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  • Tonic Worldwide wins social media mandate for Warner Music India

    Tonic Worldwide wins social media mandate for Warner Music India

    MUMBAI: Following a competitive multi-agency pitch, Tonic Worldwide has bagged the social media mandate for Warner Music India. This follows Warner Music Group’s expansion plans in the country as detailed earlier this year. The account will be handled from Tonic Worldwide's Mumbai office.

    The agency will also help Warner Music India with digital strategy and execution to strengthen brand recall and build a strong community of digital followers.

    Tonic Worldwide CSO Unmisha Bhatt said, “It is a pleasure to be associated with a global music brand like Warner Music. India is a country of music lovers and streaming services are witnessing unprecedented growth. Our strategic and creative strengths, together with the team's passion helped us win the mandate for this iconic brand. It is an exciting opportunity, and we are looking forward to creating a strong and engaging consumer base for them on digital platforms.”

  • Social Beat’s Avinash Shenoy joins Tilt Brand Solutions

    Social Beat’s Avinash Shenoy joins Tilt Brand Solutions

    NEW DELHI: Avinash Shenoy has joined Tilt Brand Solutions as senior business director. He makes the move from Social Beat, where he was last serving as lead – business development and growth.

    At Social Beat, Shenoy was leading growth, focusing on brand strategy for business building communication, digital marketing, creative strategy, content marketing, and process control.

    Shenoy has over two decades of experience in advertising, brand management and marketing communications. In the past, he has worked with Pepsico and Reliance Capital and worked on execution of strategies for various marquee brands. On the agency side, he has managed key personal care brands for Unilever ads at Lowe and was part of a popular online jewellery brand where he worked towards delivering their growth hacking and digital marketing initiatives. Shenoy has also been associated with Famous Innovations, Publicis Groupe and Grey Worldwide.

    Tilt Brand Solutions was launched by former MullenLowe Lintas group CEO Joseph George in 2018. 

     

  • #Throwback2020: Big CMO appointments

    #Throwback2020: Big CMO appointments

    NEW DELHI: No doubt Covid2019 had an impact on nearly each and every category, but it could not deter the long-term objectives of brands. They ensured that work did not stop and it was business as usual, albeit under vastly different circumstances. As the lockdown lifted, several businesses started regaining pre-Covid sales and revenues, while others are still working their way to it with optimism.

    Even though there were layoffs at all levels, there were also those who picked up new roles during this challenging time. In the marketing domain, there were several big movements across brands throughout the year that surprised the industry and became the talk of the town. Some of these industry leaders joined emerging start-ups, vouching to scale them with their skills and market understanding; while others took charge of large and established brands, ensuring that their user base remains intact, and the communication with the consumer evolves further.

    Some of the noteworthy appointments include:-

    Kapil Grover, Burger King

    The quick-service restaurant space has witnessed rapid growth in India, though it, too, hit a stumbling block courtesy the pandemic. Home delivery and take-away options sustained the category, but with the fifth phase of Unlock underway, people have started dining out again. In order to further grow and consolidate its business, Burger King India appointed Kapil Grover as chief digital officer. He returned to Burger King after nearly two years at Jubilant FoodWorks’ Domino’s Pizza as CMO.

    Grover is a successful marketer with close to two decades in the industry. He has had stints with KFC India, Radico Khaitan, and Luxor Writing Instruments in the past.

    Aparna Mahesh, Great Learning

    The star of edu-tech continues rising in India, and competing brands are leaving no stone unturned to ensure their campaign outshines the rest. Amid this high-stakes fight, Great Learning appointed Aparna Mahesh to lead its global marketing strategy, development and delivery of brand communication, strategic marketing partnerships and user engagement. She joined from BankBazaar and has two decades of experience under her belt and a track record of building and nurturing successful brands nationally and internationally.

    Under Mahesh’s leadership, GreatLearning hit it out of the park this IPL with its Power Ahead campaign featuring Indian cricket’s golden boy Virat Kohli.

    Deepika Warrier, Diageo

    Liquor is one of the most difficult categories to market as the government does not allow any kind of advertising in it. The marketers in this category experiment with different formats to create a recall for their brand. This year, during the pandemic, Diageo brought ace marketer Deepika Warrier on board as CMO to lead its portfolio. Warrier has spent over two decades at Pepsico across different roles in India and markets overseas. 

