MxMIndia

Tag: Platinum Media

  • Chowdhury will report to SMG India’s chairman Hanley King and CEO Mallikarjun Das

    Basabdatta Chowdhury to be Starcom Mediavest Group COO, exits Platinum

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    Platinum Media CEO Basabdatta Chowdhury is set to join Starcom Mediavest Group as Chief Operating Officer early next year.

     

    The move comes 15 years after Chowdhury joined Madison World, the parent organisation of Platinum Media. Starcom Mediavest Group (SMG) is part of Paris-based Publicis Groupe.

     

    Chowdhury will report to SMG India’s chairman Hanley King and CEO Mallikarjun Das. “We are absolutely delighted to have someone as highly capable, respected and hungry as Basab joining the senior management team,” said Das. “She will have dual responsibilities of running the SMG business of North India and at a national level grow and acquire new businesses.”

     

    Source:The Economic Times

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

    Licensed to republish

     

  • Lenskart.com, India's largest online retailer of fashionable and stylish eyewear has appointed Platinum Media, a part of Madison Media Group as its media agency

    Platinum Media wins Lenskart Media AOR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lenskart.com, India’s largest online retailer of fashionable and stylish eyewear has appointed Platinum Media, a part of Madison Media Group as its media agency.

     

    Commenting on this development, Peyush Bansal, CEO and Founder, Lenskart.com, said “Lenskart has firmly established its brand identity in the mindscape of Indian consumers. As we go along we keep introducing newer conveniences for our patrons such as the home eye check-up programme, try-before-you-buy, virtual studio etc. Through our association with the Madison Media Group, we wish to create a consistent and effective engagement with our new and existing customers and attain new heights of brand loyalty and salience.”

     

    Said Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO, Platinum Media: “We are delighted with our partnership with Lenskart and are confident that we can add strategic value to this online brand and make it a household name across the country.”

     

  • These videos are shared on the Wills Lifestyle Vine page and Wills Lifestyle Facebook and Twitter pages

    Wills Lifestyle and Madison unveil ‘Rock the Ramp’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wills Lifestyle and Madison Media has devised the concept of “Wills Rock the Ramp” a 360 degree Vine booth – a twist to the traditional twirl people do to show off what they’re wearing. Instead of doing the twirl, the cameras and modern technology does the twirling and the same could be shared on social networks.

     

    Users simply had to step into the booth and the revolving camera shoots a 4-6 second video, showing a 360 view of what they’re wearing to the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week. These videos are shared on the Wills Lifestyle Vine page and Wills Lifestyle Facebook and Twitter pages.

     

    Atul Chand, Divisional Chief Executive, ITC Lifestyle Retailing said, “Wills Lifestyle has always been at the forefront of innovation and driven the business of fashion in India with style. Being at the helm of creativity and novelty, we have integrated modern technology with fashion yet again this season, thereby creating 360 degree brand conversations. In this edition, Wills Lifestyle takes another leap with many firsts on the Indian fashion runway by introducing a 360-degree selfie booth.”

     

    Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO Platinum Media, says, “Our endeavour is to provide the best solutions to our clients irrespective of the platform. We want our brands to leverage new platforms and create high level engagements for consumers.”

     

  • Platinum Media won the account of Lafarge India in Kolkata in a multi-agency pitch. The account will be handled out of the agency's Kolkata office.

    Madison’s Platinum wins Lafarge Cement Media AOR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Platinum Media, a part of Madison Media Group, has started 2014 with a bang by winning the account of Lafarge India in Kolkata in a multi-agency pitch. The other agencies that participated in the pitch are Mindshare, Dentsu and incumbent agency Havas. Lafarge’s mediaspend is estimated to be pretty sizeable and will grow substantially over the next year looking at its expanded market in North India. The account will be handled out of the Kolkata office.

     

    Commenting on this development, Aniruddha Sinha, Assistant Vice President, Lafarge India, said, “Madison Media has extensive understanding of the Indian media scenario and their approach and innovative media solutions will enable us to drive impactful media presence across our audience segments. ”

     

    Says Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO, Platinum Media, “We are delighted with this new win and are confident that we can add strategic value in making the Lafarge brand, a household name across the country.”

     

  • The account, which will be handled by Platinum Media in Delhi, was serviced by Mindshare and the estimated media spend is in the range of Rs 30 crore.

    Madison Media wins HomeShop18 Media AOR

    By  A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media Group has been appointed as the media Agency on Record for leading shopping channel  Homeshop18. The account will be handled by Platinum Media in Delhi. The account was previously handled by Mindshare and the estimated media spend is in the range of Rs 30 crore.

     

    Vikrant Khanna

    Commenting on this, Vikrant Khanna, Chief Marketing Officer, HomeShop18 said, “Homeshop18 is proud to be associated with Madison, which is the leading media planning agency in the country. I am confident they will be a strong partner in our journey to become India’s leading virtual commerce player. Having worked with Madison in the past I know that Madison is best equipped to help us  reach our intended audience in the most economical and integrated way.”

