The Neo Sports Network will debut a first-of-its-kind dual feed broadcast plan for the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, which runs from May 26 to June 9.
Tennis fans will not miss out on any top stars playing simultaneously at the French Open as the network’s two channels, Neo Prime and Neo Sports, will have live feeds from separate courts. So far, nobody in India has had two full channels broadcasting separate feeds for a Grand Slam through the course of the event.
This also means that fans will have access to 225 hours of live content on the Neo Sports network, which is almost twice as much as the 130-140 hours that are typically set aside for live coverage of a Grand Slam across broadcasters.
With a reach of nearly 25 million, the French Open is the No 1 tennis event in the calendar year (TAM CS MF 4+ All India, 2012). The dual feed will ensure at least 45 additional hours of live content in prime time, providing a win-win situation for both viewers and advertisers.
There will also be live updates and contests on theNeo PrimeTwitter handle (@neoprimetv) through the two-week period.
Prasana Krishnan
Prasana Krishnan, COO, Neo Sports Broadcast Pvt Ltd, said, “The attraction of the French Open is extremely high and Neo’s coverage is taking it to significant new landmarks. Last year, the reach of the event was a third better than Wimbledon and nearly equal to the other two grand slams put together. This year, we will be taking this to greater heights with dual feed coverage and nearly doubling live coverage to 225 hours, which is in line with our strategy to bring in more novelty with non-cricket properties.”
It was a proud day for all at Neo Sports Broadcast yesterday as the network announced winning the rights to showcase all domestic and international cricket matches played in New Zealand until 2020. The seven-year deal includes 261 days of live cricket including 18 T20s, 63 ODIs and 36 Tests and also includes rights for all of Asia excluding Middle-East.
The win means a lot to the network that’s been devoid of cricketing action, especially India-based, for some time now. Prasana Krishnan, COO, Neo Sports, tells MxMIndia on what the deal augurs for the network and also what is the growth being anticipated over an 18-month window.
You outbid quite a few players on your way to acquiring the rights for New Zealand cricket matches until 2020. What does this acquisition signal for your network?
For the Indian market, some volume of cricket is required for a sports broadcaster. While cricket prices have been going crazy and getting more aggressive in recent times, we’ve been taking a more cautious approach in terms of how and where we want make our combat and where we want to buy. So this acquisition was one of those where we felt the value was coming at a good price for us to consider and also for the fact that it is a long-term deal. More importantly, it has got 19 matches involving India and also a huge amount of cricket involving other nations.
So on a consistent basis it provides us a couple of cricketing series every year and also provides a good volume of Indian cricket. What it also does for us is in 2014, we have India touring New Zealand followed by the Asia Cup. So we have got two Series involving India which I feel will make us a strong player in the market from a medium-term perspective. If you see the content line-up that we have, I think it is as good as any other properties that you’ll have. That again helps us in capitalizing and gaining revenues in a phase where digitization is quite active. So over the next 18 months when the digitization drive takes off, having two India Series in addition to the other events in our portfolio helps us in aggressively pushing and capitalizing on those properties.
As a Board, New Zealand hasn’t been a hot property that’s been vied widely by many. Or is it?
From an overall ratings and a value perspective of the deal, the key important aspect to see is how many India matches would be played. With India playing 19 matches obviously brings in a lot of value because where the Indian market is concerned, it is about where the national team is playing. Also, even the non-India cricket series also produce decent ratings so there again well-produced high-quality production that happens enables a significant recovery of revenues for the sportscaster. Not that the ratings will be on fore but one gets a decent traction from non-India matches too.
Also, one must not forget that we have also got Asia rights that include countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, etc who will be touring New Zealand and therefore there will be a significant buzz in those countries as well. So there are multiple benefits that will accrue from these associated opportunities as well.
This win will be perceived as a way of bouncing back afresh given that your network was asked to give up rights of India matches a few months ago…
I won’t want to call it a bounce-back as we were very much present in the market. We had the Asia Cup and also Euro Cup last year…which was a strong line-up for us. But yes, the volume of India matches on our network had become lesser but with the two important events lined up until 2014, it will give us an opportunity to capitalize and grow. So in a sense I am content with how things are shaping up.
