ITV

Tag: Coca-Cola

  • Citra to tingle taste buds again

    Citra to tingle taste buds again

    MUMBAI: Coca-Cola India is in process to revive the clear-lime drink brand Citra in India and has already deployed it in its pilot run. The brand was among those, which were bought from Ramesh Chauhan by the company two decades ago.

    Confirming the development to Indiantelevision.com Coca-Cola general manager – public affairs Kamal Sharma said, “We have launched the pilot of the drink in around 2000 outlets in Gujarat and depending on the feedback, we will launch the drink at other places.”

    The pricing and brand identity of the relaunched Citra will also be decided after the feedback from the Gujarat pilot run. There are estimates that the drink may be priced around 20 per cent cheaper than existing lime-lemon drinks such as its own brands Sprite and Limca as well as PepsiCo‘s Mountain Dew and 7 Up.

    Today, the fizzy drinks industry in the country stands at an estimated Rs 130 billion. When Coca-Cola re-entered India in 1993 it bought out all Parle brands except Bisleri from Chauhan.

    While Citra and Gold Spot were discontinued in order to make room for Coca-Cola‘s global brands Sprite and Fanta, brands like Thums Up, Limca and Maaza were retained. In fact Thums Up was considered sidelined for a while, till Coca-Cola woke up to the potential of the Indian brand.

    Reports suggest that India‘s per capita consumption of carbonated drinks is 11 litres a year as compared to 34 litres in China and 675 litres in Mexico. The lime-lemon category in India has been growing 16-17 per cent a year while colas are growing at about 11-12 per cent and orange drinks at 8-9 per cent.

    Both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have been promoting their brands aggressively in this segment. While PepsiCo has Salman Khan as endorser for Mountain Dew and Sharman Joshi for 7 Up, Coca-Cola pushes clear-lime drink Sprite and cloudy lemon drink Limca on the irreverent and freshness platforms respectively.

  • Coca-Cola to usher in New Year with a fresh campaign

    Coca-Cola to usher in New Year with a fresh campaign

    MUMBAI: Coca-Cola is launching a new communication campaign- ‘Believe in a Happier Tomorrow‘ this New Year.

    The integrated communication programme will be leveraged through social media, radio platforms and on-ground initiatives.

    The beverage company said that the campaign celebrates values of happiness and optimism, urging people to look at the brighter side of life, celebrating people who radiate optimism, with myriad reasons to believe in a wonderful year ahead.

    The new campaign has been conceptualised by the creative team at McCann Delhi. The jingle ‘Umeed Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Wali Aasha‘ has been penned by Prasoon Joshi while the music is credited to Bollywood music composer, Shantanu Moitra.

    Coca-Cola India and South West Asia VP-marketing Anupama Ahluwalia said, “Coca-Cola has spread happiness for over 125 years. As we prepare to usher in another New Year, it is the season of spreading good cheer and the perfect time to look ahead with a positive outlook. Our latest campaign captures the spirit of hope and optimism, further establishing the brand‘s ‘philosophy‘ by urging people to believe in a happier tomorrow.”

    “This is more than just a campaign for Coca-Cola and we are confident that the new campaign will strike a chord of happiness with our consumers and the chorus of happy children will warm the hearts and add to the spirit of positivity for the coming year,” he added.

    The film has been directed by Kaushik Sarkar, and produced by the production house, Apostrophe.

  • Culture should be used for market segmentation and not geographies: Chaudhuri

    Culture should be used for market segmentation and not geographies: Chaudhuri

    MUMBAI: Since the launch of International brands in the Indian market, there have been few successful stories and few unsuccessful stories too. But there has always been learning for all, and that is- “don‘t treat Indian customers like those of other parts of the world”.

    Culture and people here are different and the market need to be targeted differently. It‘s same for the other markets of the world. Strategy of one market can not successfully work in the other; says IIPM dean (centre for graduate studies) and Planman Consulting director Rajita Chaudhuri, while speaking at the World Brand Congress 2011 that concluded here today.

    She said, “Culture is the new tool for branding. As marketers, one should remember that standardising doesn‘t work. Cultural influences remain strong. The way a consumer decides to pick a brand is culture specific. In the west there are pragmatic consumers, in east there are critical consumers, in north there are consumers who can be influenced by entertaining campaigns while for the south the campaign has to be informative.”
     
    Further explaining with examples, she mentioned, “When Coca Cola launched in India, they came up with the same western campaign and it failed drastically. Even Dove‘s ‘Real Beauty‘ campaign in China was unsuccessful because ‘Chinese don‘t believe in real beauty concept‘. KFC when launched in India served chicken wings but it didn‘t work very well and it eventually started serving vegetarian to Indians too. So, those brands who change survive. Coca-Cola changed its campaign theme to ‘thanda matlab Coca Cola‘ and it succeeded.”