     

    Says Basabdatta Chowdhuri, CEO, Platinum Media, “We are delighted with this new win and are confident that we can add strategic value in building the HomeShop18 brand in the country.”

     

    According to a communique, Madison Media has been on an account winning spree, having recently won a host of new businesses including Raymond Apparel, Piramal Healthcare, Epic Channel, McCain Foods, Ruchi Soya, Max India’s corporate account, Café Coffee Day, Radikal Rice and Crompton Greaves.

     

  • This does away with the practice of advertisers having to pay on the basis of projected box office collections of a movie

    PVR explores charging ads less for flops

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    Multiplex operator PVR plans to link its advertising rates to ticket sales to make its cinemas more attractive to advertisers.

     

    PVR has approached advertisers such as Hindustan Unilever, Bharti Airtel and Hero Group with a first-time concept of charging for advertising at the start and during the interval on the basis of the number of tickets sold, a top PVR executive said.

     

    This does away with the practice of advertisers having to pay on the basis of projected box office collections of a movie.

     

    “There’s a captive audience, no remote control and least amount of spill over. Most of all, it’s completely validated because we can’t over-state ticket sales,” said PVR COO Gautam Dutta.

     

    The concept means advertisers can fix the reach and duration for which they pay to advertise. So, for example, if Agent Vinod flopped, advertisers would have the option of pulling out midway, and instead put their money on another flick-say, Kahaani.

     

    The bulk deal they would have committed to PVR gets carried forward to the next movie.

     

    Media-buying houses, which have been rooting for higher accountability on television ad spends, are keen on the new concept.

     

    “This could be a significant step towards making cinema advertising more accountable. Though small compared to television, it at least guarantees returns on investment,” said Basabdutta Chowdhury, CEO of Platinum Media, a division of media buying group Madison World, which buys media for Bharti Airtel.

     

    Ajit Varghese, MD, South Asia of Group M-promoted media buying firm Maxus, which buys on behalf of Hero Group, says: “Cost per audience is always a better measure in cinema advertising. It’s an ideal way of moving ahead, as long as it is implemented well.”

     

    The cost of in-theatre advertising works out about eight times cheaper than mass media, say media buyers. Theatre operators are allowed 18 minutes of advertising per movie screening.

     

    The buys can be segmented for consumers in tier II cities – at PVR Talkies, or at the high-end PVR Premiere, or at the luxury cinema Director’s Cut.

     

    Mr Dutta says the rates are flexible and would vary: “If Hero wants to advertise in our theatre in Baroda, rates will obviously be lower. If they want to buy screen time on theatres in Juhu in Mumbai, we will charge more.”

     

    PVR operates 179 screens across 24 cities. The move targets 28 m viewers in a year across PVR screens.

     

    Below-the-line advertising and promotions are common for most cinema and multiplex players. India’s largest carmaker Maruti, for example, had used sound technology to promote the launch of its new Zen model, while toothpaste brand Close Up had run a promotion where seats were sold only for couples.

     

    In 2011-12, cinema advertising contributed 13.5 per cent, or Rs61 crore, to PVR’s revenue of Rs492 crore. The company is projecting Rs85 crore in advertising revenue this fiscal. The concept could catch up among rival multiplex players as well.

     

    Source: The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • They say that TRPs should decide the ad rates of reality shows instead of the channels charging advertisers fixed rates even before the show goes live

    Advertisers crib as TRPs fall for Satyamev Jayate

    By Ratna Bhushan

     

    The truth isn’t quite triumphing – not at least in the way some advertisers on Aamir Khan’s hyped debut television reality show Satyamev Jayate thought it would. Television rating points (TRPs) have fallen short of expectations, say at least two marketing heads of associate sponsors, although publicly most advertisers are making the right noises. That, however, hasn’t stopped media buying firms, on behalf of advertisers, from pushing for result and performance-based ad rates on reality shows. They say that TRPs should decide the ad rates of reality shows instead of the channels charging advertisers fixed rates even before the show goes live.

     

    As per rating agency TAM’s data released by Star on June 13, Satyamev Jayate – which is being aired on Sunday mornings across nine channels of the Star Network (as well as on the state-owned Doordarshan) delivered a national TVR of 3.9. That’s lower than the ratings of blockbuster shows of the past like Kaun Banega Crorepati (Sony Entertainment) and Bigg Boss’ debut show (Colors).

     

    Navin Khemka, managing partner of media buying firm ZenithOptimedia, which represents consumer goods major Reckitt Benckiser, one of the associate sponsors of Satyamev Jayate said: “All the risk cannot be passed on to the advertiser. With high entry-level costs on reality shows, it is critical that channels take more accountability on the returns on investment.”

