ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • IRS 2013 results given a clean chit in round one

    IRS 2013 results given a clean chit in round one

    Mumbai: The Indian Readership Survey 2013 has got a clean chit once again. The Readership Studies Council of India and the Media Research Users Council have approved the report submitted by the sub-committee they had appointed to critically assess the Indian Readership Survey 2013. The report had stated that the methodology and process adopted to conduct the survey were robust.

     

     MRUC and the RSCI also gave a go-ahead to the recommendation of  the subcommittee that  revalidation and audit of the fieldwork of the IRS 2013 be done by a third party with the deadline for the completion being given as four to six weeks.

     

    Meanwhile the result  and the report of the IRS 2013 continue to be in a state of suspended animation.

     

     

  • Brandscope India launches new communication for Embassy Group

    Brandscope India launches new communication for Embassy Group

    MUMBAI: Brandscope India – the outdoor arm of the Posterscope Group again hits another nail of innovation in the outdoor space in Bangalore for the launch of Embassy Group’s luxury property – Embassy Pristine, Bangalore one of the leading property developers of India. The objective of the campaign is to introduce the new property in an impactful and unique manner stating its USPs for a sustainable lifestyle.

     
    Given the stated objective the Embassy’s creative agency Oysters Advertising devised this innovation to create a visual impact through a 3D effect of the elements highlighting the features of the property on the billboard. Brandscope then implemented this effectively. Four such innovations underlining 24 x 7 water supply by putting live buckets, solar energy by putting solar panels, rain water harvesting by sintex tanks, pollution free transportation by cycling  to work  elevated the connect with the target group.  
     

    Speaking about the campaign, Reeza Sebastian, Head – Residential Marketing, Embassy Group, said, “OOH has been a large part of our media mix and we have found the traditional Outdoor medium to be far more effective in communicating our message around residential projects. We wanted to particularly highlight the sustainability initiatives at our lake front project, Embassy Pristine in Bangalore and keeping this in mind, our agency Oysters Advertising has conceived a very innovative and clutter breaking campaign that has resonated well with new customers”.

     
    Explaining the concept behind the campaign, Arun Kumar, Creative Director, Oysters Advertising, said,” “The idea  was to start a conversation and develop a social campaign that engaged our core audience While we have always endeavoured at Oysters to deliver out of the box solutions for Embassy, we sought to challenge the OOH box with the Embassy Pristine campaign. The objective of communicating the green initiatives and its real everyday benefits came to be distilled in the line “Green living gets real at Embassy Pristine” . The innovative concept developed by our team along with the strong support from Embassy Group and the flawless execution by Brandscope went a long way  in making the campaign a huge success.”

     
    Addressing the innovation, Haresh Nayak, Managing Director, Posterscope Group commented, “While we are increasingly being surrounded by new age digital opportunities, this campaign suggests that innovative campaigns can be intelligently delivered on traditional outdoor properties when combined with the right operational expertise.”

    Fabian Cowan, Vice President, Brandscope India added, “The essence of a good concept lies in its effective implementation. The client’s belief in our abilities to carry out this well thought out innovation was the key to this successful campaign and we consider it a privilege to be associated with Embassy Group.”

     
    The Embassy Pristine Outdoor Innovation Campaign was recently awarded ‘Silver’ at the 4th exchange4media OOH Advertising Awards 2014, in the category ‘Best Creative in others’.

  • Famebox Networks appoints Ignitee as digital agency partner

    Famebox Networks appoints Ignitee as digital agency partner

    MUMBAI: Video consumption in the country has been on an exponential growth, giving rise to a growing demand for original digital content. India has approximately 50 million online video viewers and one billion unique YouTube users each month.

     

    FameBox, a multi-channel talent platform for digital media, has appointed Ignitee Digital Services to manage its entire digital mandate and engagement across various digital platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

     

    FameBox aims to create an active and engaged online community by promoting established and emerging talent to create innovative and original digital content. As FameBox’s digital marketing partner, Ignitee will help in conceptualising and executing social media campaigns to increase the level of consumer engagement across FameBox’s digital initiatives and properties. Ignitee will also be responsible for the digital media planning and buying as well as managing the FameBox website and microsites.

     

    “India is now witnessing a growing amount of ‘made for web’ content which is capturing the audience’s imagination.  We are seeing webstars emerge and this trend is going to grow rapidly in the coming 12-18 months. At FameBox, we build digital video led communities for established and emerging talent as well as grow the ecosystem around original digital content,” explained FameBox business head Dhruvank Vaidya. “To emerge as a true web-entertainer, it is important to have the right balance of great content, engaging style and an eye for monetisation opportunities. Creating awareness, educating and promoting original web content will require a concerted and integrated effort. And, that is where we see Ignitee adding value to FameBox’s proposition.”

     

    FameBox currently manages a network of channels on YouTube across genres including entertainment, fashion, travel, food, comedy, health and wellness, lifestyle, and technology.  In addition to producing ‘made for web’ content, FameBox is also creating online reality show formats like FameBox WebChef, India’s first online hunt for the best amateur cook. Every quarter will see a new show in a different genre.