    Gayatri Yadav, Sequoia Capital

    Star India’s former top executive and one of the most trusted hands at the broadcast network, Gayatri Yadav joined Sequoia Capital as chief marketing officer – India. Yadav spearheaded numerous initiatives at Star India and has over 20 years of experience in marketing across consumer products and media industries. She was last serving as president of consumer strategy and innovation at the broadcaster. Yadav has worked with brands such as Procter & Gamble and General Mills and was responsible for launching the Pillsbury brand. She is known in the industry for her leadership skills, brand management, business development, competitive analysis, business strategy, and keen customer insights.

    Gaurav Verma, PharmEasy

    Online medicine delivery is an extremely vibrant category that has only skyrocketed with the onset of the pandemic. It consists of several players competing for the mind space of consumers. PharmEasy, which accounts for 25 per cent of revenue in the e-pharmacy market, recently hired Gaurav Verma as CMO. He joined the organisation from Zomato, where he was working in the same capacity. Verma has over 15 years of experience and has worked at PepsiCo, TATA Tea, Lenovo and ITC.

    Suman Varma, Hamdard Wakf Laboratories

    Earlier this year, Hamdard Wakf Laboratories brought Suman Varma onboard to lead the marketing strategy for its extensive portfolio, which includes classical medicine, patented medicines, OTC products, and wellness centres. Varma is a veteran agency professional and marketer with over 30 years of experience. She has worked at J. Walter Thompson and Rediffusion Brand Solutions, and served on the boards of several brands as an independent director.

    Pradeep Hejmadi, Hathway

    Hathway Cable and Datacom appointed Pradeep Hejmadi as its chief marketing officer in April 2020. He joined the MSO from Aidem Ventures where he was serving as CEO. Hejmadi has over two decades of experience and has previously been with ZeeL, TAM, MTV India, Turner Research, Discovery Networks, BCCL, and J Walter Thompson.

    Avneesh Khosla, Vodafone

    Over the years, the telecom sector in India has expanded services across multiple portfolios – broadband, enterprise solutions, VAS, telecom services, cloud, security, cybersecurity, shared solutions, and others. Vodafone, one of the leading telcos in the country, elevated Avneesh Khosla as the brand’s chief marketing officer in April this year.

    Khosla is an old hand at Vodafone and was last serving as director, marketing. He has over 20 years of experience and has seen the transformation of Hutch into Vodafone. During his tenure, the company underwent yet another change in brand identity, as is now known as Vi.

    Meghna Apparao, Licious

    Industry stalwart Meghna Apparao joined Licious to grow the meat, meat-products and seafood brand as a chief business officer. From strategising for growth, to launching new categories, building business verticals, leading pioneering assignments across India and global markets to transforming consumer behaviour in the online space; Apparao has done it all. An able leader, she has led and mentored high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams throughout.

    Apparao came from Godrej Consumer Products where she was serving as a CMO. She has been associated with some of the biggest names in India Inc, viz, Hindustan Unilever, Amazon and Godrej.

    Kedar Apte, RBML

    A veteran marketer, Kedar Apte joined RBML, a 2019 joint venture between Reliance and BP for fuels and mobility in India, as CMO to lead categories such as fuel, convenience retail, and electric vehicles charging. He is a part of brand Jio-BP.

    Apte joined RBML from Castrol, where he was serving as VP marketing. He joined the firm in 2011 and spent a total of nine years at the lubricants giant. Prior to that he worked with HUL for nearly nine years.

    Manav Sethi, Octro

    With leadership experience across ecommerce, omnichannel marketplaces, local search, maps and classifieds, Manav Sethi joined Octro as global chief marketing officer.

    Prior to that, he was with Eros International, where he was working as group chief marketing officer. At Eros, he supervised growth of OTT platform and brand Eros Now. He was also the founding CMO for ALTBalaji. During his two-decade-long career, Sethi has worked with Zenith Infotech, PSI Data Systems, Webdunia.com, Reliance Big Entertainment, Bigmaps and AskMeBazaar.

