ITV

Tag: Anamika Mehta

  • ESPN Star Sports eyes Rs 1.6 bn ad rev from Indo-Pak series

    MUMBAI: Sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports is playing hard ball with advertisers for the blockbuster India-Pakistan series comprising 3 ODIs and two T20s.

    The sportscaster has set high ad rates for the high-profile series hoping to suck in as much ad revenue as it can. The series kicks off on 25 December.

    According to industry sources, the broadcaster is asking for Rs 800,000 per 10 second spot for the ODIs while the T20s have been priced at mind-boggling Rs 900,000-1 million.

    In comparison, the going rate for an India-England series is about Rs 275,000-300,000 per spot for ODIs and Rs 450,000 for the T20s, according to media buyers.

    An ODI match typically has 5,000-5,500 seconds of FCT, out of which each sponsor gets about 240-360 seconds. In contrast, a T20 match has 2,000-2,200 seconds wherein a sponsor gets 120-180 seconds.

    ESS is eyeing eight sponsors including two co-presenting and six associate sponsors. It has set an ambitious target of Rs 1.6 billion ad revenue from the series.

    ESPN Software India MD Aloke Malik said it has already got one sponsor on board for the series which will be held from 25 December to 6 January.

    “We are looking at two co-presenting and six associate sponsors. We have just gone to the market with it and have got one sponsor,” Malik told Indiantelevision.com without revealing the name of the sponsor.

    The steep rates have clearly not gone down well with the advertisers who are questioning the basis on which the rates have been hiked coming as it is in the wake of a subdued ad market.

    Lodestar UM COO Anamika Mehta said, “The ad rates for the series are inflated because of the hype around the series. The entry price is too steep and it‘s not really easy to spend that kind of money even on an India-Pakistan series. In any case, we had a packed cricket calendar this year.”

    While acknowledging that an India-Pakistan series will deliver high ratings compared to any other series, Mehta said the price point is too steep to take the bait. Lodestar‘s client Tata DoCoMo had signed a deal with ESS for the entire cricket season.

    “Although an India-Pakistan encounter delivers high viewership, beyond a point the ratings won‘t increase. At that price point we can as well buy other cricket properties,” Mehta reasoned.

    A top media buying executive from Mindshare questioned the justification behind the ad rate hike while conceding that an India-Pakistan series is a lucrative property to buy for any advertiser.

    “An India-Pakistan series is a premium property but it cannot be just doubled. There has to be some justification for this kind of an ad rate. A couple of our clients are interested in the series but this is not the price that we are willing to pay,” the official said requesting anonymity.

    The executive said that ESS can expect a premium of 25 to 50 per cent maximum on the prevailing prices. But anything above that is obnoxious, he added.

    A media buying executive of another agency wondered which advertiser would spend the kind of money that ESS is asking for. “The ad market is not buoyant as big spenders of cricket like telecom are not spending much. The insurance sector is dead, colas also spend mostly during summer and MNCs have already closed their yearly budgets. So the question is who has the appetite to spend this kind of money,” the executive questioned.

    The negative mood notwithstanding, the sports broadcaster remains optimistic about the prospects of the series which is happening after almost half a decade. The two countries last played a series in 2007.

    A senior ESS official asserted that the company was in the process of finalising deals and by next week it would be able stitch together a few of them.

    “The media buyers can say whatever they want to, but we are confident of achieving our targets. We are in negotiations with advertisers and will hopefully finalise few deals by next week,” the official said.

    The official said that apart from big spenders they would also have about 20-30 per cent of first time advertisers who are willing to pump in money for the big bang series.

  • Advertisers want deals to reflect digitisation gaps

    MUMBAI: Advertisers are pressing for structuring of advertising deals with television broadcasters to reflect the likelihood of a section of homes going without cable TV connections in the four metros as the shift to digital delivery of television channels happens from 1 November.

    The advertising industry expects about 15-20 per cent of television households to remain disconnected for some period from 1 November. Also, advertisers’ communications in the run up to the deadline for digitisation will not reach to the fullest extent as broadcasters have begun to switch off analogue channels genre wise from 10 October and would end the process of complete withdrawal of analogue TV channels in the four metros on 22 October with the most watched Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs).

    Allied Media COO PM Balakrishnan says, “There is lot of thinking happening at the backend. I don’t think advertisers are panicking.
    Even the deals are getting structured considering all these things.”

    The CEO of a large media buying and planning agency, who did not want to be quoted, said, “Advertisers may do well to analyse the realities of digitisation based on data available and fine-tune their media plans for the festive season.”

