ITV

Category: Media Agencies

  • Vizeum bags media duties of VGP Universal Kingdom

    Vizeum bags media duties of VGP Universal Kingdom

    MUMBAI: Vizeum India, the media communication specialist from the Dentsu Aegis Network, is riding high on success. The agency, which added Hindware and Jet Privilege to its media kitty last fortnight, has added yet another client to its roster.

     

    The agency has been named the media AOR for VGP Universal Kingdom, a Chennai-based family amusement park.

     

    The concept of amusement parks and beach resorts, which were only popular in foreign countries until a while back, was brought into India by VG Paneerdas in the year 1975. He created VGP Golden Beach, located on the East Coast Road in Chennai.

     

    Currently VGP Universal Kingdom has more than 40 rides, including the first of its kind in India – the family roller coaster ride, the mixer ride, the Top Gun from all over Europe and the United States and a themed water park.

     

    VGP Universal Kingdom managing director VGP Ravidas said, “Fun is a serious business and we have been looking for a media partner who understands this balance. We found Vizeum perfectly fitting the bill. I feel they have the right wherewithal to work with us in fulfilling our future ambitions. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Vizeum.”

     

    Vizeum managing director Indian subcontinent S Yesudas added, “We are grateful to the VGP Universal Kingdom management for finding a partner in Vizeum. We will have fun together in working on this assignment while we seriously help the park move forward in consumer engagement and growth. This business will be handled out of our Chennai office, under the leadership of Vizeum South VP Subhas Warrier.”

  • “Marketing in the Future, Lesson 1.0”: Anita Nayyar

    “Marketing in the Future, Lesson 1.0”: Anita Nayyar

    2015 is bright and action time for delivery over the 2014 euphoria of India on the world stage, sentiments of economic revival and investments worth $43 billion in a year where ad spend was buoyed by the General and Maharashtra elections.

     

    Comparatively the ICC World Cup, Delhi elections and IPL are expected to be major ad spend contributors this year. Modest growth is expected of the global economy with Asia Pacific and India leading the pack. India being a major exporter of oil, the drop in prices as also low inflation will have positive effect on the Indian economy and consumption. And herein lies India’s vantage point – its momentum will be paced more internally, by domestic consumption and domestic investment. Primary Target – the Indian consumer, the driver to put India on the map.

     

    To talk to this Indian consumer and gain a larger share of his wallet, many marketers across the industry will attempt to make a paradigm shift in how they communicate, not only in newsprint story but to market to real customers in real life. It is nothing short of a fundamental rethinking of silos-marketing to marketing. This gains increasing importance as customer touch points increase exponentially in our world of wearable tech, smart homes, smart devices and fresh inventions everyday also yielding unprecedented data of user behaviour. 

     

    Agencies and brands will have to put their algorithms to actionable use today omni channel  else they risk losing control or in the least abandon rich insights to the path to their customer as marketing progresses.

     

    In Lesson 1.0, some marketers will learn with success, failure or aborted attempt, to blur the lines between all communication channels – TV, Print, OOH, Social, Mobile and Online; across platforms, each channel leading to the next to drive conversations; to create the conversion funnel based on brand message, objective and audience; to adapt, alter and be measurable. They are the marketers who will be future ready also making the best use of available technology and techniques today.

     

    THINKING is at the core, of course aided by technology, technique, data, etc.

     

    Marketing Moves we will see more of in 2015:                                                                              

     

    1.       The Traditional Partnership

    Traditional is not dying anytime soon in India and is still the foundation of M&E ad spend in India. All the channels have upped their programming with new channels in the offing; Radio and OOH are to play an active role in 2015 and Print will continue to be important. It augers well for marketers to view traditional as an asset on the balance sheet. E-commerce mapped it to an ROI Win-Win situation for everyone in 2014.

     

    2.       Programmatic Advertising Implementation

    We will see increased implementation of programmatic potential as agencies and brands use it increasingly in campaigns. Yet most will use it more as a buying tool for best rates in 2015 with newsprint on its importance; the exceptions learning to unlock its value. It is pure play right message, right audience, right time, media agnostic drawing from complex algorithms and trend insight of the customer.

     

    3.       The Ubiqutous #, Selfies, Crowd sourcing & CSR Campaigns

    The ‘Hashtag’ will become ubiquitous, marking every readable media. Campaigns with Selfie stories, CSR and Crowd Sourcing as campaign and content will assume greater prominence. 