    Karan Shroff, Unacademy

    The edu-tech brand which brought Karan Shroff from Xiaomi to lead the marketing function elevated him as the chief marketing officer for the brand. He is responsible for product growth, marketing, strategy, user retention, acquisition and several other portfolios. An ace marketer with sharp analytical skills, Shroff is an entrepreneur turned marketer. He founded his events company and then moved up the ladder step by step to reach this position. He spearheaded Unacademy’s first TV campaign ‘Let’s Crack It’, which became a viral success.

    Viral Oza, Mahindra Life Sciences

    A veteran marketer with experience across media, handset, FMCGs, realty, and technology sector, Viral Oza joined Mahindra Life Sciences as CMO. He has nearly three decades of experience and has worked with a variety of brands such as HUL, Nokia, BCCL, Microsoft, Lodha Group and others.

    Oza is leading the brands product portfolio, building deep market understanding and strengthening customer insight capabilities. He steers this transformation across the company’s residential and industrial businesses.

    Anupam Bokey, Allied Blenders

    India’s alcohol market includes domestic as well as foreign brands. With more disposable income in peoples’ hands, the category has been taking off of late and brands are launching newer variants, and marketing across multiple channels to connect with audiences. Allied Blenders and Distillers, which hosts brands such as Jolly Roger, Sterling Reserve, Officer’s Choice and others, roped in Anupam Bokey as CMO to lead marketing across its product portfolio. He joined from Too Yumm! He has over 25 years of experience and has worked with brands such as HUL, Britannia, and RPSG, to name a few.

    Meenu Bagla, Cyient

    Cyient, a digital technology and engineering solutions provider, appointed Meenu Bagla as VP and CMO. She is responsible for strengthening the brand reach, relevance, and advocacy to deliver accelerated business growth in new and existing markets.

    Prior to her Cyient stint, she was with Tech Mahindra as global head of. She has held marketing leadership positions at major multinational companies, including Quinnox, Wipro, Oracle, Aditya Birla Group, and CSS Corp. Bagla has evangelised and implemented a lean marketing strategy that is fuelled by digital technologies and powerful storytelling.

  • Industry needs lighter touch on regulations to achieve its potential: K Madhavan, CII

    Industry needs lighter touch on regulations to achieve its potential: K Madhavan, CII

    NEW DELHI: The ninth edition of CII Big Picture Summit kickstarted today. The three day-long event will see several eminent industry leaders sharing their thoughts. These include BARC CEO Sunil Lulla, Roy Kapur Films MD Siddharth Roy Kapur, senior journalist and former advisor to the prime minister Pankaj Pachauri, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Rakshit, Amazon Prime Video India country GM Gaurav Gandhi, and many others.

    There will be over 100 speakers, from both government and the industry. Some of the speakers are also joining the summit virtually from overseas. Sessions with state governments as well as with representatives of the regional entertainment industry will be hosted. The platform aims to give industry a chance to discuss what has worked, and what hasn’t – and how it can put India’s M&E sector on the global stage.

    A special curtain-raiser for the upcoming India International Film Festival in Goa in January 2021 will be presented by the ministry of information and broadcasting.

    The opening remarks for the event were delivered by CII national committee – media and entertainment chairman and MD Star & Disney India K Madhavan.

    He started by sharing his thoughts on how 2020 has taken a massive toll on the industry and how it is trying to fight back. “In my many years in the industry, disruption on this scale had never before been imagined. Content production was halted, live sports and events were cancelled, cinema halls and theatres were shut down. With a worldwide reduction in demand for services and major cuts in advertising spends – the pandemic enforced a long pause across the entire industry. However, the entire M&E industry came together to engage and entertain millions of viewers while they were homebound.”

    Madhavan stated how the entertainment consumption has surged across mediums such as television, gaming, and digital streaming platforms. TV and video streaming rose to a peak of 37 per cent higher than pre-lockdown levels.

    He also touched upon live sports making a stupendous comeback with the IPL 2020, lifting sentiments and the economy. “Not only was the IPL the biggest live cricketing tournament to be held during the pandemic, but it was also a beacon of hope and normalcy for the nation. The tournament broke all the previous records – with a 23 per cent increase in viewership over last year. The response from the fans and advertisers was heartening and it set a positive tone for the festive season. It acted as a game-changer for the sector and helped revive the media spends for the whole industry,” he added.