With a strong start to the year, are you contemplating bidding for the rights of other Boards in the near future?
Whenever there is an interesting property we keep our eyes open and evaluate opportunities. Finally it all boils down to what will be the economics of scale and whether it makes commercial sense to do it. Also it is about what will be available in the market. So if you ask me: will we be looking for more, I’d say yes. But I cannot say more on what or which properties we would be going after.
How have the other non-cricket properties delivered for your network in the recent past?
Where our channels are concerned, viewership and growth has been quite positive on the numbers front. But it is still early stages as we expect things to leapfrog once phase 2 digitization kicks off across 38 cities. We will have a clear view of what the trends are post the roll-out of phase 2 of digitization.
Will you be going after more properties in the coming months?
As said earlier, we keep our eyes open for opportunities. For example, next month we are showing the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey Tournament that will be followed by the French Open in May-June…so we do have a good mix of cricket and non-cricket properties as of now.
From a growth perspective, where do you see your network in a year’s time from now?
Rather than a year, if we look from an 18-month perspective that coupled with digitization and two Series taking place, I see a good level of growth coming from our channels. Also, we are expecting a decent support from the advertisers as well. We must understand that the spends on other sports other than cricket is also on a rise especially Tennis, Football etc that have been getting increased support from advertisers compared to the past. And anyways, we expect ad spends on cricket to be consistent, to say the least. So there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months for us.
When Aditya Sinha announced his decision to quit DNA as editor-in-chief last week, the move surprised especially since he was rumoured to be getting along well with Zee group chief Subhash Chandra. On Saturday, he tweeted: To those who asked: I have resigned DNA to focus on writing novels. First book being reworked, second just started. For wishes, many thanks.”
When asked to reconfirm this, he told MxMIndia that he had submitted his resignation on December 6 and has moved on from immediate effect. “I have been hanging around, however, merely to drag out my goodbyes,” he said.
On when his first book is going to be published, he corrected us. “My first book, non-fiction, was published in late 1995. My first novel will be published once we find a publisher, so I cannot currently give you a date,” he said. Indeed: Death of Dreams: A Terrorist’s Tale was a book on a Kashmir youth’s ascent as the head of a terror outfit. He also wrote a biography of Dr Farooq Abdullah in 1996 and as he mentioned in a column in the DNA, he has ghostwritten a 1994 book by Salman Khurshid.
When asked on his replacement, Mr Sinha also informed us that: “Ravi Joshi, the recently appointed Mumbai RE, suddenly finds himself incharge. Bhaskar Das may find an alternative if he can convince someone from his old place of employment to join.”
It may be remembered that DNA has seen a rehaul of its A-team in the recent past, and Mr Sinha’s exit completes that. CEO K U Rao moved out last month to join parent Zee group as CEO of WWIL (SitiCable). In September, it hired Sorbojeet Chatterjee, as Vice-President – Marketing from Neo Sports (and marketing head at the TV Today network prior to that). Earlier, it appointed Varun Kohli, chief monetizing officer with Mogae Media, to head revenue (as Executive VP – Sales).
Since there has been much speculation about Mr Sinha’s reasons for quitting, given that it comes in the wake of the controversies around the arrest of two senior Zee News executives and his strong defence in his column last week, we asked him a few questions. While he denies the coincidence theory, do read the between the lines to figure what could be the real reason:
01.Your resignation happens at a time when the Zee group is embroiled in a controversy, with the chairman Subhash Chandra also subjected to questioning and the pressure on the arrested editors to name him. Coincidence?
Coincidence.
a. Couldn’t you have pushed your decision to some other time?
It could have been done at some other time, but why should I follow other people’s timelines?
b. Your decision to move is also untimely because DNA’s CEO has moved to Zee and the new regime under Dr Bhaskar Das is just about settling in. Couldn’t you have stayed on more?
Please see answer to 1a.
02.You’ve been very candid in your columns. Last week saw you defend Zee and present the group’s standpoint? Could your resignation also be construed as that you are against carrying pro-Zee reports, or should one say: compelled to carry?
