logical embargo. But it’s hard to resist media coverage, I guess.

    By all accounts, second week of June should see return to media normalcy, unless we witness the unlikely scenario of a hung Parliament. But that’s still two exciting weeks away.

  • The new brand positioning leverages consumer desire for adventure and exploration

    Ceat unveils new Strategic Timeout board in IPL

    As part of the newly launched campaign, Cat, the tyres company, has leveraged its decade-long association with Tata IPL Strategic Timeout to deliver its brand message. It has been transformed in line with the new positioning, notes a communique.

    Said Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO of Ceat Limited: “Ceat’s transformation underscores our dedication to staying in tune with the aspirations of our consumers. Our new brand communication emphasizes our support for the explorer mindset of discovering hidden gems which are accessible during their travels. This move represents our ongoing commitment to exceeding consumer expectations and delivering high-quality products that inspire confidence in every journey, whether on road or off road.”

    Added Lakshmi Narayanan B, CMO of Ceat Limited: “Our new approach incorporates partnerships with prominent travel influencers to showcase the versatility and durability of our tyres in various unexplored yet accessible locales. This series of two-part campaigns is not just a visual treat, but also ignites intrigue and curiosity among our consumers through the novel interactive QR element embedded in the ads. Our high-performance products have been crafted for the curious enabling their passion for adventure and discovery.”

  • Speed thrills. But it kills. Kills creative rigour…

    Speed thrills. But it kills. Kills creative rigour…

    With apologies to none

     

    Vikas MehtaI live in the foothills of Himalayas and whenever I drive up the mountains, I see this sign on the roads. Speed thrills. But it kills. And this also reminds me of the state of Indian advertising. How? Let me outline it.

    Every year, I watch the Indian Premier League (IPL), eager to watch the cricket and also the new ad campaigns. IPL would mean that many brands would be ready with new ads. Much thinking and effort would go into the same. Brands like Vodafone would release campaigns just for IPL. Zou Zou ads were released by Vodafone only during the IPL. New brands like Cred made a splash and an impact with some outlandish campaigns during IPL. Swiggy’s ‘no order is too small’ with its ubiquitous uncle was another such memorable campaign. Even fantasy betting brands like Dream 11 made their beginings during IPL. Amazon’s Chonkpur cheetah was another memorable campaign which resonated during IPL. And who will forget the Indian Panga League ads done by Virgin mobile which were produced enmasse and was the first example of brand going viral in India.

    But, sadly, in the past two-three years even though advertising spends during IPL have increased and the opportunity to advertise has also increased manifolds with OTT channels now hogging a lion’s share of the advertising budget, the level of creativity and the memorability of the campaigns has moved in the opposite direction. Even brands like Cadbury’s Dairy Milk which have almost always been synonymous with memorable creative ads, have become pedestrian.

    I have seen marketing and advertising pundits commenting about the same. Everyone has some solid reasons. Lack of talent bemoan a few. Advertisers are not remunerating ad agencies enough so good talent is staying away from advertising. True to a certain extent but this is not a recent phenomenon. No long-term relationships between clients as every advertising execution is seen as a project and every project is pitched for. So, agencies do not understand the DNA of the brand. Again, partly true as I will explain later. Digital and ROI/ measurability is destroying the concept of creativity. That is an overrated statement as almost all clients for decades have been trying to understand impact and effectiveness of advertising. It’s like saying that science and its rigor kills creativity. Many a pre and post tests have existed and many brands have lived by them and still produced some memorable advertising.

    All the above reasons may have combined to contribute to the decline in the advertising standards, but in my thinking the single most reason that has caused a decline in creative standards is the lack of rigour in advertising.

    Starting from the brand or client. Is there a good brief? Is the marketing objective clearly spelt out? It’s not just about increasing sales. It could be differentiating a benefit. It could be reinforcing a new benefit. It could be creating a brand perception. It could be strengthening an emotional connect. But is it spelt out and defined? Does the agency convert a marketing brief into an advertising brief?

    Is the Target Group well-defined? I am not saying buyer groups but target group. The misunderstanding today unfortunately, is that since IPL is a universal event liked by all, the brand should talk to all. That’s a big mistake. Because a brand can use different tone of communication for different target groups. One tone means the lowest common standard. Please all and fall flat on your face.