     

    4.       Brand Integration, Experiential Marketing & Activation

    Brand integration will become more prevalent yet just touch the tip of the iceberg of what it will become and how innovatively it will be portrayed; case in point Zandu Balm and Fevicol in the Dabangg 1 & 2 songs. As will Experiential Marketing and Activations around it.

     

    5.       Grappling with Personalisation & Social Media to the Fore

    Marketers will grapple with ‘personalisation’ the other buzzword, which needs very clean databases, algorithmic audience behavioural – preference mapping and apt customised content.

     

    Social Media will be used for engagement and interaction, its customer behaviour data logs of understanding them. 

     

    6.       Launches on Social, Ecommerce& Mobile

    We have seen the launch of Burger King on eBay, Good Day Chunkies on Amazon, Motorola’s MotoX 32GB on Flipkart and Xolo phones on Twitter. More brands across sectors will take the social, E-commerce and Mobile route to launch.

     

    7.       Mobile Marketing, Apps, Chat leverage

    It’s not only the Smartphone story. The feature phone can scale audience and markets. 

     

    8.       Videos , In-Video Ads, Web Series, Native Advertising

    There will be an explosion of these.

     

    9.       Rise of Technology & Logistics Companies

    The e-commerce boom will see these as advertisers and investment worthy.

     

    10.   Tier 2, 3, 4 cites in Focus

    It will not only be about the cities but also in their regional languages.

     

    In the end really in Twitter language – It’s being Meaningful. It’s ‘Thinking how to Market’ or ‘Re-thinking how we Market’. 

     

    (These are purely personal views of Havas Media Group, India & South Asia  CEO Anita Nayyar and indiantelevision.com does not necessarily subscribe to these views.)

  • Havas Media Group partners globally with Facebook’s Atlas

    Havas Media Group partners globally with Facebook’s Atlas

    MUMBAI: Atlas, Facebook’s ad serving and measurement platform that allows brands to reach people across multiple devices, has agreed a global partnership with Havas Media Group. The global deal will have a heavy focus on US and western Europe and will see the communications network offering the ad server to its clients during 2015.

     

    The partnership will see Havas Media Group offering Atlas to clients across Latam (Q2), Middle East (Q3) and APAC (Q4). Havas Media Group becomes the first company to announce a partnership with this scale and geographical focus.

     

    The connection of Atlas with Havas Media Group’s Artemis data platform gives clients the opportunity to accurately track all interactions people have with a brand up to (and beyond) the point of purchase, as they experience a variety of brand messages across all media.

     

    Havas Media Group global managing director Dominique Delport commented, “Havas Media Group has spent the last 15 years investing in market leading data driven solutions through Artemis its proprietary data platform. This partnership, coupled with our clients’ data, will enable us to find out how people are interacting with brands and then purchasing products as they travel across devices. We have been working with the Atlas team now since June 2014 and are delighted that we have partnered with a platform that can take our analysis beyond previously limiting cookie based offers. It will allow us to filter, clean and manage data with unprecedented granularity. This relationship with Atlas, including our participation as a member of the Atlas Product Council, will enable us to offer best in class, tech neutral solutions for our clients.”

     

    Atlas director Erik Johnson said, “This is a great step for Atlas and Havas Media Group, bringing the power of people based marketing to more brands in more countries. Havas Media Group has been a supporter of our approach that helps brands reach real people across devices and publishers. The geographical focus and depth of potential client absorption makes this partnership significant for the industry.”

     

    The partnership takes immediate effect with more Havas Media Group clients expected to work with the new platform in the coming months.

  • Havas Media’s ‘digital at the core’ strategy has paid off, says Anita Nayyar

    Havas Media’s ‘digital at the core’ strategy has paid off, says Anita Nayyar

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group India posted a stellar performance in 2014. As per the company, it won new business worth over Rs 200 crore in 2014.

     

    Last year witnessed the integrated business wins of clients like Emirates, World Kabaddi League Yepme, MTS (re-win), LIC, BBC, Borosil, Assetz Property Group, OCM India and Hi Care among others. Havas Media also won digital specific mandates of Xolo Mobiles, BusinessWorld and Starbucks.