I have never been compelled to carry reports. If a family member is accused of something, it is natural for a person to speak of their point of view, not to condemn them. I believe in what I write, and no one has ever forced me to hew to a particular line.
a. Just to clear the air on the Zee-Jindal controversy. Since you would know the real story, and since one knows that you will not fudge things:
– Are the Zee editors really innocent?
– Was there no quid pro quo?
Innocence or guilt, I do believe, are established by courts of law. And whatever the Zee News Editors may be, it is laughable to think that my resignation is a quid pro quo for them.
03.Your highs and lows as Editor-in-Chief of DNA? Something that you would’ve not liked to see happening if you had to relive your tenure.
My two-plus years as an Editor-in-Chief  have been great. Each day was a learning experience. The greatest satisfaction was when colleagues did work that was notable, which was often. Of course, it is a stress-filled job and each morning begins with some irritation or other. The only lows were realizing that people working in the company did not even read your newspaper! It shows you that most non-journalists in the media industry have zero passion for their jobs.
04. We’ve heard that the paper is going through a redesign? And the edit page may be back?
The paper is going through a slight redesign because Bhaskar Das wants to change the look-and-feel of the paper to a template that is familiar to us all. He is keen on an edit page, so I guess my departure strengthens his hands in some ways.
05. What next after your books? Writing isn’t really a financially rewarding vocation. Are you going to continue to stay on in Mumbai?
I honestly don’t know what the future holds. If I could, I would write books for the rest of my existence. Mumbai is an expensive place to live, but I do like living here.
The first anniversary is possibly the most important milestone for any start-up… Kudos to Pradyuman and the fantastic MxM team for having created a strong destination. In my mind the two factors that are most critical for any new entrant are innovation and engagement. In quick time, MxM has emerged super successful on both fronts.
I sincerely hope this weekly quiz is doing its bit of spreading some useful media ‘gyaan’ (and increasing the page views of Google!).
It has been just 8 weeks since I have started compiling MxM Buzzer (and I am already running out of topics!). The objective was to steer clear from the geeky boring quizzes and look at topics that are relevant and topical, with questions that are fun and interesting. With ‘gyaan’ being the current marketing flavour of the season and India’s favourite brand ambassador Mr Bachchan highlighting the noble virtues of knowledge, I sincerely hope this weekly quiz is doing its bit of spreading some useful media ‘gyaan’ (and increasing the page views of Google!).
PS: Leaving the strategic spiel aside, I do possess a fair amount of Bong DNA … forever ready to question, but simply hate being questioned – so, turning quiz master was a fitting choice!
Thank you, MxM.
After a long innings at TV Today as head of marketing, Sorbojeet Chatterjee moved back to Mumbai as Vice President-Marketing, Neo Sports. Clearly quizzing is in his DNA
Neo Sports has been announced as the exclusive broadcast partner for the Nehru Cup football tournament. The biennial international invitational tournament, which has been organized by the AIFF since 1982, will kick off on August 22 and run till September 2.
Defending champions and two-time winners India will be gunning for a hat-trick of titles and will be up against Maldives, Syria, Nepal and African power houses Cameroon in a 10-match round robin league followed by the final between the top 2 teams.
Prasana Krishnan, COO-Neo Sports Broadcast Pvt Ltd said: “Neo Sports has added yet another key event to our extensive football line up with Nehru Cup. TV ratings for football in India are growing exponentially, evident with the success of UEFA EURO 2012 on Neo Prime. With Nehru Cup being India’s only international football tournament, it is sure to garner high viewership. We look forward to serving Indian football fans with top class coverage of this celebrated event.”
Ashu Jindal, COO-IMG Reliance said: “With 2012 being the Platinum Jubilee of the AIFF (All India Football Federation) and India returning as defending champions, we are extremely pleased to partner with Neo Sports for the broadcast of this historic edition of the Nehru Cup. This is a key tournament in our vision to radically restructure and popularize football in India. With double the prize money and an extensive production plan, the event will be bigger and grander.”
Continuing with the feature we carried on July 2 (Link: http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/07/the-half-year-that-was/), we bring in more views from the industry on the six months gone by. This half-yearly report card is again a mixed bag – while some have had an excellent run, others had few hitches on the way. Here’s bringing views from some leading players of the industry.