    “MTV offered only English music but then it changed to Hindi and survived. Pillsbury has come up with Punjabi flour. Samsung, Nike‘s, Pepsi who have associated with cricket have managed to break the clutter. Britannia came up with biscuits that can be dipped in tea and consumed. It became a hit as we Indians love to do that.”
     
    Talking about homogeneity, she added, “India is not homogeneous, the markets are no longer homogenous. Culture should be used for market segmentation and not geographies. Customisation is essential. For Bengali market LG has attachments in microwave for cooking fish, for south they have attachment that can help them make Idli. Cavinkare (Fairever) has promoted that the cream is made with saffron and milk so it will not only keep the skin fair but also healthy. This is very impactful for target market like India.”

    According to her packaging should also be influenced by culture. She said, “Shampoo sachets and combo packs for Punjabis are example of it. Those who understand the local market will rule.”

  • Coca-Cola to invest $2 bn in India

    Coca-Cola to invest $2 bn in India

    MUMBAI: Coca-Cola will splurge $30 billion over the next five years starting 2012, out of which India‘s share is $2 billion.

    Coca-Cola and its bottling partners in India will invest in consumer marketing and brand building, innovation, expansion of distribution and cold drink equipment placement as well as further development of manufacturing capacity to meet growing consumer demand.

    India is a strategic growth country for the company, ranking among its top 10 markets in volume globally and is the largest market in the Eurasia and Africa Group. The aim is to make India one of the top 5 coke markets by the end of this decade.
     
    Coca-Cola is looking at doubling its India revenues this decade.

    Coca-Cola president Eurasia and Africa Group Ahmet C Bozer said, “India is one of our most important growth markets as we work toward our 2020 Vision of doubling system revenues and servings this decade. The opportunity in the packaged beverage segment is immense, and our efforts in India are focused on being the beverage of choice all day, every day. If we continue to do the right things each day and at all times, it would not surprise me if India becomes one of the top five markets for the company globally by the end of this decade.”

    Coca-Cola has already invested over $2 billion in India since it re-entered the country in 1993. The investments announced today by Coca-Cola will further catalyze economic growth and create new opportunities for the local community. 
     
    Coca-Cola India and South West Asia president and CEO Atul Singh said, “This investment is a part of our long-term commitment to invest in innovation, partnerships and a portfolio of brands that will enable us to grow our business in a sustainable and responsible way. In addition to our infrastructure and capabilities, the new investment will also focus on enhancing the consumer experience, building brand loyalty and contributing to environmental sustainability and community development. Our India business has been growing at a robust rate over the last five years, and our goal is to continue this growth momentum. The country‘s demographics, economic and social parameters are all huge drivers of growth and we have to ensure that we capitalize on the opportunity.”

    The Coca-Cola company has continuously registered volume growth in India for the past 21 quarters, 15 of which have seen double-digit growth.

  • Coca-Cola launches new communication for Diwali, ties up with Ra.One

    Coca-Cola launches new communication for Diwali, ties up with Ra.One

    BANGALORE: Coca-Cola has launched its new integrated communication initiative – “Khushiyan Baatne Se Hi Badhti Hain” for this Diwali.

    The campaign builds on the values of inclusivity, spreading and extending happiness that India as a society revels in and something that brand Coca-Cola has always been a proponent of.

    To further amplify the campaign, Coca-Cola has tied up with Ra.One through an interesting consumer promotion through which 25 lucky respondents chosen through a computer generated lucky draw will win a chance to meet the leading star of Ra.One, Shah Rukh Khan.

    The Coca-Cola television campaign for Diwali portrays how a group of friends set out to brighten up spaces that are most dear to them with diyas, thereby spreading happiness. The movement to spread the happiness is contributed by each of the friends lighting diyas in memory of special moment in a particular place like their classroom, the girl’s hostel watchman, canteen table etc.

    Coca-Cola India and South West Asia VP – Marketing, Anupama Ahluwalia says, “We are confident that this new communication will strike a chord with the Coca-Cola consumers and serve as a catalyst in making their Diwali a little more special and memorable. This Diwali, we urge all Indians to include others in their happiness, go ahead light two more diyas for someone else”.

    The ‘Khushiyaan Baantne Se Hi Badhti Hain’ campaign has been conceptualised by McCann Erickson‘s– executive chairman McCann Worldgroup India, regional creative director Asia Pacific McCann World Group Prasoon Joshi , and co-created by executive creative director Rahul Matthew, and senior creative director Akshay Kapnadak.

    The film has been produced by Ram Madhvani of Equinox Films and the soulful background score has been composed by ace music composer Shantanu Moitra. The TVC will also be supported by a strong digital media campaign that aims to amplify the concept of sharing happiness through the act of lighting diyas.