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Wednesday said an average of 77 per cent of cable TV homes in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata have switched to digital with the installation of set-top boxes (STBs), led by Mumbai with 99 per cent digitisation. According to the ministry, Chennai is the laggard with 59 per cent cable TV homes converted to digital.

    Advertising, particularly by consumer durable companies and automobile makers, peaks during Diwali festival when the consuming class spends the most.
    Havas Media India and South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar says, “The timing is very bad. The advertisers and media agencies are not going to be happy considering the environment currently. This was the period when we were looking at some traction at least. This has been a year of reduced ad spends and basically a slowdown year. Now there is uncertainty about the reach of the channels in the metros. The deals will have to be re-packaged.”

    Advertising community is also doubtful about the government’s claim of 77 per cent average digitisation in the four metros. Cable operators in Chennai and Kolkata are asking for extension of the digitisation deadline as they fear a significant percentage of homes would be without cable TV connection after 31 October.

    Lodestar UM COO Anamika Mehta says, “The economy has been sluggish, so all marketers were looking at the festive period to drive sales. TV obviously takes the big chunk of advertising. Now on TV many marketers will play safe.”
    Adding to this, OMD COO Haresh Shriyan says, “Whatever genre broadcasters will pull out, there are companies which are advertising on it. It will have serious implications on them in all the four metros. All this will certainly reflect on the ratings and reach, if executed. The advertisers now will have two options. One is that if the reach comes down and if the ratings and connectivity is impacted, advertisers will seek to have compensation from the broadcasters. They have paid when everything was normal but today it isn’t. Also, if this is the scenario, if the reach is impacted, if people don’t get to see their ads, the advertisers and agencies need to recommend a boost of plan for these markets.” 

    There is also a faction of media planners that feels the advertisers need not panic. If the current figures are to be believed, then the percentage of media darkness will be small compared to the earlier estimates. Madison Media CEO Basab Datta Chowdhury says, “Given the current level of penetration, it is only 20 per cent of homes that will be without cable TV connections. 100 per cent penetration won’t happen, we all know.”

    The important point to consider here is what part of the estimated 20 per cent media dark homes constitutes the TG. The advertisers’ ire on the pull out of analogue signals will depend on how much of their TG is being excluded from the reach.

    According to Madison’s Chowdhury, there isn’t much to worry in that case. “Right now, we are talking about 20 per cent of the homes (in media darkness). Also, if we extrapolate IRS figures onto the current penetration of digitisation, then it is essentially the Sec D and E homes. Nearly 95 per cent of the communication is targeted at the Sec A B and C viewers,” she says.

    TAM’s ratings

    If the industry banked on TAM ratings for planning and estimates earlier, the data becomes all the more important now in view of the genre-wise switching off of analogue signals. Nayyar says, “What TAM does post 1 November will be known only after the meeting next week. But till 31 October, TAM should continue giving ratings. This will serve two purposes — we will know the reality of digitisation figures in the metros. Secondly, we will know how much media darkness is prevalent in the metros.”

    Representatives from Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) would be meeting TAM Media Research on 15 October to discuss issues arising out of digitisation and the likelihood of some homes remaining without cable TV connections.

  • Microsoft consolidates digital biz under IPG’s Reprisemedia India

    MUMBAI: Microsoft India has moved its entire digital media account from WPP-owned Quasar and Publicis’s Performics to Reprisemedia India.

    IPG-owned Reprisemedia India will be the digital media AoR for Microsoft India across display and search.

    Additionally, Reprisemedia India will now form as an extension of Lodestar UM, which has been the lead media AoR for Microsoft India for the past 10 years.

    “This shift aligns India with Microsoft’s global move to consolidate digital media buying and search with UM,” said Microsoft India CMO Shafalika Saxena. “The next coming years will be a game-changer for Microsoft with the impending launch of a breakthrough operating system, Windows 8, coupled with exciting developments across our entire product portfolio. We look forward to working with Reprisemedia and deepening our partnership with UM.”

    This new arrangement comes into effect from July, and will leverage global expertise from across the many markets where Reprisemedia handles Microsoft’s Search business.

    “Reprisemedia India comes with an added advantage. As a full-service digital agency, its offering extends far beyond Search, into the realm of digital display, content and application. Reprisemedia will complement the unique strength of Lodestar UM within the content space,” Lodestar UM COO Anamika Mehta said.