    He went on to talk about the film industry, and the innovations and breakthroughs it made to fight the crisis. “The film industry showed resilience and adapted to the ‘direct-to-digital’ model which helped launch new movies across digital streaming platforms. Cinema halls have taken longer to reopen, but I am confident that fans will soon be watching their favourite movies on the big screen, in safety.”

    The industry has what it takes to grow from the present $24 billion to $100 billion by 2030, but its potential is currently untapped in many ways, said Madhavan. “Pay TV is still at 120 million of the 300 million households in India, we only have 500 million smartphones in a country which has over 950 million mobile subscribers. The pandemic has driven customers to adopt technology as never before – as seen in the growth in e-commerce, online video, and digital gaming – and this can drive the sector to new heights.”

    To achieve this potential,  a lighter touch on regulation and a much simpler governance structure is needed in place, he stressed.

    “There are various kinds of restrictions that this sector is being subjected to although it has within it to make India truly atmanirbhar. We can increase our exports, increase the number of jobs being given to young talent, and most importantly, make India a global leader in content if policies are shaped as per the requirements of the industry,” Madhavan added.

    A CII report on the Big Picture Summit will also be released to present a panoramic view of the Indian media and entertainment industry – how it fared in 2020, what were the viewership trends, what was the impact of the pandemic on advertising, which medium got an edge, and going forward, what will be the role of Indian content in the global arena.

  • Digital media budgets, e-commerce selling surge in 2020: MMA report

    Digital media budgets, e-commerce selling surge in 2020: MMA report

    MUMBAI: The Covid2019 pandemic has triggered a definite shift in the consumer and business landscape. The advertising and marketing industry has had to quickly adapt to the new normal, realigning monies and deploying new tools and tactics to connect with audiences; in this regard, digital ecosystem has been the biggest gainer. In fact, digital media budgets have registered a 34 per cent increase over the past several months, states the Modern Marketer Reckoner report released by GroupM and MMA India.

    The report, which takes a deep dive into the business and media ecosystem of the country, underlines that 23 per cent of business respondents have focused on ecommerce selling this year.

    It further states that 54 percent of businesses in India have been impacted by the pandemic, of which retail, travel and tourism have been hit the hardest. It highlights that almost 90 per cent of people are more careful about how they spend their money in the new normal. 50 per cent of people have delayed big purchases and almost 38 per cent have cut down on day-to-day expenses.

    Most affected by consumers' tightened purse-strings are the discretionary categories – 77 per cent have reduced eating at restaurants, while 55 per cent have cut down on purchasing clothes and fashion accessories. Further, 48 per cent respondents have reduced spending on consumer electronics.

    What has seen a positive impact are the areas related to health and hygiene – 29 per cent are exercising more at home, 24 per cent are consuming more vitamins and supplements, and 23 per cent are spending more on groceries.

    With the onset of the pandemic, people stepped out of their comfort zones, tried something new, picked up diverse skillsets. Among the digital-first timers – 45 per cent streamed movies, 33 per cent used an e-learning app, 28 per cent purchased grocery online, and 22 per cent consulted a doctor online. As work from home became the norm, 43 per cent respondents utilised software to smoothen the workflow.

    This year’s Modern Marketer Reckoner report focuses on two major perspectives – the consumer lens and the marketer lens. The consumer lens focuses on the theme “Nothing Is Certain” and it captures the uncertainty and the changes which happened in 2020 at various levels from a consumer’s point of view. The first half of the report talks from a consumer sentiment perspective and the impact it has had at a socio-cultural level. It also highlights the media consumption perspective, with a special focus on digital and mobile app ecosystem. This looks at the growth in the mobile and digital ecosystem in the last few months and how it has leapfrogged. And lastly, it highlights the shopping perspective, focusing on how the shopping basket has changed for consumers, the shift towards essentials and the huge increase in ecommerce as a mode of shopping.

    The second half of the report – ‘Everything is Possible’ – focuses on providing a modern marketing reckoner to marketers on the key strategic tentpoles they should look at, so as to navigate the ambiguity and the uncertain business and economic landscape. It highlights the strategic pillars of modern marketing which marketers should deploy to not only deal with the current uncertainty but is a reckoner, even beyond. This part focuses on how the way consumer content has been changing and therefore how the content ecosystem is seeing the emergence of new formats and trends. Thus, it showcases and discusses how brand communication has moved from creativity to proliferation and thereby what should brands do to retool their strategies. It also highlights the growing importance of accountability in marketing and why it is more critical at times like this.