     

    Ignitee Digital CEO Atul Hegde said, “With the tremendous surge in digital video consumption in India, there has been an increase in the creation of original content on the web in line with the global trend. This is the ideal time for brands to capitalise on this opportunity, develop channels across genres and create customised content that will connect with the consumers.  Ignitee is thrilled to partner with FameBox and will play an integral role in creating some path breaking content for them. We have started off with a bang with WebChef. You will see some more such marquee content for FameBox in the months ahead.”

     

    Ignitee Digital has an array of renowned clients across sectors – Lifestyle, Entertainment, Corporate, BFSI, and Travel & Tourism and is now aggressively focussing on growing the business across industries in India.

  • Election tracker: Battling it, out-of-home

    Election tracker: Battling it, out-of-home

    MUMBAI: This general election may be the first among many, where media has been so extensively (and blatantly) used by political parties and their prime ministerial hopefuls.

     

    Far from fighting shy of marketing themselves, the main players – Congress and BJP – have spent nearly Rs 400 to Rs 500 crore each on publicity campaigns. An additional Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 crore will be spent on related activities such as banners, hoardings, organization of public meetings and transportation of key campaigners, among others. Not surprisingly, media agencies estimate around 2 to 2.5 per cent of overall advertisement spends this year to come from elections.

     

    One can switch a channel, turn a page or surf away, but hoardings are hard to ignore or even miss. And this is the reason why of the whole advertising budget, parties are spending approximately 10-15 per cent of the total budget i.e. close to Rs300-400 crore on OOH, if not less, as per industry sources.

     

    Possibly, with advertising rates on general entertainment channels (GECs) on television being prohibitive and posters having been banned in several cities of the country, outdoor remains the only viable option for election propaganda as it is cost-effective and has high reach as well. So you have hoardings of calling for a ‘Modi Sarkar’ or boating of ‘Bharat Nirman’ with NamO and RaGa staring down at you from the most non-descript locations in the country. What’s more, they have illumination for better visibility at night.

     

    With elections just round the corner, outdoor advertising has picked up significantly, mostly fuelled by political parties, which is quite unlike the usual scenario where outdoor advertising is more prominent during the second half of the year.

     

    Speaking of the growing appeal of OOH, Madison OOH Media Group CEO Arminio Ribeiro, says: “Given the flexibility of this medium in terms of narrow- and broad- casting and its localization and rapid awareness build-up benefits, outdoor has appealed to political parties to get their message across to the electorate through its multiple formats.”

     

    In order to get the best quality hoarding, tapping the most crowded route through buses or railway has certainly increased the competition. Everyone is trying to avail the benefit of this golden opportunity and those who have the diverse range of inventories are the main gainers.

     

    Sanjeev Gupta, managing director of Global Advertisers, which has been roped in for outdoor by both Congress and BJP, says, “With changing trends, political parties have also changed their approach and have become more professional. Therefore, our media plan included a mix of outdoor inventories to expand the reach of these campaigns and we expect to see more demand for outdoor in the coming months.”

     

    While Postercope Asia Pacific regional director, Haresh Nayak, says: “Tier II and Tier III markets have been the focus for the last year, continuing to grow this year as well, showing deep penetration in rural areas to create brand awareness.”

     

     Indeed, the FICCI-KPMG 2014 report finds that the OOH industry has grown by 5.5 per cent from CAGR (2007 to 2013), what with clients from real estate, telecom, media, auto, and now politics, driving it forward.

  • MEC India wins GoDaddy media account

    MEC India wins GoDaddy media account

    MUMBAI: WPP’s MEC India has won the media mandate for GoDaddy, the technology provider dedicated to small businesses.

     

    With over 12 million customers, GoDaddy manages more than 57 million domains globally. The company’s stated ambition is to help people easily start, confidently grow and successfully run their own ventures.

     

    GoDaddy has identified India as a priority market for their global expansion. The company recently signed on Mithun Chakraborty with a view to democratise internet-enabled businesses in India.  

     

    MEC North head Roopam Garg added, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner GoDaddy on their exciting journey. GoDaddy is all about empowering people in their quest for success and we are happy to play a small role in this great endeavour.”

     

    The clientele list of the agency includes Colgate Palmolive, Britannia, NIVEA,  FlipKart, Citibank, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters, General Electric, Zee Network, Reliance Group, CavinKare, to name a few.

  • Dentsu bags creative duties of TVS Housing

    Dentsu bags creative duties of TVS Housing

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Communications has bagged the creative duties of Emerald Haven Realty (EHRL), housing business of the TVS group.

     

     “We’re delighted with this opportunity to work with TVS Housing. This win not only strengthens our relationship with the TVS Group, but also our Southern network. We look forward to creating some distinctive and memorable communication on the brand,” said Dentsu APAC South CEO and Dentsu India executive chairman Rohit Ohri.