    Is the brand personality clear? That can also affect the tone and the type of communication. Pepsi is cheeky, fun, rebellious, thinking out of box. But not Coke.

    And brand personality can decide the brand ambassador. Every brand need not use the Khans or the Bachchans or the Kapoors. Or even the Kohlis or the Sharmas. Nor should their price or availability decide the brand ambassador.

    How much is all above discussed and debated and decided upon? It’s all about doing things fast and immediately.

    I would like to take a simple example. RBI is doing a good job alerting people against frauds and financial awareness. From what I read and from experience of my relatives, I think RBI is trying to alert senior citizens who may not be either tech savvy or even financially savvy from potential frauds. And an ambassador like Amitabh Bachchan is for that TG a respected and looked upon icon. So, RBI ads are doing a good job. But are they making an impact with the GenZ, who are into money management in a big way from a young age? I doubt it. If RBI has to talk to them then its messaging, tone, ambassador all need to change.

    Are RBI ads memorable? Not exactly. My definition of memorable is simple. Will the TG remember it amongst a clutter. Will they think about it? Will they talk about it and maybe forward it on social media? The answer is no. They could have been much more memorable if these had a good consumer insight. Currently, the ads are just a proposition and explanation type of ads.

    And insight like all the above points needs a strong rigour. It’s something which one does not think about or even imagine but it lurks in the mind and is semi-conscious. It’s not an obvious thing but needs astute observation, deliberation and peeling of layers by asking questions. Every guy’s fantasy is that the girl makes the first move, is an insight. When it comes to cricketing loyalties or for that matter sport loyalties families can be divided, is an insight. The biggest enemy of the child getting into winning ways is the love of mother, is an insight. Consumption is not a guilt, is an insight.

    The rigour involved in defining the target group, in defining and maintaining the brand personality, in finding a relevant TG insight is what is missing in today’s advertising. And these are missing for the reasons that pundits mention.

    Short-term relationships mean not understanding the brand in terms of either brand personality or their TG. Incidentally, this holds good for the marketing teams also. Marketing people keep on jumping for better prospects. So, there is no one who really understands the brand or it’s TG or it’s personality.

    Marketing teams going through revolving doors means that marketing objectives are all short-term sales-related. Bonuses and increments are linked to the same. All ROI or effectiveness is measured in those parameters. And since Digital has various ways to measure immediate returns the concept of TG gets converted to user, or bluntly put the whole universe. So, brand-building, emotional connect, TG relationships etc are rarely considered as objectives. Either for marketing or advertising.

    This results in poor communication, improper results and poor remuneration for agencies. And finally, short term relationships.

    It is a vicious cycle that keeps on repeating.

    I am not saying that this happens with all clients or brands but my experience shows that this is symptomatic.

    So, everything happens in a rush. There is no time for proper TG understanding or clearly defining the TG. Everything is required immediately. There is no time to even craft an ad in terms of casting or art direction or editing. Rigor is sacrificed. Fundamentals are not pursued.

    As I said. Speed thrills but also kills. In this case it kills creativity, memorability and sadly the advertising industry.

  • IPL’s Run Feast & the Future of Cricket
    From Wikipedia

    IPL’s Run Feast & the Future of Cricket

    Shailesh KapoorWe are in the second half of another engrossing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL0. While the beats of IPL are now all too familiar, this season has managed to catch our attention because of the consistent stream of high scores we have witnessed. Two days ago, Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down 166 in less than 10 overs, without losing a wicket.

    The Hyderabad team has been at the forefront of the run feast that’s been unleased in IPL 2024. They account for three of the Top 4 team scores this season, including the top entry: a staggering 287 vs. Bangalore. In the 2024 edition, the 250-mark has been breached eight times already. And we are still 14 games away from the tournament’s end. In contrast, the 2023 edition saw 250 being breached only once, over the entire event!

    This is not an increment change. It’s a sign that the game may be evolving faster than one imagines. 300 is not far away, one imagines. And who knows what the upper limit in a 20-overs innings could be.

    Purists would argue that this makes the sport all too one-sided in the batter’s favour. But the audience, who are essentially there from entertainment, are certainly not complaining. And there is Test cricket for the purists anyway. It’s difficult to compare IPL viewership over the years because the digital component does not have transparency on viewership reporting, and the split between linear and digital continues to change with each passing year. But it’s safe to say that we may be in the middle of the most-watched IPL season of all time.