    GroupM south Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said, “The advertising and marketing industry has been encountering some fast changes in the past few years with the advancement in innovation and technology. In this current wave of uncertainty and ambiguity, it becomes even more critical for marketers to measure ROI and therefore, invest in data and technology to do the same. This year with the report we wanted to decipher the changing face of content and influencers, new communication formats and channels, and the ways to build powerful brands.”

    “The reckoner underlines the marketing industry’s certainty when it comes to the rapidly expanding mobile channel,” said MMA MD APAC Rohit Dadwal. “The industry, on the whole, recognises that the modern era of the market is upon us and we need to embrace it. This new age of marketing is going to be built on tools and technology that this report helps to outline along with great examples through the lens of various industry leaders who are the torch bears of this change… helping shape the future for marketers and agencies in India and abroad.”

    GroupM south Asia president Tushar Vyas said, “One of the biggest areas of impact that has emerged is the digital ecosystem. It plays a huge part in the way the business landscape of today has unfolded. We believe that modern marketers will have an advantage if they can apply deep insights to understand the changing landscape. In this period of uncertainty, we need to be more outcome-driven and mobile aligned to usher hope and dynamism into the life of the consumer again. With this report, we wanted to address the huge changes in the industry and talk about the new ways to embed data into every part of the business and decode them to get powerful insights which in turn can help brands communicate better.” 

  • Chrome DM week 49: English GEC genre emerges as top gainer

    Chrome DM week 49: English GEC genre emerges as top gainer

    NEW DELHI: English GEC is the top gainer for week 49, 2020 of Chrome Data Analytics and Media data. The genre clocked a marginal growth of 2.34 per cent.

    In this category, Comedy Central has gained the highest OTS with 42.8 in the HSM excl < 1 market. OTS is the actual census-based percentage connectivity of a channel spread across 81 million homes, as reported by Chrome DM, across analogue cable, digital cable, and DTH.

    This week, the sports genre has emerged as a close second on the top gainers list with a marginal growth of 1.52 per cent in the all India market. In this genre, DD Sports gained the highest OTS with 97.3 per cent.

    Read more coverage on ChromeDM

    Among other genres, English Movies, Business News, and Infotainment have grown slightly by 1.07 per cent, 0.93 per cent and 0.72 per cent.

  • TikTok debuts on TV with Samsung

    TikTok debuts on TV with Samsung

    New Delhi: Samsung Electronics and TikTok have announced a new app partnership that brings TikTok’s trending content into the home. TikTok will be exclusively available on Samsung Smart TVs in Europe, launching first for UK customers.

     

    The new app has been specifically created for a home-viewing experience, allowing people to view the ‘For You’ and ‘Following’ feeds, as well as the majority of the most liked and viewed content on TikTok. This content has been organised into 12 categories covering everything from gaming and comedy, to food and animals. The entertainment doesn’t stop there though, as people can also view #LearnOnTikTok videos so they can get the latest cooking hacks, fitness tips, and fun facts that TikTok has to offer.

     

    TikTok can be accessed on all Samsung Smart TV models from 2018-2020 onwards] which include Samsung’s 4K and 8K TVs as well as its smart monitor, The Premiere, The Frame and The Serif. TikTok can be easily downloadable via the Samsung Smart TV App Store and will now be pre-installed onto all new Samsung TVs purchased. What’s more, content will be available for anybody to enjoy – whether you have a TikTok account or not.

     

    Users will be able to view, like and comment on trending videos, giving households the opportunity to experience and enjoy TikTok’s top content. Users will also be able to block or mark content they are not interested in, with TikTok automatically operating in Restricted Mode a feature that filters out content that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

     

    “We are exceptionally proud and excited to be able to launch the TikTok app on our Smart TVs. At Samsung, we strive to give our customers an unrivalled content offering to guarantee endless entertainment and the latest addition of TikTok to our app line-up unlocks a new entertainment experience. With our QLED technology, customers will be able to watch the TikTok content creations on a big screen with lifelike picture resolution to maximise their viewing experience” said Samsung Electronics (UK) director TV/AV Dan Hastings,

     

    TikTok UK GM Rich Waterworth said: “The past year has dramatically changed the way we live, work and play. More of us are spending more time at home, watching TV with loved ones and enjoying content that entertains and educates through our smartphones.