    Speaking about the latest initiative, Joshi said, “Working on this particular campaign has been a very fulfilling experience. The McCann and Equinox team has turned this campaign around in record time. The Coca-Cola ‘Khushiyaan Baantne Se Hi Badhti Hain’ campaign encourages everyone to make this Diwali more special and memorable by undertaking the simple act of lighting two diyas for someone/ someplace else thus extending happiness and spreading joy”.

  • O&M and Lowe amongst most effective agency offices

    O&M and Lowe amongst most effective agency offices

    MUMBAI: They might not have won many metals at Cannes Lions 2011 but if a new index is to be believed, Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai and Lowe Lintas Mumbai are two of the world’s top five most effective agency offices.

    While Ogilvy & Mather has been ranked at No. 2, Lowe Lintas Mumbai was placed fifth in the results of the inaugural Effie Effectiveness Index that were extracted after analysing finalist and winner data from 40 worldwide Effie competitions.

    Interestingly, while two of the top five most effective agency offices are from India, the other three are from South America.

    Marketing network Effie Worldwide and the global marketing intelligence service, Warc, revealed the results of the inaugural, Effie Effectiveness Index, at the 58th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

    The index has also claimed that Procter & Gamble is the most effective advertiser; McDonald‘s the most effective brand; Omnicom the most effective advertising holding company; and BBDO Worldwide the most effective advertising agency network, globally.

    Moreover, the top five most effective advertisers around the globe include Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Kraft, Nestle and Coca-Cola.

    The top five most effective brands are McDonald‘s, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet and Vodafone.

    According to the results, the top five most effective agency holding groups in the world are Omnicom, WPP Group, Interpublic (IPG), Publicis Groupe and Havas Advertising.

    The other most effective agency offices are Sancho BBDO of Bogota, Colombia (1), OMD (Bogota, Colombia) (3) and BBDO (Santiago, Chile) (4), while the top five independent advertising agencies are Wieden + Kennedy, (Portland, Oregon, USA), Kinograf (Kiev, Ukraine), Rabarba (Istanbul, Turkey), BBH Singapore and a fifth place tie between BMF (Sydney, Australia) and Propaganda House (Kiev, Ukraine).

    The top five most effective agency networks are BBDO Worldwide, McCann Worldgroup, Ogilvy & Mather, DDB Worldwide, and JWT.

  • ‘India is our largest revenue contributor’ : TSA Group CEO Marcus Luer

    ‘India is our largest revenue contributor’ : TSA Group CEO Marcus Luer

    As it plans to grow its business in India, Total Sports Asia (TSA) is looking at media formats that combine sports with lifestyle.

    Plotting an aggressive growth strategy, the sports marketing company has been able to double its India business year on year.

    The business in India has been divided into three verticals – media, licensing and events and sponsorship. Forty per cent of the business comes from media. Another 40 per cent comes from events and sponsorship, while licensing takes up the rest.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, TSA Group CEO Marcus Luer talks about the challenges sports marketing companies face in Asia.

    Excerpts:

    How has the business grown over the last couple of years?
    In the TV rights and production business, we are physically involved in over 50 live events across the globe. We provide satellite and production service to our core properties in badminton, table tennis, squash and boxing. We own and sell major properties worldwide including BWF Super Series, ITTF Pro Tour and all other ITTF events, PSA Pro Tour, AIBA Boxing and the World Series of Boxing.

    So far as partnerships and sponsorships go, we work on both ends of the spectrum. We work directly with rights holders and help them find new partners in Asia, including major football clubs from Europe, F1 teams, US Open Tennis and ITTF Pro Tour.

    What challenges did the economic downturn pose for you?
    2008-09 were not “fun” years. We had invested heavily into new areas, manpower and had lost a big account. We stuck to our core principals and retooled certain areas of the business. We are on target to have our best year ever.

    As it plans to grow its business in India, Total Sports Asia (TSA) is looking at media formats that combine sports with lifestyle.

    Plotting an aggressive growth strategy, the sports marketing company has been able to double its India business year on year.

    The business in India has been divided into three verticals – media, licensing and events and sponsorship. Forty per cent of the business comes from media. Another 40 per cent comes from events and sponsorship, while licensing takes up the rest.

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com‘s Ashwin Pinto, TSA Group CEO Marcus Luer talks about the challenges sports marketing companies face in Asia.

    Excerpts:

    How has the business grown over the last couple of years?
    In the TV rights and production business, we are physically involved in over 50 live events across the globe. We provide satellite and production service to our core properties in badminton, table tennis, squash and boxing. We own and sell major properties worldwide including BWF Super Series, ITTF Pro Tour and all other ITTF events, PSA Pro Tour, AIBA Boxing and the World Series of Boxing.

    So far as partnerships and sponsorships go, we work on both ends of the spectrum. We work directly with rights holders and help them find new partners in Asia, including major football clubs from Europe, F1 teams, US Open Tennis and ITTF Pro Tour.

    What challenges did the economic downturn pose for you?
    2008-09 were not “fun” years. We had invested heavily into new areas, manpower and had lost a big account. We stuck to our core principals and retooled certain areas of the business. We are on target to have our best year ever.