    The IPL will make way for the T20 World Cup, and the IPL run feast will invariably extend to T20 international games too. This may have been a boost cricket needed, for some sort of global expansion, which the governing body of the sport has been trying for years now, often half-heartedly, mostly unsuccessfully. If only they muster the courage to pull the plug on the ODI format, the future of cricket may not be that bad after all.

    In our latest sports report released in March this year, the awareness and viewership numbers for some of the foreign T20 leagues, especially the Big Bash (Australia), Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League were very healthy. It shows that the Indian audience has developed an appetite for T20-formatted entertainment over time, and this will only rise if we have more high-scoring games. Perhaps it’s time to bring the Champions League, an idea that was too early for its times back in 2008.

    Meanwhile, with 14 games to go, I’m rooting for 300. Sunrisers have two home games to go, and we may not have to wait too long.

  • To celebrate the IPL Season with ‘dumdaar’ flavours

    Biryani By Kilo partners with Shivam Dube

    Biryani By Kilo, the biryani and kabab chain, has collaborated with cricketer Shivam Dube. This partnership aims to celebrate the spirit of the Indian Premier League with the flavours of the brand’s culinary delights and elevate the matchday experience.

    Said Vishal Jindal, Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Biryani By Kilo: “Cricket holds a special place in the hearts of Indians, and each year, the IPL unites everyone in a celebration of passion and skill. We are thrilled to partner with Shivam Dube, a true icon of Indian cricket, who perfectly complements the thrill of the IPL season. Just as Shivam brings ‘dumdaar’ power to the field, our biryanis are infused with ‘dumdaar’ flavours and authentic ingredients. Through this, our aim is to offer cricket enthusiasts delectable match day moments that combine the excitement of the game with the unmatched flavours of our signature dishes.”

  • Celebrates the company’s partnership with Delhi Capitals

    L&K Saatchi & Saatchi creates IPL TVC for Greenpanel

    Greenpanel, the manufacturer of wood panels, has unveiled a TVC in collaboration with L&K Saatchi & Saatchi.

    Speaking on the latest campaign,  Rohit Malkani, Chief Creative Officer, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi said: “After the hilarious and hugely popular Greenpanel IPL film last year, the pressure was back on to do another winner. We had Greenpanel toss us a product (Greenpanel Water resistant HDWR) that started off an explosion of fun ideas. But finally, we honed in on a film-in-film technique that uses Delhi Capital players to do what they’re best at – bloopers!”

    Added Arvind Joshi – VP & Head Marketing, Greenpanel: “In collaboration with L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, our creative partners, we’ve unveiled a fresh perspective on Greenpanel’s dedication to quality in our newest TVC. Showcasing the unique attributes of our water-resistant HDWR boards through a behind-the-scenes approach, we’re reinforcing Greenpanel’s industry leadership and furthering our evolving brand story.”

  • Together with an anthem inspired by diverse colour range

    JSW Paints unveils digital campaign

    JSW Paints has unveiled a digital-first campaign to celebrate “crickets’ colourful spirit resonating across the country”. JSW Paints has partnered with six teams across the Indian Premier League (IPL) and its Women’s Premier League (WPL) franchisee.

    Said AS Sundaresan, Joint MD & CEO of JSW Paints: “Cricket is a sport that’s the heartbeat of India; it’s a way of life, a celebration of colours. By partnering with renowned teams in both the IPL and WPL, we not only expand our brand presence but also wish to be integral to the sport’s legacy. The JSW Paints anthem is our tribute to the way colours come together to make Cricket Spectacular – Rango ka Khel hai, Rangon ka Mel hai.”

    Govind Pandey, CEO, TBWA\India added: “The Anthem celebrates the unity in passion and love for the game of cricket in the diversity of the colours of fans and players of IPL and WPL. All colours are equal. Yet another beautiful thought from JSW Paints.”

    “Our anthem’s lyrics encapsulate the kaleidoscopic spirit of cricket, mirroring the vibrant range of JSW Paints. Just as cricket brings together players and fans of different teams, each having their unique colours, our diverse range of colours unites homes across India, infusing them with vibrancy and life. It’s a beautiful synergy that reflects the essence of both cricket and JSW Paints.” Russell Barrett, CCExpO, TBWA\India.