     

    This has led us to think about how we can bring the creativity and joy of TikTok to even more people across the UK. Our new TikTok app will do just that, giving the millions of Samsung TV owners access to our trending recipe hacks, comedy skits, challenges and more – straight into living rooms across the country.”

  • RBI approves re-appointment of Uday Kotak as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank

    RBI approves re-appointment of Uday Kotak as MD & CEO of Kotak Mahindra Bank

    New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India has approved the re-appointment of Uday Kotak as the managing director and chief executive officer of Kotak Mahindra Bank for a period of three years with effect from 1 January 2021, according to a filing.

    Kotak is the founder managing director and promoter of the bank and has already served as the head of Kotak Mahindra Bank for the past 17 years.

    RBI also granted approval for reappointing Prakash Apte as part –time chairman and Dipak Gupta as joint managing director for a period of three years with effect from January 2021.

     

  • Indians are spending more time on smartphones since lockdown: Vivo report

    Indians are spending more time on smartphones since lockdown: Vivo report

    NEW DELHI: Mobile manufacturer Vivo has shared the findings of the second edition of ‘Smartphones and their impact on human relationships 2020’, a study that showcases the impact of mobile devices on consumers in this year of social distancing.

    As the smartphone becomes the centre of universe in our lives, its impact on society, on behaviours and every day human connections is significant. The study evaluates and sheds light on the various dimensions of increasing smartphone usage – extent of usage, impact of lockdown on usage patterns, impact on personal health and social relationships.

    The study revealed that 66 per cent Indians believe that their smartphone improves their quality of life. Still, a shocking 70 per cent feel that if their smartphone usage continues increasing, it is likely to impact their mental/physical health. Additionally, 74 per cent of respondents said that periodically switching off their mobile phone can help them spend more time with family. However, only 18 per cent of users have actually switched off their phone on their own.

    Vivo India director – brand strategy Nipun Marya said, “The year 2020 was unusual – a year that nobody had imagined. Amidst the socially distant lives that the pandemic pushed us to lead, the smartphone emerged as the central nervous system for everything – be it working or learning from home or staying connected with friends and family. However, while smartphones have given much-needed flexibility to people, its excessive use has led to addiction among users, and that in turn is impacting human relationships and behaviour.”

    Here are the key takeaways from the report on smartphone usage and the impact of Covid2019 on it:

    •        25 per cent increase in average daily time spent on smartphone has increased in the post-Covid era

    •        Indians are spending more time on smartphone since lockdown (April 2020) – OTT (59 per cent), social media (55 per cent) and gaming (45 per cent)

    •        The smartphone is the central nervous system for everything that consumers do.

    o   79 per cent users agree that a smartphone helps them stay connected with their loved ones

    o   66 per cent users agree that smartphones improve overall quality of life

    Addiction – While smartphone emerged as a necessity and had given much-needed flexibility to people, its excessive usage has triggered addiction:

    •   88 per cent users said that people point them out for using the phone when they are with them

    •   46 per cent people pick up the phone at least five times in an hour-long conversation

    •   70 per cent users feel excessive use of smartphones is impacting their mental and physical health

    •    84 per cent users check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up

    Relationships – The smartphone addiction resulting from excessive usage of smartphone is impacting human behaviour and relationships:

    •    89 per cent respondents agree that excessive use of smartphone is having an impact on the quality of time spent with their loved ones

    •    74 per cent said that it is important to have a life separate from your smartphones

    •    70 per cent users feel that mindless usage of smartphones is adversely impacting their relationships 

    Empathy – Let’s #SwitchOff for a while for a healthy mind and a healthier life

    •    73 per cent would be happier if they spent less time on smartphones

    •    74 per cent of respondents feel that periodically switching off their mobile phone can actually help one spend more time with family 

    The study was commissioned by Vivo and executed by CyberMedia Research (CMR), conducted across top eight cities in India – Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Pune. The report cuts across age-groups and demographics: youth, working professionals and housewives spanning the age groups of 15 to 45. The total number of respondents were 2,000 out of which 30 per cent were females and 70 per cent were males. 