    Are things back to normal now or has the Japan earthquake set things back?
    Sports marketing in Asia has been back to normal since 2010, which was also a big Football World Cup year. I believe the industry has growth potential for the next 20-30 years. Of course, there will be course corrections based on global macro economic problems or more domestic issues in key markets which will affect everyone.

    On the other hand, sports marketing is still only a toddler in Asia and has plenty of years left before it reaches levels of maturity as seen in the US, Europe or Australia. Certain sports have already been developed like cricket in India. But even cricket has plenty of room to improve and grow. As powerful as the IPL is, it‘s not on the same level of professionalism as major football Leagues in Europe. For a still relatively new League, it has done incredibly well and has plenty of room to grow and improve.

    How has the business in India grown?
    The business from India has been doubling year on year. India has always been a very important market, even prior to 2004 when we set up our local subsidiary. Over the years, India has now grown to be the single largest country in terms of revenue contribution to the group.
    ‘We already have great scale in India and do very little in cricket. That just shows that there are plenty of other areas to concentrate on and grow the business outside cricket‘

    Given that India is a one sport country, what is the strategy to build scale here?
    We already have great scale in India and do very little in cricket. That just shows that there are plenty of other areas to concentrate on and grow the business outside cricket.

    We have divided the business into three verticals – media, events and sponsorship and licensing. We do six to seven events a year.

    How did you get involved with the Delhi Golf Club?
    The Delhi Golf Club made the most sense for us in terms of taking the rights for their calendar year and getting sponsors. We have got sponsors like Mitsubishi Motors and China Tourism. The other option is to do a one off event like everyone else. We did not want to get into a crowded space.

    How are you going to get involved with the F1 event here?
    In F1, our focus is on the teams and only occasionally we work with the local races.

    I do believe that F1 viewership and general interest in the sport will dramatically grow in India over the next three-five years. I saw it first hand in Malaysia where F1 was unknown to the general public prior to the first race in 1999; now everyone seems to be an expert. I have no doubt that F1 will have a similar success in India. It‘s an amazing product and even more exciting to watch live than on TV.

    Once Indian corporations have a chance to see the F1 spectacle live, they will get the idea pretty quickly on how to leverage the power of it in the local market and even worldwide.

    In India what work are you doing to grow soccer?
    We have worked with several clubs including Churchill Brothers to help them grow their commercial revenue streams. We had partnered with CAA to bid for the rights, which now are handled by IMG/Reliance. So we were ready to invest considerable resources into the sport, but unfortunately came up a bit short.

    We are seeing sports bodies and agencies making a bigger push in India. WWE just set up an office here. IMG Reliance is doing work to push sports. How will all this activity benefit the sports marketing environment here?
    It clearly will grow the size of the pie,,there is no doubt about it. Just like Cricket, there are several other sports which have good growth potential. It has happened all over the world and will happen here as well. Clear second tier sports will emerge and will develop their own niche and space.

    Growth will be led by new star players emerging in certain sports; the 2012 Olympics will particularly unearth new talent. Sports will be driven by corporations seeking new ways to reach consumers and being driven or prized out of cricket.

    Are you looking at the possibility of a JV in India like what IMG has done with Reliance?
    We are always open to team up with powerful partners.

    In terms of leveraging their brands, to what extent is digital becoming important for sports federations and sports marketing agencies?
    The digital world is a huge opportunity for sports in general. Niche sports can now deliver their content directly to their fan base without having to rely on the big sports platforms or channels.

    At the same time, sports is the only true “appointment TV” and, therefore, will continue to drive pay TV and other traditional media platforms as it caters to huge audiences — “live”.

    The only difference is sports, where it is all about live experience; no one will tape a crucial match of their favourite team, player or sport. People make “appointments” to watch it live; the delivery mechanism and the viewing experience might change but not the desire to see it while it unfolds. That‘s the true power of sports.

    What progress has your online streaming service Total Sports TV made since launch?
    It‘s an on-going case study into the digital world for us. We don‘t claim to have found the ultimate solution yet — but it gives us exposure into a new fast developing area and will lead to new business opportunities down the line.

    How is Total Sports Asia planning to get involved with the 2012 Olympics?
    I assume that the economic impact in Asia will be much smaller compared to 2008. We are working with several companies who are major Olympic sponsors and helping them with marketing and leveraging ideas and implementation across the region.

    I believe the London Olympics will be big in Asia, because of the host city itself. Beijing was unique in many ways and might not be topped in terms of the sheer scale and size. But I have no doubt that London will set new standards in many other ways. Overall, the Olympics will definitely grow in Asia and we will see more and more global sponsors trying to take its advantage by making it locally relevant.