Broadcasting:
Rohit Gupta
Rohit Gupta, President, Sony Entertainment Television
So far, it’s been an excellent year for Sony network. And I’m sure it’s been same for the industry, at large. The industry is still growing and there have been no cuts in spends. People are still putting their money in the medium. I’m sure there is no gloom surrounding this industry. Even the 2008 slowdown didn’t affect us. So, there is nothing to worry about too.
Sunil Lulla
Sunil Lulla, MD and CEO, Times Television Network
I would say, it has been testing six months for the broadcast industry. The biggest set-back has been the extension of the digitization implementation. The IBF ran a very good campaign for it but since MSOs couldn’t fulfill the requirements, unfortunately it has to be postponed. My advice to the ministry now would be to take strict actions and make sure the new deadline is met. It is important for the industry since it will shape the industry and help us understand it better too.
By and large, important events in the broadcast industry like IPL, Indian Idol did well and a new show like Satyamev Jayate was launched. However, there is still a gap between how a show performs and what the viewers really want. Hence, I think TAM needs to be more clear and needs to increase its sample size too.
But what really shocked the industry was the new adult timings and ‘A’ restrictions on television. What happened with Dirty Picture’s telecast was regrettable. Nevertheless, after the self regulation imposed by various channels – news and GECs – the quality of content has improved.
As from the business point of view, from January till April, it was good; but May onwards the marketers have had a watchful attitude. It might not impact the industry at large, but a certain sections might get affected. Also, given the current economic climate, one will have to keep a very watchful eye for the near future.
The last six months have been eventful for the broadcast industry. First it was the whole discussion regarding digitization – from notifications to it finally getting delayed. Hopefully, the new deadline will be met as it is positive for the broadcast industry. Also, the new advertising guidelines set by TRAI will make sure that the market doesn’t get diluted.  Such moves will only benefit the industry and help it grow.
However, there has been a slowdown in ad sales and revenue generation. Everyone knows what happened during an event like IPL. It is a slow phase right now, but the costs of purchasing rights are still high. So, it won’t be wrong to say that testing times are ahead.
K Sriram
K Sriram, GM, Vijay TV
The last 6 months in the Tamil GEC space has seen a dramatic change in programming. KBC travelled into Tamil Nadu and with actor Suriya donning the role of anchor. The barrier between the big screen and television was truly breached for the first time. KBC Tamil ensured that prime time television in TN was redefined, as it not only cut across audiences, but also surged ahead of the power cuts and the IPL fever and eroded into SUN TV’s prime time shares. Vijay TV saw a growth of 41 per cent in the year in a market which was otherwise declining. Content came to the fore.
Tamil television also saw the movie acquisition game being taken to another level with Nanban, the hit Tamil adaptation of 3 idiots, being screened within 100 Days on Vijay TV. Another path breaker given that A+ titles before were insulated for a year. Loud and clear in the Tamil GE space – the game just got bigger and in the last 6 months there was only one player playing the game. Competition is sure playing catch up.
Marketers:
Harkirat Singh
Harkirat Singh, MD, Woodland
The overall market in the branded retail segment has been seeing growth. The biggest change that one sees in this segment is that now the growth comes from smaller towns. In the earlier phase, the growth came from metros; and if one ventured into smaller towns in branded retail say a decade back, most likely, things would not fall in place. Now the risk factor in venturing into the smaller towns is much less and there are many players in branded retail who are turning towards these cities knowing that growth opportunity lies there.
For Woodland, last six months have seen steady growth and we intend to open 60 stores this year, though the rider is to expand but be selective. The market, I would say, has been slow. But that is the trend I would say during a particular time of the year where each year business is slow and picks up only later. As for retail, I think the market is vibrant and the sector has been seeing activity and is slated to see increased activity with FDI in retail being relaxed.
Vikas Jain
Vikas Jain, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Micromax
For the mobile phone industry there has been no concern about consumption, as the demand for new sets continues to be on rise. The change being that now the customers are well-educated on the mobile sets they want to buy and with change in technology there have been change in the preference on the type of mobile sets. The key, therefore, is to recognize and anticipate the product in demand and meet the needs of consumers. The players need to create a roadmap of the products to be launched rather than get carried away by technological changes. Keep an eye on the changing trends and tweak the launches accordingly.