  • #ActNow for mental health awareness, says Times Network

    #ActNow for mental health awareness, says Times Network

    MUMBAI: In 2017, 197.3 million people had mental health disorders in India (lancet psychiatry 2020), implying that while at least 14 per cent Indians are living with such issues, an alarming 86 per cent is behind a veil of ignorance. India’s mental health landscape presents a grim reality of poor implementation of mental health policies, age old discriminatory attitude towards those suffering from mental health illnesses, compounded with shortage of qualified personnel and low perceived need for care. With the Covid2019 outbreak triggering implications that reach far beyond the direct impact on people’s physical health, there has been an exacerbated spiralling of tension and anxiety, further increasing the load on India’s overtaxed mental health machinery.

    Addressing the rampant stigma and discrimination around mental health problems, Times Network has launched #ActNow, an initiative to spread awareness, normalise conversations around the issue and sensitise people to be responsive to the mental health needs of others.

    A special campaign film #ActNow  takes an outside-in view of the problem and targets the ‘people around’ to act, rather than the one living with mental health issues. Mirroring how societal structures treats a person living with a mental ailment with ignorance, pity, annoyance and utter disbelief, the film unravels the state of mind of someone who is besieged by misinterpreted advice of his near and dear ones as he fights a lone battle. A clarion call to realign our minds to escape from the entrapment of the prevalent social stigma and recognize mental health as an existential crisis for humanity, the impactful film urges public at large to remain receptive to the deteriorating mental health of people around and take appropriate course of action to offer support without prejudice and fear. The initiative launched on a special edition of Mirror Now’s Urban Debate, hosted an expert panel that analysed and discussed the deteriorating condition of mental illness in India.

    The initiative which encourages the essential steps of acknowledging the signs, choosing the right words and urging people to talk to an expert, draws relevance from Times Network’s nationwide research study commissioned to Nielsen India titled, ‘How Urban India Perceives Mental Health’. The study indicates that while awareness levels related to mental health ailments have gone up recently, there is a pressing need to disseminate the factual information to tackle the strong undercurrents of stigma and lack access to quality mental healthcare. Mental health conversations remain the single most important detriment and solution for this issue. The quantitative study that examines the dynamics, culture, mindset and perceptions of the people towards mental health was conducted through three prolonged evaluations based on secondary research, in depth interactions with mental health experts and a survey with India’s cross-section of urban population.

    Key findings as follows:

    ·         70 per cent of urban India claim to suffer/know of someone who has suffered from a mental health ailment

    ·         Among people who are suffering/know someone suffering from mental health ailment, depressions come out as the most prominent at 58 per cent.

    ·         76 per cent perceive that “People are not open to talk about mental health to everyone” and there is still shame and stigma associated around mental health ·          52 per cent of the people face problems in accessing a mental health professional and 63 per cent perceive that there is difficulty in procuring medication

    ·         54 per cent people are not completely aware about the diseases covered in a health insurance policy and 47 per cent of the people are unaware of the government mandate for health insurance policies to cover treatment of mental health ailments

    ·         57 per cent of urban India considers financial pressures to be the leading cause of negative impact on mental health

    The study took a sample size of 2,440 people across Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Jaipur, Patna, Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Vishakapatnam, Bareilly, Guwahati, Raipur, and Mangalore.

    Times Network president – strategy and business head – news and English entertainment cluster Vivek Srivastava said, “The new normal has triggered anxiety and deepened emotional turmoil, consequently leading to a quieter but concerning rise in the number of people grappling with mental health issues. ActNow is our endeavour to spread awareness and drive dialogues to break barriers around the mental health issue. Through our multi-faceted campaign, we urge the society at large to look beyond the happy faces that conceal the sufferings and encourage healthy and judgement-free conversations on mental health.”

    Refining and bringing a comprehensive view on mental health with the expert voices, the Network has onboarded Jaslok Hospital as the knowledge partner. Psychologists and mental experts from the hospital will provide critical inputs and steer the campaign with relevant information and decode the complex challenges associated with mental health crisis. Fostering positive mental health and evoking a sense of response amongst the millennials, Times Network has partnered with youth marketing firm, Viral Fission to drive community engagement through student advocates of mental health.

    #ActNow will be driven across Times Network channels and digital assets, print sds across The Times of India daily and a dedicated page on the network's digital news destination, Timesnownew.com, which will host a curated series of articles on mental well-being.