     

    The RECMA mid-year 2014 Qualitative Evaluation reported Havas Media India growing at 35 per cent, much higher than the industry average.

     

    Havas Media India and south Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “Havas Media’s ‘digital at the core’ strategy has richly paid off. Our integrated offering and approach has been appreciated by our clients as well as prospects. Clients have loved our Meaningful Brands Study and the Meaningful Connections Planning process along with our challenger brand attitude has been the key differentiator in the market. However, we at Havas Media are not just about business but also about people. We are known as the ‘Happy Agency’ in the market and many of our ‘old employees’ are eager to join back the Havas family – this according to me is our greatest strength.”

     

    “We are known in the industry for our passion and transparency. We ensure significant senior management involvement in all our clients. Our view of media is integrated and this is further demonstrated by the fact that most of our recent wins have all been integrated. 2015 is a new year with new challenges, however given our strong leadership we are all set to make this year too a remarkable one,” added Havas Media India MD Mohit Joshi.

     

    The Havas Media Group India client roster includes Parle Products India, Hyundai Motor India, Quikr.com, LGE India, Tata Motors, VLCC, AMWAY Beauty, Taj Hotels, Dupont India, Sleepwell, R.K. Marble Group, Voltas India, Ista Hotels amongst others.

     

  • Havas Media Group launches LuxHub

    Havas Media Group launches LuxHub

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group has launched LuxHub, a global consulting specialist label that will deliver media communications and marketing support for both luxury brands and luxury audiences.

     

    Headquartered in Milan, the network also launches with established centers of excellence in London, Paris, New York and Dubai, with further expansion plans in key markets such as Shanghai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Moscow in 2015.

     

    The global lead for the project, fashion and luxury expert Isabelle Harvie-Watt, will oversee the strategic expansion and consulting offer for LuxHub using knowledge gained from her 14 years at Giorgio Armani, five years at Versace and lastly at Tods Group, running global marketing and communications. Working with the senior management team at Havas Group, Watt has led plans for investment in a specialist luxury division since her arrival as Havas Media Group Italy CEO in 2011.

     

    Havas Media Group global managing director Dominique Delport said, “Offering our clients the ability to connect to the luxury sector in a meaningful way has always been part of our strategy and I am delighted that we are now able to deliver this specialist consulting service to our clients on a global basis. The credibility we already have in this area, coupled with strong leadership from Isabelle to drive specialist teams in all the key markets, means we can provide new insights and innovative strategies both for luxury brands and brands who want to interact with the luxury audience.”

     

    Watt added, “Luxury brands realise that they need to change the way they communicate and start building stronger relationships with their consumers. Digital transformation is no longer an option. Growing online distribution and strong content strategies are the new norm. LuxHub is a great step forward to further closing the gap in language between agencies and luxury clients and the way luxury audiences are evolving. In our recent global survey, in-store shopping is still the favoured purchasing method for half of luxury shoppers, while 24 per cent shop mainly online. However, statistics show that this move by a quarter of the respondents to shop online is not being matched by the brands with over half (54 per cent) stating that luxury brands should engage more with their consumers in the online experience.”

     

    Watt and the LuxHub UK team, headed by Tammy Smulders, who will also join the team as global executive director, will deliver their first study on luxury and brands later this month. The project uses data from 1,000 people representing the top 10 per cent of income earners in China, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, US, UAE and UK. The findings look at luxury trends across retail, travel, home furnishings, auto, jewellery and art.

     

    During 2015 the LuxHub consulting unit will also work alongside luxury expert teams from the Havas Creative division to incorporate creative and experiential talents with projects in association with BETC Luxe (Paris) and Havas Luxe (New York).

     

  • “Want to be the ‘Influencer Network’ in 2015”: Sunil Lulla

    “Want to be the ‘Influencer Network’ in 2015”: Sunil Lulla

    With over 30 years of experience, Sunil Lulla brings skills in media, marketing, communication and management.

     

    From spending an early part of his career, which spanned over a period of nine years, in advertising with JWT to rolling out indya.com, in the first wave of the internet; from bringing zing and youthfulness to MTV to help build the television business for The Times Group, Lulla has been a prominent member on many industry boards and forums where he shaped policies and set industry standards and best practices.

     

    His decision to move on from the Times Television Network managing director and CEO to Grey Group India chairman and managing director did come as a shock to many. Nonetheless, the man who engages in a new passion every few years is back to his first passion.