    Reprisemedia India CEO Anjali Hegde added, “This is the most significant thing that has happened to Reprisemedia and we are really excited about the opportunity to work with Microsoft. It considers digital as a core and mainstream medium and that mindset allows a digital agency to push its boundaries of innovation and creativity – in short a dream client to work for.”

  • Lodestar UM wins PSI’s ‘Freedom 5’ and ‘Axshya communication’ accounts

    Lodestar UM wins PSI’s ‘Freedom 5’ and ‘Axshya communication’ accounts

    MUMBAI: Lodestar UM has been appointed as the media AoR by Population Services International (PSI), for Freedom 5 (Intra-Uterine Device for Women).

    The agency has also won media mandate for the Axshya communication campaign (awareness about Tuberculosis) project.

    The win comes on back of a multi-agency pitch that also saw participation of agencies like MediaCom, Maxus and Carat.

    Lodestar UM will be responsible for planning, buying and implementation across all mainline media i.e. TV, Print, Radio and Outdoor. The campaign on Tuberculosis has already broken in March 2012 while the Freedom 5 campaign is slated for release in May 2012 and will cover the pan-India market.

    Lodestar UM VP Anindya Ray said, ‘We are happy to be appointed as the AOR for the PSI campaigns against Tuberculosis and in driving demand for Freedom 5. We look to maximize the efficacy of the campaigns through use of appropriate tools and research based intelligence in order to push specific action.”

    Lodestar UM COO Anamika Mehta added, “Our endeavor is to create insightful ideas with a watchful eye on driving immersive communication experience in order to drive perception change. This is a huge responsibility and we look forward to partnering PSI.’’

    PSI (India) communications director Monica Bakshi said, “In India two people die of tuberculosis every three minutes, yet a majority of the population do not feel they are at risk from the disease. It is important to communicate that anybody can get TB, treatment is free and that an affected person must complete the full course of treatment. The first phase of the campaign highlights the urgency to get tested for TB, if one has a cough for two weeks or more. We have previously partnered successfully with Lodestar UM on other behaviour change communications campaigns, and are happy to have them on board to add media teeth to this important pan-India initiative.”

    The Freedom 5 communication seeks to bring about a behavioural change amongst married women in adopting proactive measures to avoid unplanned pregnancies. PSI intends to use its network of doctors across key markets to interact first-hand with the target audience and bring actionable change in perceptions.

    The Tuberculosis awareness campaign seeks to raise self-risk perception of the disease amongst the general population, and specifically targets adults between the ages of 15-54 years from the C and D socio-economic groups. People with a cough for two or more weeks are encouraged to have their sputum tested, for free, at the nearest Designated Microscopy Centre (DMC). The treatment for tuberculosis is free and is for a period of 6 to 8 months.

    The Tuberculosis campaign will not stop at awareness generation but will go beyond the traditional use of media and drive action.

  • Audiences swell for India F1 GP

    Audiences swell for India F1 GP

    MUMBAI: The first Indian F1 Grand Prix that was held last weekend has seen a sixfold increase in TV ratings compared to other F1 races, according to data from TAM Sports (c&s, 4+ six Metros).

    Tam data shows that if an average F1 GP has a TVR of 100, then the India race managed a TVR of 715. In terms of the other GP races, the Malaysian GP ran a TVR of 171 while the Australian GP managed 154 and the Singapore event got around 85 TVR. The analysis is based on the Qualifying Race and Race Day.

    Lodestar UN COO Anamika Mehta said that since the F1 race was taking place in India for the first time, there was a lot of buzz. “There was a lot more excitement and it is natural that the TVR grew. F1 is still a nascent sport but if it is cultivated and marketed well, it will grow.”

    Advertisers are still figuring out how an F1 association works in terms of economics and ROI. “The good news is that the race took place during the holiday season. Around 95,000 people watched the race on the ground which shows the kind of interest the event generated,” said Mehta.
     
    Mehta feels that interest in advertisers among F1 at a ground level will mostly be for the India event as opposed to being involved with the other races. “Being involved with F1 at an overall level will be a slow burn process. Even Indian companies which want to go abroad for now are mostly only involved with the Indian race. It does not make sense for Indian companies who are mostly local to be involved at a ground level with races in foreign markets.”

    Mehta expects advertisers to experiment with the F1 race in India over the next two to three years, both on-air and on the ground. So one could see different kinds of partnerships taking place.

    Mehta also does not expect much viewership growth to happen for the other races remaining in the season. “While there might be a bit of growth for the remaining races in the season, I don‘t think that it will be dramatic. The sport has to be cultivated in the country,” she averred.