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Tag: Alok Agarwal

  • Stars or Substance? Orientbell Tiles unveils bold campaign challenging celeb endorsements

    Stars or Substance? Orientbell Tiles unveils bold campaign challenging celeb endorsements

    Mumbai: Breaking free from the glittering allure of celebrity endorsements, Orientbell Tiles is about to embark on an extraordinary journey with its latest campaign – a thought-provoking exploration of the age-old question, Stars or Substance?

    In an age where brands often ride the celeb wave, Orientbell Tiles is flipping the script. The upcoming campaign, aptly named 100 per cent tiles and zero per cent celebs, is not just about tiles; it’s a reflection on the very essence of authenticity in advertising. It takes a stand, challenging the norm that equates star power with product worth.

    Imagine a world where the spotlight isn’t stolen by A-listers, but rather, it’s the craftsmanship, innovation, and quality of a product that shines through. That’s the vision driving Orientbell Tiles, as they cast aside the need for celeb endorsements and focus on what truly matters to the consumer – by Making shopping for tiles easier.

    Barely 25 per cent of our consumers believe that most celebs use the products they endorse. More than 50 per cent want to hold celebs accountable for the claims they endorse.

    The 100 per cent tiles and zero per cent celebs campaign is an invitation to question the status quo, to ponder the authenticity behind countless celeb endorsements.

    “We are today making a bold statement: no celeb endorsements, no shallow, marketing gimmicks. Orientbell Tiles will stand proudly on its own merit. And make shopping for floor and wall tiles easier.

    This campaign is not just about our brand; it’s about the broader conversation – the choice between superficial glam and authentic substance,” shared Orientbell Tiles chief marketing officer Alok Agarwal.

    Set to unfold across diverse media channels, 100 per cent Tiles and zero per cent Celebs aims to captivate hearts and minds, not by celeb name-dropping, but by sparking a dialogue on what truly defines excellence. And customer delight. The visuals and messaging are crafted to engage, provoke thought, and inspire consumers to make choices based on the essence of a brand, rather than the celebrity attached to it.

    Join Orientbell Tiles in this revolutionary campaign as they challenge the norms, encouraging consumers to look beyond the stars and discover the genuine substance that shapes their brand.

  • Ad honchos: Digital to be central to advertising very soon

    Ad honchos: Digital to be central to advertising very soon

    MUMBAI: Today’s marketers are working in a complex environment with increasing consumer choice and fragmenting media environment. With mobile becoming central to our lives, content consumption through it has skyrocketed. This has created a dynamic consumer purchase cycle and an opportunity for businesses to find newer sources of growth.

    Addressing the needs of the industry, marketers sat down to discuss how brands are tapping into this shift in consumer behaviour and discovering growth at Facebook’s ‘Discover Growth’ session. The session moderated by Facebook India and South Asia interim MD Sandeep Bhushan, had panelists including Dentsu Aegis Network chairman and CEO South Asia Ashish Bhasin, GSK Consumer Healthcare general manager of marketing excellence Alok Agarwal and Ambuj Chandna, head – retail liabilities, investment and payment products at Kotak Mahindra Bank.

    Brands today understand the value of mobile because 75 per cent of Indians accessing Facebook do so from their smartphones. The presence of over two million business pages on Facebook indicates that companies expect customers and growth to come from it.

    Bhasin opened the panel by pointing out some key trends that are seen in digital. He pointed out that digital is now becoming equivalent to mobile. Digital has benefited some major brands in the country that are investing heavily on the platform.

    With 40 per cent of Dentsu Aegis Network’s revenue coming in from its digital operations, Bhasin sees a clear shift in the way digital will impact brands and clients going forward. He expects 25 per cent of the market to be digital by 2020 and digital to be the single largest medium in the industry by 2023 but traditional mediums will continue to grow as well.

    Banking was one of the earliest sectors adopters of digital when it provided online banking facility to its existing customers but lately, BFSI sector has also been investing moderately in digital content. This is in contrast to 15 years ago when nothing but physically presenting yourself at the bank could allow a transaction.

    Chandna added that almost 60 per cent of Kotak’s active customers is transacting digitally. Kotak Mahindra Bank launched 811, a digital only bank account early this year. The 14-year-old bank has 10.5 million customers as of June 2017 and saw a jump of 30 per cent in two quarters only because of 811 account. “The physical world rules don’t apply to digital as it is important to create value proposition for digital and if you get that right, a brand can scale up dramatically,” he added.