     

    In a freewheel interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Meghna Sharma, Lulla talks about his plans for Grey and much more.

     

    Excerpts…

     

    Back to advertising. So far, so good?

    Very good. The communications business is the best place to stay eternally young (smiles).

     

    If you had to compare, how different has been advertising’s evolution from that of broadcasting industry?

    Both bring new challenges and new ideas each day, blended with a frenetic pace and an youthful environment. TV broadcast is focused around the consumer via which it builds relationships with the customer. Advertising is built around the customer via which it creates story telling for the consumer. They are different spectrums. The TV industry faces significantly more regulatory challenges than the communication industry. There is a zameen aasman ka difference in scale and profitability. Advertising brings the edge of ideas unlimited.

     

    It’s been four months, any changes that you have brought in the company? Why?

    Grey group is a stable, growing business, producing famous and effective work. I’ve used the time to get to understand the business better. Meeting clients and understanding their challenges and in helping gear Grey group offer integrated solutions and ideas, across advertising, communication, the vast spectrum of digital and social; activation and advocacy. These are via our own Grey group services and those with partners / affiliates, such as RC&M, Penn Schoen Berland and Talent House. Importantly, working closely with the team, which is energetic, talented, innovative and always bubbling with ideas and energy. I believe in the short period of four months, gearing to grow and being able to work across services seamlessly, has been my focus.

     

    Many of our clients are now accessing more than one service from Grey group. For our affiliate partners, we have been able to provide Grey thinking, muscle and experience. What’s visible is perhaps the new campaigns of Swacha Bharat, the Border Security Force and the announcement of Quickr and Reach Mobile as new businesses.

     

    Importantly, in the next few weeks there are many campaigns of Grey group, which continue to define culturally sensitive communication, aimed at changing social behaviour, which is one of the biggest challenges any communication company can deliver on. We believe our clients should be satisfied with our services and offerings but continuously challenge us to deliver outstanding performance. Which is exactly what Grey clients do.

     

    How has the year 2014 been for Grey India?

    There has been top line and bottom line growth as per expectations. The new account wins are all based on differentiated communicate on briefs and the focus on adding alliances is preparing Grey group for a strong 2015. Talent has been stable and the awards have been coming in. All in all – a good year for Grey. We are not very boastful about our achievements; our clients hopefully do the talking for us.

     

    One mandate, which you are really proud of, and why?

    I cherish my new role at Grey group, via which we are building a differentiated service business to build strong brands for our clients. Each of our clients are precious to us and the work we do, we believe, plays a big role, in making their brands famous and effective.  I do believe the new ‘Swacha Bharat’ campaign enables us to work with the Prime Minister’s vision of changing behaviour which is always a tough task. The communication is simple, mass oriented and evokes the right emotive and attitudinal cord.

     

    How much of the business that you generate out of India is globally aligned?

    Some of our global alignments are P&G, GSK, Volvo, amongst others. 65 per cent of our business is India alone business.

     

    Competition is growing multifold, so how would you differentiate Grey from the others?

    We believe Grey group’s thinking and capability is being rapidly geared to offer integrated solutions around advertising, social, mobile, web, activation, advocacy, rural and crowdsourcing. With many more to be included. Powered by our vision to create Famous and Effective solutions, work and brands, Grey group is becoming a highly differentiated ‘Influencer Network’. We say Grey groups role to influence consumer choice and thinking and via its array of skills it is designed to be ‘an influencer network of choice, creating famous and effective work’. Each way of approaching the consumer needs to be true to the host medium but interconnected to the behaviour we need to change. Grey enjoys a very strong reputation because of its Planning, Creative, Digital and Communication Skills and this is poised to grow with strength.

     

    According to you, has Grey really been ‘Famously Effective’?

    Absolutely – the wins at Cannes and Effies are a great testimony. The growth of each of our clients business is evidence of the work – working!

     

    What are the plans lined up for the digital side of your business?

    Growth is the obvious agenda. Growing and strengthening resources in the Delhi and Bangalore NCR are on the agenda for 2015. Focusing on having more of our clients across our range of services avail of our Award winning Digital solutions. Continuing to create cutting edge and new solutions is the everyday task. Focusing on learning and training for our talent is the key.