  • IPL ads: Entertaining or Philosophising?

    IPL ads: Entertaining or Philosophising?

    With apologies to none at all

    By Vikas Mehta

    Vikas MehtaA friend last week commented about the Indian Premier League (IPL) last week in a WhatsApp group. He likened the matches to the Roman colosseum where gladiators entertained thousands of cheering spectators to some gory spectacle. I was amused at the description and when I see the likes of Head, Abhishek, Salt demolish the bowlers, I feel for the bowlers who seem to be like the fodder served up for the kill, so that the spectators enjoy them being torn apart.

    And I feel the same when I see the ads on IPL. I visualise the various brand teams saying, ah! The gladiator season is here. We have an opportunity. Tens of crores of Indians will be watching the gladiators from the comfort of their homes. One opportunity to catch maximum number of Indians for 7-8 weeks. So, let’s make ads. We have 15-20 second slots. These are breaks in between the gladiator entertainment. Let’s give them some philosophy in the breaks. They are saturated with entertainment so let’s make the ads philosophical. These will stand out in all that entertainment gore.

    That is how, my dear readers, we see ads with such deep philosophical messages. I mean, how do you explain a brand like Pepsi, which all about irreverence, being a rebel, thinking out of the box, who use a Bollywood celebrity like Ranveer Singh, whose personality fits the personality of the brand to a T, suddenly spout lines like jitna bhi loud ho duniya ka shor, sunen sirf dil ki. Kyonki yeh dil mange more. There is nothing else, just the beleaguered celebrity spouting these lines on a mobike. Seriously, is that what’s Pepsi is about? Is Pepsi happy giving this speech to the Gen Z?

    Or take Parle. It tries to be funny in its execution, sorry, not funny, but slapstick. But the message it is giving is that Parle is about quality. Parle is about variety. Parle is about bharosa. Parle is about kuch naya. Parle is about sabki pasand. I seriously think they should have a contest asking viewers writing in and suggesting some more attributes that can be stuck to Parle. Here is my contribution. Parle is boring. Parle is unexciting. Parle is a yawn. Parle puts me to sleep….

    And then we have category which I think excites Gen Z the most. Financial apps which help you invest and make money. Actually, this category scares me too. Since I interact regularly with MBA students across the country and also with MBA aspirants, I have been noticing that a huge majority of these students invest in capital markets. To understand this better, I did some simple research. Between mid of January to end-March I was in touch with 315 such students. A staggering 263 out of these boasted of investing in stocks, derivatives and in options. That’s more than 80%. And these were not just kids from big cities but were from towns like Bheemavaram, Jhansi, Siliguri, Erode, Jhalawar, Latur etc also.

    The interesting part was that many of these were not from any financial background. But YouTube Videos and financial influencers had enticed them into making a quick buck. They did not understand any financial terms. Many could not differentiate between asset and liability or debit and credit. And yet they were following graphs and charts on you tube. Suggestions and tips from influencers. And most of them were happy that they had made good money on amounts ranging from fifteen thousand to a lakh.

    So, tell me, will an app like Groww not be wanting to rope in such students who will soon be earning and who may want proper financial guidance? And what does Groww tell them? Jo Groww karte hain woh life mein grow karte hain. Doosron ki nazar mein bade ho jate hain. Khud ke pairon pe khade ho jate hain. (Those who use Groww, grow in life. Become big in the eyes of others. They stand on their own legs) Nice philosophy. Nice emotion too. But is that good enough? Is capital market investment just feeding into your ego of coming to age only. And isn’t that what all financial apps and YouTubers and influencers want you to think. Upstox, on the other hand. does not spout philosophy but makes a bold statement (catches the attention of Gen Z, I say old chap) Kit kit hatiye. Stop the chatter, invest in mutual funds through Upstox. Sorry to pick up on the line from Sholay, but what did they think. Gen Z khush ho jayega, shabashi dega aur Upstox mein invest karega?