    Alok Agarwal mentioned that though internet typically is a male-skewed platform, female consumers are increasingly spending more time on it. “High time spent on internet leads to funnelling of brand spends as they want to tap the customers at all touch points.”

    Consumers are platform-agnostic, which is shifting dynamics from television planning to video planning.

    Bhasin raised an important point of the need for a common measurement metric system for the advertising industry in the next two to three years. “We are a year away from a very big inflexion point where digital is going to be hugely central if not peripheral,” he adds.

    Agreeing to Bhasin on the need for a measurement metric, Chandna cited that initially Kotak heavily depended on traditional media advertising but stopped that when they realised it was only creating a category and not launching a product. The brand is leveraging in a big way to create ease of doing business and have a better connect with its customers. “Kotak Bank’s digital spends have increased by 40X and a majority of that goes into Facebook as we get detailed analysis and data there which is not available on other digital platforms,” he states.

    Alok Agarwal concluded the panel by emphasising that Facebook allows GSK to geo-target the customers in ways that were not possible earlier. A brand can also go for advocacy on digital where consumers can react and share their feedback in real time which is not possible on television.

  • RIL innovates; to live stream Q1-2016-17 results on FB, Youtube, Periscope

    RIL innovates; to live stream Q1-2016-17 results on FB, Youtube, Periscope

    MUMBAI: When you are a company that generates Rs 1,000 crore a day in revenue, you have to do things in style right? We are referring to the Mukesh Ambani group company Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

    It is touting a first for a global company as it gets ready to stream live its CFO’s Alok Agarwal’s analysis of its Q1-2016-17 results from a single axis (read a camera) over Youtube, Twitter’s Periscope and Facebook Live today. In most cases in the past, companies have streamed an event live on one of the three platforms but using different cameras.

    Says a company official: “Three cameras means three different angles for three different platforms. And an individual can look at only one camera at a time which means that somewhere or the other it appears as though he is not addressing people.”

    Apparently, RIL has technically innovated to have one video out from a single camera and distributing it to the three outlets with the help of a switcher.

    The test signal of the feed was seen on the verified Facebook page of RIL president and media director Umesh Upadhyay, the company’s Twitter feed called @FlameOfTruth and its YouTube landing, @flameoftruth2014.

    The company had streamed its results announcement live on Facebook in January 2016 with Agarwal holding forth on its Q3 2015-16 results. It then added Periscope to communicate its Q4 2015-2016 results.

    Now it has taken the step to simulcast the live stream on all the three digital platforms for its Q1 2016-2017 financials.

    “We are where the sophisticated consumer of media and stakeholders are, spread across different geographies and time zones ” an RIL official confirmed, requesting not to be named.

    A promo announcing this LIVE feed has already attracted 4.14 lakh reach, 1.03 lakh views, 2,300 likes on Facebook alone.

    RIL has more than 3 million shareholders. Even if 10 per cent of them log onto the live stream, that will be equal to the audiences that some TV shows get.

    Now if cable TV operators choose to stream this to their subscribers that could mean even more reach for RIL.

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/flameoftruth2014

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelianceIndustriesLimited/

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/flameoftruth

  • RIL innovates; to live stream Q1-2016-17 results on FB, Youtube, Periscope

    RIL innovates; to live stream Q1-2016-17 results on FB, Youtube, Periscope

    MUMBAI: When you are a company that generates Rs 1,000 crore a day in revenue, you have to do things in style right? We are referring to the Mukesh Ambani group company Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

    It is touting a first for a global company as it gets ready to stream live its CFO’s Alok Agarwal’s analysis of its Q1-2016-17 results from a single axis (read a camera) over Youtube, Twitter’s Periscope and Facebook Live today. In most cases in the past, companies have streamed an event live on one of the three platforms but using different cameras.

    Says a company official: “Three cameras means three different angles for three different platforms. And an individual can look at only one camera at a time which means that somewhere or the other it appears as though he is not addressing people.”

    Apparently, RIL has technically innovated to have one video out from a single camera and distributing it to the three outlets with the help of a switcher.

    The test signal of the feed was seen on the verified Facebook page of RIL president and media director Umesh Upadhyay, the company’s Twitter feed called @FlameOfTruth and its YouTube landing, @flameoftruth2014.

    The company had streamed its results announcement live on Facebook in January 2016 with Agarwal holding forth on its Q3 2015-16 results. It then added Periscope to communicate its Q4 2015-2016 results.