    What are the new technologies coming up here that are enhancing the viewer‘s experience?
    Our racket sport production business is growing dramatically this year. We have brought in many innovative ideas such as speed guns and virtual technology to enhance the viewer experience. We are also aiming to provide fans with new data and info about their sport.

    We will continue to work with our Federations to push new technologies and ideas, while making it commercially viable at the same time.

    Sports marketing in Asia has been back to normal since 2010, which was also a big Football World Cup year. I believe the industry has growth potential for the next 20-30 years. Of course, there will be course corrections based on global macro economic problems or more domestic issues in key markets which will affect everyone.

    On the other hand, sports marketing is still only a toddler in Asia and has plenty of years left before it reaches levels of maturity as seen in the US, Europe or Australia. Certain sports have already been developed like cricket in India. But even cricket has plenty of room to improve and grow. As powerful as the IPL is, it‘s not on the same level of professionalism as major football Leagues in Europe. For a still relatively new League, it has done incredibly well and has plenty of room to grow and improve.

    How has the business in India grown?
    The business from India has been doubling year on year. India has always been a very important market, even prior to 2004 when we set up our local subsidiary. Over the years, India has now grown to be the single largest country in terms of revenue contribution to the group.
    ‘We already have great scale in India and do very little in cricket. That just shows that there are plenty of other areas to concentrate on and grow the business outside cricket‘

    Given that India is a one sport country, what is the strategy to build scale here?
    We already have great scale in India and do very little in cricket. That just shows that there are plenty of other areas to concentrate on and grow the business outside cricket.

    We have divided the business into three verticals – media, events and sponsorship and licensing. We do six to seven events a year.

    How did you get involved with the Delhi Golf Club?
    The Delhi Golf Club made the most sense for us in terms of taking the rights for their calendar year and getting sponsors. We have got sponsors like Mitsubishi Motors and China Tourism. The other option is to do a one off event like everyone else. We did not want to get into a crowded space.

    How are you going to get involved with the F1 event here?
    In F1, our focus is on the teams and only occasionally we work with the local races.

    I do believe that F1 viewership and general interest in the sport will dramatically grow in India over the next three-five years. I saw it first hand in Malaysia where F1 was unknown to the general public prior to the first race in 1999; now everyone seems to be an expert. I have no doubt that F1 will have a similar success in India. It‘s an amazing product and even more exciting to watch live than on TV.

    Once Indian corporations have a chance to see the F1 spectacle live, they will get the idea pretty quickly on how to leverage the power of it in the local market and even worldwide.

    In India what work are you doing to grow soccer?
    We have worked with several clubs including Churchill Brothers to help them grow their commercial revenue streams. We had partnered with CAA to bid for the rights, which now are handled by IMG/Reliance. So we were ready to invest considerable resources into the sport, but unfortunately came up a bit short.

    We are seeing sports bodies and agencies making a bigger push in India. WWE just set up an office here. IMG Reliance is doing work to push sports. How will all this activity benefit the sports marketing environment here?
    It clearly will grow the size of the pie,,there is no doubt about it. Just like Cricket, there are several other sports which have good growth potential. It has happened all over the world and will happen here as well. Clear second tier sports will emerge and will develop their own niche and space.

    Growth will be led by new star players emerging in certain sports; the 2012 Olympics will particularly unearth new talent. Sports will be driven by corporations seeking new ways to reach consumers and being driven or prized out of cricket.

    Are you looking at the possibility of a JV in India like what IMG has done with Reliance?
    We are always open to team up with powerful partners.

    In terms of leveraging their brands, to what extent is digital becoming important for sports federations and sports marketing agencies?
    The digital world is a huge opportunity for sports in general. Niche sports can now deliver their content directly to their fan base without having to rely on the big sports platforms or channels.

    At the same time, sports is the only true “appointment TV” and, therefore, will continue to drive pay TV and other traditional media platforms as it caters to huge audiences — “live”.

    The only difference is sports, where it is all about live experience; no one will tape a crucial match of their favourite team, player or sport. People make “appointments” to watch it live; the delivery mechanism and the viewing experience might change but not the desire to see it while it unfolds. That‘s the true power of sports.
     

    What progress has your online streaming service Total Sports TV made since launch?
    It‘s an on-going case study into the digital world for us. We don‘t claim to have found the ultimate solution yet — but it gives us exposure into a new fast developing area and will lead to new business opportunities down the line.

    How is Total Sports Asia planning to get involved with the 2012 Olympics?
    I assume that the economic impact in Asia will be much smaller compared to 2008. We are working with several companies who are major Olympic sponsors and helping them with marketing and leveraging ideas and implementation across the region.

    I believe the London Olympics will be big in Asia, because of the host city itself. Beijing was unique in many ways and might not be topped in terms of the sheer scale and size. But I have no doubt that London will set new standards in many other ways. Overall, the Olympics will definitely grow in Asia and we will see more and more global sponsors trying to take its advantage by making it locally relevant.