     

    How do you see an increase in media fragmentation impacting creative agencies?

    Agencies should stop worrying about definitions. We do not see ourselves as a creative-alone agency. Grey’s role is to influence consumers and we believe that requires each of us to continuously grow skills and expertise, which is our focus. Agencies can easily learn, adapt and innovate to tell stories be it on a one to one basis or one to many basis. If there is no structured integration, then one must bring it in any way into the service, as businesses will not grow in a linear fashion.

     

    With an increase in penetration of smartphones and tablets, the biggest challenge will be on how to most optimally use the mobile phone for building a brand. What advise will you give the brands and digital agencies?

    We reserve recommendations like these, exclusively for our clients (Smiles)

     

    Do you think Indian advertising has been able to shift paradigms with changing times?

    The glass is always half full, which makes it encouraging for the industry to keep pouring skills, ideas, talent and investment in creating culturally cutting edge work. The new Swach Bharat campaign defines that. On an overview, the Indian industry has successfully paved the way for new paradigms.

     

    What is at top of your wish list for Grey India for 2015?

    Be the Influencer Network which successfully enables Famous and Effective Brands and Communications.

  • MEC & FreeCharge explore new ‘Smart’ messaging platform

    MEC & FreeCharge explore new ‘Smart’ messaging platform

    MUMBAI: MEC, a part of GroupM, along with FreeCharge have harnessed a new ‘Smart Messaging Platform’ to reach out to consumer’s mobile phones with branded high quality, rich media such as videos, images, audio clips and more, directly, rather than having to push links.

    Smart Messaging Platform works across all platforms – iOS, Android and Windows and more and does not require users to download any application to support it. Commonly known in the Tech world as ‘MMS+ technology’, it merely requires the consumer to have a data-enabled mobile phone (both smartphones and feature phones).

    For the very first time 1,00,000 consumers across, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune will receive a message, which will play the FreeCharge video directly without requiring the consumer to click on a link.

    MEC national director activation Sidhraj Shah said, “The MMS+ technology offers hyper-personalisation opportunities including tracking consumer reaction to the call for action, which is not possible with the current SMS platform.  At MEC we are constantly scouting to offer new experiences & technologies for our clients, to engage with their customers. With ‘Smart Messaging platform’ we have only scratched the surface.”

    Mobizon Media COO and co-founder Swapnil Rap said, “‘Messaging’ is an app that every phone in the world has by default! We have reimagined the traditional 160 characters by transforming it into a rich media communication channel. Every consumer in India can now experience high quality content from their favourite Brands, irrespective of whether they have Smart or Feature phones.”

     

  • ‘GroupM Circuit Colombo 2014’ to pave the way for the newest phase in media

    ‘GroupM Circuit Colombo 2014’ to pave the way for the newest phase in media

    MUMBAI: Global digital expert and leading media innovator GroupM on Tuesday announced ‘GroupM Circuit Colombo 2014,’ which will take place in Colombo on 4 December, featuring an impressive line-up of speakers and a comprehensive programme.

    GroupM Circuit will be a platform to discuss the future of digital marketing featuring speakers from digital powerhouses Google, Facebook, Xaxis and GroupM. The event will be held at Park Street Mews and will be attended by heads of organisations and heads of marketing of top corporates.

    GroupM chief operating officer Sabry Haniz affirmed: “The potential of digital is yet to be fully realised. GroupM will be connecting the digital circuit in Sri Lanka and pave the way for the newest phase in media. We are looking forward to opening minds, inspiring new methods of connecting with audiences, and taking the industry to a whole new playing field.”

    Emphasising the group’s commitment to innovation, GroupM South Asia CEO CVL Srinivas commented: “Digital media is gaining popularity all across Asia and it is becoming imperative for brands to go digital. GroupM has been at the forefront of shaping the digital media landscape globally and here in Asia. Through this initiative we hope to answer some of the questions marketers have about digital and share some best in class case studies from around the world.”

    The opening keynote on the ‘Impact of Digital in Today’s World’ will be delivered by Google India director for ecommerce and online classifieds Nitin Bawankule. A panel discussion on Multi Screen Planning and its relevance to Sri Lanka will follow.