    If a brand like Pepsi was disappointing another brand which didn’t disappoint but actually shocked was Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. A brand which changed the way Indians looked at and consumed chocolates. A brand which gave us the hugely entertaining kya swad hai zindagi mein. A brand which made us include chocolates as a part of our sweet tooth habit with kuch meetha ho jaye (a popular idiom which means let’s have dessert). A brand which took CSR to another level with use of technology during Diwali in the last 3-4 years with Kuch meetha ho jaye, kuch accha ho jaya. That brand made such a flat, uninspiring and philosophical ad like #Thankyoufirstcaoch. The idea is not bad but the execution is very unlike Cadbury.

    Please, someone also explain to me what does the sound of India means? Jindal Steel has an ad which shows the various use of steel. From big to small. But then comes the philosophy of sound of India. The steel of India. Let me guess. Sound of India is construction happening all over India? India’s infrastructural boom? That makes sense but the ad shows even small things like hair clip or a nail or even a dancer’s headgear. So, what’s the sound of India? Philosophical nationalism for the sake of nationalism. I would any day still swear by Tata Steel’s We also make Steel or SAIL India’s There is a little bit of SAIL in Everybody’s Life. Not seen these? Watch here.

    And this philosophy mania has rubbed on some old advertisements being re telecasted during IPL too. Even the much-reviled apology of the pan masala ad featuring Sehwag and Gavaskar now spouts a line at the end which says har generation ka alag hai andaaz lekin sabke anokhe swad ka ek hai rang. Loosely translated: Every generation has a different style but in terms of taste it has the same colour.

    Am sure by now you are done with my pessimism. But it’s not all gloom and doom. I have already mentioned in the past about the Dream11 ads. I was also impressed with Rupay UPI Link credit card as well as the Make My Trip ads. These not only continue to entertain but have distinct messaging. You haven’t seen these yet? Go watch. And then of course, don’t miss the new Cred ad too, starring Warner with Rajamouli

    Thank God for some advertisers wanting to still give some gladiatorial entertainment and not spouting philosophy.

  • Two Types of News Media: A Tale of Two Indias?

    Two Types of News Media: A Tale of Two Indias?

    Shailesh KapoorThe divide between linear TV and digital (OTT/ streaming) in India is well established now. IPL perhaps is the easiest way to explain it. Both in terms of viewership and revenue, linear and digital are in the 40-60% share bracket. This near-equal split aptly tells the story of two media.

    But in examples like the IPL, the story is primarily about audience size and monetisation, but never about the content. Because the content is essentially the same, barring some paraphernalia. This is also true for catch-up television, where digital may be generating 20-30% of audience size, but the content is again the same.

    But there’s one category where the divide is fundamental in nature, and extends to content: News. It’s election season, and news is the genre of the season, apart from the IPL. Till a few weeks ago, this election was being called a no-contest. But no election is, even if many feel the result is a foregone conclusion. Things have heated up, and not always in a good way. We are still another five weeks away from the results, and we can expect more fireworks, to use a mild word.

    If you watch news on TV channels (or their YouTube feeds/ channels), you will see a certain kind of coverage. But if you follow the elections in digital media, including YouTube, you will see something very different. It’s a tale of two Indias, so to speak.

    Last week, PM Modi made a highly controversial speech in Rajasthan, where he specifically singled out a religious community, and quite uncharitably so. The way this story has shaped up in linear TV news channels and digital media is remarkably different. The digital coverage is more analytical and evidence-based in nature, while that on TV is more dramatic and confrontational. Of course, it also means very different political stances on the speech, in the two media.

    And that’s true for all political news, in general, today. It’s not just the content, but even the tone, tenor, and treatment are poles apart. This segmentation of the news genre is compelling, but also tricky, because it means that the nature of the media is deciding the discourse!

    Digital news is nowhere close to linear TV news on monetisation. Almost all of it is free, and YouTube monetisation is hard to come by, unless you have big numbers. Some digital news platforms do not take advertising to make the larger point about free media. Relying on subscriber support can be hard, especially in a category where there are too many options available. But it’s a fundamental stance these platforms have taken.

    Hence, unlike the IPL, the share of viewership or monetisation is not in the 40-60% range, but closer to 20-80% or even 10-90%. If the content was the same, digital news would have been on the fringes, battling irrelevance. But because of the content contrast, it manages to breathe. At least for the moment.