     

    Increasingly, agencies and clients will ask for certain minimum guarantees on programme performance and viewership, he added: “It has to be a win-win for both the brand and the show.”

     

    While Bharti Airtel coughed up a chunky Rs17-20 crore for the presenting sponsor slot, associate sponsors like Axis Bank, Reckitt Benckiser, Skoda, Coca-Cola and Johnson & Johnson paid Rs6-7 crore each for the 13-week show.

     

    Star has charged Rs8-10 lakh per 10 seconds for spot rates for Satyamev Jayate while spot rates for KBC were Rs 3.5-4 lakh per 10 seconds.

     

    According to the marketing head of an associate sponsor who did not wish to be quoted, returns on investment on the show could have been higher. “The way the show was sold to us, we expected higher ratings. It’s disappointing and we hope the ratings increase as the show progresses.”

     

    However, Bharat Bambawale, global brand director at Bharti Airtel, defended the investment: “To view the success of a show based only on television ratings would limit its overall value. The success of a show has to be looked at collectively and in a holistic way… the content of a show will impact ratings.” On whether broadcasters should rationalise ad rates on reality shows, Bambawale said: “It’s a matter of individual judgement for every sponsor.”

     

    Basabdutta Chowdhury, CEO of Platinum Media, a division of media buying firm Madison World, which buys media for Bharti Airtel, said: “Advertisers do want accountability and minimum guarantees factored in for reality shows in general, although Satyamev Jayate was not meant to be a mass ratings show.”

     

    On reality shows, deals are structured in a way that they cannot be re-negotiated through the entire program. This is unlike cricket where broadcasters keep at least some ad inventory – like the semi-finals and finals – open to negotiations based on the ratings.

     

    Ajit Varghese, MD, South Asia of Maxus, which is owned by the country’s largest media buying house Group M, said: “While there’s no standardised way of looking at a deal, we all are pushing for deals with a minimum guarantee. Of course, the arrangement should factor in an upside too, but overall ad deals should be linked to a programme’s performance.”

     

    Veteran ad man Santosh Desai is of the view that Satyamev Jayate needs to be evaluated not just by viewership but also for the impact it has. “It’s a difficult show to watch…. Some subjects don’t have a mass audience at all so to be watched week after week by masses will be a challenge.” KBC’s most recent season had opened to a rating of 5.24, and Bigg Boss Season 5 had opened to a TRP of 4.25. The Amitabh Bachchan-hosted KBC had managed ratings of over 4 all through its run.

     

    A Star India spokesperson says the show has delivered a reach of Rs40 crore over the first five episodes (including repeats). The launch episode delivered a TVR of 4.9 in Hindi-speaking markets and a 4.1 TVR all-India. Subsequently, all episodes have consistently delivered a 4+ rating in HSM and 3.5+ ratings at the all-India level.

     

    Kevin Vaz, Star India president, ad sales said: “Satyamev has ranked amongst the top few every week on an all-India level.”

     

     

    Source: The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2012, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

     

  • 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

    MSM hits the ball hard for Six

    By Rishi Vora

     

    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.

     

    Time will tell how well they hit the ball.

     

  • The account was previously handled by MPG and is estimated to be at Rs25 crores

    Madison World’s Platinum Media wins Dixcy media AOR

    By A Correspondent

     

    Platinum Media, a unit of Madison Media Group has just announced that it has won the media planning and buying account of Dixcy Textiles. The account was previously handled by MPG and is estimated to be at Rs25 crores.

     

    Tirupur-based hosiery giant, Dixcy Textiles markets its products under the names Dixcy and Dixcy Scott. Within a short span, the company has been able to garner a healthy market share because of high customer satisfaction of all products offered by the company. The company is into inner wear, thermal wear and casual wear and has aggressive growth plans.

     

    “We are delighted that Dixcy has appointed us as their Media AOR and are confident that we will be able to add a lot of value to their business and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership,” said Basabdutta Chowdhury, CEO, Platinum Media.

     

    “Talks were on for almost two years about this shift and also new product launches and the expertise of the agency to handle the same has made us take this decision,” said Rahul Sikka, Director, Dixcy Textiles.

     

    Madison Media Group comprising Madison Media and Platinum Media is a part of Madison World, which also has specialist units in Advertising, Business Analytics, Out-of-Home, PR,Mobile, Rural, Retail, Sports and Entertainment employing over 1,000 communication professionals acrossIndia,Sri LankaandThailand. It is India’s foremost media agency group handling media planning and buying for blue-chip clients including Airtel, Godrej, Cadbury/Kraft, ITC, General Motors, Marico, McDonald’s TVS, Britannia, Procter & Gamble, Asian Paints, Tata Tea, Levis, SpiceJet, Axis Bank, Domino’s, Bharti Axa, MaxNewYork Life Insurance, Tata Salt, Acer, Dish TV, Imagine TV, Indian Oil and many others. The gross billing of Madison Media is Rs3,000 crores.