    Xaxis India director Atique Kazi will speak on ‘Programmatic that works – The Basics, The Opportunities and The Pitfalls!’ Kazi will shed light on the basics of the subject while explaining how to leverage programmatic advertising, demystify programmatic, dispel misconceptions, and provide pointers to making programmatic work.
    A panel discussion on ‘Comparing ROI of Digital Media to Traditional Media’ will follow. Despite digital media being a buzzword within the industry for a number of years, only a handful of brands have tapped its inherent potential; too often, it is a last minute add-on to a media plan. This discussion will plumb the depths of this topic, comparing the ROI between traditional media and its digital counterparts.

     

    GroupM India Social Practice Head Karthik Nagarajan will address the topic: ‘Can Social have a Strategy?’ While going viral is the marketer’s dream, the internet is a graveyard of many such initiatives. This session will analyse the success of some of the most socially-active brands globally and delve into their strategies through case studies.
    His session will be followed by a panel discussion on ‘The Value of an Online Influencer’. Trends in data suggest that the modern consumer is increasingly wary of an advertiser’s promise, relying more on external recommendations, which are perceived to be unbiased. The discussion will explore the value of an online influencer to a brand, and how best to leverage a positive review, and manage negative sentiments.

     

    Facebook Global Marketing Solutions Agency Head Vidyadhar Kale will discuss ‘From Mobile Marketing to Marketing in a Mobile World’. He will explore mobility and how it will be the driving force for Facebook, and digital media overall. The address will include data on Sri Lankans and mobile trends.

     

    The panel discussion ‘What’s Next in Digital?’ will evaluate the receptiveness of the relatively conservative Sri Lankan audience and will explore both, a forecast for digital media in Sri Lanka, as well as how communications teams can best exploit these trends. This will be followed by the keynote panel discussion moderated by GroupM South Asia CEO CVL Srinivas on ‘Marketing in the Digital Age,’ as he speaks to leading marketers across brands in Sri Lanka on their experienced with digital media and advertising.

     

    The GroupM Circuit Colombo will also feature an interactive ‘Experiential Zone’ by Crossworks Digital Experiential Lab showcasing state of the art technology for participants to experience first hand. The inspiring collection will include a Holobox display unit, a Directional speaker, Marker based AR on brochures and magazines, a Digital Sampling Tray, an Oculus rift, a Virtual Wardrobe, a Recipe Vending machine, and a Magic screen.

  • DTH, an innovative platform for advertisers: Matrix Publicities & Media

    DTH, an innovative platform for advertisers: Matrix Publicities & Media

    MUMBAI: It has been a stupendous growth story. Contrary to popular trade perception the DTH advertising growth story has only ended up surprising all.

     

    With approximately 65 to 68 million households across India and about 55 per cent of the C&S base in the country, this is one of the primary reason why a lot of advertisers are looking to engage customers on the medium. 

     

    What began with a low scale, low noise start with barely two to three advertisers three years ago, has grown more than 10 times in a very short span, says Matrix Publicities & Media India, a WPP company, which has been at the forefront of this revolutionary advertising blitzkrieg. 

     

    There are in all six DTH operators, who operate out of the paid DTH subscriber sphere, whilst planning, the agencies need to keep in mind the fact that DTH as a medium is a frequency builder and should necessarily be used to ensure incremental reach.  Like television, DTH reaches out to all SEC and demographic profiles, unlike otherwise perceived.  There are various options within the medium, however, to delivery impact too and on a case to case basis the medium allows innovations, albeit at a very competitive outlay.

     

    As a media sales aggregator for all the DTH operators to GroupM & non-GroupM clients and agencies, Matrix has been able to bridge the gap between the science, art and commerce for sales on this new age media platform. 

     

    The agency feels that the platform acts as a gatekeeper to the TV viewing audience and they are exposed to the DTH visuals prior to the TV channels.  Additionally, TV also faces a lot of clutter with regard to the various genres available for viewing.  With the 10+2 ad cap in place, in principle, with most channels, getting inventories across is also an issue.  All the factors put together have ensured that this medium has turned into a ‘pull’ medium from the erstwhile ‘push’ medium. 

     

    Hence, the company has not stopped at just mere vanilla sales as this is a philosophy that does not appeal to its business head Sparsh Ganguli, who has been at the forefront of this business since its inception three years ago.