    What are the new technologies coming up here that are enhancing the viewer‘s experience?
    Our racket sport production business is growing dramatically this year. We have brought in many innovative ideas such as speed guns and virtual technology to enhance the viewer experience. We are also aiming to provide fans with new data and info about their sport.

    We will continue to work with our Federations to push new technologies and ideas, while making it commercially viable at the same time.

  • WB ad revenue up 56 per cent in first quarter

    WB ad revenue up 56 per cent in first quarter

    MUMBAI: English movie channel WB has posted a 56 per cent ad revenue growth in the first quarter of this year compared to the year-ago period, according to a senior Turner International India executive.

    The channel has doubled its client roster, providing scope for revenue growth. Currently, WB clients span across sectors including Lifestyle and Beauty, Automobiles, Financial, and Telecom. The roster includes L’Oreal, Yamaha, Volkswagen, Tata Motors, TVS, Coca Cola, Pepsi, Edelweiss, Bajaj Allianz, Samsung and Phillips.
     
    Says Turner International India GM entertainment networks, South Asia Monica Tata, “The increase in clients has resulted in a healthy first-quarter with WB locking in 56 per cent revenue growth over the same period last year. Additionally, we have also seen a robust 77 per cent growth in inventory over Q1 last year.”

    As had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, WB’s Mega Action movie block will spice up June with classic, adrenaline pumping movies such as ‘Blade’, ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Superman’ every weekend.
     
    “The English movie genre sells on perception and, thus, great stress is laid on the look and feel and the packaging of the channel. WB from launch to date has always received excellent feedback on its packaging from the industry. In sync, the WB June Mega Action stunt has been slickly packaged peppered with loads of action moments that will surely set viewers pulse racing. Showcasing Hollywood‘s biggest blockbusters and adrenaline pumping movies such as ‘Blade’, ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Superman’, the June Mega Action will spice up weekends for all action lovers,” says Tata.

    The channel will premiere the movie ‘Splice’ on 29 June.

    The WB June Mega Action is being promoted on-air, off-air and digital platforms. The marketing campaign includes print partnerships with key English dailies such as Mail Today, Mid Day & Time-Out to create buzz about the action line-up. On ground, PVR theatres across Delhi and Mumbai will promote WB June content. Online movie buffs can log-on to the dedicated website www.itsonwb.com to get the full Mega June schedule as well as participate in the WB Mega Action contest. For clues, viewers can visit the WB Facebook page www.facebook.com/itsonwb .
     
    “Direct consumer interaction/engagement is a key focus of WB’s marketing strategy. And thus, the WB Facebook page is an exciting one with daily and constantly updated, encouraging conversations about movies, exchanging trivia and is peppered with fun and exciting contests. Further, even the off-air focus is on effective placements which are frequented by movie lovers such as cinema halls, coffee shops and book stores,” says Tata.

    Asked about the trends being noticed in the English movie genre, Tata says that a key trend is the extension of the prime band from 9 pm to 11 pm. “This year being cricket heavy, most channels focused on building the 11 pm slot. Additionally, with India still largely being a single TV household, typically the male TG gets sole access to the remote, post 10:30 pm. Thus, WB is fully geared to bring the best at the 11 pm slot.”

  • ‘India’s diversity makes distribution a big challenge’ : Brandscapes CMD Pranesh Misra

    ‘India’s diversity makes distribution a big challenge’ : Brandscapes CMD Pranesh Misra

    In a rapidly changing business environment where brands need to be constantly rejuvenated, it is not only important to analyse but also interpret data from a marketing agenda perspective.

     

    The most significant change that has happened in India is the growth of the services over the consumer products sector. Mobile is also emerging as a strong personal medium, which marketers and advertisers have not fully exploited yet.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Brandscapes Worldwide chairman & managing director Pranesh Misra talks about how there is need for a marketing data centric company to build profitable growth strategies.

     

    Excerpts:

    When you started Brandscapes Worldwide in 2008, what was the aim?
    The vision was to be a marketing data centric company. Our difference would be to not only analyse but also interpret data from a marketing agenda perspective.

    What progress has been made so far?
    We have got success with global clients. We work with clients across different markets like Carlsberg, Citibank and Coca-Cola. They employ us in different geographies across the world. We work with their issues in over 40 markets and we do projects there. In India, we get clients who are not only interested in the analytics part of it but also want us to advise in the marketing and brand strategy.

    How are you addressing this need?
    We have announced five different practices that we will focus our attention on. These are market research, data mining, marketing science, involving advanced statistics modelling to project the future. The fourth practice is dashboards which is putting all the information together in an easy-to-digest manner. The fifth strategy is the strategy planning dimension.

    What are the challenges that you face?
    The primary challenge is that when you start with data analytics, there is not enough good quality data available. In international markets it is easily available as people have invested a lot of money behind it. We have worked with clients in the SME sector here who have not done any research. This is where we felt that doing customised research for these clients would be useful. We set up our own discipline in the area of research.