    Now it has taken the step to simulcast the live stream on all the three digital platforms for its Q1 2016-2017 financials.

    “We are where the sophisticated consumer of media and stakeholders are, spread across different geographies and time zones ” an RIL official confirmed, requesting not to be named.

    A promo announcing this LIVE feed has already attracted 4.14 lakh reach, 1.03 lakh views, 2,300 likes on Facebook alone.

    RIL has more than 3 million shareholders. Even if 10 per cent of them log onto the live stream, that will be equal to the audiences that some TV shows get.

    Now if cable TV operators choose to stream this to their subscribers that could mean even more reach for RIL.

    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/flameoftruth2014

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelianceIndustriesLimited/

    Twitter: https://twitter.com/flameoftruth

  • ZMCL q-o-q PAT up 53 per cent for Q3-2014

    ZMCL q-o-q PAT up 53 per cent for Q3-2014

    BENGALURU: Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL), the erstwhile Zee News Limited, reported a 53.36 per cent growth in PAT for Q3-2014 at Rs 5.92 crore as compared to the Rs 3.86 crore for Q2-2014. Operating revenue for Q3-2014 at Rs 91.68 crore was 10.4 per cent more than the Rs 83.02 crore for the immediate trailing quarter.

     

    However, year on year, the company’s Q3-2014 PAT was almost half (52 per cent) the PAT for the corresponding quarter of the last fiscal.  ZMCL had reported Operating revenue of Rs 85.84 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    Let us look at the other figures reported by ZMCL

     

    ZMCL has three revenue streams – advertising; subscription; and other sales and services. Advertising revenue for Q3-2014 at Rs 61.39 crore was 16 per cent more than the Rs 52.9 crore for immediate trailing quarter and 3 per cent more than the Rs 59.56 crore for the corresponding quarter of last year.

     

    Subscription revenue rose by 8.4 per cent for Q3-2014 to Rs 27 crore from Rs 24.9 crore for Q2-2014 and 21.6 per cent as compared to the Rs 22.2 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    Revenue from other sales and services for Q3-2014 at Rs 3.29 crore fell by 36.7 per cent from Rs.5.2 crores for Q2-2014 and fell by 19.1 per cent as compared to the Rs 4.07 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    Operating expenditure (Expenditure without depreciation and amortisation) for Q3-2014 at Rs 77.38 crore was 2.4 per cent more than the Rs 75.54 crore for Q2-2014 and 17 per cent more than the Rs 66.17 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    ZMCL spent 5.6 per cent more during Q3-2014 at Rs 15.75 crore towards marketing, distribution and promotional expense as compared to the Rs 14.91 crore for Q2-2014 and 2.9 per cent more than the Rs 15.31 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    Employee benefit expense for Q3-2014 at Rs 26.06 crore was 5.7 per cent more than the Rs 24.66 crore for Q2-2014 and 14.5 per cent higher than the Rs 22.76 crore for Q3-2013.

     

    Depreciation and amortisation expense for Q3-2014 was Rs 3.91 crore, for Q2-2014 Rs 3.52 crore, and for Q3-2013 Rs 2.87 crore.

     

    ZMCL non-executive chairman of the Board Subhash Chandra, said “Even as the global and domestic macro-economic environment poses challenges to growth, the private sector in the country has  shown immense resilience to tide over the short term problems of a sluggish economy. With signs of inflation stabilising over the next few months, the growth momentum, especially in the private sector, is likely to pick up. On its part, ZMCL has always stayed ahead in anticipating issues affecting the company performance in the long term. We have moved towards a more integrated approach to the news consumer by taking forward the process of bringing the news television, print and internet together. Our continued expansion in strategic growth markets is another indication of how we are looking to leverage the growing economy.”

     

    ZMCL group CEO, News Cluster Bhaskar Das said, “In order to fulfill our commitment of providing quality content for our regional viewer, we have recently introduced locally produced programming in Zee Marudhara. Additionally, we would be launching Zee Kalinga servicing Odisha market and have rebranded Maurya TV, which we acquired, as Zee Purvaiya. Our new channels launched in the current financial year have had significant growth in viewership with Zee Madhya Pradesh Chhattisgarh becoming number two channel in a few months of its launch and Zee Marudhara increasing its GVTs by over four times in the quarter as opposed to the previous one. New Media growth numbers too have been encouraging with zeenews.com registering an increase of 28.2 per cent in visits.”