     

    With this idea in mind, the advertisers have been divided into broad categories and an in-depth analysis has revealed a lot about the spending patterns of all advertisers on this medium.  Needless to say the research not only takes into consideration the brand spent from the GroupM set of clients but even some part of the non-Group M clients to help present a more clear and fair picture.  The efficacy of the study can be gauged from the fact that the entire categories can be bifurcated month wise and the spend patterns can be highlighted for future strategic pitches.

     

    The broad categories that have been the top spenders across this medium are: automobiles (two and four wheelers), FMCG, F&B, BFSI, e-commerce, watches and jewellery.

     

    A FMCG media planner says, “The DTH platform has been influential in targeting the housewives through sustained awareness campaigns during afternoon hours and worked phenomenally well for our client’s brands.  That’s the very reason why they look to optimise spends on these platforms.” 

     

    The ad rates are in sync with the growth of the medium.  The rates range from Rs 40,000 to Rs 1,00,000 depending on the options that are availed, highlights the agency.

     

    Ganguli, however, feels that there is still a lot of ground to be covered from the advertiser’s front.  He feels that technologically the platform is evolving in a positive manner that is both beneficial to the viewer as well as for the advertiser.  According to him, “The next revolutionary way of reaching out to the viewing household is on the spliced beam format which allows the advertiser to geo-target their consumers.  This has in turn made it possible for the brands to reach out and give a customised pre-buying experience, thus resulting into more reach and effective frequency for the brand campaign.” 

     

    He adds, “DTH has shown tremendous growth but I still feel clients can do a lot more, as of now we have been able to break new grounds by providing upgraded technology and this helps the clients and new clients to optimise the medium for every campaign as innovation is the way ahead.” 

     

     

  • Hathway appoints Aidem ventures for ad sales

    Hathway appoints Aidem ventures for ad sales

    MUMBAI: One of India’s biggest multi system operators (MSOs), Hathway Cable & Datacom has appointed Aidem Ventures to reach out to the country’s marketing and advertising fraternity.

     

    It has launched high impact advertising solutions’ suite on its digital platform to reach out to a captive audience through its TV channels. Its ad capabilities include:

     

    1.       EPG Banner – appears when and as long as the electronic programme guide is on display

     

    2.       Programme banner – served up for 10 seconds every time the programme ID is displayed; hence appears each time a user lands on a destination channel

     

    3.       Boot and Boom – displayed on the boot up screen each time it is launched

     

    4.       Aston pop-up – displayed at the bottom of the screen when the user is in full screen video

     

    5.       Volume pop-up – appears on the screen each time one increases/decreases the volume

     

    6.       Advertisement on mute – displayed when and as long as the mute popup is displayed on the screen

     

    7.       Synopsis Banner – displayed when and as long as the synopsis banner is shown on the screen

     

    8.       DCA Banner – displayed when the digits to the destination channel are entered on the remote control

     

    9.       Co-branded solutions on their national TV channels viz Hathway Music – a non-stop 24 hours Hindi music channel, CCC Cine channel – a Hindi movie channel and Hathway Life – the best of National Geographic channel’s content managed by NGC broadcast team. These channels are available across all Hathway and Asianet platforms.

     

    10.    Channel partnership solutions on all Hathway channels

     

    Announcing the news, Hathway MD and CEO Jagdish Kumar said, “We are confident that once advertisers experience these ad capabilities, they will be back for more. We plan to roll out more ad products over the coming year, while ensuring that they offer great ROI to advertisers and build a long term partnership.  We are happy to partner Aidem in this journey in creating a market place for Hathway’s ad products and I am confident that they will be able to successfully bridge these partnerships.”

     

    Aidem Ventures director Vikas Khanchandani said, “The Hathway ad solutions suite provides clutter-free and exclusive space on TV. It is already emerging as a powerful media option in the hands of advertisers. It is great to see such a positive response in the market. We are very happy about our association with Hathway.

     

    Hathway has operations across 140 cities and towns with subscriber base for cable TV services of analogue and digital at 11.7 million homes. Hathway has been awarded the best MSO by the Indian Telly Awards for its quality services nine times in a row.

     

    “In spite of the proliferation of various screens, time spent with TV continues to dominate viewing. Advertisers are seeing a huge captive reach and SOV in the Hathway ad platform. They will benefit immensely by the number of organic and inorganic exposures that it delivers,” added Aidem Ventures Hindi entertainment and niche channels business head Nikhil Sheth.