     

    The second challenge is finding the right caliber of people. This is a people driven business. It is about understand marketing and how data can be applied to it. I have been able to put together a solid team of 10 leadership team members. Each member has 20-30 years of experience in fields like research, marketing, media strategy, sales and distribution. It is this eclectic mix of talent that I have gotten together. These are the leaders who recruit the next generation of talent and create an organisation.

    What is the advantage you offer to clients vis-a-vis competitive services?
    We are trying to create a new area. I don’t think that marketing consulting is being offered the way that we offer it. Many companies offer brand consulting which is more into the brand strategy area. Then there are large companies like McKinsey and PriceWaterHouse Coopers who are management consultants and who also do marketing consulting. Our focus is on marketing and we have people with experience in this domain. We have holistic knowledge of all areas and so play in market research, data mining.

     

    We are trying to carve out a niche for ourselves between the bigger consulting houses and narrow focussed marketing consulting players. We give holistic solutions around marketing problems. We are not general consultants nor are we very specific. We are not just analytics focussed or market research focussed.
    “The biggest mistake that has riddled many big companies is that their
    thinking moves slower than the consumers”

    Could you give me some examples where clients have benefited?
    As a consultant I cannot give specific examples; I can give broad ideas. There was a global FMCG client looking at a particular category. They wanted to do 20/20 planning on this category. This involved looking at 60 countries, collecting data of different natures like demographics, category penetration, competitive strength and weakness data and category development index data. Then we created a model around which data could be simplified and synthesised. On this basis we created clusters of countries. Then we did deep dive analysis in these clusters to see a common link. This was a macro level solution.

     

    On a micro level there was an FMCG whose brand was not doing well. We got access to retail data. We had to find an insight to take the brand further. One big pack size was not doing well while the others were growing. This size accounted for 25 -30 per cent of sales and was declining. This was the first clue and we dug deeper. Competition was coming with a slightly smaller pack size at a much cheaper price while this company had pushed the price up. We did price sensitivity testing which led to the right price point being found.

     

    A Marketing Dashboard was developed for a shopping mall. This helps it keep track of Key Performance Indicators relating to its tenants – and take strategic and tactical action on an ongoing basis. Strategy Maps were used to guide a global NGO on how to change its branding approach for better success in some countries.

    How have you grown over the past couple of years?
    We started with 15 people. Now we have around 85 people. We have grown at an average of 45 per cent in terms of revenues. The client roster has grown from three cornerstone clients to around 12.

    Which sector is the most challenging to deal with?
    No sector is particularly more challenging than another. It comes down to your domain knowledge. Since we have domain knowledge on consumer goods and services, banking and financial, retail and in healthcare, we are focusing in these segments. We have knowledge there. If you tell us to look at an industrial sector, it would be a challenge,. We don’t understand the topography of that sector.

    What mistakes do companies make when they go about their marketing?
    The biggest mistake I would say that has riddled many big companies is that their thinking moves slower than the consumers. Consumers move ahead very fast in terms of their attitudes. Companies sometimes focus on the unchanging consumer and lose ground. You fail to move with the consumer in this scenario. Information availability is so much that consumers accept new information very quickly. This is a big challenge.

    What other obstacles do companies face?
    In a country like India, sales and distribution is a challenge, especially for new companies. How do you reach out to big markets? When multinationals come in, the challenge is about pricing. They believe that the same prices that are in the developed markets should work here. They get a shock when nobody picks up their product. This is a pitfall that you have to work around.

    Which categories will spend the most on advertising and marketing this year?
    It would be the service sector. Telecom will be one of the biggest drivers in terms of mobile telephony, followed by consumer durables and financial products.
     

    During the downturn did the spends of clients on research get affected?
    We didn’t feel the pinch as we are still a young organisation. But I know that a downturn does not mean that research spending will fall. In fact research happens more as people want to be more careful about spending more ad money and marketing money. Research takes place more in downturns.
    How is India different as a market from other countries?
    In India, distribution is a big challenge. There is a lot of diversity compared to a country like the UK which is fairly homogeneous. It is not about where do you enter in India but about how do you get going. India’s complexity is a challenge in terms of distribution, pricing, target segmentation. You have to be careful in terms of deciding which markets do you go to and which audience do you address.

    You have a JV with Design Bridge. How has this worked for you?
    It has worked out well. We have worked for several clients together. They bring the actual design part of it. We don’t have any creative resource here. So what we do is the first part that is strategy planning. Then you have to create a look and feel, logo design for a product. They do that creative part of it.