On the flip side, the devaluation of rupee has put pressure on the margins and Micromax being a player that vouches for being cost effective will not yield to increasing prices of the phone sets. As for following any trend on cost cutting on the marketing and communications front, we have not done any. We continue to be associated with Bollywood and Cricket and would associate if any good opportunity came to us.
Media Agencies:
PM Balakrishna
PM Balakrishna, COO – Allied Media
I think the months of April-May were on par but June was not so great. The feeling is that of a slowdown for sure. But an advertising perspective there is cause for worry. It’s a reflection of the economy not looking good in the past few months with petrol prices seeing a hike, inflation seeing a rise and other such factors. These factors play a part in the way media spends pan out.
Where television is concerned there were some properties that did well like the Euro Cup recently and also the IPL before that, but then there are signs of slowdown with advertisers not being too keen to be associated with properties and also with the rates coming down. With Print, which sees ads from sectors like Real Estate and so on, there was a sudden upsurge that was seen in June with most property dealers advertising a lot in dailies and magazines. But that may be a sheer sign of desperation because transactions are not really happening or consumers are not really picking up stocks. There has not been a surge from other sectors as well and they are treading cautiously. So if one were to do a quarter to quarter analysis, one would see that there has been a decline in April-June this year compared to the same quarter last year.
As for the revival, what I have observed recently is that clients have been drawing up plans which they might want to unveil soon, probably around the festival season. But I think overall, the growth will meander along in the next quarter also. Probably the last four months of this year may turn out to be good but whether it is enough to offset the slow-burn over the first six months – I am not too sure.
Anamika Mehta
Anamika Mehta, COO – Lodestar Universal
Although we are six months into the year, I do not think the industry will record the original projections that were forecasted. We are just into the first quarter and therefore we cannot conclude much but overall some categories are seeing a slowdown. Sectors like real estate and finance have seen a slowdown in the spends but FMCG companies are yet to go slow. They are playing a cautious game though.
Also, much of the growth is also the result of the current economic conditions which do not look good at the moment. But it will not be all gloom and doom as is being witnessed in Europe but it will also not be a great story as was being propounded forIndia. Also, one cannot predict the exact figure beyond a point but the approach is going to be that of caution.
Sundeep Nagpal
Sundeep Nagpal, MD, Stratagem Media
I would say the media industry in India is already feeling the effects of the economic gloom that has been in the works for some time now. From what I have been given to understand the first quarter of this fiscal has been reasonably difficult. In fact nothing can be said about the trend that will emerge in the next six months as there is some amount of scepticism in the industry. Unfortunately, in our industry fluctuations are happening faster than what we have witnessed before – whether up or down. It takes a lot of deeper understanding and attention to details if one has to figure out what the current media scenario correlates to. Frankly, even I do not have an answer to that. It’s very easy to say that it is dependent on the overall global or Indian outlook but that is too macro a view to attribute to. If I was a media planner, I would be looking at ways to look out for the early signals and accordingly find out the relevant methods to adopt. Overall, the industry may just about see a decline in its growth numbers for 2012 than what was originally anticipated.
Advertising:
Arvind Sharma
Arvind Sharma, Chairman, Indian Subcontinent, Leo Burnett
As the GDP numbers have been showing a slowdown, one can see that it is getting reflected in the advertising spends too. While at peak the advertising industry was showing a growth of 25 per cent, it would be somewhere around 7 per cent in the first half of 2012. At individual agency level, while we have seen a growth on 40 per cent in 2010 and 25 per cent in 2011, in the first half of 2012 we would see a growth of around 15 per cent. But I think at an individual agency level we still can manage fairly good growth as India has close to Rs35,000 crore advertising expenditure hence the need of the hour is to get aggressive and lay claim to the bigger pie from that budget. This will happen from organic growth from current clients to acquiring new businesses. This growth will also come from making our offering robust.
If one were to look at growth, then in our case, I would say that we have seen growth from our existing clients but growth from new clients or from new major initiatives have been significantly less. However, I would say that the mood currently is to be cautious.
PR:
NS Rajan
NS Rajan, Managing Director, Ketchum Sampark
While we have grown by about 20 per cent in the first half, we are witnessing headwinds gathering across various sectors which can in turn affect growth in these segments and consequently the PR business in the second half.