     

    ZMCL whole-time director, Alok Agarwal said, “It has been an action packed quarter for us here at ZMCL. We have restaged Zee News channel with refreshed programming and look and feel. The channel now is more contemporary and youth-oriented. The channel, post restaging, has increased its weekly TVTs by about 18 per cent in the last four weeks of the quarter. Our other national channel Zee Business also has performed exceedingly well by developing non-stock market hours viewership and has almost two and a half times viewership of all the English Business news channels put together. Our Network-wide initiative Bharat Bhagya Vidhaata also has had a great response especially from New Age consumers with #BBV reaching 19.9 million.”

     

    Click here for full report

  • Zee Business consistently remains the No.1 Business Channel in India

    Zee Business consistently remains the No.1 Business Channel in India

    NEW DELHI: Zee Business, the business channel from Zee Media Corporation Ltd. continues its trend of being the No. 1 business channel has proved that it is the most preferred business channel in India and has been a resounding hit. As per the latest TAM data, the channel is No. 1 in terms of viewership, leaving behind the competition.

    India’s first 24 hour Hindi business channel, Zee Business has emerged as the nation’s preferred source of business news amongst all English & Hindi business channels. Zee Business tops the charts with highest GTVT’000 of 1901 (Source: TAM, TG: CS 25+ Male ABC, Market: HSM, Period: wk 45 ’13), which is even higher than all English business channels put together.

    Going by its philosophy “Aapka Faayda”, the channel strikes right balance with national and international business news. Zee Business give a complete and comprehensive update about the markets to its viewers, and takes credit in expanding the viewership for business channels beyond the stock market trading hours with an aggressive evening programming and a varied weekend line-up.

    Alok Agarwal, CEO Zee Media Corporation Ltd said, “We are glad that our viewers have put us in No. 1 again which shows our efforts have been accepted and rewarded by them. We will keep on trying to provide them best content in the future as well.”

    Samir Ahluwalia, Editor, Zee Business said, “We are thankful to our educated and empowered viewers for making us no. 1. We promise to deliver better programming mix and content which will be successful in educating & empowering the viewers. It has been our constant endeavor to deliver relevant and useful content to the viewers on a daily basis, and this is the reason why we have been preferred over the competition”.

    About Zee Business

    Zee Business, was conceived to offer ‘information’ and ‘insight’ and bring business and economy coverage to the viewers in their own language. It is the channel to profit and wealth and strives to create an entrepreneurial climate in the country that can help stimulate innovation and drive economic growth. ZEE BUSINESS continuously strives to empower viewers on smart decision-making related to investments, savings and spending. It endeavors to meet the highest standards of editorial excellence and always make its content relevant to the work and lives of its viewers.

  • Alok Agarwal replaces Barun Das as Zee News Ltd CEO

    Alok Agarwal replaces Barun Das as Zee News Ltd CEO

    MUMBAI: Alok Agarwal is replacing Barun Das as chief executive officer of Zee News Ltd (ZNL) with effect from 1 October.

    Das, who had a five-year stint has resigned and will be serving his notice period. He will complete the handover formalities to Agarwal.

    ZNL managing director Punit Goenka said, “Over the last five years, Barun has contributed immensely to the growth of Zee News and taken the company to greater heights. We wish him the best for his future endeavour.”

    Agrawal, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and MBA from IIM Bangalore, moves in from CHEIL where he held the position of chief operating officer. He comes with a rich experience of over 22 years.

    Said Goenka, “We welcome Alok into the Zee News family. His rich experience in the media domain would help us take Zee News to the next level of growth.”

  • eBay appoints Alok Agarwal as director marketing

    MUMBAI: Ecommerce marketplace ebay.com has got on board Alok Agarwal as director – marketing.

    Agarwal moves to ebay from Mahindra Two Wheelers where he was designated as the category head motorcycles.

    On his appointment eBay India country manager Muralikrishnan B said, “We welcome Alok to the eBay India family. eBay and eCommerce in India are at an inflection point and Alok‘s expertise in building Brands and marketing thought leadership would help for further enhance our growth trajectory in India and strengthen our position.”

    Agarwal said, “Distribution in India is complex, and with more than a decade of healthy growth, demand and supply are even more widely dispersed. The conventional multi-tier distribution model will be hard-pressed to make demand and supply meet. With my new role at eBay India, I look forward to playing match-maker between brands, entrepreneurs and consumers”

    Prior to joining Mahindra, Agarwal had worked with Sara Lee for six years, handling different roles at the organisation. He had also worked in Unilver, Cadbury India and Philips Consumer Electronics.