     

    In the healthcare category we have a JV with Healthy Marketing Team. They are focussed on helping clients quickly zoom into the brand positioning strategy in the healthcare segment. We partnered with them, have trained our people on their system and have brought that to
    our clients here.
    What marketing strategies work well for alcohol companies in India, given that direct advertising on television and print is not allowed?
    Associating with a sporting event like Golf works. Spirit brands want to have a lifestyle association; they want to project a certain lifestyle and be in a premium space. Alcohol companies also take space in retail outlets. Besides, a lot of attention is spent on packaging of the product, which works towards effective brand building.
    In the financial and insurance sector a lot of companies follow a guilty tag to get parents to buy products. Is that a wrong way to go about selling products like insurance?
    It depends on the situation. Too much of guilt can be counter productive. In some situations, guilt might work. But from my perspective, a positive outlook is better than guilt. Consumers after a while do not want to receive too many negative messages.
    Which marketing avenue is most effective in terms of ROI – print, television, radio, online?
    It differs from category to category and brand to brand. This is what our marketing modeling mix practice estimates. We are able to pinpoint for a market which element gives higher ROIs.
    Is new media becoming more important?
    Yes! It is credible as a medium as people share their opinions and experiences here. It is becoming a credible source of information. A lot of companies, especially international, go to new media first to get answers about consumers.

    But are companies tapping into this medium properly in India?
    It is still a new medium here. Some companies are doing it well while others are experimenting. Mobile is about SMS at the moment. I think that as rich media comes in through 3G, marketers will use it a lot more.

     

    As far as online is oncerned, Indian consumers are already using that medium in categories like hotels and airlines. They want to find out what others feel about a particular brand. This is an area where a dramatic change will happen in the next three to four years. Companies have to understand that the Internet will play a critical step in the decision making process. Companies will need to have a larger presence online.

     

    They can be a part of the online conversation, at least in terms of keeping track of what consumers are saying, and then take corrective action if there is negative feedback. They can also find out what consumers feel works for the brand and why they choose it over competition.
    When you look at the marketing and advertising scenario what are the two biggest changes that have happened over the past five years?
    The growth of the services over the consumer products sector is a big change that has happened in India. Also, the emergence of mobile as a personal medium is a change. This has not been totally exploited by marketers and advertisers, but I think that this is a life changer today. Younger consumers have evolved.
  • Kings XI Punjab ropes in five new partners for IPL 4.0

    Kings XI Punjab ropes in five new partners for IPL 4.0

    MUMBAI: IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab has roped in five new partners.

    Pearl Group and Flying Machine are Official Team Partners, Carlsberg is the Exceptional Team Partner, Q Cinemas is the Official Multiplex Partner, Coca-Cola is the Official Beverage Partner and as the Official Team Partner.

    Kings XI Punjab co-promoter Ness Wadia said, “I am extremely delighted with the team composition that has Coach Michael Bevan and Captain Adam Gilchrist at the helm and a host of experienced and talented cricketer. We are also extremely happy about the domestic players who form the part of the squad. These young and energetic boys come from our catchment area and beyond. All of them have the potential of being mettle winners in their own right. All in all our team has the right mix of experience, youth and talent & the exhibited potential to go the distance this year.”

    Further commenting on the partners association for IPL 4, he said, “Kings XI Punjab is delighted to renew its association with our long standing partners. Emirates, again is our Title Partner and the other partners who we continue our relationship are ACC as Official Team Partner, Gulf as Performance & Protection Partner, Wrigley as Official Chewing Gum, USL as Official games for Challenge Partner and Reebok as Official Apparel Partner. We mutually remain committed to our objectives and promise to take this association to new heights. We take this opportunity to thank all our partners for trusting us and we assure them of our utmost efforts to fulfill our common objectives.”

    Kings XI Punjab COO Col. Arvinder Singh said, “KXIP values its enduring relationship with the fans and this year too our aim is to keep our fans and supporters at the core so that they take pride in being associated with us. We received a stupendous response last year on our initiatives like Homecoming, an opportunity to meet and greet players in their hometowns in catchment area & Flying Catch last year. Hence we will be organizing them again this season in association with our partners i.e. with Carlsberg and Emirates respectively.

    The franchise has also announced an initiative to support the team through Paint the town Red and a contest Rocky Ranjit ki Khoj a search for the voices for our Mascots has been arranged. We have also revamped our website – www.kxip.in by adding several new features like live chats, contests, updates about KXIP cricketers. Our aim with all these initiatives is to involve cricket lovers through these interactive means and engage with them during the matches and on off days.”

    The team is currently being trained under the coach Michael Bevan who stated, “We have put together a strong team this season with some of the best cricketers in the world. At the helm we have the experienced captain Adam Gilchrist who would infuse right fervor and guide the team to play some great cricket in the upcoming season. I can just say that my boys are enthused to put the right foot forward and play some great cricket.”

    Adam Gilchrist who is the captain of the franchise said, “Kings XI Punjab has a new look but we will endeavor to play as one team where each player complements the other. The squad has great talent and with new renewed energy & teamwork we are determined to aim for a successful season. As always we cherish the unrelenting support and love of all our fans and assure them of our best efforts on the field.”