Also margins could be under pressure in the coming months as the increased cost of servicing may not be compensated by incremental revenues unless the economic environment changes significantly which can lift up sentiment.
1. Indian contingent: The Indian sportspersons have only improved since Beijing 2008. Apart from gold medals, I think our chances of winning a larger number of medals are higher than ever – meaning more silver and bronze medals too – leading to a larger overall tally of medals.
2. Individual performances: Since the last Olympics, a lot of Indian sportspersons have come to the fore. Our boxers and shooters will do us proud this time as well. And, so will the badminton players.
3. Team spirit: Controversies might have outshone them. But I do feel that Indian tennis team’s performance will be worth watching. The players are in great form.
4. Hockey: It’s our national sport and hopefully they will make us proud. The hockey team’s performance is definitely something to look forward to.
5. Usain Bolt: Don’t be surprised if he smashes his own record. After all, he is ‘Lightning Bolt’!
Prasana Krishnan is COO, Neo Sports Broadcasting Pvt Ltd
It’s been about two years since it was first heard that Multi Screen Media Pvt Ltd (MSM) will launch a sports channel. The wait is finally over as the channel was launched on April 7. This is MSM’s sixth channel – one of the reasons why the network chose ‘Six’ as its brand name.
The TG for Six is skewed slightly towards the younger lot of sports fanatics and the first phase of the content plan is to make most of the Indian Premier League’s five editions and evoke special interest among fans to watch non-cricketing sports such as mixed martial arts, basketball, badminton and football. Its main property, to begin with, is Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a martial arts contest that has more than 30 events globally. The next season of IPL will be aired on Six.
The channel will reach out to 80 million homes on DTH and analog platforms in India with a reach of 20 million in phase 1.
Six is being promoted heavily on network channels and the on-air biggest cricketing property, IPL. Quite surprisingly, the channel has not gone for a 360-degree marketing blitzkrieg – the usual strategy adopted to support the launch. It is learnt that outdoor and radio will subsequently follow promotions on TV.
If one looks at the sports broadcast arena as is currently placed, it makes an interesting read. Neo Sports and Ten Sports are facing a tough time sustaining business. And, of course, the fact that IPL was running on a sticky wicket as far as sponsors are concerned, tells the story – that advertisers feel there’s no point investing big monies where the returns are not very good. Plus, the recent development of Star winning the BCCI rights… something which MSM was eyeing to provide that much required impetus for the new channel, is a sure-shot big miss of opportunity.
“We have the IPL and as we move along, we hope to acquire more rights,” said NP Singh, Network COO. He confessed that the BCCI rights was an opportunity missed, however, he also said: “It was in our long term interest to launch a sports channel. We had been talking about it, so it wouldn’t have made sense to further delay the launch just because we did not win the rights to broadcast Indian cricket.”
According to a senior media planner who wished anonymity, the launch of Six has happened at a time where it may not be easy for the channel to make a mark. “Cricket is the only sport India loves. Besides IPL, Six doesn’t have much to offer. Also, there isn’t much left as far as rights are concerned, so the channel will really have to do well on non-cricketing sports, which is a big challenge in a country like India.”
Ms Basabdatta Chowdhury, CEO, Platinum Media is of the opinion that though the channel might face many roadblocks, in the end it’ll be a sustainable business. “I think there is space for one more sports channel. It depends on what kind of content they bring to the channel. Football is quite popular in some sections of the country and they will look to target them. Similarly, other sports which have their specific audiences in the country. If the channel does well in targeting these niche sections, it’ll sustain. And of course, they have the IPL and the New Zealand board for cricket lovers.”
Mr Anwesh Bose, Senior Vice President, DDB Mudra Max offers a similar view: “MSM has made very good profits this year and that would give them muscle to gain rights from other cricket boards around the world, they already have the New Zealand Cricket rights. In addition, there is football and a few other sports to look forward to. With the new channel, new vistas would open for Sony and given their past successes, they can surely make a profitable venture out of the sports channel.”
He further added: “They still have five years of IPL left and they will make good use of it.”