     

    After bagging the creative duties from the automobiles to realty major, Dentsu Communications CEO Simi Sabhaney said, “We will strive to provide impactful communication solutions in this category, which is otherwise so undifferentiated and cluttered.”

     

    Dentsu Communications VP Samrat Chengapa said, “Emerald Haven Realty, rooted in the values of the TVS group, is committed to creating homes that will bring joy to their consumers. It gives Dentsu great pride to be partnering them in this journey. We look forward to creating some impactful work for them in the near future.”

     

    “We are happy to have Dentsu partnering us in creating value to our customers through their processes of deep customer understanding, well established creative development and global expertise,” said EHRL CEO and president R Chandramouli.

  • IPAN Hill+Knowlton Strategies announces new leadership for key offices

    IPAN Hill+Knowlton Strategies announces new leadership for key offices

    MUMBAI: Hill+Knowlton Strategies, one of the leading and most respected public affairs and public relations firms in the world, today announced changes to the leadership in two of its most established offices in India, reflecting a period of sustained and robust growth across its largest operations.

     
    Vinod Moorthy, a member of the H+K Strategies team since 2007, has been appointed as Senior Vice President, North India and APAC regional Corporate Practice Leader. Vinod will be based in the H+K Strategies Gurgaon office and takes on this new role after a successful tenure as Senior Vice President, West.

     

    Devasis Chattopadhay, who joined H+K Strategies in early 2013, has been promoted to VP, West India with responsibility for the Mumbai operations and the continued growth of the finance practice across India.  He most recently served as Senior Client Services Director in Mumbai.

     

    Radhika Shapoorjee, President, South Asia & India, H+K Strategies commented: “The opportunity in a market like India is that we are in transformative times where we are seeing a political and social change that will have a huge impact on business.  This rapid pace of change and growth needs leaders who are flexible and quick to adapt new environments with ease.  We inherently believe in giving our senior people the opportunity to experience new markets and take on new roles both in India and internationally.  Vinod has been an instrumental part of the Mumbai business for over seven years, and in that time has grown our footprint into diverse sectors including infrastructure, entertainment, FMCG and finance and we’re looking forward to seeing more of that expansion in North India.  Devasis has exactly the right level of experience and passion to take the Mumbai business forward to even greater heights. These are exciting times for us here in India.”

               

    Vinod has been associated with the Indian communications industry for over two decades, and has exposure spanning diverse sectors & disciplines. He is a crisis communications expert and has advised CEOs across a wide range of industries on issues including managing policy & regulatory challenges, factory closure & industrial relations, consumer crisis, NGO activism, tax litigation, aircraft crash landing, and environment & health issues.

     

    Devasis brings nearly three decades of senior experience in the corporate and financial communications sector to H+K Strategies. His special expertise is in identifying and resolving the highest priority communication challenges of diversified corporate entities and organizations operating across sectors.  Before joining H+K Strategies he held senior positions in companies in the finance and various industrial sectors.

  • JWT acquires majority stake in Social Wavelength

    JWT acquires majority stake in Social Wavelength

    MUMBAI: WPP Group’s JWT has acquired a majority stake in Social Wavelength.

     

    JWT’s acquisition of Social Wavelength is a logical confluence of social media and mainline expertise, coming together to create integrated communication for brands. The rich experience of five years that we have, in this young industry of Social and Digital Media, will find the next leap of growth, through this partnership. A socially connected world is going to create new challenges and opportunities for brands, and we will create solutions to help brands navigate those challenges,” said Social Wavelength joint CEOs Haresh Tibrewala and Sanjay Mehta.  

     

    The social media agency was founded in 2009, and headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Delhi and Chennai. The agency now has over 170 professionals who offer social media communication services, social media listening services using Radian6,  influencer outreach program, application development, video and rich media content creation and media buying to over 50 leading brands.

     

    The acquisition marks a further step in WPP’s strategy of developing its networks in fast-growth markets and sectors. In India, WPP companies (including associates) generate revenues of nearly $500 million and employ almost 13,000 people.

     

    “We want to be a critical resource partner across the many solutions we provide to our clients. As we continue to relentlessly transform our offerings, Social Wavelength adds a huge dimension to our existing clients and the brands we steward. Across the marcom value chain and across various digital touch points the skills and capabilities of Social Wavelength will be that edge,” said JWT South Asia CEO Colvyn Harris.

     

    Social Wavelength’s revenues for the year ended 31 March 2013 were Rs 9.15 crore, with gross assets at the same date of Rs 5.92 crore. Social Wavelength marks WPP’s fifth acquisition in India in the last four years.

     

    JWT Asia Pacific has invested heavily in expanding its digital footprint over the last two years.  In addition to the acquisition of Hungama, in India, JWT acquired Post Visual in South Korea in 2013, and took a stake in Converge, in Pakistan, in 2012.  XM Asia, a digital agency owned by JWT, also acquired Designercity, in Hong Kong, and Thomas Idea, in Thailand, in 2013, and XM Gravity in 2012.