Overall, there are mixed reactions on the prospects of MSM’s new channel, Six. One major worrying factor is that there aren’t many rights left to be acquired, and those which are, are available at exorbitant prices, making sports broadcast a challenging business.
As the Network’s COO mentioned, every time they’ll (channel execs) step out to get the much important rights, the attempt will be to go for a six.
Hanmer MSL, part of MSLGROUP, Publicis Groupe’s flagship speciality communications, Public Relations and events network and one ofIndia’s leading communications agencies on Thursday announced seven new clients.
The new client wins include HISTORY (A+E Networks & TV18 JV), NEO Sports, Biocon, CREDAI Bengaluru, BOC India Limited, HTC Corporation and SBI General Insurance for strategic communications assignments, reaffirming the agency’s reputation as one ofIndia’s leading speciality communications firms.
Hanmer MSL will provide strategic communications consultancy programmes to help these clients in the areas of brand building, corporate reputation management, corporate responsibility and crisis and issues management.
Hanmer MSL will also draw on expertise and capabilities within MSLGROUP to support these national and multi-national companies expansion withinIndiathrough its extensiveIndianetwork of eight offices in eight key cities and an additional 29 network offices which focus on tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Commenting on the new business wins, Jaideep Shergill, CEO, Hanmer MSL said: “As an agency we have always focused on enhancing and improving our capabilities, providing our clients the best of our services. As part of this commitment, we are thrilled to be working together with brands that are considered to be some of the industry’s most respected professionals.”
Hanmer MSL’s media and entertainment portfolio has expanded further with the History and NEO Sports wins. Hanmer MSL’s ability to execute holistic campaigns has positioned the agency at the forefront of media and entertainment speciality communications.
History, in itsIndiaedition, is part of a joint venture between TV18 and A+E Networks. Hanmer MSL has the responsibility of handling the strategic communications assignment of History inIndia. Hanmer MSL will provide strategic counsel to create maximum exposure for the brand amongst target audiences and key stakeholders. Hanmer MSL will also work with the channel towards expanding the genre and ensuring that it is not perceived as a niche channel.
Neo Sports Broadcasting has appointed Hanmer MSL to support the premier programmes on its two channels, Neo Sports and Neo Cricket, and highlight popular and potentially popular sporting events and series to help the company achieve its key business priorities of growing viewership and market share.
Established in 1978, Biocon isIndia’s first bio technology company. From its inception, Biocon has worked towards developing cost-effective drug development capabilities and significant manufacturing capacity. Hanmer MSL will join hands with Biocon to leverage and add media worth and value to their diabetology campaign and help grow this campaign into a successful venture. Hanmer will also handle the corporate mandate of Biocon as well as help Biocon launch and build on its online presence.
The Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India (CREDAI) Bengaluru has safeguarded the interests of real estate developers and builders while protecting the rights of buyers and home owners around the state of Karnataka. Hanmer MSL will work towards developing CREDAI as a thought leader and help in ensuring quality media mileage for all their ventures, events and business developments. Hanmer MSL will be working with specific focus on creating the right image of the real estate sector.
BOC India Limited (BOCI), a member of The Linde Group, provides a one-stop solution to all businesses for gas supply and related equipment and services. The company manufactures cryogenic and non-cryogenic vessels and also designs and commission projects. Hanmer MSL has been entrusted with the mandate to communicate the brand transition and change management process and establish and elevate the profile of Linde Group in Kolkata, Mumbai,Delhiand Chennai.
HTC Corporation (HTC), one of the fastest growing companies in the mobile phone industry, creates innovative devices that better serve the lives and needs of individuals. Hanmer MSL will have the responsibility of executing corporate as well as product PR for HTC.
Hanmer MSL will be in charge of SBI General Insurance Company Limited’s corporate PR and product PR, including product launches. The company is a joint venture between the State Bank ofIndiaand Insurance Australia Group (IAG),Australia’s leading general insurance provider.
When Aditya Sinha announced his decision to quit DNA as editor-in-chief last week, the move surprised especially since he was rumoured to be getting along well with Zee group chief Subhash Chandra. On Saturday, he tweeted: To those who asked: I have resigned DNA to focus on writing novels. First book being reworked, second just started. For wishes, many thanks.”
By Sorbojeet Chatterjee
